Even more terrific Obama work, going completely unnoticed

[impik]

BREWSTER, Wash. — The Obama administration has replaced immigration raids at factories and farms with a quieter enforcement strategy: sending federal agents to scour companies’ records for illegal immigrant workers.

While the sweeps of the past commonly led to the deportation of such workers, the “silent raids,” as employers call the audits, usually result in the workers being fired, but in many cases they are not deported.

Over the past year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted audits of employee files at more than 2,900 companies. The agency has levied a record $3 million in civil fines so far this year on businesses that hired unauthorized immigrants, according to official figures. Thousands of those workers have been fired, immigrant groups estimate.

Employers say the audits reach more companies than the work-site roundups of the administration of President George W. Bush. The audits force businesses to fire every suspected illegal immigrant on the payroll — not just those who happened to be on duty at the time of a raid — and make it much harder to hire other unauthorized workers as replacements. Auditing is “a far more effective enforcement tool,” said Mike Gempler, executive director of the Washington Growers League, which includes many worried fruit growers.
Immigration inspectors who pored over the records of one of those growers, Gebbers Farms, found evidence that more than 500 of its workers, mostly immigrants from Mexico, were in the country illegally. In December, Gebbers Farms, based in this Washington orchard town, fired the workers.

“Instead of hundreds of agents going after one company, now one agent can go after hundreds of companies,” said Mark K. Reed, president of Border Management Strategies, a consulting firm in Tucson that advises companies across the country on immigration law. “And there is no drama, no trauma, no families being torn apart, no handcuffs.”


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38176981/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times

[jwirr]

1. That is a first step in the right direction - the emphasis is on the company. nt

[boppers]

2. Greater bang for the buck, but no shocking TV footage.

It's not being reported because there aren't pretty visuals for it.

Interesting bit at the end of the article:
"“Show me one American —just one — climbing a picker’s ladder,” said María Cervantes, 33, a former Gebbers Farms worker from Mexico who gave her name because she was recently approved as a legal immigrant.
After completing a federally mandated local labor search, Gebbers Farms applied to the federal guest worker program to import about 1,200 legal temporary workers — most from Mexico. The guest workers, who can stay for up to six months, also included about 300 from Jamaica.
“They are bringing people from outside,” Ms. Cervantes said, perplexed. “What will happen to those of us who are already here?”

Cognitive dissonance much?

[BlancheSplanchnik]

38. and that is the heart of the ignorance engulfing us: the teevee attention span

Sound bite and photo-op mentality. Too much info, poor critical thinking skills, and little time to ponder....


An old but prescient book, "Amusing Ourselves to Death"-- you might like it.

[kestrel91316]

3. Good. And FINE THE HELL OUT OF THE COMPANIES.

[MadMaddie]

16. Not just fine they need to be prosecuted

they are breaking the law also.

[rhett o rick]

4. This is change i voted for. nm

[drm604]

5. One thing bothers me.

The audits force businesses to fire every suspected illegal immigrant on the payroll

Every suspected illegal immigrant? They get fired because of suspicion? What are those suspicions based on? Is there any chance for appeal?

I'm hoping this is just a poorly worded article and that people aren't being fired quite so cavalierly.

[LiberalFighter]

8. News reporters aren't that competent.

More than likely the companies were required for a long time to have the proper documentation in place to prove they were legal. Documentation I bet required during the Bush administration but probably not enforced.

It appears that the law covering this was enacted in 1986.

[Moosepoop]

10. Exactly.

Throughout last year, ICE auditors examined forms known as I-9’s, which all new hires in the country must fill out. ICE then advised Gebbers Farms of Social Security and immigration numbers that did not check out with federal databases.

Form I-9 verification became mandatory with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

[AC_Mem]

26. I9's - at hire

I handle incoming new workers. I can let some things go on the first day of a new employee's job but one thing that MUST be done within the first 24 hours of employment is turning in the I-9 paperwork showing legal status/right to work. It is absolutely mandatory. You have to show 2 forms of idenfitication from three lists, it has to be signed by me and then witnessed by HR in corporate. I never thought about it before this but indeed, it would be very easy to see if we had any employee who was not a legal citizen of the US or someone with a government approved right to work.

Good Job President Obama and yet another thing that the right will give him no credit for.

[Hamlette]

20. if they are legal, they will get UI benefits. In some states they could sue. n/t

[SemperEadem]

30. I would think...

they get fired because of suspicion? What are those suspicions based on?

the suspicions are based on the employee not being able to provide valid, current identification stating they are eligible to work in the US legally--like a passport, social security number, US state issued driver's license, visa paperwork, naturalization papers?

