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Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is asking federal officials to rethink their policy on workplace immigration crackdowns that involve established businesses and to focus on employers that mistreat workers instead. The mayor said in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff that work-site raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement could have “severe and long-lasting effects” on the local economy, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. ICE made more than 4,900 work-site arrests nationwide in fiscal 2007, a 45-fold increase over the number in 2001, authorities said.
Villaraigosa accused federal officials of targeting “established, responsible employers” in industries that rely on “workforces that include undocumented immigrants.” “In these industries, including most areas of manufacturing, even the most scrupulous and responsible employers have no choice but to rely on workers whose documentation, while facially valid, may raise questions about their lawful presence,” he wrote in the March 27 letter. He said ICE should spend its limited resources targeting employers who exploit wage and hour laws.
Chertoff has not responded to the mayor’s letter, but Homeland Security spokeswoman Laura Keehner said the department believes its priorities are correct. She said work-site investigations focus on national security and public safety and that the agency also investigates companies it believes may have committed visa fraud, money laundering, and other violations.
The headline sounds a bit ominous, almost threatening. The translation just may be, we want you to enforce the law as long as it doesn’t hurt my chances for re-election.
Right near the end of “They Thirst” by Robert McCammon, LA has become nothing but vampires and is wiped out completely by a giant tidal wave sent by God. Too bad the tidal wave is only fiction so far.
#16, apeguero, I’ve long suspected that the illegal alien problem has been encouraged in part to eventually justify requiring all US citizens having identity papers, and maybe internal passports.
Villaraigosa sure has him some cahoonies.
OFTLO, that makes no sense. By your logic, the Iraq War isn’t costing taxpayers any money, and neither are schools, cops, welfare or anything else.
Why are people bashing the employers. These workers show up with valid documents, and when the SSNs don’t match, the Feds say you as an employer should not interpret that as this worker is illegal.
Does Mayor Villar work for Mexico or Los Angeles?
He would make a fine president for Mexico and his puppy dog Chief Bratton could be his helper.
Villar is truly a piece of work.
The answer’s comment is hilarious, I fully agree.
the answer said, on April 11th, 2008 at 9:56 am I am sure the mayor’s letter is taped to the wall somewheres in a cubicle for laughs.
#35 – “Why are people bashing the employers. These workers show up with valid documents,”
As an employer who has used the system I call B.S.
A guy shows up who doesn’t speak English, a lot of times not even Speaking Spanish but some native dialect. He gives you a SS# and says his name is Thor Olafsen… Or, gives you the name Pedro Chavez (otherwise same scenario) & it doesn’t match the SS#…
It’s not rocket science.
He is swore to uphold the law. If he can’t he should be removed.
#36, Funny question.
Unfortunately, news like this makes me doubt the man’s integrity to the office which he holds. We are a nation of laws and that is what binds us. We are supposed to be the great melting pot. All aliens (except for the Native Americans of course) with different cultures and native languages but all wanting to be Americans. The law clearly states that only people with Resident Alien cards and naturilzed citizens can live here permanently. There are exceptions however, such as exchange students, temporary work visas, visitor visas, etc. For the mayor of any city in the US to ask a Federal Agency in charge of enforcing our immigration laws to lay off of it is so f’ing assenine.
Like I said in one of my comments yesterday, the US = Rome 2.0. How soon before the US suffers a similar fate. Hey, I’m sympathetic for the hard working woman/man. But how long can our country tolerate the abuse? Oh, another thing, what is the official language of the US?
First, this is a second hand report about a letter I haven’t seen, so I don’t know his arguments.
Second, I used to live in Manhattan Beach. The South Bay Daily Breeze is a very right-leaning newspaper. The story does mention some south-bay businesses that were targeted.
Third, the unfortunate reality is that anyone with access to a computer, flatbed scanner, and a good printer (grand total probably less than $1000) can create fake documents of good enough quality that an untrained eye would not be able to tell them from legal ones. This point was brought out in a TV special a while back when they interviewed some farm owners about this. They say they just haven’t the time and money to do background checks on the people who present them with papers, so they just hope for the best.
Fourth, one fear the mayor may have is that businesses that feel harrassed might decide to move out of Los Angeles to an area where raids are less likely. This would hurt the local economy which is already feeling the bite of recession.
Fifth, business likes the negative wage pressure that illegal immigration creates. As long as that is true, there will be no serious government efforts to stop it.
Chris
One more thing: Why is ICE immediately deporting illegal working aliens but letting the criminal aliens lose on low, if any, bail? I know of a few illegals that have been caught with possession of drugs. They’re given a slap on the wrist and released. I’d say ICE should round those up first and get rid of them. We shouldn’t also have to keep these criminal illegals in our corrections system. It should be immediate deportation for those.
“No, It should deport them all, along with those stupid illegal lovers.”
Your ancestors didn’t come in here legally. So why don’t you kick yourself out?
#34, Lyin’ MikeN,
By your logic, the Iraq War isn’t costing taxpayers any money,
It isn’t. It is being financed on credit with our children’s money and your offspring’s earnings, provided the circus pays its performers.
#38, pat,
It’s not rocket science.
Aahhh, Pat. For some it might as well be. Anything to back up their gripe will do, accuracy doesn’t mean much to some.
#39, coho,
He is swore to uphold the law. If he can’t he should be removed.
Isn’t he? Maybe you can tell us what law he broke. I always thought that suggesting something was well within the First Amendment.
# 40 apeguero said,
… is so f’ing assenine.
I hope you meant “fucking asinine”. Otherwise your post would have been just fucking stupid.
US = Rome 2.0.
Now that is asinine.
what is the official language of the US?
Isn’t and can’t be one. The First Amendment has this little thing called “Freedom of Speech”.
#41, Chris,
Good points.
#45,
Montpat,
Your ancestors didn’t come in here legally.
Until immigration laws were first introduced, no one was ever turned away.
well I really think all of you guys are not appreciating the fact that we contribute and help this great nations economy… I mean, since he raids started going on, the price on fruits and vegetales have risen greatly… and its all cuz of the raids
I think he thinks he is important. You are a ONE SHOT WONDER…of a MISTAKE. You can be sure REAL voter (legal ones) will NEVER make again.
You and your ilk are about to get a strong does of REALITY potion.
This nasty, sleazy, disease filled Third World invasion is coming to an end…but FAST!
You wanna be Mayor again, better luck in Mexicriminal land.