Thread: Fifty illegal immigrants arrested at Lindon plant

Grace Leong - DAILY HERALD
Universal Industrial Sales' HR director faces criminal charges

More than 50 illegal immigrants working at a manufacturing plant in Lindon were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier this morning.

Universal Industrial Sales Inc., a Lindon-based maker of guardrails, bridge rails and sign structures, was charged with 10 criminal counts of harboring illegal immigrants "for commercial advantage" between January 2003 and December 2006, according to an indictment unsealed today in Salt Lake City.

The law enforcement action, conducted by more than 100 ICE agents at 8 a.m. today, affected more than half of Universal's 100-plus work force.

A second indictment, also unsealed today, charges Alejandro "Alex" Urrutia-Garcia, 39, a human resource director at Universal, with two counts of encouraging or inducing illegal aliens to stay in the United States unlawfully.

A naturalized U.S. citizen, Urruita-Garcia of Provo was arrested this morning during the raid. He faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. Urrutia-Garcia is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Nuffer in Salt Lake City.

The company faces a potential maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines or twice the amount of any pecuniary gain stemming from the offense, whichever is greater, for each count. The company is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court on Feb. 26.

"The investigation and prosecution of employers who violate our nation's immigration laws by hiring illegal workers is an important component of a comprehensive immigration strategy which involves apprehending and prosecuting those illegally in the country and those who facilitate the continued unlawful presence of such individuals," U.S. Attorney Brett L. Tolman said.

"Today's action should send a clear message to employers in Utah. We expect employers to comply with immigration laws in hiring employees. Failure to comply with these laws hampers our ability to address illegal immigration issues," he said.

"While our country's immigration laws must be recognized and vigorously enforced, we understand that the individuals taken into custody today may have families who have been in the United States for lengthy periods of time. Strictly enforcing immigration laws and having compassion for the families of those involved are not mutually exclusive. We have encouraged ICE to consider and address humanitarian issues as they interview these workers and are confident they are taking steps to do so," Tolman said.

Details on the nationalities of those arrested today weren't immediately available.

Workers taken into custody today on administrative immigration violations are being interviewed, photographed, fingerprinted, and processed by immigration officials. The workers are being interviewed by ICE agents and health professionals with ICE's Division of Immigration Health Services to determine if they have any medical, sole-caregiver, or other humanitarian-related issues, which could qualify them for a conditional humanitarian release.

"After they go through the administrative processing, they will be placed in Utah County and Weber County Jails until they are removed from the U.S. or appear before an immigration judge in Salt Lake to plead their case," said ICE spokesman Greg Palmore.

Family members of workers arrested in the operation today can call a toll-free hotline number to get information about the detention status and removal process. The toll-free hotline number is 1-866-341-3858.

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/254593/18/

Good he is looking at 20 years... I hope they get him.

A second indictment, also unsealed today, charges Alejandro "Alex" Urrutia-Garcia, 39, a human resource director at Universal, with two counts of encouraging or inducing illegal aliens to stay in the United States unlawfully.

A naturalized U.S. citizen, Urruita-Garcia of Provo was arrested this morning during the raid. He faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison for each count.

A second indictment, also unsealed today, charges Alejandro "Alex" Urrutia-Garcia, 39, a human resource director at Universal, with two counts of encouraging or inducing illegal aliens to stay in the United States unlawfully.

A naturalized U.S. citizen, Urruita-Garcia of Provo was arrested this morning during the raid. He faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. Urrutia-Garcia is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Nuffer in Salt Lake City.

Naturalized U.S. citizen, Urruita-Garcia--should be stripped of US citizenship and deported after serving his sentence.

"While our country's immigration laws must be recognized and vigorously enforced, we understand that the individuals taken into custody today may have families who have been in the United States for lengthy periods of time. Strictly enforcing immigration laws and having compassion for the families of those involved are not mutually exclusive. We have encouraged ICE to consider and address humanitarian issues as they interview these workers and are confident they are taking steps to do so," Tolman said.

'Humanitarian issues' addressing compassion for families of citizens arrested in the US are handled by calling child protective services--citizens do not get a free-pass out of jail by 'humanitarian compassion' when arrested if they have minor children. They get out of jail by posting bond.

Call the foreign consulate of those arrested and have the staff arrange for child care and keep the parent(s) incarcerated or the consulate can put up bond for those arrested.

People are suppose to be treated equally under the law.


Example of a foreign government's criminal justice system:
Appeal to Mexican President Calderon:
"Amnesty International has documented torture, arbitrary detention,
excessive use of force and the denial of due process," said Cox in a letter
to President Calderon ahead of his official visit Sunday through next
Thursday (Feb. 10-14). "The public security and criminal justice
institutions have too frequently been characterized as abusive, ineffective
and lacking independence and transparency."
Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA

It sounds like most will be released because of Humanitarian issues. Just deport them and be done with it.

Moving from General Discussion to news.
There have been several threads regarding this story btw.