This isn't cavalier. The companies knew when they hired them that they were illegal because of the paperwork/documentation they request to process applications, so therefore, there is no suspicion. The onus is on the company to do the background check when hiring employees to make sure the paperwork can stand up to scrutiny.

Every job I've ever accepted since 1976 has asked me for government issued identification, be it a driver's license, ssn and/or my passport. They knew the status of my citizenship the day I handed my information to them. This isn't something that's catching anyone by surprise. If there are undocumented workers, then everyone there knows that they are, both those seeking the work and those doing the hiring.

[bluerum]

6. $3 million dolars, 2900 companies. $1034.45 each.

Business is happy the damage is minimal so they are not making any noise. When/if the fines/legal actions become substantial, you can bet that they will have the teabaggers or their equivalent marching against restrictive immigration policy that hurts business but allows illegals to infiltrate the country.

[vaberella]

12. I think we need Congressional action in order to increase the fines.

This seems similar to the situation with BP and the 75 million ceiling in place. So, hopefully with immigration reform we can hope for higher increase in fines.

[lefairhill06]

22. Immigration Employer Audits

Just because the federal auditors went to 2,900 companies does not necessarily mean they found violations in each one; not really possible to determine how much each company found to be in violation was fined, at least based on the reported article.

[Ozymanithrax]

7. He needs to pile the fines higher...but this is the way to handle cheap labor tactics.

Cost these companies money and they will not hire undocumented labor.

[vaberella]

13. See post 12. n/t

[dflprincess]

18. As long as the fines aren't so low they get written off as part of the cost of doing business

until the fines hurt and until some corporate officers get sent to prison for breaking labor and immigration laws the cycle will continue.

Some of these companies advertise for workers in Mexico and Central America and they know these workers won't be getting work permits. Such blatant disregard of U.S. by these companies needs to be dealt with in ways that will make them stop.

[jenmito]

9. Unfortunately, no matter HOW much good Obama does, if the media doesn't cover it,

it's like the question, "If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it, does it make a sound?" Obama is knocking down all these trees, but nobody knows it since the media doesn't report it.

[bobburgster]

24. Why would they want to cover it?

It would mean he is bringing "change" to Washington. He is living up to his promise. That doesn't bring in ratings.

Ranting teabaggers make for better news.

[jenmito]

44. Exactly...

He's not following the media script that he's "failing."

[Vattel]

11. "Terrific work" that deprives people of a livelihood.

3rd time this story has been posted, btw

[vaberella]

14. Illegal immigrants are unfortunately illegal.

So these people might be seeking a livelihood and I don't begrudge them this. However, I also recognize that this is against the law and the law is there to be respected or there is no point in having them.

[Vattel]

17. Sometimes need justifies breaking the law.

More to the point, Obama has discretion in terms of the degree to which various laws are enforced. I think that for the sake of undocumented workers and their families, he should not be upping enforcement of immigration law (especially in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship).

[Hamlette]

23. I'm not convinced we can allow everyone who wants to live here to come

Going after the employers is the way to stop illegal immigration. Those employer are exploiting undocumented aliens. You gotta start someplace and it has to be at the federal level. States won't do it because employer threaten to move to another state.

[Vattel]

27. I agree that the method is better than raids

aimed at deportation. And I agree that we should not "allow everyone who wants to live here to come." But Obama has increased enforcement of immigration law without achieving comprehensive immigration reform. That is needlessly harmful to many economically disadvantaged people.

[MikeW]

36. sorry but the needs of unemployed Americans come first

If Obama doesnt start talking jobs jobs jobs ... Im affraid Dems are done in the elections.

If they pass reform in the form of amnesty those Americans that lost their jobs will never find work

because of wage supression.

[Vattel]

54. Obama's increased enforcement

is not helping unemployment. It is destroying lives.

[MikeW]

57. your missing the point

If amnesty is granted NO AMERICAN job will be safe.

Essentially they will go to the lowest bidder / wage.

Which means Illegals.

This is a positive step to force them to return home.

Then they can apply to re-enter if we need their skills in the workforce.

[Vattel]

62. No you missed my point

I have been criticizing Obama's increased enforcement of certain immigration laws. No one is proposing amnesty, are they? If I'm not mistaken, Obama's plan for a path to citizenship includes paying a fine for having violating immigration law. But even if amnesty were on the table, your statement that "no American job would be safe" is ridiculous hyperbole. There is debate among economists on the impact of illegal immigration on unemployment, of course, but many respected studies suggest little net impact. And the net impact on the economy as a whole is generally thought to be positive. You would need to provide evidence that amnesty or a path to citizenship would alter that.

