Thread: VT:Border Patrol Arrrests Illegal Construction Workers

Brandon Hudson
U.S. Border Patrol Arrests Undocumented Workers

Posted: Nov 13, 2008 03:28 PM PST

Updated: Nov 13, 2008 04:27 PM PST

What started as a tip soon led to the arrest of five people outside the Handy Suites Hotel in Essex Junction, Vt., Thursday morning.

"One of our units went down," Special Operations Supervisor Brad Curtis said. "We encountered these five subjects in the parking lot -- determined yes in fact they were illegal in the United States."

They were staying at the hotel and working across the street on the new Lowe's.

"Once they're done being processed, they'll be moved over to immigration and customs enforcement and they will be put in deportation proceedings," Curtis said.

Damon Hall works with local contractors. He says more companies are hiring more illegal immigrants as a high risk, high reward move.

"Companies are cheating and scurting laws in order to lower their bids and win the projects," Hall said.

With the increasing number of in-state workers losing out, Hall says it's a matter of time before Vermont joins neighboring states in fighting this problem.

http://www.fox44.net/Global/story.asp?S=9346767

Shut these companies down; fine them; Jail the owners and the builders; confisacate the grounds, take ownership of the building and all the companies equipment and vehicles.

This crap will end real quick

Busted Illegals Highlight a Bigger Problem



Essex, Vermont - November 14, 2008

Federal officials are releasing new information about five illegal aliens arrested near an Essex construction site Thursday. Immigration officials say four of the men were from Mexico. The other was from Colombia. All were between 18 and 23 years of age and they are all behind bars pending deportation proceedings.

While the five illegal construction workers will likely soon be deported-- their employer will probably receive little more than a slap on the wrist.

"The law is toothless if you will," explained Sen. Vince Illuzzi, R-Essex and Orleans Counties.

The penalty for hiring an illegal worker in Vermont is a $100 to $300 fine for a first offense; up to $750 for any subsequent offenses.

Illuzzi would like to see that changed.

"Vermont law has no enforcement mechanism. All that happens now is they simply get a letter than says come into compliance and everyone moves forward," Illuzzi said.

A new committee created by the legislature is investigating worker fraud in the construction industry and hopes to recommend changes to lawmakers in the next couple of years to crack down on illegal workplace practices.

Local contractors say out-of-state companies are being awarded the bids on major projects like this one because they hire illegal workers to avoid paying worker insurance and benefits.

"Responsible contractors that pay the proper premiums, taxes, and do the right thing for the state of Vermont are losing bids here. They're not able to win any of the projects," said Damon Hall, of the Local 7 Ironworkers Union.

But the problem extends far beyond out of state companies hiring illegal workers. The Vt. Department of Labor estimates that about 10 percent of companies operating in Vermont are misclassifying their workers, claiming their employees are doing jobs they are not.

"Identified as floor sweepers when they were welders on the sixth or seventh floor working with machinery and very volatile gasses," Illuzzi explained.

That allows employers to pay less in health insurance and workman's comp-- and thus underbid jobs.

"It creates a super, unfair advantage," Hall said.

The workers on this job were arrested after a tip from a citizen. Multiple workers say the men were employed by Hudson, N.H.-based Kal-Vin Construction, although Immigration officials have not verified that claim. The owner of Kal-Vin Construction says the men were actually hired by a temporary labor company and that the men appear to be American citizens.

Owner of Kal-Vin, Norman Pomerleau, told Channel 3 News, "There is no questionability surrounding these workers. They provided documents that appeared to be legit. They were covered under workman's comp. They pay their taxes and were hard workers."

The four Mexican workers did admit they were lacking proper immigration paperwork.

The Colombian worker, Diego Ramirez Giraldo, 32, has also been charged with falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.

Keagan Harsha - WCAX News

http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=9353367