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Vol. 71/No. 15      April 16, 2007

 
‘La migra’ raids nine Baltimore
worksites; 69 workers arrested
(front page)
 
BY SAM MANUEL  
BALTIMORE, April 2—Federal immigration cops arrested 69 workers from Latin America and Africa March 29 in raids at nine workplaces here and the surrounding area. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents also seized $600,000 from the bank account of Jones Industrial Network, a temporary employment agency that sends workers to the nine companies.

“There was no one to pick up my little brother at school today,” said Daysy Lopez, as relatives of the detained workers gathered outside the employment agency today. Lopez’s mother was among those arrested.

“They chase us like animals and say they are doing it for the good of the country,” said José Ramírez Sánchez, a construction worker from Mexico. His wife, Anadelia Carrillo, was among those arrested at the Under Armour clothing warehouse just south of Baltimore.

“All we want to do is feed our families and make a better life,” said Simon, a worker from Ghana who asked to be identified only by his first name. He added that two of his friends had been among those arrested.

A statement released March 29 by ICE said, “Today’s enforcement action is part of ICE’s aggressive pursuit of employers who violate the law.”

A large sign was taped to the window of the temporary agency’s Baltimore offices the day of the raid, which said, “Closed.” Two days later a smaller sign posted in the lobby said the company would resume accepting applications April 10.

The ICE statement said that each of the workers would be interviewed by various social service agencies to determine if any should be considered for “humanitarian release.”

Tapia Guncay and her husband Jury Guncay were arrested at the Dixie Printing and Packaging company. Jury remains in custody. Tapia was released because they have a 10-year-old daughter. She must wear an electronic monitor on her ankle and is under partial house arrest until her case comes before an immigration court.

The raid came one day after a federal judge sentenced Tzu Ming Yang, the principal owner of a chain of Japanese restaurants in the city, to five months in jail for knowingly hiring undocumented workers. Yang and two associates also paid $700,000 in restitution and have agreed to pay an equal amount in back taxes, reported the Baltimore Sun.
 
 
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Illinois ‘driver certificate’ would finger undocumented
 
 
 
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