[MikeW]

67. simple math ...

If im currently making $30 / hour on an assembly line ..

and my company finds a legal way to get rid of me (because they always do).

Then either close the plan or move it to another state and ...

Hire the "new citizen" who just finished paying his small fine and who's supposed to learn english (as part of Obama's plan - and by the way

who's going to enforce that?).

The boiled down version for you:
Bob makes $30 / hour with 2 breaks / day and 30 min for lunch.
Bob gets laid off and or fired....
The 'new citizen' replaces Bob in another state or at the same plant
The "new citizen" has no union and the company offers him $7.00 / hour w 2 breaks and 1/2 lunch.
The "new citizen" gets a lousy HC package which only costs the company 1/2 as much as Bob's Cadillac plan.

And so it goes ... benefits, unions, and wages will all be suppressed.
Companies wont need expensive AMERICAN workers anymore.

Don't think it can happen?
When was the last time a so called Economist with a PhD was RIGHT? Those guys are WORSE than the weather people.
The difference is that Bob loses his job and his way of life ... the ECONOMIST writes some CRAP journal article
about how wrong he was .. but he still has his nice cushy college prof. job.

[Hamlette]

69. the best way to force comprohensive reform is to get those employers complaining to Congress

its how we did the last to reforms. If I call a congresscritter and say I worry about poor undocumented they laugh at me. If an employer calls and says: "it will put me out of business which means I can't contribute to your campaign" they will listen. And eventually force the GOP to either support amnesty or say they are against enforcing the immigration laws.

It is a brilliant move by Obama. Yes, it is like show trials, but it will force this country off the dime and recognize who is at fault.

If we stop employers at square one, we don't have the problem in the first place AND I'll be pretty guilt free about it. No jobs, they won't come. If they do come and the feds crack down on the employer immediately, before the undocumented has put down roots in this country, they can go home. We, as a country, will at least not have made their fate worse.

Oh, yeah, and while we're at it? We should start talking about population control. Here and there.

[vaberella]

59. What you suggest is a slippery slope, I hope you know that.

Bush did push that going to war was to protect our national security so he was willing to break laws in order to justify this. Because breaking one law doesn't stop there. WE don't have laws in place to break them. If they are broken they should come with consequences. Chaos would ensue or normally should when laws are broken, and this is a law.

[Bluenorthwest]

35. The law says many things. Says my people are not equal.

The law said Rosa Parks was in violation, not the city she lived in. Would you say her disrespect for the law did harm to the legal system? That law, was it also there 'to be respected'? How about the one that said I could own human beings as property? That was law. There to be respected. According to you.
Let's cover some other laws to be respected. Mr and Mrs Loving, those law breaking, respect lacking good for nothings, they wanted to get 'married' against the law and against the will of the vast majority of Americans.
The entire American Revolution was an act of treason against England, legally speaking and all. Had independence failed, they'd all have been executed. That law was there to be respected. Enforced as they often have been, with a noose.

[Vattel]

45. Thanks. You would think that this wouldn't need saying

but apparently it does. And you said it very well.

[vaberella]

60. I'm fully aware of these issues.

However, until the changes are made there will be consequences to the breaking of laws. And each person you listed who broke a law faced those penalties. Additionally some of the things you mentioned weren't necessarily laws, but de-facto laws that didn't come into issue until it was faced. In any event, in regards to the case at hand, there are specific federal laws in place in relation to these issues. Unlike some of the ones you mentioned.

[tomp]

47. obama is being selective in prosecution

first of all, this sounds like a more efficient roundup. this is what we're supposed to get behind obama about?

second, there are many criminals from the bush administration that obama is not prosecuting. clearly, he is about political application of law enforcement.

[vaberella]

61. Depends.

From what I understand Holder doesn't have identifiable evidence to prosecute. Yes there is proof that there was torture, or memos about it at least. However, the video tapes were destroyed and most of the higher ups were covered rather safely if this ever became an issue. I sometimes wonder if there was a trial if that would ever get prosecuted properly and how much would that take away from the issues at hand in regards to the social and economic problems we face. It would dwarf all other issues and clog up the governmental process. I'm not justifying it, but I think it's unrealistic to assume they would be prosecuted anyway.

Secondly, again the law is being broken and we know this. At least now we're getting fines and companies are paying them. Earlier on no fines, and sadly, this is a law---I don't think there is a country on earth who harbors or protects illegal aliens.

