Sometimes in the business of attempting to state the obvious wrongs, you get a little tired of repeating yourself. But this is news that I never tire of reporting.
Postville, Ia. – At least 300 people were arrested today at the Agriprocessors, Inc. meat packing plant, federal officials said.
The operation, which targeted people who illegally used other persons Social Security numbers and were in the U.S. illegally, was the largest of its kind in Iowa, said Claude Arnold, a special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to an affidavit, “Based on information thus far developed in the investigation, it appears, based on 2007 fourth quarter payroll reports, that approximately 76 percent of the 968 employees of Agriprocessors were using false or fraudulent social security numbers in connection with their employment.”
The workers arrested so far were interviewed by agents with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Public Health Service. Public health officials were included to ensure that their humanitarian needs were being met, said U.S. District Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth.
Authorities have released 40 of the arrested employees “on humanitarian grounds” with supervision, pending further proceedings, Dummermuth said.
Yeah. You know those “humanitarian grounds”? Whenever I hear that bit about “separating families”, I always come back to former Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean, who have been ripped from their families as well. So please don’t give me that humanitarian nonsense. Chilluns belong with their parents…but on THAT side of the border. And hopefully, by going through something shocking like being deported, that will teach little Juan and Juanita that breaking the law has consequences. Who knew?
According to search warrants, ICE agents interviewed a former plant supervisor – identified as “Source 1” – in November 2007, who told them that the plant employed foreign nationals from Mexico, Guatemala and Eastern Europe. Roughly 80 percent of those workers were living illegally in the U.S., the supervisor said.
“Source 1” told federal agents that some employees were running a methamphetamine lab in the plant, and were bringing weapons to work. The supervisor confronted a higher-level manager about the drugs, and shortly after was fired.
So, just hard workers eh? Mmkay. Just racist raids, eh? Last I looked, there weren’t too many brown peeps in Uzbekistan.
The supervisors also described an encounter with the plant’s human resources manager about three separate Social Security cards from different employees with the same number. The human resources manager “laughed when this matter was brought to her attention,” the supervisor told federal agents.
In February 2008, a confidential informant identified as “Source 7,” who has worked with federal agents in past immigration cases, detailed several incidents of alleged worker abuse at the plant.
The source, who was lawfully employed at the plant, told authorities that a floor supervisor duct-taped the eyes of an illegal Guatemalan employee and struck him with a meat hook. The blow caused no serious injuries.
“Source 7″ asked the Guatemalan to report the incident, but the employee said doing so could jeopardize his job.
In another alleged incident, Source 7 said, a floor supervisor identified as a Hasidic Jew pushed another illegal employee because he did not like the way the employee was moving meat.
A plant employee identified as “Source 11” told authorities that he/she was hired without presenting employment documents or filling out any forms. The worker’s first paycheck had a different person’s name on it, which was then cashed at another part of the plant.
Undocumented workers were paid $5 an hour for their first three or four months on the job, the employee said, and then received a salary increase to $6 per hour.
If this is how we get our “cheaper” groceries, I don’t want any part of it. I don’t want any part in Chinese organ donation sites/sweat shops. I don’t want any part in human smuggling rings. You want humanitarian? You want love and fellowship and diversity? Then this isn’t how it should be done. You see, following the law is for the betterment of society on both sides of the equation. Otherwise, you end up with chaos.
Just like the global warming “scientists” who keep declaring that the debate on climate change is over, I declare that the illegal immigrant debate is over. We want our country back from the criminal elements - both illegals and the big business who support them. Just say “no mas”.
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