HOUSTON — Federal immigration agents have raided a Houston doughnut plant and arrested almost 30 workers as suspected illegal immigrants.
The agents and Harris County sheriff's deputies arrived about 5 a.m. Wednesday at the Shipley Do-Nuts dough factory.
Robert Rutt is the agent in charge of the Immigration and Customs enforcement office in Houston. He tells the Houston Chronicle that the number of people arrested ran "in the high 20s," and that some lived at the plant.
The four-block plant prepares dough for use at Shipley's Houston-area doughnut shops. It includes a dormitory for workers.
Has anybody seen news about raids on coyote havens, or on human smuggling networks, or on drug traffickers, or on international gangs?
Be unselfish, please share!
________________________________________________________________________ "Our task now is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future." JFK
I do see articles from time to time regarding raids on drug smuggling, identity theft, and gangs. I don't post them here because I believe those raids SHOULD take place. Since this thread is titled Stop the Raids, I don't include them here because I'm not opposed to them.
I am opposed to ICE going into places of business and rounding up people like cattle and treating them without any dignity. There's a method in my madness on the articles I choose to post here.
Of course, this thread is open to anyone. Feel free to post the other 'raid' related articles here too.
Originally posted by ProudUSC: I do see articles from time to time regarding raids on drug smuggling, identity theft, and gangs. I don't post them here because I believe those raids SHOULD take place. Since this thread is titled Stop the Raids, I don't include them here because I'm not opposed to them.
I am opposed to ICE going into places of business and rounding up people like cattle and treating them without any dignity. There's a method in my madness on the articles I choose to post here.
Of course, this thread is open to anyone. Feel free to post the other 'raid' related articles here too.
proud, You understand!
I too would like to read the articles On The Bad Being Raided. I Know Its happening. The Good are being Caught Up in The bad!
Ah yeah, I should have said, post them in another thread.
________________________________________________________________________ "Our task now is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future." JFK
Immigration raid takes parents from their children
By: Lauren Gregory
After a tough day of testing on Wednesday, some Hamilton County Schools students got off their buses to find an even more stressful situation at home: Their parents were nowhere to be found.
Tennessee and local officials still are assessing the needs of the children, who they say are among those most profoundly affected by Wednesday’s sweeping federal immigration raid at Chattanooga’s Pilgrim’s Pride poultry plants.
“There are a lot of families really hurting,” said Mike Feely, executive director of the St. Andrew’s Center, a resource for the city’s multi-cultural communities. “If you have that many moms and dads arrested, that’s just plain old rough. We’re going to be cleaning up for a long time because of this.”
The U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arranged for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services to be on hand during the raid, which took place about 8:15 a.m., to ensure that any unchaperoned children would have a place to stay, ICE spokeswoman Leticia Zamarrita said.
She could not say how many children were affected.
“It’s certainly something that ICE doesn’t take lightly,” Ms. Zamarrita said.
Any children born in the United States have the right to remain in the country whether their parents are deported or not, she said. If the children are here illegally, they will not be prosecuted in court but will be required to leave the country if and when their parents are deported, Ms. Zamarrita said.
A handful of Children’s Services officials were on standby Wednesday to discuss custody arrangements with detained parents, according to agency spokesman Rob Johnson. No children had been taken into state custody by Wednesday evening, he said, since neighbors and relatives were able to step in and help.
Hamilton County Schools officials spent the day helping to coordinate the custody effort after the raid, which came as students systemwide were taking Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests, schools spokeswoman Danielle Clark said.
“If we had knowledge of students whose parents work at (Pilgrim’s Pride), we took steps to ensure that, if they were taking the bus home or were supposed to be picked up, there would be someone there to meet them,” Ms. Clark said. Every child was accounted for by the end of the day, she said.
The system has no idea how many of those children might be undocumented, she said, because schools officials are not allowed to ask for more than a birth certificate and proof of residency before enrolling a child.
Ms. Clark said the schools will concentrate today on making sure any affected students return to continue TCAP testing, since schools without 95 percent test participation will not be able to meet adequate yearly progress guidelines mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind law.
