Thread: Some workers avoid waterfront in wake of raids

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12 ... 1lo170.htm

Some workers avoid waterfront in wake of raids
By NANCY COOK, Standard-Times staff writer

NEW BEDFORD -- Rows and rows of metal stations at a processing plant, where workers typically fillet thousands of fish, stood empty yesterday following Monday's immigration raid when officials arrested 13 undocumented immigrants.

At least 25 people failed to show up for work at AML International, said Frank Ferreira, plant manager. Eight of those arrested Monday worked at AML.

"The whole waterfront is leery," he said. "But people will come back to work within the next couple days."

Ten of the 13 people arrested have been released and have pending cases before the immigration court, a branch of the Department of Justice, said Paula Grenier, spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Two of the men arrested, Jorge Merino Flores and Nelson Palacios Martines, will be deported to their native El Salvador at a yet-to-be-determined date, Ms. Grenier said; both had outstanding warrants for deportation and are being held at the Suffolk County Jail.

The other man still in custody, whose name officials would not release, was detained for his affiliation with the gang Mara Salvatrucha, informally known as MS-13, whose members traditionally hail from Central America. ICE would not release the names of the others arrested.

The arrests occurred shortly after the Bush administration announced a new initiative to crack down on illegal immigration.

Anecdotally, plant managers said several of the men arrested already had returned to the waterfront.

One man immigration agents took away early Monday morning from the Whaling City Seafood Display Auction clocked into work at 6:50 a.m. yesterday, according to his time card.

Many of these workers had no choice because they need the money, plant managers said.

One undocumented worker from Guatemala, who refused to give his name and who has lived in this country for six years, said he came to work because he "didn't feel like he did anything wrong."

Fish processing plants, where the work is hard and the pay runs between $7 and $14 with no health insurance, often hire temporary workers -- some of whom may be undocumented.

It is unclear if fish processing plants where workers were arrested will face fines, according to Ms. Grenier.

Plant managers said they find these workers through local staffing agencies, where the onus is on the agency to check or verify documents.

Although many managers acknowledged the illegality of hiring undocumented workers, they also pointed out that the undocumented workers perform unpopular, low-wage jobs.

"They're saying these people are taking jobs from other people, but no Americans want this," Mr. Ferreira said. "They're chasing people who make $6.75 an hour."
T
he most telling sign on the waterfront of the prevalence of Spanish-speaking workers was found at the processing plant, Seatrade International, where two signs advertise the company's annual Christmas party.

The first sign, written in Spanish and printed on green paper, advertises the "Fiesta Navidena De Seatrade International 2005." And hanging below it, under eye level hangs the English-language sign.

Here's an another article posted earlier.

https://www.alipac.us/ftopict-13609-bedford.html