[tomp]

66. a few things.

bush blatantly, and in no uncertain terms, admitted to illegal wiretapping on national tv. slam dunk.

you may think of prosecutions of this type as distractions if you wish. to me they are issues of the highest order, equal to, if not surpassing, social and economic issues.

there may not be any country that harbors "illegal aliens", but they all harbor the sociopathic, imperialist criminals who create the very conditions that send people scurrying around the world for safety and food to eat.

if we don't address root causes the problems continue.

[fascisthunter]

53. going after businesses in this case is a good thing

[truedelphi]

55. There are one billion people who live south of our border

Many of them feel the only way to better themselves is to come to this country.

If that "many of them" amounts to just 15% of the one billion, where do we put one hundred fifty million people who come over the border?

When we already have a huge number of unemployed.

I have friends who were able to survive last summer because one of the only employers in my neck of the woods had to quit employing illegal immigrants.

[treestar]

15. Perfect illustration of less drama and more substance

:kick:

[juajen]

19. This is a very good procedure. Obama did good.

[johnaries]

21. And yet, teabaggers say the Feds are doing nothing. nt

[kuroman992]

25. good to hear employers are

getting in trouble too.
But the illegals should also be deported as well.
I just dont see why leaving half the criminals to continue to commit federal crimes is a good thing.
As sympathetic as I am to thier case, they broke the law.
I feel sorry for the hungry man who steal food from a store, but the law is the law. Some here are confusing law with personal feelings.

[Vattel]

28. Did you ever hear of the necessity defense?

The hungry man who steals food from a store is not guilty of a crime.

[SemperEadem]

31. so that's justification for stealing?

sorry, that doesn't hold water.

[Vattel]

33. I'm only making the obvious point

that sometimes need justifies (both legally and morally) stealing. If I need to steal someone's car to get someone to a hospital in time to save her life, then stealing the car is justified.

[MikeW]

37. tell that to the cops as they are putting you in the car LOL

[fasttense]

29. Do you know what organizations use to advocate for the enforcement of immigration employment law?

It was the UNIONS!!!!

When Ronnie Raygun broke the backs of Union Workers by illegally firing the Air Traffic Controllers on strike, illegal immigration violations started to balloon.

It use to be the Unions who would constantly advocate for the enforcement of laws against illegal employers.

So tell the Tea-baggers that because their Saint attacked the Unions now we have an illegal immigration catastrophe. Unintended consequences or intended?

[Bluenorthwest]

34. Cesar Chavez was a third generation American, a Navy Vet

Who lead the United Farm Workers Union. From his testimony to Congress in 1979:
""... when the farm workers strike and their strike is successful, the employers go to Mexico and have unlimited, unrestricted use of illegal alien strikebreakers to break the strike. And, for over 30 years, the Immigration and Naturalization Service has looked the other way and assisted in the strikebreaking. I do not remember one single instance in 30 years where the Immigration service has removed strikebreakers. ... The employers use professional smugglers to recruit and transport human contraband across the Mexican border for the specific act of strikebreaking..."

[louis-t]

52. Um, Reagan fired the ATCs because it was illegal for them to strike.

Probably one of the few things Reagan did that WAS legal. I've always said that he was one major plane crash (attributed to the rookie ATCs) away from leaving office in disgrace. The media did breathlessly report every near miss for about a year.

[glowing]

32. Enforcing the laws already on the books is a good way. If it was nearly

impossible to be hired as an illegal, then who would come. Perhaps instead of coming to this country, they would remain in there own to fight the injustice... I only wish Americans would stand up.

[maryf]

39. What else are these audits looking for???

big Brother at work.

[Robb]

40. LOL OK. nt

[boppers]

56. "What else are these audits looking for?"

It would catch:

1. People working under assumed, fictitious, names.
2. People working under assumed, fictitious, SSN's.
3. People working with legitimate names/SSN combinations, but they're sharing those with other people.

So, aside the obvious immigration cases, it would also help find tax cheats, people avoiding child support payments, identity thieves, people hiding from arrest warrants, etc.

[maryf]

58. Yep, I got it right the first time...

Big Brother is watching...and his little brothers are helping...

[Mr. Mustard]

41. Another improvement by President Obama

I think his method of operation is to compromise with big issues, especially those that are noticed publicly, while implementing as many progressive changes quietly and behind the scenes as possible.

Perhaps he will become more publicly aggressive after the mid-terms.

[griffi94]

42. i think you're probably correct

there's not enough political will in either party to really change all that much.
not upsetting the applecart while making a little bit of progress around the edges is about as much
as can be done.

