Thread: Enforcement Shakes Employers

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06/27/2006
Immigration Enforcement Shakes Employers


Immigration officials have stepped up their efforts to smoke out foreign nationals working in the country illegally*--and to catch the companies that employ them. The stepped-up enforcement, showcased by the raid on Houston-based pallet manufacturer IFCO systems and the recent apprehension of 183 illegal immigrants in Florida, has shaken the employer community and prompted many unlawful immigrants to avoid public transportation and stay home from work.

The Florida arrests, carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orlando, netted criminal aliens who had been ignoring federal court orders to leave the country. Many had a history of violent crime. The IFCO raid extended to 40 IFCO locations in 26 states, including Florida.

In the wake of these actions, Len Mills, executive vice president of the General Contractors of South Florida, told the Wilmington (NC) Star that at least half the construction workforce in his area hadn't shown up for work. "This is costing millions a day," Mills told the Star.

"The community is paralyzed," Cheryl Little, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center in Miami, told the Arizona Republic. "Immigrants are afraid of going to work, [?] of leaving the home."

Despite the fears, federal immigration enforcement officials are trying to reassure the employer community that they're only targeting those who egregiously flout the law. "The White House has assured us that they're only going after egregious bad actors*those who use illegal immigration as a business model," Laura Foote Reiff, founder of the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, told National Public Radio. IFCO, for example, intentionally recruited unlawful aliens to recruit others and advised them how to avoid detection. The company had also ignored repeated letters from the Social Security Administration, advising the company that 5,800 Social Security numbers on the payroll were invalid, didn't match the names registered with the Social Security Administration, or had been issued to children or since-deceased individuals.

The message for employers: Even though most companies aren't egregious bad actors, now is an excellent time to retrain employees who deal with the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9, which must be filled out for all new hires. Employers with lax I-9 procedures will be in an especially weak position if federal agents come to call.


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In the wake of these actions, Len Mills, executive vice president of the General Contractors of South Florida, told the Wilmington (NC) Star that at least half the construction workforce in his area hadn't shown up for work. "This is costing millions a day," Mills told the Star.

Costing who millions a day? They cost this country millions a day just by being here.

We are going to see this more and more. I believe this is the next tactic. Economic fear. More and more articles are coming out how business are unable to get the work done without illegals. I ain't buying.

"Immigrants are afraid of going to work, [?] of leaving the home."

Immigrants??? IT'S ILLEGAL immigrants!!!!!
They should be afraid, the poor dears. They broke the law and should be arrested and sent home.
More sob stories.
I wonder how many American carpenters are having their wages affected by these invaders????

I do not feel sorry for companies that employ illegal aliens losing millions per day. They have been feeding off of us the american taxpayers for too long. We pay for all healthcare, schooling, subsidized housing and high crime rates while these companies rake it in by the millions. Too bad if you also have to follow the laws in this country that you have ignored for too long. We are taking our country back from you the corporations that have been tucking to us the american workers and citizens for years

WOW....our nation only goes after those who EGREGIOUSLY violate the law! So if I only speed a LITTLE BIT, or on OCCASSION the police SHOULD LET ME GO!

I got a suggestion for these companies losing millions....HIRE LEGAL AMERICANS....what a novel concept!

Originally Posted by Business & Legal Reports, Inc.

"This is costing millions a day,"

Awww boo hoo, you bunch of wimps. If you're too stupid to hire Americans, you need to shut down your business and allow someone else with half a brain (provided he's clean) to take over. What we have heah, is a bunch of lazy employers who aren't doin' their jobs!

That IFCO thing. Reading the article citing the IFCO bust, ahem, that was 2 or 3 months ago?

Is that the latest bust?

What about all these other companies merrily working and groveling to their illegals? Why no busts since the IFCO? Is that it?

There needs to be major busts at least every day, EVERY SINGLE DAY minimum.

Oh how upsetting that would be to John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Teddy Kennedy.

Coto

In the wake of these actions, Len Mills, executive vice president of the General Contractors of South Florida, told the Wilmington (NC) Star that at least half the construction workforce in his area hadn't shown up for work. "This is costing millions a day," Mills told the Star.

It'll cost you your country if you keep that attitude up, loooooooser!!