Thread: GA-Illegal Immigrants Worked At Chateau Elan

Illegal Immigrants Worked At Chateau Elan
CBS Atlanta Investigation Reveals Non-U.S. Citizens Worked At Posh Resort
by Jeff Chirico

POSTED: 5:37 pm EDT June 7, 2010
UPDATED: 8:17 pm EDT June 7, 2010

BRASELTON, Ga. -- At a time when many Georgians are having trouble finding a job, a CBS Atlanta investigation has uncovered illegal immigrants working at Chateau Elan. A former employee thinks she was fired after 14 years because the resort could pay an illegal immigrant less money.

Chateau Elan is considered by many to be a playground for the rich and well-connected. Guests enjoy the on-site winery, pristine golf-course, spa services at the immaculately manicured resort in Braselton. But employees tell CBS Atlanta Chateau Elan has a hiring practice management doesn't want to talk about.

"The truth is they hire illegal immigrants," said a current employee who asked that her identity be hidden.

Undercover video shows Spanish-speaking employees working in housekeeping, laundry and the winery. The employee said some illegal immigrants asked to marry her so they could get "papers" that would allow them to stay in the country legally.

Gwinnett County Sheriff records show a Chateau Elan supervisor was arrested for driving without a license in March and turned over to immigration authorities because he wasn't in the United States legally. Sheriff office documents show nearly a dozen others who claimed to work at Chateau Elan were not United States citizens when they were arrested from 2000 to 2010.

"I liked working at Chateau Elan," said Barbara Schindler. The 14-year employee was terminated in January 2009. She believes she was replaced with cheaper illegal labor.

"It's wrong. It's hard to find work," said Schindler.

Chateau Elan management would not agree to an on-camera interview.

In a statement sent to CBS Atlanta, the resort's president and CEO Henk Evers wrote:

"We would not dishonor its [Chateau Elan's] reputation through the employment of people who do not have the legal right to work within our country." The statement goes on to say, "your call prompted us to re-evaluate our affiliation with HS Solutions Inc., the outside organization that provides non-guest facing services to Chateau Elan that you mentioned in your phone call to Doug Rollins, Chateau Elan's vice president of sales and marketing. Effective immediately, we have terminated our contract for outside employment services with HSS."

Did Chateau Elan break the law? A spokesperson for the resort said it was up to HS Solutions to verify the legal status of each applicant. However, if Chateau Elan management knew illegal immigrants worked there and did nothing about it, they would be breaking the law.

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/23822534/detail.html

I live about 20 minutes from Chateau Élan, therefore in the past it was not unusual to meet there with friends and family for meals. I haven’t been there in several years; however I remember my last encounter very well.

Four years ago...I met with friends and family for Christmas Dinner. This was something we had done many times in the past, but this was different. Upon arrival we couldn't help but notice that dozens of non-speaking Mexicans had swarmed the place. They were unafraid and walked around as if they had a special right to be there. I later learned that these were Chateau Élan’s new employees. The once pristine dining rooms were filled with them. They were cooking, serving and in clear violations of what once were Georgia's laws with regard to working in food establishments. When it came to illegal immigration, George Bush had made sure the laws that once were upheld were ignored.




Now understand that for over a year the local papers had been carrying stories of multiples (hundreds) of cases of tuberculosis surfacing in that area. Schools and hospitals were on alert…and even though the disease outbreak didn’t make national news…educated individuals were well aware of the dangers. (Our landscapes remain littered with buildings that once were T.B. Hospitals).

Once the holidays were over and work schedules had resumed, I called Sonny Perdue’s office, the Health Department and anyone who I thought could explain how this could happen with laws in place that should be preventing this kind of dangerous exposure for so many. In my venture of discovery, I not only found these illegal invaders were working in restaurants without proper medical exams, but were working in the schools’ cafeterias in many of Georgia’s counties. Perdue and Cagle couldn't say they didn't know, because I told them many, many, many, many times.

I wrote numerous letters to the Governor’s office enclosing news articles outlining the T.B. epidemic. I received two form letters from Governor Perdue. They each stated that “this is a Federal matter and out of his hands". We now know it takes the courage comparable to that of Jan Brewers for the welfare of American families to be considered. My numerous calls and letters to Chambliss, Isakson, and Perdue and the health department fell on deaf ears.