[BREMPRO]

43. yet most of the media coverage this morning was how bad he was doing

He doesn't have enough allies tooting his successes publicly- it's seems a losing public relations battle when you have a corporate media stacked against him, still have 9.5% unemployment (even if the economy is growing). Europe's problems didn't help and big business holding back hiring (on purpose for political effect?) even though they are sitting on loads of cash. The biggest mistake Obama has made with the economy was claiming the stimulus would hold unemployment to 8%- but for all the jobs saved, created, the stimulus did what it was supposed to. All this talk of deficits is misguided- short term deficits used to get the economy kick started are being mistaken for long term structural deficits (the real problem created by both republicans and democrats). WHY are not more pundits talking about HOOVER and FDR? Tightening govt spending during a recession CREATED the depression. We have politicians who lie and spin(mostly republicans) to get elected, and a public that is mostly uninformed (or misinformed), un-engaged, has short term self interested memory, and has no patience. I think we need better more informed citizens, and Obama needs to step up leadership and the public relations front. Firing Rahm might help too.

[fasttense]

51. I did a search and maybe you can direct me to the right link but

I could not find a quote where President Obama said the unemployment rate would stay at 8% (or around there). I believe this is a huge RepubliCON lie. Two of his advisers made grandiose claims for the stimulus bill. But I don't believe President Obama ever said what the RepubliCONS are saying he said. I can't find where he ever said it and there was no promise of it by the President.

Not that you can be blamed for believing that tripe. I did a search and every organ of the right-wing crazy, nut jobs are repeating that lie about the President. Though no one has the exact quote and the only people they do quote are two sad White House economists.

[w4rma]

64. Before Obama filled his team with DLCers and real Democrats ran his campaign were fighting the lies.

Now Democrats are spending more time fighting Rahm, Duncan, Summers and Geithner than fighting with Obama. It's not our fault that Obama decided to piss unions off and pretty much his entire Democratic base with certain policy choices.

[impik]

68. "pretty much his entire Democratic base??"

That's why he's got 85% approval ratings among Democrats? You see, there's a whole world outside DU. And don't be too discouraged. Coming 2012, you'll have a better president. I'm sure of that.

[Arkana]

46. This is how it should be done.

Go after the people who hire illegals. That's the safe, non-racist way to stop illegal immigration.

[Guilded Lilly]

48. In this society high "drama" rules...

No matter how we got there or *who* is largely responsible, (the blame can be widespread) this country has allowed itself to be controlled by high drama. Unless something is dramatic and intense and immediately prone to outrage...it is not deemed acceptable news. This includes intelligent, less violent means to approach problems.

If it is logical...forget it. That doesn't *sell* ratings or headlines.

The News Media, such as it is, promotes 24/7 soundbites, headlines and "breaking news" in instances where the so called news is anything but news. In large part it is tabloid fodder, or ego driven ratings grabbing. Highlight the negative. Plant suspicion. Overplay the inconsequential. Obsess about the *what if*. In too many cases it also means IGNORE the sensible. On any given news media screen there are four or five lines of *breaking news, updates, unrelated chaos of words running across the tops and bottoms of screens.

No one breathes between sentences afraid that someone else will offer more info, faster.

From ridiculously staged reality TV shows(Internet videos sites/blogs/anonymous comment boards for every single article provided) that embrace uncivil and abhorent behavior, to manipulative editing to showcase the absolute worst of human nature, it seems we thrive only on the seemingly ugly, potentially ugly and truly ugly.

Possibilities of resolving problems fairly and intelligently are mocked and buried while we live in the impatient, vitriolic and often times, insanely brain-disengaged world of ugliness...NOW.

And unless the public at large becomes involved in the true outrages of our times, the fifteen minutes of fame for any story line has become ten minutes and then it is yesterday's news while the newest *breaking news* is splattered all over the media. Short memories and fast vitriol are the norm.

Fear and loathing sells. The ugliness, in MANY cases, of bigotry and racism and misogyny that we had been combatting, now has a massive platform.

Shameless, souless, political idiocy abounds...without accountability, responsibility, civility or grace.

....when will it end? how can we turn things back towards sanity?
I know, there are no pat answers.
Shaking my head does absolutely nothing, but I am at a loss as to to what truly can turn things away from the ugly.

[Enrique]

49. $3 million in fines is a joke

how much did these companies profit by exploiting those workers? All those unpaid hours, all that unpaid overtime, that shoots past $3 million real fast.

[JDPriestly]

50. This is great. The workers must just be going home.

For rent signs are everywhere in the substandard housing in L.A.

[w4rma]

63. Awesome work. (nt)

[Fire1]

65. K&R. n/t