@Bladefist: And if they don't feel like telling ICE where it is? Then what?

@Bladefist: To where, precisely? You appear to be suggesting that all illegals be deported to Mexico, regardless of their country of origin. Perhaps you would oblige me by clarifying your position.

I'm sure I needn't bring up the case of the mentally ill young man from California who was forcibly deported to Mexico last year -- even though he was a US citizen.

@Bladefist: "But if we know they're illegal, deport'em. Don't waste tax dollars on any more then gas down to Mexico."

I'm sure you recognize that not all illegal immigrants are from Mexico.

@mikey07840: Clearly you are a misinformed bigot. Most illegal and legal immigrants have a lower rate of crime than the general population (first generation only). They do pay taxes if they are working and Social Security and Medicare. And us legals get that money for Social Security and Medicare because they will never be eligible for those payments. Illegal immigrants are actually helping keep Social Security and Medicare much more solvent than it would be with out them. And they are not eligible for welfare or any such benefits. You are just plain wrong but then bigotry is a form of ignorance.

@Bladefist: See above bigot #2.

Online equivalent of laughing at your own joke.

Guys, why don't you just save some time and set-up a teleconference to argue?

@mikey07840: While I don't know your specific situation I have to question a few things... how do you know your patients are illegals? how do you know they are being paid under the table? Presumably all of the illegal workers at this plant were being paid "above board" - paying taxes, social security, etc. through a normal payroll process.

I single out the GOP because it's always the Republican voters like you that complain loudest about this issue, without realizing their own party is playing the for fools. As we speak we're spending millions of dollars on building a fence that the Republican congress pushed through, a fence that won't do anything but enrich contractors. As long as the re are people willing to hire them the illegal immigrants will find a way to get here, fence or no fence. The real solution is to punish the corporations that hire these people, but that's anathema to the GOP.

You're on the wrong side of logic. And, if you were right, which you're not, then you would be for attacking the companies, which would trickle down to the legal employees, and not go after the the people who actually broke the law in the first place. Some of the business owners don't even know they're illegal.

Any logic would be to go after both. But as far as buying off the GOP, that is retarded.

And if you were going to buy off a party, that deals mostly with these laws, wouldn't you buy off the one that is the majority in congress? Who was that again?

Nice conspiracy theory mel.

And just because somebody is intoxicated, non-anglophonic, and not carrying ID, does not mean that they are illegal immigrants. Have you followed up on all of these cases?

I really do think that in most of these cases the management and ownership of these companies need to be escorted in cuffs along with the illegal workers. This one and the Swift plant in MN are systematic, not the odd illegal worker.

They are eligible as illegal aliens for all kinds of welfare programs. (Because they work under the table, they technically make no money.) Because nobody will arrest them for being illegal, they have a screw you attitude. Laws do not apply to them. They live in overcrowded apartments so that they can send home all the money they make under the table. When they get in drunken fights with each other, we are often called in to provide care. I have yet to see anybody press charges, so nobody goes to jail.

From what I have seen, it's great to be illegal in the USA. Except for tax paying citizens.

@Michael Belisle: I don't have time to impress you with my english skillz.

Is that fragment a joke?

@wgrune: I responded to the specific words in your post. If you had said something along the lines of "Can you prove your legal right to work in the US?" I wouldn't have had a problem. When people start to lump in "citizenship" with legality, I, as a non-citizen working in the US, start to get a little nervous.

@wgrune: Can you prove your US citizenship? Yes or no?

1) Not having your birth certificate in your wallet does not prove you're here illegally, even if you have brown skin.

2) When there's have a database that supposedly has more than 300,000,000 names in it, you can bet there are tens (or maybe even hundreds) of thousands of errors and omissions. You know at least that 1% of our citizens are in the margin of error, right?

3) I'm sure your papers are in order, so you have no problem ruling the masses with an oppressive fist of heartless iron. But that's not what America is about.

"..but they're only here to work and make a better life for themselves....."

