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Exclusive: Raid at Meatpacking Plant Illustrates Key Immigration Concerns
Guest Column | By Mike Cutler | May 16, 2008
Earlier this week,
a multi-agency field operationconducted by ICE (Immigration and Customs
Enforcement) and other law enforcement agencies was conducted at a
meatpacking plant in Iowa. 300 people were arrested, representing a
third of the plant's employees. Complaints about identity theft (ID
fraud) led, in part, to the raid, and the arrest warrants depended upon statements and evidence given by illegal alien informants, who agreed to cooperate with law enforcement.
The
cultivation of informants is absolutely critical to law enforcement.
This is especially true in combating terrorism, organized crime and
large-scale conspiracies. This is yet another reason why our nation
needs to hire many more special agents for ICE and provide them with
the resources they desperately need to do their jobs effectively. The
best way to cultivate informants and gain crucial information is to
arrest law violators and provide them with the opportunity to assist
law enforcement authorities.The information that these informants can
provide is often priceless and absolutely vital to the successful
pursuit of investigations.Without an adequate number of ICE agents,
such opportunities are forever lost.
With regard to this
particular raid, what is of additional concern is the allegation that
some of the arrested employees were running a methamphetamine lab in
the plant and bringing weapons to work. What would happen if the
"meth"or pre-cursor chemicals used to produce that dangerous and highly
addictive drugsomehow contaminated themeat being processed?
And
consider the havoc that identity theft causes for the victim whose
name, Social Security Number and other personal information are stolen.
In some cases, the fallout can haunt the victim for years.
How
happy would you be to have a job in a food processing plant where your
fellow workers were using false names so that you did not even know who
the person standing next to you at work really was? How would it make
you feel to know that some of your fellow workers were not only
involved in the production and distribution of a dangerous drug (in the
workplace, no less), but may well be armed with a gun as well?Is this
the environment you would want your spouse or child to be working in?
Naturally,
protestors showed up to show solidarity as those arrested were taken
away in buses. Shouts of "We are with you!" and "We are all equal!"
could be heard. I wonder if any of the protestors complained about the
brutal assault that was allegedly committed against an illegal alien
from Guatemala by his supervisor. It's said the supervisor covered his
eyes with duct tape and struck him with a meat hook. The Guatemalan did
not report this incident for fear of losing his job.
Illegal immigration is wrong on so many levels and for so many reasons.
Illegal
aliens are no more industrious than resident aliens and United States
citizens.The big advantage that illegal aliens offer is their
vulnerable and precarious position by virtue of their illegal
status.Therefore, they are easy to exploit as is clearly illustrated by
the treatment of the worker from Guatemala.This is certainly not the
"American Dream!"
These workers were also underpaid. I suspect
that if the plant had been willing to pay prevailing wages that they
would have had no problem in hiringUnited States citizens and resident
aliens.
The issue of illegal immigration is not about racism, as
the open borders often allege, but it is about the law.It is about
exploitation.It is about protecting the jobs of American workers and
providing for the security of our nation and our citizens.
This is not a partisan issue; it is an American issue!
WhenSen.
Obama says that he wants to bring the jobs back to America, we should
be asking, "Who do you want to get those jobs?""What are you willing to
do to make certain that those who hire illegal aliens will be made to
pay the price that the law requires?"Americans must not only ask these
questions of Obama, his fellow presidential candidates and fellow
members of Congress, but we must also demand satisfactory answers and
viable solutions.
When we go to a restaurant to order our food we
tend to be very specific about what we want to eat and how we want it
prepared. We must be just as adamant about our concerns where
immigration, border security and other issues are concerned. It is
vital that we Americans contact those who allege to represent us and
place our orders!
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Michael Cutler is a Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies and a well-respected authority on immigration and border security issues.
Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views of Accuracy in Media or its staff.
1 Comment | Post a Comment
May 29 at 10:04 pm | #1 | Link
Some things in this article don’t ring true.
The illegals are not a bargain to the employers because they are vulnerable. Certainly, some may be, but most are not. They are not afraid of being deported. If they have children, they won’t be. As one man told me, “I don’t care, I’ll bet the bus back here.”
They are a bargain because the employer does not have to withhold and match taxes, pay worker’s comp insurance, worry much about OSHA regulations. They are a bargain because they can pay them less, and the government forces other taxpayers to support the illegals, assuring they will stay.
I’m not at all sure more informants are what is needed - probably 98% of the problem could be fixed simply by enforcing the laws we already have on the books.
Fine and charge the employer with a felony.
Confiscate autos when driven without license and insurance.
Cut off all but emergency food and medical care.
These things would send most of the illegals back home.
What was left could then be found quickly, and those selling fake ID’s would no longer have customers.
No informants necessary - just simple, across the board, law enforcement.