Thread: Settlement: OC laborers can seek jobs from streets

Aug 28, 1:30 AM EDT


Settlement: OC laborers can seek jobs from streets






SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- A settlement between day laborers and the Orange County sheriff's office calls for authorities to acknowledge workers' rights to stand on sidewalks and seek work without being harrassed, according to attorneys for the laborers.

The settlement was reached last week but attorneys did not release details until Wednesday. The agreement stems from a federal harrassement lawsuit filed last year by about 50 day laborers against the Sheriff's Department, the county and several individuals over a Lake Forest city ordinance that barred workers from soliciting work on street corners.

The lawsuit alleged deputies violated the workers' right to free speech, intimidated and harassed them. The city later repealed the ordinance and was dropped from the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleged deputies violated workers' right to free speech by telling them they couldn't seek work on a street corner. In court papers, deputies said they were responding to residents' complaints that workers were littering and trespassing.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Sheriff's Department agreed that "people have a right to offer themselves for work," and affirmed the right of contractors to solicit workers as long as no law is violated, said Tessie Borden, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the workers.

Borden said the case "was not just a challenge of an existing ordinance. This goes further, establishing an existing and inviolable right."

According to the agreement, the sheriff's office admitted no wrongdoing and retains authority to enforce laws that prohibit jaywalking, double parking and littering.

S. Frank Harrell, an attorney for the deputies, was not immediately available for comment.



http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/ ... TE=DEFAULT

Santa Ana, no surprise here!

They should be required to seek employment at employment offices like the majority of citizens do. If they have to solicit jobs from the streets, that just means they are here illegally. This case needs to go up further up the food chain. Illegals have a right to Due Process, but other than that they have NO RIGHTS in this country!

Under the terms of the agreement, the Sheriff's Department agreed that "people have a right to offer themselves for work," and affirmed the right of contractors to solicit workers as long as no law is violated, said Tessie Borden, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the workers.

I'm confused here, isn't it a violation of the law for illegal aliens to work in the US? Because if that doesn't apply, then prostitutes also have the right to "offer themselves for work" don't they?

What about residents/consumers who are harassed by these day laborers? What about their freedom of "speech"? Don't they have the right to walk into a store without being accosted by these criminals?

Originally Posted by miguelina

Under the terms of the agreement, the Sheriff's Department agreed that "people have a right to offer themselves for work," and affirmed the right of contractors to solicit workers as long as no law is violated, said Tessie Borden, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the workers.

I'm confused here, isn't it a violation of the law for illegal aliens to work in the US? Because if that doesn't apply, then prostitutes also have the right to "offer themselves for work" don't they?

What about residents/consumers who are harassed by these day laborers? What about their freedom of "speech"? Don't they have the right to walk into a store without being accosted by these criminals?

You're supposed to be CONFUSED! That's the way the ACLU works! It's illegal to work here if you're an ILLEGAL. It's illegal to HIRE an illegal! ALL KINDS OF LAWS ARE BEING VIOLATED!

Hookers need to be left alone then, free from harassment. They should be able to stand on any street corner of their choosing to "solicit" work.

American Civil Liberties Union"

The ACLU.. I should have known they would represent the street workers..

First word there "American" I wonder, how many Americans were really in the suit. Most americans I know, do not look for work on a street corner.

The agreement stems from a federal harrassement lawsuit filed last year by about 50 day laborers against the Sheriff's Department, the county and several individuals over a Lake Forest city ordinance that barred workers from soliciting work on street corners.

How do these people even have STANDING to sue on that kind of issue?

ACLU of Southern California
Executive Director: Ramona Ripston
1313 W. 8th Street
Los Angeles CA 90017
Phone: 213-977-9500
Web site: www.aclu-sc.org

extension 242

Originally Posted by Captainron

The agreement stems from a federal harrassement lawsuit filed last year by about 50 day laborers against the Sheriff's Department, the county and several individuals over a Lake Forest city ordinance that barred workers from soliciting work on street corners.

How do these people even have STANDING to sue on that kind of issue?

They don't have ANY standing. So, it stands to reason then, according to this, that if there is a group of individuals in the process of a bank heist, they can sue the SWAT team for showing up trying to enforce laws against bank heists, because they were being harassed while trying to solicit work at the bank of their choice?

I guess my parents, teachers, church leaders, etc. gave me the wrong information then, according to the ACLU. I was always taught that if you're in the process of breaking the law and the sheriff's deputies or police officers showed up it was called, "LAW ENFORCEMENT," not "harassment."

Not all day laborers are illegal aliens this is a fact. There are not a whole lot of citizen day laborers but the fact that there aresuch people allows the ACLU to argue the issue if the court allows as though large numbers were. Hence for the police to target day laborers just for being day laborers means they can be accused of violating the rights f citizens.