Fear grips immigrants after Miss. plant raid
By HOLBROOK MOHR
LAUREL, Miss. - A day after the largest single-workplace immigration raid in U.S. history, Elizabeth Alegria was too scared to send her son to school and worried about when she'd see her husband again.
Nearly 600 immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally were detained, creating panic among dozens of families in this small southern Mississippi town.
Alegria, 26, a Mexican immigrant, was working at the Howard Industries transformer plant Monday when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stormed in. When they found out she has two sons, ages 4 and 9, she was fitted with a bracelet and told to appear in federal court next month. But her husband, Andres, wasn't so lucky.
"I'm very traumatized because I don't know if they are going to let my husband go and when I will see him," Alegria said through a translator Tuesday as she returned to the Howard Industries parking lot to retrieve her sport utility vehicle.
The superintendent of the county school district said about half of approximately 160 Hispanic students were absent Tuesday.
Roberto Velez, pastor at Iglesia Cristiana Peniel, where an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the 200 parishioners were caught up in the raid, said parents were afraid immigration officials would take them.
"They didn't send their kids to school today," he said. "How scared is that?"
One worker caught in Monday's sweep at the plant said fellow workers applauded as immigrants were taken into custody. Federal officials said a tip from a union member prompted them to start investigating several years ago.
Fabiola Pena, 21, cradled her 2-year-old daughter as she described a chaotic scene at the plant as the raid began, followed by clapping.
"I was crying the whole time. I didn't know what to do," Pena said. "We didn't know what was happening because everyone started running. Some people thought it was a bomb but then we figured out it was immigration."
About 100 of the 595 detained workers were released for humanitarian reasons, many of them mothers who were fitted with electronic monitoring bracelets and allowed to go home to their children, officials said.
About 475 other workers were transferred to an ICE facility in Jena, La. Nine who were under 18 were transferred to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
John Foxworth, an attorney representing some of the immigrants, said eight appeared in federal court in Hattiesburg on Tuesday because they face criminal charges for allegedly using false Social Security and residency identification.
He said the raid was traumatic for families.
"There was no communication, an immediate loss of any kind of news and a lack of understanding of what's happening to their loved ones," he said. "A complete and utter feeling of helplessness."
Those detained were from Brazil, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Peru, said Barbara Gonzalez, an ICE spokeswoman.
"We have kids without dads and pregnant mothers who got their husbands taken away," said Velez's son, Robert, youth pastor at the church. "It was like a horror story. They got handled like they were criminals."
Howard Industries is in Mississippi's Pine Belt region, known for commercial timber growth and chicken processing plants. The tech company produces dozens of products ranging from electrical transformers to medical supplies, according to its Web site.
Gonzalez said agents had executed search warrants at both the plant and the company headquarters in nearby Ellisville. She said no company executives had been detained, but this was an "ongoing investigation and yesterday's action was just the first part."
A woman at the Ellisville headquarters told The Associated Press on Tuesday that no one was available to answer questions.
In a statement to the Laurel Leader-Call newspaper, Howard Industries said the company "runs every check allowed to ascertain the immigration status of all applicants for its jobs."
Gov. Haley Barbour recently signed a law requiring Mississippi employers to use a U.S. Homeland Security system to check new workers' immigration status.
The law took effect July 1 for businesses with state contracts and takes effect Jan. 1 for other businesses. Mississippi lawmakers once used laptops made by Howard Industries, but it's not clear whether the company has current state contracts.
Under the law, a company found guilty of employing illegal immigrants could lose public contracts for three years and the right to do business in Mississippi for a year.
The law also makes it a felony for an illegal immigrant to accept a job in Mississippi. A message was left with the district attorney's office after hours seeking comment on whether he would use the law to bring state charges against Howard Industries or the workers.
The Mississippi raid is one of several nationwide in recent years.
On May 12, fe|||I hope and pray that this is a trend that sweeps across the country.I am also ready for very,very harsh punishments to be imposed on the sorryass,cheapskate,greedybastards that knowingly hire illegals.Also.I want to see the anchor baby B.S. stopped!!!.It's time for Americans to take back their country,and let congress know that we will not accept the invasion anymore.Lets take back our jobs,our schools,and our hospitals!!!!|||No, they should be very happy
That is the poorest sense of humor I have ever seen|||Yes,they should be.|||I hope so!|||I have to agree with Mike. I love peolpe of all cultures. I think it is wonderful that the United States is the big melting pot that it is. But, I think people that come here should go through the proper steps. I don't think that once someone has snuck over here that we should give them government aid. I think everyone needs to pay taxes in order to live here.
The article is sad though. I feel bad that the people imigration is able to catch are the people who are actually working and have families here. Not the ones that are getting welfare and living in government reduced housing.|||What's wrong with you?? They are always afraid. Many come to the U.S. for a better life and are hardworking people. They only want what is best for their families. Don't you know that they are scared that they'll get fired at work or be deported? What will happen to their children?|||Anyone living outside the law should have a permanent underlying fear of being caught and it is no different for illegal aliens. They chose to live here illegally and should face the consequences and be deported.
Hopefully, this enforcement will increase resulting in a reduction of illegal aliens by attrition in addition to the deportations. I'm glad Mississippi is sending out a wake up call to employers. Hire legally or not at all. |||My wife and I discussed this last night. Many of the immigrants are people who are thieves, do not like to work, and no education. My wife and I are professionals from Guatemala and we think this is good because the USA needs to make them enter legally just like we have had to do in Guatemala.|||They should be and many are, especially when they hear of how inhumane they are treated, and how the violence against them has increased. These are human beings, not animals that should be herded and beaten. Families are being torn apart and the harassment from Government officials is also on the rise.
http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx鈥?/a>
SAN ANTONIO - A federal appeals court refused Monday to throw out lengthy prison sentences for two jailed U.S. Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting an unarmed illegal immigrant and lying about it.
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/vie鈥?/a>
Violence Against Immigrants Builds
NEW YORK -- As cities and towns across the country watched the immigrant rights marches last week, some saw a spike in violent attacks targeting immigrants. In separate incidents, authorities arrested groups and individuals caught stockpiling grenades, semi-automatic weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition in preparation for attack on immigrants.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/20鈥?/a>
Anti-immigration hate on a rapid upswing
The recent rise in number of hate groups also parallels a rise in hate crimes against Latinos, which the FBI reported up by 35 percent between 2003 and 2006. FBI experts say those crimes usually are intended to target illegal immigrants, but often hit legal residents, many of whom are native U.S. citizens.
REALLY SCARY STUFF!|||I can only hope they are very afraid. It is time we take our country back and make it known that immigrants must respect our laws and our right to a sovereign nation. Turn in any business that you suspect hires illegal immigrants. Why do you think wages have never increased? Business hires illegals to keep wages down and pocket more profits.
Most illegal immigrants do not pay taxes. Many use stolen or phony SS numbers or they claim so many dependents there are no taxes taken out. The IRS would dig your grave up to make sure you were dead if you owed them a dime but they have no interest in making illegals pay their fair share.
Check out NumbersUSA. Fast easy free one click faxes to your Representatives! The dedicated members shut down congress's phones lines when they tried to pass amnesty! Spread the word!
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