Thread: FL: Immigration agents seize 11 workers at country club

Immigration agents seize 11 workers at country club
By HECTOR FLORIN

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, May 02, 2008

Immigration authorities, tipped to one worker's illegal status, checked files of other workers before launching the raid afternoon at the club west of Delray Beach. The men allegedly had ignored a judge's order to leave the country, officials said.

"It was managed very low-key, so as not to interfere with the operation of the golf course," said Sean Telling, an assistant field office director with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's southern region, which conducted the raid with the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office's help. The event was unusual because of the number of workers apprehended, said Telling, a former member of the fugitive operations team that handled Wednesday's action.

The workers maintained the golf course and common areas, Gleneagles Country Club general manager Kraig Spina said. The club was not aware the workers were there illegally, and it cooperated with the investigation, he added.

"I was approached about a month ago on one individual. We worked with them throughout the whole process," Spina said. "All of our documentation was correct and accurate, based on what our local government agent said. They orchestrated this with us. "I have absolutely no idea what their status is," he said.

Wednesday's raid took between 30 and 45 minutes.

Some of the 11 men worked as long as seven years at Gleneagles, Spina said.

ICE officials did not say how long it had been since an immigration judge's earlier ruling to deport them. "Rather than complying with those orders, they absconded and went into hiding," said Barbara Gonzalez, a spokeswoman in ICE's southern region.

Robert Schulbaum, president of the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations, said he feared the raid could lead workers in neighboring communities and country clubs into hiding. It's nearly impossible to find a maintenance company that doesn't employ undocumented people, said Schulbaum, former president of the Gleneagles Country Club association. "I'm sure they're all concerned about it," he said of the 68 communities the Alliance represents.

In February, the state of Florida filed a lawsuit against a Boca Raton company and their Miami employment service companies for luring 50 Filipino citizens to work at a country club in the county. They didn't deliver promised jobs and forced as many as 28 people to live in one home, authorities said. The Boca Woods Country Club Association Inc. and Boca Woods Property Association, Inc. are named in the lawsuit.

Spina, the Gleneagles country club's general manager, said he gave the 11 workers money and telephone call cards before they were taken away. The club is in contact with an attorney "to see where the glitch was in the system," he said. It was not known who was representing the Haitians, and ICE would not say where the detainees are being held.

"Homeland Security, they did their job," Spina said. "I just feel horrible. It's probably the most disturbing thing I've had to go through as general manager of a club."

www.palmbeachpost.com

"I was approached about a month ago on one individual. We worked with them throughout the whole process," Spina said.

We can make a positive difference if we get involved.

Robert Schulbaum, president of the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations, said he feared the raid could lead workers in neighboring communities and country clubs into hiding. It's nearly impossible to find a maintenance company that doesn't employ undocumented people, said Schulbaum, former president of the Gleneagles Country Club association. "I'm sure they're all concerned about it," he said of the 68 communities the Alliance represents.

Hope ICE reads this article and has a little chat with Robert Schulbaum.