270 Illegal Immigrants Sent to Prison in Federal Push

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Times

In temporary courtrooms at a fairgrounds here, 270 illegal immigrants were sentenced this week to five months in prison for working at a meatpacking plant with false documents.

The prosecutions, which ended Friday, signal a sharp escalation in the Bush administration’s crackdown on illegal workers, with prosecutors bringing tough federal criminal charges against most of the immigrants arrested in a May 12 raid. Until now, unauthorized workers have generally been detained by immigration officials for civil violations and rapidly deported.

The convicted immigrants were among 389 workers detained at the Agriprocessors Inc. plant in nearby Postville in a raid that federal officials called the largest criminal enforcement operation ever carried out by immigration authorities at a workplace.

Matt M. Dummermuth, the United States attorney for northern Iowa, who oversaw the prosecutions, called the operation an “astonishing success.”

-----

The unusually swift proceedings, in which 297 immigrants pleaded guilty and were sentenced in four days, were criticized by criminal defense lawyers, who warned of violations of due process. Twenty-seven immigrants received probation. The American Immigration Lawyers Association protested that the workers had been denied meetings with immigration lawyers and that their claims under immigration law had been swept aside in unusual and speedy plea agreements.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/us/24immig.html?hp

[EFerrari]

1. 10% of the town. The next day, half of the children were out of school.

And wait -- the economy of that community will be wrecked.

This benefits no one but the cronies in the prison business.

[pegleg]

36. Jobs that can be filled by out of work Americans and legal residents.

[Martinovich]

2. Lou Dobb rejoices n/t

[pegleg]

38. At least somebody's standing up for the American worker, something

both main political parties stopped doing years ago.

[DUlover2909]

3. I am a US citizen. What if I did the same thing as those workers?

What if, in an attempt to conceal my true identity because of a criminal background, poor employment record, or lack of education or certification, I used false documents to secure employment? Shouldn't I be prosecuted just like them? If they committed a crime then they deserve the applicable sentences. The irregular way in which they were swiftly dealt with might be a problem, but overall I only see this as appropriate law enforcement and it's been a long time coming.

I say enforce the laws equally on everyone or change the laws. I don't hate people that come here to escape poverty. I just think everyone in the world should have the same opportunity to come here legally and illegal immigration makes it more difficult for law abiding immigrants from around the world to come here for the same prosperity.

[EFerrari]

6. The way these people were treated was not equal treatment under the law.

They were treated like cattle and we should be ashamed that human beings are treated this way in this country.

[unapatriciated]

9. Treated like cattle by the government and slaves by the corporation,

http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2008/05/297_illegal_imm.html
Since 2004, the plant has faced repeated sanctions for environmental and worker safety violations. It was the focus of a 2006 exposé in The Jewish Daily Forward and a commission of inquiry that year by Conservative Jewish leaders.
"In Postville, workers from the plant, still feeling aftershocks from the raid, said conditions there were often harsh. In interviews, they said they were often required to work overtime and night shifts, sometimes up to 14 hours a day, but were not consistently paid for the overtime.
“We knew what time we would start work but we did not know what time we would finish,” said Élida, 29, a Guatemalan who was arrested in the raid and then released to care for her two children. She asked that her last name not be published because she is in this country illegally.
A 16-year-old Guatemalan girl, who asked to be identified only as G.O. because she is illegal and a minor and was not involved in the raid, said she had been working the night shift plucking chickens. “When you start, you can’t stay awake,” she said. “But after a while you get used to it.”


"The workers said that supervisors and managers were well aware that the immigrants were working under false documents"

The company knew and profited from these workers yet they have not been charged and probably never will.

[AlphaCentauri]

21. as things are developing now, in 5 years we may see US citizens telling those stories

[unapatriciated]

24. I think they are testing the legal waters to bring back debtors prisons.

than they will no longer have to import their cheap labor.

[ohio2007]

18. You should move to Saudi Arabia and try that expriment nt

[High Plains]

23. What does that have to do with anything?

Strange obsessions.

[superconnected]

28. Some of us can see the connection.

And no, I'm not going to explain it to you.

[Igel]

30. If they found out, you'd be charged with identity theft.

"Enforcing the laws equally" is a bit of a problem. If you round up a bunch of illegal immigrants, you can be sure that you're rounding up somebody who shouldn't be in the country--they're already in jeopardy. Plus there's a very good chance that they've usurped somebody else's SSN and name, rather than just get a fake card with an unused number and fake name on it. Now you have them for two violations, one more serious than the first. Since a large percentage of those previously arrested on immigration violations never show up for their court dates, you can get some on three violations.

