U.S. Plans Immigration Audits at 1,000 Employers

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: wjs

About 1,000 employers nationwide will be audited for possible immigration violations in an escalation of the Obama administration's effort to increase pressure on business owners not to hire illegal immigrants.

The businesses will get a notice that the government intends to audit their compliance with immigration laws, the Department of Homeland Security said. The sweep follows a similar action in July during which authorities audited 654 employers. Agents will check the eligibility of workers at each firm, with violations potentially leading to fines, as well as civil or criminal charges.

None of the companies was named publicly, but each is "associated with critical infrastructure," officials said. That is the label the government applies to private functions that are vital for protecting the proper functioning of society, such as utilities, transportation or communications. Critical infrastructure entities are also seen as national-security assets or potential targets for terrorists.

"The second shoe has fallen," said Tom Roach, an immigration lawyer in Pasco, Wa., who represents farmers, landscapers and other employers of immigrant workers in Washington state. "The Obama administration is getting very serious about punishing employers."


Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125866577819456287.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

---

once all the latinos are gone whos is going to replace them?

People from the middle east
Asia
Africa
or Europe

[BobRossi]

1. "once all the latinos are gone whos is going to replace them? "

Americans

[AlphaCentauri]

5. really, it did happen before

July 28, 2008
POSTVILLE, Iowa - Scores of Somali immigrants are taking jobs at the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant, replacing Hispanic workers arrested in a huge immigration raid and forcing a remote Iowa town to make another cultural shift.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25891320/

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

6. Replacing illegal immigrant workers with legal immigrant workers

is how is the system is supposed to function though, isn't it? So I don't see a problem with this being the result.

With that said, I think it's a bit foolish to allow large numbers of unskilled workers into the country when unemployment is this high, no matter where they're from.

[AlphaCentauri]

7. it is foolish to think that only American workers would replace latinos

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

8. The issue isn't whether they're American

- the issue is whether they're here legally.

[AlphaCentauri]

9. I was responding to post #1 about Americans replacing latinos in the work place

if productive people don't deserve a chance to join the work force legally then I don't see how to support legal immigration of unproductive people.

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

10. As I see it

the needs of the nation should be taken into account when deciding who can immigrate here and when. If we already have a large number of unemployed, low skilled workers (which we do), there's no since in exacerbating the situation by bringing more in.

[AlphaCentauri]

11. it is reasonable to regulate future immigration

the audits affect those immigrants already in the country

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

12. That's true

However, if they're here illegally, I don't see that as a problem.

[AlphaCentauri]

13. That could be a problem for many American kids who's parents are illegals

living their parents without work is like condemning that generation of kids to be in misery for the rest of their infancy.

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

14. True, but is it any less of an issue for the children of parents who are here legally?

[AlphaCentauri]

15. Are the kids of illegals less American than others?

we can't assume that those legally here are going to fill those jobs by decree.

[boppers]

17. We have 5 positions open at my workplace. We advertised 3.

We've gotten 500 resumes.

People are desperate for work, regardless of the continent of their birth.

[AlphaCentauri]

21. I know people desperate for work but prefer their unemployment check than to work

in the meat packing line or picking strawberries.

Office work? oh yeah, everybody wants to do it.

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

22. I live in an area where meat packing jobs, auto parts manufacturing, etc. are the backbone

of the community. Generally speaking, people are not above these jobs, they're simply not available right now. Unemployment is in the double digits and times are hard for a lot of people.

[treestar]

35. I'd like to see news cameras on this:

central California, where unemployment is hovering around 20%, farmers say they cannot find legal workers. "We try to hire people from the unemployment line. These people tell us they aren't trained and prefer a welfare check," said Mr. Cunha.

Though I don't see anything wrong with it. They're entitled to the checks and might want to use the time to find a better job.

Another problem is, these jobs will just disappear; they won't hire Americans. Then the Americans higher up in the same companies will lose their jobs. We use these people as a low paid wage force to cut costs and that keeps some enterprises running on that artificial basis. They are just the lowest level of employees.

[WriteDown]

38. John McCain is that you?

The jobs Americans refuse to do? :eyes:

[Romulox]

42. George W. Bush would also approve.

"There are jobs Americans aren't doing. ... If you've got a chicken factory, a chicken-plucking factory, or whatever you call them, you know what I'm talking about." --George W. Bush. Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

18. And, again, the issue isn't whether or not they're American

The issue is whether or not they're here legally.

Also, it stands to reason that after a company has suffered consequences for hiring illegal immigrants, they will be less likely to do so in the future.

[AlphaCentauri]

23. well the issue is that those paper raids affect immigrants who are already here and US citizens

who have contributed to the economy.
Disposing of them is just another loop that benefit the corporations who hired them. Most likely many of those worker have years working for those companies so any small benefit or labor right that they have acquire during that period of time will be lost without proper compensation. Future immigrants are not affected by the paper raids they are not here yet so the people who is really hurting are those in the country, who have families and pay their taxes. So the issue is not if they are here legally but basic human rights and laws that marginalize them from the rest of society.

