http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_3170205

Article Last Updated: 10/31/2005 11:05 PM


Site outs employers of illegal immigrants
Organizers take laborers' photos
By Kelly Rush, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun

SAN BERNARDINO - Tori Stordahl and Jason Mrochek have a message for employers who hire day laborers, many of whom are in the country illegally: Your picture may be taken and posted on the World Wide Web.
Stordahl and Mrochek, both of San Bernardino, stood at 21st Street and Lincoln Drive on Monday near the Home Depot here, snapping pictures of employers who stopped to pick up laborers, many of whom are Mexican immigrants.

Their plan is to post the photos on the Web site, which features a "Hall of Shame," listing names, phone numbers and other information about businesses that reportedly hire undocumented immigrants.

Mrochek believes a majority of the workers who line the sidewalks here every morning have entered the country illegally, though it would be difficult to know for sure, he said.

He quoted a study conducted by UCLA's Center for the Study of Urban Poverty, which shows that less than 6 percent of day laborers have entered the country with documentation.

"That's strong enough (proof) to have us come out here," he said.

Mrochek is the co-founder of the Federal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Coalition, which operates the Web site.

Stordahl is a member of the Minuteman Project, but became concerned with the issue of illegal immigration long before the project was organized about a year ago.

"I didn't like what I was seeing going on in my neighborhood going on all over," she said. "The (surge) of illegal immigration is risking our security, it's risking our health, our way of life. There's nothing it doesn't touch. It's a risk to America period."

Stordahl and Mrochek stood on the corner for about an hour and a half, clicking photos of at least two employers who drove vehicles onto the shoulder of the road, or who stopped in Home Depot's parking lot to pick up laborers for the day.

They tried to include shots of license plates and other identifying information in the pictures.

Mrochek said some people who find their photos on the site have called to complain. He said if the employer can show proof he or she doesn't hire illegal workers, he might remove the picture.

Some of the laborers waiting to be picked up Monday said they felt they were being unfairly targeted.

Illegal immigration foes want only to show people with brown skin, said Roberto Arreola, 29, who said he's in the country illegally from Mexico.

"Why don't they go to the Canadian border and harass them?" he said. "Why focus just on the Latinos? There are other illegal immigrants from other countries. My question is why? Because of my appearance?"

Arreola questioned who would work the jobs immigrants perform if all the workers here illegally were deported.

He said he doubts Americans would do the work he does, which often involves landscaping and concrete work, for the wage he's willing to accept. Employers will pay between $10 and $15 an hour for some tasks, he said.

Mrochek argues Americans will work almost any jobs if paid a living wage.

Juan Flores, who came here from Mexico eight years ago, said people who participate in organizations such as the Minuteman Project assume all Mexicans seeking day jobs are here illegally.

"Not everyone is an alien," he said. "I've got my papers."