Immigration: Raid of this size raises questions
Immigration: Raid of this size raises questions
The Clarion-Ledger • August 28, 2008
Mississippi lawmakers who approved a huge incentives package in 2002 for Howard Industries to expand production must be looking in stunned disbelief at the news of a raid at the plant by immigration officials.
The largest single-workplace immigration raid in U.S. history at the Laurel transformer plant on Monday had agents rounding up nearly 600 plant workers suspected of being in the country illegally.
Many will recall a special 2002 session of the Legislature approved a $31.5 million incentive package for the plant.
Then-Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove was basking in lawmaker approval of a $68 million package for the Nissan plant at Canton to create 1,300 additional jobs to the 4,000 expected after the auto plant was set to be completed the following year.
But, then, some complained that home-grown industries weren't getting the same benefits, pushing Howard's expansion. Legislators were only too happy to oblige and gave taxpayer-funded incentives to create 2,000 jobs - about $15,000 per job.
Lawmakers may be looking more closely at the package's provisions now, if it is proven that Howard hired illegal workers.
With Nissan, lawmakers started requiring "claw-back" provisions in agreements between Mississippi and corporations receiving taxpayer funds.
Such agreements guarantee that should the company decide not to complete a plant or not open it after it is constructed or not operate it for the full 20 years of the agreement, Mississippi would be repaid.
The question now: Does that apply to companies that do not hire legal workers? If the purpose of such economic incentives is to provide jobs for citizens, what if those jobs are filled by illegal workers instead?
Howard has defended its hiring practices. In a prepared statement released Monday, the company stated: "Howard Industries runs every check allowed to ascertain the immigration status of all applicants for jobs. It is a company policy that it hires only U.S. citizens and legal immigrants."
Some of those rounded up have had to appear in federal court on charges of using false Social Security numbers and residency identification.
The Legislature, at the urging of Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, approved a new law to require businesses to use the controversial E-Verify system to help ensure employer compliance with immigration laws. The new law, which was opposed by many businesses and immigrant rights groups, took effect last month.
The question is if it will work or if businesses are weeding out or can effectively weed out illegal workers. A raid of this size points to the complex issues involved in immigration reform efforts. The most effective reforms would be to enforce existing laws.
With this many possible illegal workers at one plant, something is not working.
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