If I used somebody else's name and number, they'd have problems finding me. Ok, the SSA would know that "I" am in two places, possibly hundreds or thousands of miles apart, but can't tell the FBI. So how would the FBI or law enforcement find me? If I did something to bring attention to myself--e.g., used the SSN and name for credit, so it would show up on the other person's credit report. Just having a job might not be enough, esp. a low-paying one (they don't usually do credit checks for meat packing plant floor workers).

[McCamy Taylor]

4. WTF? This is election year pandering for votes. How much money does it cost

to incarcerate these people in a federal prison for 4 months? If this is the solution that the Bush administration has to offer it will bankrupt the US economy.

I think the Dems need to latch onto this and make it a campaign issue. Site it as an example of GOP govt waste. Talk about how the money could have been better spent just deporting them and then doing something else with the money. I know it costs thousands to keep people in prison so for hundreds of people for 4 months we are talking some god awful sum that will look outrageous.

And what about the kids?

This could easily be turned against the GOP.

[AlphaCentauri]

42. even Chertoff point out that issue but the GOP block any idea of passing a solution

[McCamy Taylor]

5. Publicize money spent for these 270 and then describe how it could be spent on homeless vets....

Wiki says it costs about 16K to 31k to house a federal prisoner per year. Let's go on the low side and say 20k a year. For a quarter of a year it would be 5k. Times 270 prisoners that would be $1,350,000.00 they are spending to take care of foreign citizens when we have homeless veterans on the streets who can not get jobs or doctors visits at the VA. Imagine how many homeless veterans could get vouchers for rent and foodstamps and get enrolled in education programs for that much money.

[flashl]

7. Wonder how many were incarcerated under these conditions?

Feds arrest illegal immigrants who are trying to leave USA The government has a new approach to border enforcement. Instead of just focusing on people who are entering the country illegally, the Los Angeles Times says federal agents are also arresting undocumented foreigners who are trying to leave the United States.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Perhaps some homeless vets will take a few of these now vacant jobs

[ohio2007]

19. It's up to the employer to decide at this time. Those meat packing jobs lead to healthcare issues

dealing with cuts to wrist problems. The employer will have to pony up the healthcare cost and pass the price per pound on to the consumer.

[AlphaCentauri]

27. Many homeless people are living with Chronic Illness and Diseases

they don't get the proper health care attention they deserve, don't know if a meat packing job is appropriate for them.

[jzodda]

8. A sad day

Sending the working poor to jail for...........Working

Why didn't they send the owners and operators of this plant to jail? If they feel they must take action then why not deport them? To put them in jail though? Terrible.

[fencesitter]

10. blatant political move to feed the base.

Makes no economic sense to incarcerate hundreds of otherwise innocent, hardworking illegals. Why not deport them and then charge and fine the employers who exploit them? Isn't this always the argument, "If they can't work here, they won't come here?". I'm sure the anti-immigration folks will see this as wonderful enforcement, not the rediculous political theater it really is.

[nichomachus]

12. It was just practice -- you're next

The unusually swift proceedings, in which 297 immigrants pleaded guilty and were sentenced in four days, were criticized by criminal defense lawyers, who warned of violations of due process. Twenty-seven immigrants received probation. The American Immigration Lawyers Association protested that the workers had been denied meetings with immigration lawyers and that their claims under immigration law had been swept aside in unusual and speedy plea agreements.

The illegal immigrants, most from Guatemala, filed into the courtrooms in groups of 10, their hands and feet shackled. One by one, they entered guilty pleas through a Spanish interpreter, admitting they had taken jobs using fraudulent Social Security cards or immigration documents. Moments later, they moved to another courtroom for sentencing.

The pleas were part of a deal worked out with prosecutors to avoid even more serious charges.

The just need practice at trying and convicting large number of people at one time in show trials. This will come in handy when they come for the rest of us -- or people who speak out during the end stage of the fascist coup.

This is why they've spent so much time and energy demonizing immigrants. Few people will get upset about this travesty of justice.

It won't be long, however, before it will be American citizens paraded into makeshift courtrooms and tried, convicted, and imprisoned in large batches for speaking out, acting out, protesting, whatever.

