Customs Enforcement raids impact local businesses
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Steamboat Springs — News of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the area late last week had an indirect effect on local businesses, from employees not showing up, to owners scrambling to catch up on paperwork.
ICE's three-day operation in Colorado and Wyoming led to 38 arrests, but only 5 occurred in Routt and Moffat counties, four of which were the result of a traffic stop in Hayden on Thursday.
"The reports of us going to hotels and construction sites in (Steamboat Springs) was inaccurate," Carl Rusnok, a regional spokesman for the federal immigration agency, said Friday.
Nonetheless, news of the raids had a ripple effect in Steamboat during the past few days. Kristi Brown, owner of Cantina and Mambo Italiano restaurants, said she and managers had to fill in for workers who didn't show up for work. Brown said all of her employees are documented, but that doesn't make dealing with ICE a pleasant experience.
"They just don't want to be hassled," Brown said. "The thing I compare it to is the IRS. Even if you pay your taxes, you still don't want to be audited."
Brown said the employee shortage didn't result in any loss of business.
"Everybody pitched in, and we were able to stay open," Brown said. "We've got a great team, and they definitely all proved it."
Rex Brice, owner of Mazzola's and Rex's American Grill restaurants, said he had heard rumors about ICE being in the area, but that it didn't result in any of his workers not showing up.
"I did hear that they came through town and, of course, it prompted us to make sure all our paperwork was in order," Brice said.
Brice said immigration officials are very strict and particular when it comes to employee documentation, so he was sure to catch up and make sure everyone was taken care of.
The general manager of a local landscaping firm said five of the business's workers did not show up Friday despite the fact they are working legally.
"I'd say it's unfortunate that businesses have to go through this when there's not proper paths to citizenship," said the manger, who wished to remain anonymous.
To make up for the shortage, the manager, owner and even some girlfriends picked up the slack.
"You do what you can," the general manager said.
Lisa Duran, executive director of Rights for All People, a division of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, said the hesitancy of even legal immigrant workers to show up for work speaks to the insensitivity of the ICE raids.
"A lot of immigrants report daily discrimination," Duran said. "When you have that kind of hesitance and throw a raid on top of it, the immigrant community, including legals, are feeling very intimidated. There's just a sense that they need to lay low."
In addition to a hesitancy to go to work, Duran said immigrants are attending church less and not going out as much since ICE started intensifying its efforts last year.
"You can't use something like raids to target one part of the community without affecting other parts," Duran said.
Nationwide in 2005, ICE had 18 Fugitive Operations Teams, which are charged with identifying, locating and arresting fugitive aliens. They now have 61 teams and hope for 75 by the end of the year.
ICE defends the teams and their tactics, hailing their success. The agency announced Wednesday it has reduced the backlog of open fugitive alien cases in the country for the first time in U.S. history.
- To reach Brandon Gee, call 871-4210
or e-mail bgee@steamboatpilot.com.
Comments
kingsride 5 years, 11 months ago
"The reports of us going to hotels and construction sites in (Steamboat Springs) was inaccurate," Carl Rusnok, a regional spokesman for the federal immigration agency, said Friday.
If they did, it would pretty much shut this place down. Doesnt sound like they actually worked our area, If all they got was 5 and 4 of them came from a local traffic stop. It sounds like it was more..well sure since we re around we ll take them.
localthinker 5 years, 11 months ago
HeLLLLOOOOO!! Legal documentation? The requirements for presenting such are flawed! Chances are, many of them had fake documentation that had been purchased. And, did not want to be there when the documentation was found to be so. My jobsite was "raided" last fall - the Federal Marshals were looking for a man using a particular SSN, (along with 5 other people using the same number) - he was wanted for murder - the man on my site was not him, they let him stay after determining so. The foreman, who has been in the US since he was a child, was also an illegal (he was 46 years old). Not only was he an illegal, the other four were as well (by their own admission to me)... Moral of the story - Due to the fact that the documentation is not verified by some process available to the employer - there is no guaranty that the person is legal... If an Hispanic person speaks halting English and presents the required documentation for employment and doesn't show up when something like this happens, there is a valid assumption that they are, indeed, illegally here.
thecondoguy1 5 years, 11 months ago
I don't see a problem here, the "manager" says "when there's not proper paths to citizenship", well there are proper paths to citizenship, and if you have enough girl friends, there is no excuse to have employed illegals, unless of course the girl friends are illegal......... either way if I have a fixed price on a construction project in Steamboat, I don't think I will be sleeping to good with these ICE folks snooping around, oh well that's why they make beer.
wzJohn 5 years, 11 months ago
What we need are a few more of these "raids" to keep the pressure on them. And if the naive business owners want to keep believing that their workers are legal, let them, they will soon learn the hard way that you shouldn't hire illegal immigrants no matter how good their fake documents are.
Watcher 5 years, 11 months ago
Lisa Duran doesn't seem to understand the term ILLEGAL immigrants and calls them all immigrants. ILLEGAL is the key. Nobody has a problem with legal immigrants.
Mr_B 5 years, 11 months ago
No pienso que I.C.E. buscaba a extranjeros ilegales tanto como buscaban a fugitivos extranjeros ilegales. Realmente no somos serios sobre extranjeros ilegales y todos lo sabemos. Vivimos con el. Se está convirtiendo en lentamente una parte de la manera de la vida americana.
wzJohn 5 years, 11 months ago
Pero necesitamos hacer algo pararlo, si el gobierno no lo hace para nosotros, los negocios necesitamos no emplear a estos extranjeros ilegales.
wzJohn 5 years, 11 months ago
(Mr_B's comment in english.) I do not think that I.C.E. looked for illegal foreigners as much as they looked for fugitive illegal foreigners. We are not really serious on illegal foreigners and all we know it. We lived with him. One is becoming slowly a part of the way of the American life.
Mr_B 5 years, 11 months ago
Good, John. I agree with you. I thought the article was talking about I.C.E. and how many FUGITIVES were caught. Thank you I.C.E. people, keep up the good work in keeping us safe. We are all on your side, just a little emotional, that's all. Thank the sweet baby Jesus every day you were born in America.
thecondoguy1 5 years, 11 months ago
these illegals are puttin the "tournillos" to us........
katrinkakelly 5 years, 11 months ago
Please send the I.C.E. to Dream Island Trailer Park TODAY!
aristocat 5 years, 11 months ago
Let's say I break into your house
A lady wrote the best letter in the Editorials in ages!!! It explains things better than all the baloney you hear on TV. Her point:
Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration. Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.
Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).
According to the protesters: You are Required to let me stay in your house. You are Required to add me to your family's insurance plan You are Required to Educate my kids. You are Required to Provide other benefits to me & to my family (my husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part).
If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there. It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house.
And what a deal it is for me!!! I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior. Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you too learn MY LANGUAGE!!! so you can communicate with me.
Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?! Only in America. If you agree, pass it on (in English). Share it if you see the value of it. If not blow it off......... along with your future Social Security funds, and a lot of other things.
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