Thread: SOB STORY: Children Stranded After Immigration Raid

Children Stranded After Immigration Raid


NEW BEDFORD, Mass. - Dozens of young children were stranded at schools and with baby-sitters after their parents were rounded up by federal authorities who raided a leather goods maker suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, authorities said Wednesday.

About two-thirds of the 500 employees of Michael Bianco Inc., mostly women, were detained Tuesday by immigration officials for possible deportation as illegal aliens.

As a result, about 100 children were stuck with baby sitters, caretakers and others, said Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts.

"We're continuing to get stories today about infants that were left behind," she said. "It's been a widespread humanitarian crisis here in New Bedford."

The state Department of Social Services was working Wednesday to make sure the children receive proper care.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Julie Myers said women who were sole caregivers of children would be released, but it takes time to verify people's accounts.

Federal officials coordinated with the state social services agency before the raid, said Marc Raimondi, spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"I'm not saying there won't be children whose parents are detained and removed, but I am saying that every effort is going to be made to ensure no child is going to be put in jeopardy because of the removal," he said.

During the federal raid Tuesday, company owner Francesco Insolia, 50, and three top managers were arrested. Authorities allege Insolia oversaw "sweatshop" conditions so he could meet the demands of $91 million in U.S. military contracts.

U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan accused Insolia of exploiting the illegals to maximize his profits on the military contracts for production of backpacks and safety vests for soldiers. A fifth person was arrested on charges of helping illegals obtain fake identification.

Investigators described dingy conditions and said the illegal workers faced onerous fines, such as a $20 charge for talking while working and spending more than two minutes in the bathroom.

"They were given no options. It's either here, or the risk of no income at all," U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan said, comparing the plant to sweatshops from the early 1900s. "Clearly, they were exploited because of the fact they were here illegally."

Insolia's lawyer, Inga Bernstein, said: "The whole story will come out, and at that point it will be a very different scenario."

Michael Bianco Inc., founded in 1985, specialized in manufacturing high-end leather goods for retailers including Coach Inc. and Timberland Co. before landing a $9.4 million military contract in 2003 to make survival vests.

From 2004 and 2006, it won $82 million in military contracts to make products including lightweight backpacks. An Army spokesman did not return a call seeking comment about the status of the contracts.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)

http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles.../d8nnfrt82.txt

Related thread:

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?nam...wtopic&t=56520

Looks like my favorite news organization, AP, forgot to mention the "primary caregivers" were given cellphones to contact childcare providers and lawyers.

Here, pass these around

Deport the children with their parents ASAP. then they will not be separated.

So I guess that means we can't deport any illegal alien who has children here in the U.S. No problem, that only accounts for about 19,999,999 of the 20 million illegals here.

I see no problem, let the children go with their parents, that usually is the option parents with children have right?

Yeap, that's the way I understand it Nitty.

It's best to keep the family unit together. All should be deported.

people need to be accountable for their actions. these people knowingly broke the law and put their kids in a bad situation, they are unfit parents. when they all are returned to their countries of origin those governments need to look into it.

These illegal parents put themselves and their children at risk. Now we are suppose to feel sorry for the children?? Sorry, but it's the parents fault the children are stranded. Get them together with their children as soon as possible and send them back to wherever they came from. My sympathy for these lawbreakers was exhausted long ago!!!

It is the parents fault. These children need to be reunited with their parents and deported back to their country.