This is just practice. You could be next.

[Xenotime]

13. Could be? We are next.

Notice how driving is down making it easier for the police to track people.

[Politicalboi]

14. I agree with you

That they are coming for us in the future. But the travesty of justice to me would be the stealing of the SS#. I think they should fine the employers of illegal immigrants and make it stick and make it a huge fine. For people who agree with allowing illegal immigrants to keep coming here I always think of lotto pools. I have played many times and never won squat. But if you had a lotto pool with 10 people at your job of say 50 or 100 people. Only 10 paid to play but now you MUST share it with everyone at your job. Even your boss. Is that fair?

[AlphaCentauri]

22. th problem is how to stop hungry people from coming?

keeping them hungry in their countries won't help

[xioaping]

31. That is not a problem.

The technology to keep them from coming has existed for thousands of years. Don't make this out to be a bigger problem than it is.

[AlphaCentauri]

40. the technology to feed them may have existed for many years but not the compassion to do it

[ret5hd]

37. You do realize they are paying into SS without a hope of ever receiving from SS, right?

You do realize that don't you? They are helping to keep your precious SS afloat.

[zanne]

15. I won't hold my breath waiting for Agriprocessers to be charged. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Why did they put them in prison instead of just deporting them?

Talk about a waste of our tax dollars!

[depakid]

26. Because Americans have to have their pound of flesh

It overrides every other concern -which is why the United States has the worlds largest and most expensive prison system.

[xioaping]

32. It's the law.

Commit a crime and you go to jail. How did you think it works?

[AlphaCentauri]

41. What would Hitler do?

[ohio2007]

17. welcome to motel 6...we'll keep the light on for ya on the taxpayers dime

[kath]

20. Prosecute the EMPLOYERS, dammit.

That's the best way to stop this shit.

And let people immigrate, but through LEGAL channels only.

[xioaping]

33. They are the employers and business owners

Where does everyone get the notion that illegal immigrants are only doing the lowly jobs. They own businesses like satelite sales and installation, restaurants, landscapping. And they have nice homes, many making six figure incomes.

Illegals are highering illegals. We are way past the point that everyone here is just making hotel room beds and picking in the fields. Yes, they do those jobs. But not all 15 million of them.

[nichomachus]

25. Two points most people are missing

1. Corporations -- fictitious persons -- are allowed to cross national borders at will in search of lower taxes, or more profits, or cheaper labor, or to avoid regulations. Real, human, persons, however, are chained to their land of nationality -- often condemned to bone-crushing poverty -- unless the corporate-controlled governments allow them to cross the borders. Something is really wrong with that.

2. All so-called "lawbreaking" aside, the "trials" in the story are scary because of the wholesale method of conducting the trials. Groups of people, chained together, dragged in en-masse, and pretty much forced to plead guilty under the threat of more draconian charges. Then, with a sudden bang of the gavel from the kangaroo court, they are sent off to prison. We should all be afraid of this. This is how they will process "dissenters," however they define "dissenters" and however they process busloads at a time.

Right now, almost anything you can do to protest this government is forbidden by the Patriot Act. Your choice, should you find yourself on that bus, is to plead guilty to whatever charge they bring or face prosecution as a terrorist -- perhaps a trip to Gitmo. Most of you will plead guilty to the lesser charge.

I have friends who were jailed as political prisoners one in China and one in Cuba. This is how they were treated.

[superconnected]

29. Excellent post!

[xioaping]

34. Not.

Someone is delusional and uninformed and you are agreeing with them.

[Blue-Jay]

35. Care to elaborate on that?

What is it that was said that was delusional and uninformed?

[xioaping]

39. I'll back off as original reaction was too strong

I was seeing it from my perspective and not reading the post carefully. I re-read it and while I do not completely agree - it is more extreme than I can wholly accept - my comment was from a limited perspective. There is some truth to what was written.

Hope that is satisfactory. My comment was a bit strong I realize.

This one sounds a bit hard to believe though. What are the odds?

"I have friends who were jailed as political prisoners one in China and one in Cuba. This is how they were treated."

Perhaps they do know people who have been jailed in both China and Cuba. I only know someone that was jailed in China, my boss of the restaurant where I worked. I paid to get him out. His bookkeeper cheated him and made off with the payroll but that was not over politics. It was just being thrown in jail because he could not pay his workers.

[laylah]

43. And when are the companies

that hire these people going to be held accountable! !