Thread: Raid nets illegal workers

http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/mar/07raid.htm

March 7, 2006

Raid nets illegal workers
Grand Traverse Resort contracted their employer

By IAN C. STOREY
Record-Eagle staff writer

ACME - Twenty illegal, undocumented workers face deportation following a raid at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.

Federal agents raided the resort early Feb. 27 with help from Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department officials, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Greg Palmore said.

"We had received information that questioned the status of individuals working at the resort," he said. "They were brought into custody and now will be processed for removal from the United States."

Sheriff Scott Fewins said the workers were brought to the law enforcement center and interviewed by federal officials about the company for which they worked.

Resort general manager Andrew Bateman said the detained workers were employees of a company called RCI, Inc. that supplied "front-line" manpower - mostly in the form of housekeeping crews - to the resort for 11 years.

"The issue is there was an investigation, a large one that is going on in a nationwide basis," Bateman said. "We have been thoroughly in cooperation with the federal authorities with regard to an investigation they are conducting, part of which involves RCI."

A call left at RCI's corporate office in New Jersey was not immediately returned. Bateman said the resort's contract with RCI was terminated.

Bateman said the detained employees - some had worked for the resort for years - lived in resort housing and had documentation, but whether "it was whole and correct or whether it was fake is not for us to decide or determine," he said.

Palmore wouldn't comment about whether criminal charges could be brought because of the illegal workers.

"There is an ongoing investigation and we are still looking at some issues," he said. "It continues and I don't want to speculate where it might go."

Bateman said he was confident the resort did nothing wrong and that none of the workers were ever treated in violation of federal labor regulations.

David Boyer, who's owned a vacation property at the resort since 2001, said he was told that some of the illegal workers may have been convicted felons.

"To have undocumented aliens and some allegedly with felony convictions is disturbing," he said. "I find it appalling that the management has to resort to something like this in order to save a buck."

These companies that hire, then ship them to work somewhere....ICE needs to raid their offices and check their records.

Can you imagine if one of those illegal convicts rapes or murders one of the resort's guests?