But officials also want students to return to school because they can find the comfortable environment and counseling they may no longer have at home, she said.
“School is a place where they feel safe, feel loved and feel cared for,” Ms. Clark said. “It’s about making sure the kids get what they need.”
Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa to Secretary Chertoff on Enforcement
""It seems nonsensical to expend limited ICE enforcement resources on non- exploitative employers in key industries. There is a real and unacceptable danger of driving such responsible employers outside the United States, further depleting our shrinking industrial base and severely harming the many citizen and legal immigrant workers and business owners who ultimately rely on these employers for economic survival." Letter dated Mar. 27, 2008."
Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants Spurs Backlash Among Locals
""The federal government's crackdown on factories employing illegal immigrants is triggering a backlash among local officials including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who says the federal raids could damage his region's economy." Miriam Jordan, Wall Street Journal, Apr. 17, 2008."
________________________________________________________________________ "Our task now is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future." JFK
Tally of those arrested in immigration raids at Pilgrim's Pride plants climbs to 311
12:00 AM CDT on Friday, April 18, 2008
By DIANNE SOLÍS and STELLA M. CHÁVEZ / The Dallas Morning News
""All of our students and campuses are impacted because Pilgrim's is the number one employer," said Judith Saxton, public information officer for the Mount Pleasant district. Ms. Walley said she was struck by the number of children who showed support for those visibly shaken. "It was not just our Hispanic children who were upset," she said. "It was all the children. It affected the whole school." Dallas Morning News, Apr. 18, 2008."
In case of mistaken identity, wrong Pilgrim's Pride plant worker arrested, released
12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, April 19, 2008
By DIANNE SOLÍS / The Dallas Morning News dsolis@dallasnews.com
""Federal immigration agents executing arrest warrants for workers at the Pilgrim's Pride poultry plant in Mount Pleasant arrested the wrong Jesus García at his home near the plant – despite his repeated assurances that he was a legal permanent resident." Dallas Morning News, Apr. 19, 2008."
________________________________________________________________________ "Our task now is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future." JFK
Ark.: 18 illegal immigrants arrested in raid to be deported
By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press writer
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Eighteen illegal immigrants arrested at a north Arkansas poultry plant will be processed for deportation, but will not serve any jail time for using fake Social Security numbers and state identification cards, federal judges ruled Monday.
Magistrate Judge Beth Deere and U.S. District Judge James Moody accepted guilty pleas from 17 of those arrested at the Pilgrim's Pride Corp. plant in Batesville last week. Federal prosecutors dismissed the misdemeanor charges against one man, but said they planned to ask U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to begin deportation proceedings against him.
The guilty pleas will give the 17 arrested criminal records, which will allow prosecutors to pursue harsher penalties if they illegally return to the United States. The charges carry up to up to 2 years in prison and $205,000 in fines, but federal sentencing ranges would have given them a maximum six-month sentence.
U.S. Attorney Jane Duke said her office had no interest in seeing those arrested serve jail time, as they were "otherwise law-abiding citizens."
"They came here to better their lives and their family's lives by working," Duke said after the hearings. "There's really not a desire to see that kind of person incarcerated because the family they were trying to make a better life for would suffer."
Three others face administrative charges of immigration violations after the raid Wednesday at the Pilgrim's Pride plant, part of a national sweep at company operations in Florida, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Duke said federal agents had not arrested anyone else in the days after the Batesville raid, though whoever supplied those arrested with the Social Security numbers and identification cards remains at large.
Those arrested all used their illegally obtained identifications to apply for jobs at Pilgrim's Pride, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ray White said. None had previous criminal records.
At an afternoon hearing, the men filed into the courtroom, most dressed in jeans and sneakers. Two wore rubber boots. The youngest was 18, while the oldest was 59. All wore headphones that allowed them to listen to the judge through a court interpreter.
Deere urged the men to be honest and tell federal public defender Jenniffer Horan if they had children living in the country who would be left behind. After the raid, state authorities said they took in no children. Those arrested during a July 27, 2005, raid on a Petit Jean Inc. poultry plant in Arkadelphia left behind about 30 children at schools and daycares.
