Thread: Sacramento nursery loses most of its staff in immigration cr

Sacramento nursery loses most of its staff in immigration crackdown
March 28, 2011

SACRAMENTO, CA - As many as 71 employees of wholesale nursery Matsuda's of Sacramento will collect their final paychecks Friday after an audit by the Department of Homeland Security determined their work documents were "suspect."

The employees under DHS scrutiny represent 85 percent of Matsuda's year-round work force.

"These are good people. We've worked with many of them for up to 20 years," said Matsuda's general manager Ryan Wallace.

Wallace said all 71 employees identified in the audit last week have been given the opportunity to provide bona fide documents, but only a handful said they could do so.

Matsuda's sales manager Tom Wing said the audit could not have come at a worse time as the nursery prepares to ship 130,000 azaleas to its retail customers, which include supermarkets and home centers.

"This is very labor intensive -- to select, clean and load this product. And without the experienced workforce we have, it's going to be that much more difficult to get done," Wing said.

Among the employees being terminated is Denita, 27, a purchasing agent who came to the United States at the age of 8 and asked that her last name not be used.

"I was raised here in Sacramento. I've been working here (at Matsuda's) for eight years, and now I'm unemployed," she said. Denita's mother also works at Matsuda's and Friday will be her last day, too.

Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said employer audits are lead-driven.

"We have a tip line and that's how we get leads in all kinds of situations," Kice explained. She said leads often come from competitors or disgruntled former employees.

"Our goal with enforcement is not to put a business out of business. It's to gain compliance," Kice said.

Kice said Homeland Security offers a web-based tool called E-Verify that allows employers to check the authenticity of employment documents.

"It's a very useful tool for employers who want to maintain a lawful work force and avoid possible work disruptions," Kice said.

Matsuda's managers said they understood why Homeland Security was taking the enforcement action, but wish they had been given more notice at the start of the busiest time of the year.

"I do wish the government had preceded this with an amnesty program of some sort, but we're having to work with what's been dealt," Wallace said.

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"I do wish the government had preceded this with an amnesty program of some sort, but we're having to work with what's been dealt," Wallace said.

Of course you say that now. However, once your illegal workers became legal, I'm guessing it wouldn't take long for you to change your mind. Once illegals cease to become illegals, it'll be harder to exploit them and keep their pay in the toilet. In such a situation they would become more employable and their options for employment would increase substantially.

"I do wish the government had preceded this with an amnesty program of some sort, but we're having to work with what's been dealt," Wallace said.

sorry Wallace, you hired them, you just lost them. there will be no amnesty for these people and you should be charged with hiring illegals

She knew these people were "ILLEGAL" when she hired them. why is it that she didn't ask for proof that they could work here in the country. these people think everybody is just a stupid as they are when it comes to them hiring those who they know to be here "ILLEGALLY".

Sacramento nursery loses most of its staff in immigration crackdown.

How employer deducted Federal and State taxes from 71 illegal employees wages all of those years?

My heart just bleeds for these poor newly unemployd "undocumented" and their bosses who apparently knew damn well most of their employees were illegal.

NOT!!

Originally Posted by Mickey

"I do wish the government had preceded this with an amnesty program of some sort, but we're having to work with what's been dealt," Wallace said.

Of course you say that now. However, once your illegal workers became legal, I'm guessing it wouldn't take long for you to change your mind. Once illegals cease to become illegals, it'll be harder to exploit them and keep their pay in the toilet. In such a situation they would become more employable and their options for employment would increase substantially.

no worries , i'm sure that this company would just hire the next wave of illegals and exploit them ...

Originally Posted by jean

"We have a tip line and that's how we get leads in all kinds of situations," Kice explained. She said leads often come from competitors or disgruntled former employees.

Whatever it takes to get them out!!

I still say this is all a dog and pony show! Where are the fines for the employer? Where are the deportation orders for all those illegals?

my heart only Bleed for the American .,we all get S/// & they get every thing . any company that hire. any illegal Immigrant should
fine the company & close it down . this is My law
The American are Out of work & no company will help the USA
Only the Illegal immigrant . why they work cheap . well the company get rick also . they pay the illegal immigrant . 4.00 Hr . they are the fool they the company get a kick back .
No amnesty