@tph:

Yeah, because I said we shouldn't let tourists into this country anymore. I was speaking about this specific situation. Quit putting words into my mouth to sensationalize the topic.

These cases should be easy to decided. "Can you prove your US citizenship? Yes or no?

The implication being that non-US citizens are not wanted.

Obviously, there are lots of people with sense who are in favour of legal immigration. However, there must be plenty of american's who aren't otherwise it would not be so bloody difficult for people who are willing to work to come to the US and do so.

It's hard to believe that you are truly in favour of legal immigration if you still believe that there should remain a "list" for people to be put "last on".

@tph: What are you babbling about? Tourist can come here with Visas and passports. We are not against LEGAL immigration. Hell, my gf is from Korea, she will probably become a citizen, LEGALLY. Americans love legal immigration. I've seen a lot of talented people from a lot of countries come over here and start a life.

Legal Immigration + Capitalism + Secured Country = Success

So long tourism.

Also green cards.

Ever notice how the rush to "outsourcing" seemed to really kick in just as the government started making it really hard and expensive to hire foreign workers?

If the only folks who are arrested are the workers themselves, then this was a complete waste of time and money. AgriProcessors management participates -- mob-style -- in a known "snakehead" network that has filed for thousands of EW-3 visas through the Dept of Labor. These are visas given to workers that take jobs that otherwise go unfilled, usually because the employer keeps wages artificially low. Many of these immigrant workers appear at their jobs for just a few days or weeks and then take their shiny new visas and go AWOL. The bottom of the barrel (i.e. those w/o visas) usually have no choice but to stick around and take AgriProcessors' $5-$6 an hour wage.

First, arrest the management and do a full investigation. Then, we need true immigration reform (i.e. guest worker program, NOT citizenship) and universal enforcement; sending these poor folks back through the revolving door will never solve the problem.

@MikeGrenade:

While I agree that American Citizen or not they deserve due process, my problem is that that due process in this case will end up way more complicated then it needs to be.

These cases should be easy to decided. "Can you prove your US citizenship? Yes or no?

What is there to appeal? You either are or you arent, there is no middle ground here...

@Bladefist:
I think that's "puts on firesuit"

Also good point.

@B: @B: @dragonfire81:

ha ha, Kosher Meth.

Seriously though, this is unbelievable. Time to shut down this plant and try again some other time. If the animal abuse doesn't get enough attention, how about a freakin' meth lab? I have to think they should qualify as worst company ever. As bad as BOFA is, I doubt they have abused animals and started meth labs.

@KassiaIdomeneus:

Republicans wouldn't have to keep repeating the definition of illegal if the word was understood and appropriate actions were taken against the criminals (Yes, I said criminals. Breaking the law makes you a criminal).

Also, it is highly unlikely that refugee status would be granted to anyone from Mexico or Guatemala. This country denies that status and sends immigrants back to way worse places then down south on a daily basis.

@MayorBee: Isn't that the Hebrew National Ad?

Wow! Yet another reason to turn veggie! What's up with all the posts today?

So what happens to the Jewish people that had been eating non kosher food from this place?

Well as long as we're starting political flamewars: It's not we think you don't know what it means, we just don't think you give a damn.

*dons asbestos armani*

Geez, the US can't even make crooks right anymore.

   urban bohemian: Wow.
   urban bohemian: I'm not so keen on immigration raids, but a meth lab?!
   theblackdog: that's definitely not kosher
   theblackdog: *ducks*
   urban bohemian: ...

'nuff said.

Just doin' the drugmaking Americans won't do. (Wait, is this Hotair.com?)

All the more reason to buy from local farmers...

Reminds me of the 'Special' you could get at the drive through window of OJ's chicken take out joints in LA. "I'll have a bucket of wings and The Special". "That's $425 at the next window, sir."

I had to read a book that involved this plant before I entered my freshman year of college. I hated Postville then, and I hate it now!