Thread: OR: Raid On Plant Uncovers 100's Of Illegal Workers

Raid on plant uncovers hundreds of illegal workers


Portland Mayor Tom Potter angry about raid

Story Published: Jun 12, 2007 at 11:43 AM PDT

Story Updated: Jun 12, 2007 at 6:33 PM PDT

By WILLIAM McCALL Associated Press Writer Video PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -

Federal agents on Tuesday raided the offices of a Portland food processing plant suspected of employing hundreds of illegal workers who used Social Security numbers that belonged to other people or were made up.

More than 165 workers were detained to be processed for possible deportation, officials said, and three people were indicted on immigration, illegal documents and identity theft charges.

Portland Mayor Tom Potter criticized the raids. The three arrests were understandable, he said, but "to go after local workers who are here to support their families while filling the demands of local businesses for their labor is bad policy."

According to an affidavit filed by Maximillian Trimm, a special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, only 48 of nearly 600 employees at the Fresh Del Monte Produce fruit and vegetable processing plant had valid Social Security numbers.

An official at Fresh Del Monte Produce Co. headquarters in Coral Gables, Fla., said the company could not comment until federal investigators provide it with more information.

The three indicted were Jose de Jesus Zarazua-Lopez, accused of re-entering the United States illegally after being convicted of heroin charges and deported to Mexico; Jose Dejesus Buenrostro, accused of encouraging an illegal immigrant; and Margarita Amezcua-Salvador, accused of possessing counterfeit alien registration documents, identity theft, selling a Social Security card, and encouraging an illegal immigrant.

The raid at American Staffing Resources Inc. offices at the plant at 9243 N. Rivergate Boulevard was based on an investigation by ICE and the Social Security Administration that began in January, officials said.

Separate American Staffing offices also were searched at 8926 N. Lombard St., along with a Fresh Del Monte office, officials said.

A federal judge authorized agents to search for evidence of violations such as hiring illegal aliens, identity theft and Social Security fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in Portland.

Federal prosecutors said that 20 of the Social Security numbers being misused belonged to people older than 60, and that 29 belonged to dead people.

CAUSA Oregon, an immigration rights group, called the raids inhumane.

"The Del Monte workers and their families are an integral part of the Oregon community and economy, and our immigration policy must reflect this reality," the group said in a statement.

Potter spokesman John Doussard said the city's Police Bureau had been given a heads-up about the raids but did not participate. Potter said in a statement that a city crisis response team would help the families of the workers.

Potter has been at odds with federal security officials before. In 2005, he and other City Council members voted to remove Portland police from a terrorism task force because the FBI refused to give him the security clearance he said he needed for full oversight of city officers.

Doussard said Potter's criticism Tuesday wasn't related to the 2005 decision.

Authorities created a 24-hour toll-free hotline for family members of unauthorized workers who were arrested in Tuesday's operations. Operators can answer questions about detention status and the removal process. The number is (866) 341-3858.

To read a Willamette Week in-depth report on the Portland Del Monte plant, click here.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved



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Lets call that number and demand deportment!! Hire legal immigrants and U.S. citizens and you wouldn't have this problem.

load up the buses

Federal prosecutors said that 20 of the Social Security numbers being misused belonged to people older than 60, and that 29 belonged to dead people.

Now that's just WRONG.

Do you think it would do anything if we started writing letters to the companies that get caught hiring illegals saying we are going to stop buying their products?

Originally Posted by wolfbaby

Do you think it would do anything if we started writing letters to the companies that get caught hiring illegals saying we are going to stop buying their products?

Only if we actually DID stop buying their products. If profits fall substantially, they'll listen.

I guess I wasn't very clear I really meant to include not buying as well as letter writing.Sorry.

This raid will cost the company and the illegal alien lovers like Portland Mayor Tom Potter , the news over the next couple of weeks will be fun to watch. ie: sob stories, finger pointing, etc.

I've always thought that we, the American people, have ALL the power in this immigration issue. All we have to do is use our power to boycott companies and politicians who pander to illegals.

It's all about votes and money. Take away both, and you'll see a big change in the attitudes of the pro-illegal crowd.

It's time for another "Boston Tea Party".

Immigrant supporters decry raid
Posted by The Oregonian June 12, 2007 15:30PM
Categories: Breaking News
Immigrant-rights, church and labor leaders gathered outside downtown Portland's Edith Green / Wendall Wyatt Federal Building this afternoon to denounce the raids on Fresh Del Monte Produce in North Portland earlier in the day.

"We are at a crossroads as a nation to decide what kind of country we want to be," said Aeryca Steinbauer of CAUSA, a statewide immigrant-rights coalition. "There will be long-term trauma to many children" who will be separated from deported parents.

Mayor Tom Potter and Oregon State Rep. Tina Kotek, whose district the Del Monte plant is in, both issued statements in opposition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement action. Potter's statement noted that no Portland Police officers participated.

-- Angie Chuang
angiechuang@news.oregonian.com
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews ... y_rai.html