[Vision2020] Border Fence Firm Snared for Hiring Illegal Workers

[Tom Hansen]

>From "All Things Considered" on National Public Radio (with audio) at:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6626823

Fence company that builds US-Mexico border fence busted for hiring illegal
immigrants.

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Border Fence Firm Snared for Hiring Illegal Workers
by Scott Horsley 

All Things Considered, December 14, 2006 . A fence-building company in
Southern California agrees to pay nearly $5 million in fines for hiring
illegal immigrants. Two executives from the company may also serve jail
time. The Golden State Fence Company's work includes some of the border
fence between San Diego and Mexico.

After an immigration check in 1999 found undocumented workers on its
payroll, Golden State promised to clean house. But when followup checks were
made in 2004 and 2005, some of those same illegal workers were still on the
job. In fact, U-S Attorney Carol Lam says as many as a third of the
company's 750 workers may have been in the country illegally. 

Golden State Fence built millions of dollars' worth of fencing around homes,
offices, and military bases. Its president and one of its Southern
California managers will pay fines totaling $300,000. The government is also
recommending jail time for Melvin Kay and Michael McLaughlin, probably about
six months. 

It is exceptionally rare for those who employ illegal immigrants to face any
kind of criminal prosecution, let alone jail time. Earlier this week, for
example, immigration raids on six meat-packing plants netted almost 1,300
suspected illegal workers. But no charges were leveled against the company
that runs the plants: Swift.

Golden State Fence's attorney, Richard Hirsch, admits his client broke the
law. But he says the case proves that construction companies need a
guest-worker program.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used
up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"