100 Arrested at Wal-Mart Construction Site

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WAL_MART_ILLEGAL_WORKERS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- Federal immigration agents detained more than 100 workers at a construction site for a new Wal-Mart distribution center, authorities said.

The workers, who Wal-Mart said were employed by a subcontractor and not by the retailing giant, were detained Thursday on suspected immigration violations, said Department of Homeland Security spokesman Marc Raimondi. They were being taken to Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers for processing, he said. snip

Wal-Mart spokesman Marty Heires said the company would cooperate fully with federal authorities.

"We have written contracts with these subcontractors requiring that they follow all applicable local, state and federal employment laws," he said in a statement.

Wonder who owns the subcontracting companies? AP doesn't say. You would think a decent news service would find out.

Good point. Including the names of the sub-contractors would serve a dual purpose: 1) basic journalistic thoroughness 2) identify the real problem. If more companies' illegal hiring practices were revealed, maybe it would serve as a deterrent.

I guess the current right wing talking point is "blame the Mexicans" and AP is just doing as they are told. Same old, same old. Welcome to DU AB.

Don

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

:hi:

undocumented workers. Sorta like the Halliburton-KRB problems on the naval bases in Katrina's wake. Lots of those bad ol sub contractors hiring (and in that case, not always feeding or paying) undocumented workers.

And big business keeps reminding us that they HAVE to use workers with questionable legal status cuz they can't get legal American workers to do some jobs.

So how many construction workers do you know who are hurting for employment? I know several. They won't do the jobs for the pittance and conditions the big corps wanna get away with paying, but they DO want the jobs.

Start tossing the bosses in jail. They break laws and they do it on purpose and for profit. They also do it to avoid certain taxes on employees. Throw their asses in jail.

even thought you've been here several months.

Jump in more often! The water's fine.

Good to have you with us. :toast:

What a warm welcome! Much obliged.

The Walmart construction site in Moundsville WV was shut down for several days while it was determined that a subcontractor had hired illegals to work on the site.

Deport the illegals and prosecute the contractor who hired them.