In essense there is no diference between the paper raids of the current administration and Bush raids becouse they are not targeting the companies, they are targeting the employee, instead of picking the illegals at the work place they are making the companies to quitly fire them by giving those companies warnings so for the employers is a win win situatiation, they can get rid of employees with many years of service and get legal worker paying them an entry level salary while not being sanction.

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

29. Not sure this is win-win for the companies

I would say there is a difference in the sense that the Obama Administration's plan is aimed at eliminating the demand for illegal immigrant labor, whereas the Bush Administration was more focused on the supply. Though you're right when you point out the impact that this has on the lives of those affected.

With that said, I'm not sure this is win-win for the companies. I assume (though I haven't looked into this too closely) that the companies face some sort of penalty for hiring illegal immigrants and, frankly, no company wants to waste time training in a whole new slew of workers, if they can avoid it. It's expensive and time consuming.

[WriteDown]

39. Its rare to find a supporter of anchor babies. nt

[Garam_Masala]

19. What is wrong with you?

Why are you displaying so much common sense?
We here work on "feelings" not common sense! <sarc>

[AlphaCentauri]

24. common sense? LOL

Insurance reform, Guantanamo, the two wars and now immigration raids are about common sense

:rofl:

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

30. ???

[boppers]

16. Wait, what? "Americans"?

Quick geography question:
What continent is Mexico on?

Follow up:
What continent is Peru on?

[JonQ]

32. I think it was pretty obvious that "american" in that sentence

referred to citizens of the US. I haven't heard anyone else refer to themselves as americans. People from mexico call themselves mexicans not americans.

[OhioChick]

25. You got it.

Enough Americans are out of work.

http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html

[AlphaCentauri]

26. Yep, we need a Cultural Revolution (like China did BTW)

Engineers, ITs, Teachers, Mechanics, and office boys should switch to a farm or factory jobs.

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

31. No one needs to switch jobs. We already have plenty of low skilled workers. We don't need any more

[angrycarpenter]

2. The chicken plants around here are blatant offenders.

20 years ago all of these plants were unionized, today none of them are.

[williesgirl]

3. This is great news. These companies are criminal when they hire illegals, thus lowering everyone

else's wages who dare to remain. Tney use and mistreat the illegals knowing there's nothing they can do about it. They should publish the names so those of us who know illegals are working at certain places can give them a call with a heads up. rec'd

[twitomy]

4. Yes! Dry up the demand,

and they will stop coming over illegally....about time!

[dreamnightwind]

20. Finally!

Finally someone's tackling this issue in the right place, the profiteering corporations that hire these people rather than paying real wages to citizens.

[SpartanDem]

27. Great companies need to be held accountable

for their hiring practices

[Ignis]

28. Screw that, let's get some H1-B visa audits with TEETH. (nt)

[DU GrovelBot]

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[JonQ]

34. About time

with 10% or higher unemployment rate we don't really need millions of unskilled illegal laborers driving down wages and taking jobs from citizens.

[MARALE]

36. This is very good!

My family member started a franchise and when he was in training for this, the company out-right told him that the only thing they had to do was take what documentation the person had and did not have to check out the worker even if it was obvious that it was not correct. They pretty much told them turn the other way and hire the illegal workers anyway because they would not get into any trouble. Of course this was 6 years ago and he has since gone under because the franchise company did not care about supporting the small stores. They just wanted the start-up money.

[Thor_2008]

37. About Time!

We should deport those that are here illegally, punish severally those that employee anyone illegal and greatly simplify and expand the process of getting a work visa. We, as a country have made this process too hard, too complex and too long. We need the workers but they need to come here legally.

[junior college]

40. Most Americans would prefer welfare

to picking grapes, de-pooping chickens in a meat packing plant and other such jobs. The fat American with his can of Budweiser and his hit of meth is no match for the hard working immigrant (legal or illegal)

[WriteDown]

41. Please tell me you forgot the sarcasm smilie. nt

[junior college]

44. "Most Americans would prefer welfare

to picking grapes, de-pooping chickens in a meat packing plant and other such jobs."

The above statement is almost certainly true. Please ignore the part about Budweiser and meth.

[Romulox]

43. This racist response is essentially at the heart of the OP's argument, is it not?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4153739&mesg_id=4154678

:hi:

[junior college]

45. You are the pot calling the kettle black

Americans don't want jobs such as I mentioned even if available to them. It's time to stop bashing immigrants and accept that the US needs immigrants legal or otherwise.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BulletproofLandshark]

47. I would do those jobs if they paid a decent wage.

But because illegal immigrants can often be hired to fill those jobs for a fraction of the cost without legal repercussions, wages get driven down across the board. And I'm certainly not one of those Americans who would prefer to be on welfare (I do have a 35-40 hour per week job BTW).