"We don't want to leave minor children in a precarious situation," Deere said.
The judge also tried to put the men at ease by describing Guatemala and Mexico as "beautiful countries" and promising to learn Spanish. Most stood impassively by, staring straight ahead or at the courtroom's floor. One man audibly wept at one point during the hearing.
"While they did break the law, they are not criminals," Horan told the judge. "They came to this country to seek a better life."
Most men passed at an opportunity to speak, though Gavino Aguillan-Bautista, 59, did. Horan said the man had been living in the country for at least 13 years.
"I want to thank God for the life and health I had in this country," the Guatemalan told the court in Spanish. "I ask God to bless all of you in the United States."
Deere offered her own thoughts after sentencing the men to the terms of the plea bargain.
"I wish you all the best and God speed," she said.
After the judge left the courtroom, the men placed their hands behind their back, waiting for the marshals to fasten their handcuffs.
In the RAIDS, Find Out Which of Those People Have Broken other Laws. "Other Than Immigration Laws" and Laws In their own Country? There are plenty of Law Breakers to be Deported! Our System has the Ability To find out! Deport the bad, keep the good! Ultimatum for the good, Stay Out of trouble, distance yourself from others that do not wish to follow the rules! In other words, Welcome to America! Respect Americans and the way of life here, respect the system, don't Lie, Cheat, Steal! Maintain a Distance from those that live a moral turpitude way of life!
Politically motivated raids is not the answer! search the system for those that have broken other laws! Round those people up and send them back! misdemeanors, 5 years can retry! federal offenses other than Murder, drugs, 10 years! murder, Drugs, don't try to come back!!!!
politically motivated actions only make things worse in the long run!!!!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: dcwtech,
114 U.S. CITIZENS AND LAWFUL RESIDENTS FILE DAMAGE CLAIMS FOLLOWING LOS ANGELES I.C.E. FACTORY RAID
""One hundred and fourteen (114) United States citizens and lawful permanent residents today filed claims for damages with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) alleging that they were illegally detained and harassed during a large-scale ICE immigration raid at Micro Solutions Enterprises in Los Angeles on February 7, 2008." CHRCL Press Release, Apr. 25, 2008."
"I was among many workers authorized to be employed in the United States who were temporarily detained by agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on February 7, 2008, while at work at Micro Solutions Enterprises in Van Nuys, California. ICE agents entered the work place and detained all workers. Based on the actions and commands of the ICE agents, I did not believe that I was free to leave or ignore the questions of ICE agents. A large number of ICE agents swarmed through the workplace. Exits were blocked. All workers were told where to go, where to stand, and what to do. It did not appear that anyone was free to leave or to refuse to answer the questions of the ICE agents. I was authorized to be employed in the United States and had not engaged in any unlawful conduct prior to or during the raid."
________________________________________________________________________ "Our task now is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future." JFK
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today arrested one U.S. citizen and 24 illegal aliens, employed by Naylor Concrete of Oklahoma City, performing contract work at the Little Rock National Airport.
Chance Coran, 25, a U.S. citizen, was arrested at the worksite, where he was the supervisor of a concrete crew working on airport property. Coran was arrested on an outstanding warrant for driving while intoxicated. ICE agents encountered the illegal alien workers while attempting to identify subjects working at the construction site.
The company that hired the workers was identified as Naylor Concrete, a sub-contractor working on the constructions site.
Twenty-three of the illegal aliens arrested were identified as male Mexican nationals. One of the illegal aliens was identified as being from Peru. All have been placed in removal proceedings for being in violation of U.S. immigration laws. Their immigration status makes it illegal for them to work in the United States. This law enforcement action was part of ICE's ongoing efforts to target illegal workers with access to critical infrastructure worksites around the country, such as U.S. military installations, nuclear plants, airports and seaports.
At this time, none of those arrested have been identified as having worked at the Little Rock National Airport in the past.
"Protecting the integrity of critical infrastructure sites is a crucial component of our interior immigration enforcement strategy," said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in New Orleans. "ICE will continue our efforts to target illegal aliens employed at these sensitive sites to help ensure national security."
