Thread: ICE raids plant in Laurel, Mississippi

August 26, 2008


Residents lined up for jobs at Howard Industries

By ED KEMP
American Staff Writer

LAUREL – About 30 cars were lined up in front of Howard Industries’ Laurel plant today filled with people looking for jobs.

An estimated 350 workers are being held at an undisclosed location following an early morning raid Monday on Howard Industries that officials say is the largest round-up of its type in Mississippi in recent years.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said the 350 employees at a Howard Industries plant in Laurel are in the country illegally.

Federal warrants were issued at the plant early Monday and also at the corporate headquarters in Ellisville.

Shantay Holles, 26, of Heidelberg said she used to work at Howard Industries as an electric tester but was fired last year. She said she is applying today because she heard on the news about the ICE raid.

[b]“That’s all they would hire – Mexican, Mexican, Mexican!â€

2 detainees charged with aggravated identity theft
From staff reports • August 26, 2008


Two of the estimated 350 workers detained in a Monday raid at Howard Industries made their initial appearance at federal court today in Hattiesburg.


The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said the 350 employees at a Howard Industries plant in Laurel are in the country illegally.

Six more of the detainees are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. District Court Judge Michael Parker this afternoon.

Paula Gomez and Angel Rodriguez Flores were both charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, where another person’s name and Social Security number were used to gain employment.

This is punishable by up to two years in prison and/or up to a $250,000 fine.

Their preliminary hearings have been set for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in federal court.

Hattiesburg American.com

MOD EDIT URL (guess who) page scrolling. LOL

Mack mum on raid
August 26, 2008


Laurel Mayor Melvin Mack will have no official statement on the immigration raid that took place Monday in his city, his assistant, Carol Tillery, said Tuesday.


On Monday The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency raided Howard Industries, the biggest employer in Laurel, and arrested 350 employees who they said are in the country illegally.

Tillery said that ICE had requested the mayor not make any public statements about the raid.

More in tomorrow's Hattiesburg American.

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps ... NEWSFRONT2

[quote]Shantay Holles, 26, of Heidelberg said she used to work at Howard Industries as an electric tester but was fired last year. She said she is applying today because she heard on the news about the ICE raid.

“That’s all they would hire – Mexican, Mexican, Mexican!â€

[quote="jimpasz"]August 26, 2008


Residents lined up for jobs at Howard Industries

By ED KEMP
American Staff Writer

LAUREL – About 30 cars were lined up in front of Howard Industries’ Laurel plant today filled with people looking for jobs.

An estimated 350 workers are being held at an undisclosed location following an early morning raid Monday on Howard Industries that officials say is the largest round-up of its type in Mississippi in recent years.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said the 350 employees at a Howard Industries plant in Laurel are in the country illegally.

Federal warrants were issued at the plant early Monday and also at the corporate headquarters in Ellisville.

Shantay Holles, 26, of Heidelberg said she used to work at Howard Industries as an electric tester but was fired last year. She said she is applying today because she heard on the news about the ICE raid.

[b]“That’s all they would hire – Mexican, Mexican, Mexican!â€

LET'S HOPE THE ELECTED OFFICIAL COME AND READ THESE POST.

THIS IS TYPICAL AMERICA, NOW, EVERYONE.

ICE ARE YOU TELLING THE ELECTED OFFICIAL HOW BAD IT REALLY IS?

[quote]Shantay Holles, 26, of Heidelberg said she used to work at Howard Industries as an electric tester but was fired last year. She said she is applying today because she heard on the news about the ICE raid.

“That’s all they would hire – Mexican, Mexican, Mexican!â€

Originally Posted by Buzzm1

Mississippi Immigration Rights Coalition
Board of Directors' Listing

Rep. Jim Evans, Board President
AFL-CIO & SCLC

Frank Curiel, Vice President
Laborers Int'l Union

Ernest Grubbs
Bricklayers Int'l Union\

Tom Savage
United Auto Workers

Say ICEFAN, what are all these Union leaders doing on the board of a pro-illegal alien group? Maybe after your new contract you need to vote in some new leaders?

Just wanted to say I've enjoyed reading posts on this forum for a while, but I've never registered or posted until now....but now I HAVE TO!

How refreshing to have this happen in MY hometown and to happen at MY previous employer. I worked in management at Howard for 10 years, and just left there about a year ago. Day after day, I would watch the illegals line up to apply and test (well, to have the personnel manager - Humberto Gonzales - help them to apply and test). Week after week, I would watch the plant formen be required to take Spanish language classes in order to communicate with these people. Month after month, because of the position I was in, I watched what was once a quality product go down the drain...and thus, because I was in direct contact with the customer on a daily basis, have to make up excuses as to WHY so I wouldn't lose my job. So, like ICEFAN, I say WAY TO GO, ICE!
I, too, don't understand why they wouldn't have come in at shift change so that they could get two shifts. 350 isn't even HALF of what they could've gotten.
I will tell you this, though - the three "yummy" Mexican restuarants in town were closed for business yesterday and are still closed today. I drove around town today and saw no activity in the "Hispanic District"...guess they're all hiding out. And I even went to Walmart (where you normally can't even get down the aisles because there are SO MANY ILLEGALS...and where one stole my purse earlier this year and two tried to steal my cart full of already-paid-for groceries last year), and I didn't see the first Hispanic person in the entire store...and I was in there for about an hour.
I'd forgotten what it was like to not be completely surrounded by people speaking Spanish! It was SO awesome! Now, I'm not totally naive. I know it won't stay like this, but TODAY WAS A GREAT DAY TO LIVE IN LAUREL. It was like old-times.
My hat goes off to you, ICEFAN, for being persistent. I can't wait to hear what it was like back at work today!

Ho AmericanMomma, welcome. Thanks for relating your first hand experience at HI and in Laurel.

Hopefully this put the fear into the second shift and the illegals have decided to move on. If I.C.E. can make HI use E-Verify for all employees, the problem should resolve itself in short order. Maybe we can scare Sanderson, Marshall durbin, and Southern Hens to toe the mark. It's doubtful, but it's worth a try.