Who's illegal? Crackdown targets employers of undocumented

Source: Salt Lake Tribune

"The Department of Homeland Security is redirecting its immigration branch to focus on cracking down on the employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers instead of simply deporting the employees. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, former Arizona governor, said cracking down on employers will better get to the root of the problem."

"In 2008, 50 workers were arrested during a raid at a Lindon metal factory. The U.S. Department of Justice charged the company, Universal Industrial Sales Inc., with 10 counts of harboring illegal aliens, and its human resource manager with two counts of encouraging or inducing undocumented workers to stay in the country illegally. No undocumented employees were criminally charged."

"That case was handled much differently from the nationwide Swift & Co. meat packing plant raid, in which 1,300 undocumented workers were arrested, and many were charged with criminal identity fraud."

"Many in Utah are applauding Homeland Security's shift to put more emphasis on employers who knowingly violate the law. The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce is one of the supporters. "All businesses really want is a level playing field between them and their competitors," said spokesman Marty Carpenter. "It's disadvantageous for a business to compete against another who hires employees for a lower amount because they are breaking the law.""

Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12354718

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That's the first time I've ever seen a Chamber person support employer sanctions as a method of dealing with illegal immigration. It's just a state Chamber guy, but still a first.

to move your operation to another country where wages are criminally low and working conditions positively medieval so you can have a "competitive edge" over the manufacturer who remains in the US paying relatively decent wages; firing your workers except for the execs you move into luxury digs in Taiwan, Saigon, Manila, Tegucigalpa; skipping out on US taxes; etc., etc., etc?

Bet the ol' C of C don't have nothin' to say about THAT!



:grr:


Tansy Gold

:applause:

I know it seems that way. But there are some who really do want to be able to hire local workers and keep the jobs in the community. Although frequently they feel like the proverbial boy with his finger in the dyke.

"competition."

Corporations are always given breeaks to be more "competitive" but nothing is ever done to keep the workers competitive. The corporations can walk away from a community, leaving it economically devastated, because they're searching for cheapre labor/higher profits, and they pay no price for it. It's as if they have no responsibility whatsofuckingever to the community, the environment, the country.

There are solutions, all of 'em smacking of "protectionism." Well, I say, haven't we "protected" the profits of the corporations all along? Isn't it now time to protect the workers?


Tansy Gold, your friendly neighborhood socialist

:hi:

for displaced workers; it's used to drive down wages even further.

we have the priviledge of saying we are american citizens ....some of us will explain to u that they have no job cause we have so many people going after these jobs . the problem is are these people even interested in the american way or are they only interested in the american money , times have changed from when immigrants entered america by seeing the statue of liberty and wanting to take advantage of the american dream , now we have plenty of people coming to the united states of america not for the american dream but for the american money , if u ask these same people if they consider themselves americans what do u believe there answer would be , this seems to be our biggest problem we care more about people who are not american and have no intention of being so they only want our jobs which with our employment rate is a very big deal now i want to start a cause AMERICAN JOBS FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS ........PERIOD