Seven companies previously found to have knowingly hired illegal aliens are being considered for debarment from federal contracting, according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement news release. Although ICE has not previously used the debarment option, it is now seen as a potentially useful tool for protecting law-abiding businesses from unfair competition.
Francisco Santillan Arellano, a self-proclaimed "Godfather," pleaded guilty to identity theft Friday in federal court in Atlanta. Arellano admitted to selling more than 90 sets of fraudulent documents per week. He faces up to 12 years in prison and a $750,000 fine.
Yesterday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 58 illegal aliens during eight enforcement actions in the Ohio towns of Ashland, Fremont, Norwalk, Oberlin, Oregon, Sandusky, Vermilion and Youngstown. All were employed in the Norwalk-based Casa Fiesta restaurant chain. Agents also searched a Norwalk home after a warrant was issued.The raids were the result of a one-year criminal investigation, according to an ICE press release.
A Reno McDonald's franchisee has been fined $1 million for giving illegal aliens false Social Security numbers so they could be hired.
Mack Associates filed guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien's unlawful residence in the United States and one count of aiding and abetting an alien to remain in the United States. Both are felony offenses.
The May 12 enforcement action at the Postville, Iowa meatpacking plant yielded 389 rank-and-file arrests, but no managerial arrests until yesterday when the first supervisors were taken in custody. The New York Times reports two supervisors were charged with securing false documents for illegal aliens and a warrant was issued for the arrest of a third person, who is described as a plant manager. 270 of the illegal aliens arrested were sent to federal prison on fraudulent document charges.
"As William Jerry Hadden's attorneys see it, the federal government is singling out their client to send a message to landlords: Don't rent to illegal immigrants.
Hadden, 69, goes on trial Monday on 24 counts of harboring illegal aliens and 24 counts of encouraging illegal immigrants to remain in the country. Hadden and his son, Jamey, who is in Vietnam, rented to 60 undocumented immigrants at the Woodridge and Cross Keys apartments in Lexington's Cardinal Valley...."
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that deportable illegal aliens can back out of their agreement to voluntarily depart the country and get another opportunity to make the case to immigration officials that they should be allowed to adjust their status.
"Illegal immigrants would continue to have access to state universities and community colleges under legislation filed this week by Democratic Reps. Pricey Harrison, Paul Luebke and Rick Glazier...." http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1088643.html
The News & Observer, 29 May 2008
"Denying illegal immigrants the chance to pay only in-state tuition at Arkansas colleges and universities is a matter of law, not of personal choice or opinion, Gov. Mike Beebe said Monday...." http://news.aol.com/story/_a/beebe-law-bans-in-state-tuition-for/n20080526141809990006
Jon Gambrell, AP, 26 May 2008
The Peabody Corporation of Newport News, Va., along with the company's president and vice president, was convicted of hiring at least 126 illegal aliens between 2003 and 2007. Peabody operates a fishing fleet out of Newport News and used illegal aliens on 322 trips.
"'People are afraid to get out of their house now,' explained Maria Fuentes. 'Their afraid to go shopping or do their normal things. They just stay home and try to not get out...'" http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8194978&nav=menu1406_1
WRCB-TV (Tenn.); April 18, 2008
"A federal crackdown on illegal immigrants in the workplace has triggered a tsunami of work for immigration lawyers, who say fears of getting hit with an immigration raid or audit are at an all-time high among employers..." http://www.dailyreportonline.com/Editorial/News/singleEdit.asp?individual_SQL=2/8/2008@21162
Daily Report; February 8, 2008
"More than 100 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a printer supply manufacturer in the San Fernando Valley on Thursday, taking into custody about 120 employees for being in the country illegally and arresting eight on federal criminal charges, authorities said." http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080207-2159-ca-immigrationraid.html
Associated Press; February 7, 2008
If you are an out-of-state student attending any public postsecondary school in California, New York, Utah, Washington, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, and New Mexico and are paying the higher out of state tuition rates, you may be entitled to a refund.
"'The No. 1 reason people come here illegally is for jobs, and if employers are able to continue to employ illegal aliens we will continue to have an influx of illegal aliens,' said Caroline Espinosa, a spokeswoman for NumbersUSA, a Washington nonprofit that lobbies for limiting immigration..."
Miami Herald