ICE initiated this investigation after receiving information that illegal aliens might be employed by the contract company later identified as Naylor Concrete. During the processing of the illegal aliens agents will investigate whether any crimes were committed in the hiring of the unauthorized workers. If criminal activities are identified, they will be referred for disposition to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
SAC Holt wishes to extend his appreciation to the Little Rock Police Department, the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection for their support of today's this law enforcement action.
Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) investigations are generally predicated upon the threat to national security posed by unauthorized workers employed in critical infrastructure related facilities. The goal of CIP investigations is to reduce the vulnerabilities of these facilities and other key assets to future terrorist attacks. Critical infrastructure has been defined as systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, that are so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, and/or any combination of those matters.
" While they did break the law, they are not criminals" Horan told the judge. "They came to this country to seek a better life."
Most men passed at an opportunity to speak, though Gavino Aguillan-Bautista, 59, did. Horan said the man had been living in the country for at least 13 years.
"I want to thank God for the life and health I had in this country," the Guatemalan told the court in Spanish. "I ask God to bless all of you in the United States."
Deere offered her own thoughts after sentencing the men to the terms of the plea bargain.
"I wish you all the best and God speed," she said.
After the judge left the courtroom, the men placed their hands behind their back, waiting for the marshals to fasten their handcuffs
Exactly! These raids are only a political ploy to pacify the anti-immigrant activist groups. They fail to realize the dehumanizing and crippling effects it has on the detained immigrants and their families.
Originally posted by dcwtech: In the RAIDS, Find Out Which of Those People Have Broken other Laws. "Other Than Immigration Laws" and Laws In their own Country? There are plenty of Law Breakers to be Deported! Our System has the Ability To find out! Deport the bad, keep the good!Ultimatum for the good, Stay Out of trouble, distance yourself from others that do not wish to follow the rules! In other words, Welcome to America! Respect Americans and the way of life here, respect the system, don't Lie, Cheat, Steal! Maintain a Distance from those that live a moral turpitude way of life!
Politically motivated raids is not the answer! search the system for those that have broken other laws! Round those people up and send them back! misdemeanors, 5 years can retry! federal offenses other than Murder, drugs, 10 years! murder, Drugs, don't try to come back!!!!
politically motivated actions only make things worse in the long run!!!!
Hello Tech..
Your philosophy is a little confusing here. You speak about keeping the good and the good having an ultimatum to follow the rules and respect the country? The undocumented disrepected the rules when they sneak over the border without permission. They have taken matter into their own hands. Are you saying that this practice is ok? and that is the good?
Did you ever look at the process of petitioning family members like brothers and sisters and how much time it takes for many countries? These people wait patiently in line doing it the correct way and respecting the system. many as much as 15/16 years. Do you think that it is fair that people who thumb their nose at the immigration laws and sneak over the border to make a life should be allowed to stay here and get greencards.. ( Comprehensive Immigration REWARD )while the law abiding people that followed the rules will still be waiting in line to come here in a legal way to be with their families.
Originally posted by ProudUSC: [QUOTE]Yeah really dangerous "criminals" they have here!
quote:
Exactly! These raids are only a political ploy to pacify the anti-immigrant activist groups. They fail to realize the dehumanizing and crippling effects it has on the detained immigrants and their families.
It appears to be the latest trend to try to confuse the issues by using the term "immigrant" /anti immigrant" when in fact term "illegals/undocumented should be used to distinquish.
The activist groups are against illegal immigration. Not against immigrants who process thru the system in a legal way.
All these media headline articles are purposely trying to confuse the masses using the term immigrant for all situations instead of reporting the reality and true facts.
Exactly! These raids are only a political ploy to pacify the anti-immigrant activist groups. They fail to realize the dehumanizing and crippling effects it has on the detained immigrants and their families.
Oh I think they do know what's going on. They're turning a blind eye to it because it's not a political vote winner to be in favor of a legalization program for illegals at the moment.
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Respect Americans and the way of life here, respect the system, don't Lie, Cheat, Steal! Maintain a Distance from those that live a moral turpitude way of life!
