Crider Inc. was raided by ICE on labor day and lost half of its illegal alien workers (covered here, here, here). It was then forced to offer better pay to attract legal workers. So obviously the raids had their intended effect, to clean out illegal aliens and crack down on businesses employing them. In steps The Southern Poverty Law Center.
The Southern Poverty Law Center is no friend of American citizens who want illegal immigration ended. Saying "You don't get to stop all who look brown." and claiming "Gestapo-like" tactics during raids on illegal aliens, The Southern Poverty Law Center filed for an injunction against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) so that they can no longer perform raids on illegal aliens.
Oh, they're also seeking "unspecified damages" and class action status for every Hispanic living in the local ICE agency's coverage area. Oh, you say the raids didn't affect you a bit, but you are Hispanic? Join the lawsuit! Get Paid! Also some trailer park slumlord who rents to illegal aliens joined the lawsuit as a complaintant for damages done to his property during the raids.
ICE denies the charges.
AP
The Southern Poverty Law Center said the agents were engaging in a "Gestapo-like" campaign to drive Latinos out of the area. It claimed the agents entered houses without warrants, stopped cars on the street, terrified Latinos and vandalized their property.
"They trampled on the constitutional rights of every person of Hispanic descent who was unfortunate to be in their way," said Mary Bauer, an attorney with the center who is representing the plaintiffs. "You don't get to stop all who look brown."
...
ICE spokesman Marc Raimondi called the accusations "patently false."
He said agents were looking only for immigrants who used fraudulent documents to work at a local poultry plant.
I gave Crider Inc. some free business advice when I covered their offering of more pay. You know, just some helpful tips from someone who owned a legal business to one who ran theirs illegally for years. I figured they needed the help since they obviously had forgotten how to run things legally.
My parents work for Crider Inc. The ammount of work that has been on theirs and all other employees shoulders since the raids has been ridiculous. I do think that measures need to be taken to prevent people from coming into the U.S. that are not coming to work, but I feel that if they are coming here and working just to take care of their families in a way that they wouldn't have been able to in their own country, then we should give them a chance at least on a temporary basis. Who are we to look down on anyone who wants to better their lives. While the workers are living here they also benefit the communities that they live in by shopping at store, paying for utilities, etc. So it is not hurting our country the way that you and others like you would have people to believe. On another note, most of the work that mexican workers perform is usually work that no one else wants to do and they will. Are you going to get out there and plant and harvest in the onion feilds or do the kind of work they do at crider? I know I dont want to. So why not let them do it if they are willing and we are not?
Posted by: Natasha Outlaw on November 25, 2006 03:28 AM
