another raid with different outcome

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

I'm pissed!!! Most here have probably heard of the ICE raid on Swift Meats that grabbed over 1200 ‘suspected’ illegal aliens, but the story is below just in cause.

Well, I guess I’ll have to stop eating products from Swift Meats.


Company fired 400 workers in month leading up to raid


GREELEY - Four hundred workers were fired in the month leading up to an immigration raid at six meat processing plants nationwide after news was leaked to the company.

Tuesday morning Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials raided six Swift & Company processing plants, including one in Greeley, following a year-long investigation revolving around identity theft.

Our partners at The Denver Post confirm that Swift & Company fired 400 employees from its six plants in the month leading up to the raid, after they were informed of the impending raid.

Workers' families tell 9NEWS about 200 of them were let go from the Greeley plant.

"They knew, they laid off over 200 people three weeks before this happened without calling immigration," said Veronica Ramones, whose boyfriend is in custody. "Slowly let them all go, not said anything to them. Just like, 'We know you're using other people's paperwork, we're gonna give you your last check and we're walking you out of the meat plant.'"

Officials say they are not happy workers were let go.

"That was well after the time that the company knew there was a significant problem in their workforce," said Julie Myers, assistant secretary of ICE. "And we regretted that they went ahead and took that action and did not talk to us."

The workers at the plant were using Social Security numbers stolen from others. Yesenia Hernandez of Dos Palos, California says the Greeley employee that was using her number stole her identity nearly five years ago.

"They've (the Swift employee) actually opened up utilities, cable, phone bills; I've been having problems with the IRS," said Hernandez.

Hernandez says she has had problems with her mortgage and her taxes were withheld from her because her identity was stolen.

"It's frustrating just the fact that you think you're taking care of your credit - doing everything the right way, carefully ... so that when you do want to use it you'll be qualified for it. Just the fact that someone has already messed up your credit is very, very frustrating," she said.

Hernandez says she is glad the person who stole her identity is now in custody.

"It's like a sense of closure finally," she said. "I can hopefully move on and hopefully this won't happen again."

Hernandez also points much of the blame at Swift.

"They (Swift) knew what they were doing. They knew that it was wrong, and I mean they should pay for the consequences," she said.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Myers say more than 12,000 workers were detained during a raid at six meatpacking plants Tuesday. Of those detained, 250 workers were from a Nebraska meatpacking plant and 261 people were from the Greeley plant.

According to Swift & Company, approximately 1,300 workers were detained by ICE for further questioning nationwide. However, the company was able to resume operations at all facilities the same day, but at reduced output levels.

Of the 1,282 arrested, 65 have also been charged with criminal violations related to identity theft or other violations, such as re-entry after deportation, according to authorities. The investigation is ongoing.

"Violations of our immigration laws and privacy rights often go hand in hand," said Chertoff. "Enforcement actions like this one protect the privacy rights of innocent Americans while striking a blow against illegal immigration."

ICE officials say the investigation centered on illegal aliens using the identities and Social Security numbers of U.S. citizens and lawful U.S. residents to gain employment.

The FTC and ICE say they will notify any individuals who are identified as victims of this scheme. In the meantime, any U.S. citizens who suspect their identities were stolen in this scheme should report it via the FTC website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft or by calling the FTC's hotline at 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338), or by writing to the Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20580.


With all the threads here on no knock raids maybe this should be done in the future.

my questions and observations:

1. Why was Swift given over a month warning of the impending raid??

2. At face value, it looks like obstruction of justice. And possibly, knowingly hiring illegals.

3. Are we or are we not interested in enforcing immigration and criminal laws in this country??

4. Why can't Swift be charged under RICO?? It was an organized criminal conspiracy. The took jobs from 400 Americans, subsidized a criminal enterprise by paying illegals, and attempted to deceive authorities. Hiring one or two illegals could be an accident. Hiring 400? No way it was done without intent to commit fraud.


http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?O...7-c589c01ca7bf


grizz.

[KeithPA]

1. Why was Swift given over a month warning of the impending raid??

2. At face value, it looks like obstruction of justice. And possibly, knowingly hiring illegals.

3. Are we or are we not interested in enforcing immigration and criminal laws in this country??

4. Why can't Swift be charged under RICO?? It was an organized criminal conspiracy. The took jobs from 400 Americans, subsidized a criminal enterprise by paying illegals, and attempted to deceive authorities. Hiring one or two illegals could be an accident. Hiring 400? No way it was done without intent to commit fraud.

