Wednesdays Immigration Raid Having Impact On Local Businesses
Charleston, SC - Wednesday's national raid on illegal immigrants,which included 22 illegals at the IFCO Pallet Management Systems plant in Walterboro, is having a major impact on businesses in the Lowcountry. Many company owners say their illegal immigrant workers have not shown up since that raid, afraid they will also be targets of a raid. As a result, many Lowcountry businesses are working with skeletal crews, or no crews at all.



Drive threw I'on, the rapidly developing subdivision in Mt. Pleasant, and you'll notice an usual lack of activity. Normally bustling with hispanic workers building new homes, over the last two days they are much harder to find.

"Usually you see a lot of [Hispanic] people working, but lately you dont see too many people," said painter Sandy Tindell, who both works with illegal workers and is currently dating one. She said most are scared to leave the house since Wednesday's raid.

"My boyfriend, he won't even go to the flea market because there are a lot of mexican people there and he's afraid that they're going to come in and raid there and take them," she said.

An owner of a construction company, who wished to remain anonymous, said none of his 10 illegal workers have showed up for work Thursday or Friday.

"Ever since this rumor of INS raiding different establishments, my workers have not shown up in the past two days," he said.

As a result, he's had to shut down. Throughout the Hispanic community rumors-unconfirmed at this point-of raids on Remount Rd., downtown, Daniel Island, Mt. Pleasant, and Isle of Palms, have been one reason so many illegal workers have stayed away.

INS would not confirm the latest raid rumors, but representatives at WAZS, a local spanish-language radio station, said they have been swamped with calls from immigrants who are afraid theey too will be caught in a raid.
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