Lol what country are you living in? Every 4-6 months ICE makes a huge public raid and the cameras come to watch it and everyone cheers! Just like the last ICE raid, it's all about making the public think they are doing something.

Just like their last raid (can't remember what company it was) they might fine the company a little bit and thats about it.

Remember, we passed a bill to build a fence but didn't fund it. All show and no go. No one really cares about immigration. Republicans and Democrats are equally as careless

[Siobhra]

They are investigating the company that built part of the fence that they do have.

Reason:

The company that did the work uses mostly illegals.

[pghplr]

They are investigating the company that built part of the fence that they do have.

Reason:

The company that did the work uses mostly illegals.

Well, that would depend on what side of the fence they were working on.

[pghplr]

4. Why can't Swift be charged under RICO?? It was an organized criminal conspiracy. The took jobs from 400 Americans, subsidized a criminal enterprise by paying illegals, and attempted to deceive authorities. Hiring one or two illegals could be an accident. Hiring 400? No way it was done without intent to commit fraud.

The problem here is that it's probably bigger than the company itself. I'm sure Swift is a large contributor to the community, donating large sums of cash and resources to (at least) the local government who turn a blind eye for that......gift. The company gets a "lil reach around" in return by being told of upcoming events. Who knows where that Rico indictment would stop.

[Siobhra]

Border Fence Firm Snared for Hiring Illegal Workers
by Scott Horsley

All Things Considered, December 14, 2006 · A fence-building company in Southern California agrees to pay nearly $5 million in fines for hiring illegal immigrants. Two executives from the company may also serve jail time. The Golden State Fence Company's work includes some of the border fence between San Diego and Mexico.

After an immigration check in 1999 found undocumented workers on its payroll, Golden State promised to clean house. But when followup checks were made in 2004 and 2005, some of those same illegal workers were still on the job. In fact, U-S Attorney Carol Lam says as many as a third of the company's 750 workers may have been in the country illegally.

Golden State Fence built millions of dollars' worth of fencing around homes, offices, and military bases. Its president and one of its Southern California managers will pay fines totaling $300,000. The government is also recommending jail time for Melvin Kay and Michael McLaughlin, probably about six months.

It is exceptionally rare for those who employ illegal immigrants to face any kind of criminal prosecution, let alone jail time. Earlier this week, for example, immigration raids on six meat-packing plants netted almost 1,300 suspected illegal workers. But no charges were leveled against the company that runs the plants: Swift.

Golden State Fence's attorney, Richard Hirsch, admits his client broke the law. But he says the case proves that construction companies need a guest-worker program.

[KeithPA]

Border Fence Firm Snared for Hiring Illegal Workers
by Scott Horsley

All Things Considered, December 14, 2006 · A fence-building company in Southern California agrees to pay nearly $5 million in fines for hiring illegal immigrants. Two executives from the company may also serve jail time. The Golden State Fence Company's work includes some of the border fence between San Diego and Mexico.

After an immigration check in 1999 found undocumented workers on its payroll, Golden State promised to clean house. But when followup checks were made in 2004 and 2005, some of those same illegal workers were still on the job. In fact, U-S Attorney Carol Lam says as many as a third of the company's 750 workers may have been in the country illegally.

Golden State Fence built millions of dollars' worth of fencing around homes, offices, and military bases. Its president and one of its Southern California managers will pay fines totaling $300,000. The government is also recommending jail time for Melvin Kay and Michael McLaughlin, probably about six months.

It is exceptionally rare for those who employ illegal immigrants to face any kind of criminal prosecution, let alone jail time. Earlier this week, for example, immigration raids on six meat-packing plants netted almost 1,300 suspected illegal workers. But no charges were leveled against the company that runs the plants: Swift.

Golden State Fence's attorney, Richard Hirsch, admits his client broke the law. But he says the case proves that construction companies need a guest-worker program.

- I assume those are Executives in that company. Thats exactly what we need happening, if the top people go to jail for hiring illegals they will start changing their mind.

- I'd love to see what the profit margin on the contracts they had, especially considering they were gov't contracts. Paying illegals less than a US citizen less to keep your profit margin high doesn't justify the need for a "guest worker program"