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Anti-illegal immigration group wants names of businesses from labor centers
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Paula Hipolito, from Peru, sits with other women and their male counterparts in the Casa de Maryland Day Labor Center while they wait for prospective employers to hire them for the day, on Thurs, July 19 in Wheaton. Some employers prefer men to women, however, both men and women show up in the early morning hours to put their names as high on the list as possible and wait, sometimes all day long, for the chance to work and make money.
Montgomery County (Map, News) - Representatives from a Montgomery County anti-illegal immigration group say they will try to use a federal law to obtain the names and addresses of businesses employing day laborers at county-funded centers.
Brad Botwin, founder of Help Save Maryland, said he will deliver a Freedom of Information Act request for the business and worker information to County Executive Ike Leggett’s office today.
The U.S. Congress approved the FOIA in 1966 to give the public greater access to government records.
“We’re asking for a list of all the employers that have used the centers in Rockville and Silver Spring and Wheaton,” Botwin said. “... We believe this is public information.”
Botwin said he wants to create a database of businesses that use day labor center workers so people opposed to the centers can know which businesses to avoid.
“The citizens of Montgomery County should know what businesses are going in there and hiring illegal aliens,” Botwin said. “This is like a Better Business Bureau on those companies.”
County spokesman Patrick Lacefield said the county doesn’t have the information Botwin is seeking.
“Our contractor has that information, not us,” Lacefield said. “You can’t FOIA us for stuff we don’t have.”
The county pays CASA of Maryland, an immigrant advocacy group, to run the day labor centers.
“Generally speaking, we don’t have information generated by our contractors,” Lacefield said. “They might have contacted us before to see if we did have this stuff, to save them a trip.”
CASA of Maryland Executive Director Gustavo Torres said he did not believe his organization would be required to turn over the identities of day laborers.
“We don’t believe instruments like FOIA were created by Congress to allow hate groups to harass private individuals,” Torres said.
kmiller@dcexaminer.com
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4:30 PM MST on Sat., Jun. 7, 2008 re: "Montgomery County Council: No need for immigration training"
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Examiner Reader said:
How silly- train officers to enforce a felonious crime-because it would not be worth the money? How about our tax dollars on illegl activity sponsored by our very own representatives? Can we afford tax dollars for illegal activities in Montgomery County MD?
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BostonRay said:
As I have pointed out before: The complete answer to illegal immigration is to deny them the services and benefits they moved in to absorb. No jobs, no free health care, no housing - subsidized or otherwise, no licenses and they just self-deport en mass. Give them 30 days to pack up. End of problem.
84 agree | 73 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When you take care of people that come here illegally and work for cash under the table and get benefits greater than the poor who work and pay their benefits out of their paycheck then you are not representing the people of this country fairly.
72 agree | 64 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Only New York cares about illegals getting drivers licenses. What about Maryland? Do you think giving away citizenship rights to illegals is setting a good example to those that became citizens so that they could vote?
74 agree | 66 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Why would the county council in Montgomery County be interested in supporting the law when they hire illegals to clean their houses and mow their lawns. They live in Potomac Maryland in mansions. What do they know about the burden of taxes and crowded suburbs?
73 agree | 76 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When a person in Montgomery County commits a felony - a illegal act as defined by Federal laws- Montgomery County Law enforcers (POLICE) can and do take action to arrest such persons. Robbing a bank is a felony- using drugs is a felony and so is violation of immigration law. Wake up Amercia- you have been bambozzled by your own representatives. They call you politically incorrect. But you are the tax base and they should not forget to enforce laws on the books and stop giving away our tax dollars to illegals. Let them apply for citizenship and be legal and pay taxes. Do not forget the $60,000 saved by the dishwasher- great no taxation and benefits too- Gee I could save $10,000 a year and in five years I would have $60,000 too. No taxation for illegals cause we pay for everyone.
107 agree | 111 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When everyone denies their right to perform their elected duties the people pay for the illegal activities that the elected officials refuse to enforce the laws on the books. Enough pandering. Laws need to be enforced it is about the dollar. Our dollar
110 agree | 114 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Maryland VOTERS be aware of Mr. Leggette on election day let's send him to Manager the day labor for the ILLEGAL ALIENS.
143 agree | 130 disagree
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Dave said:
To Concerned: Correction! They didn't WRITE English very well. This makes them typical Americans. LOL.
131 agree | 127 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
And yes it is tax evasion and the sad part is it's okay as long as you speak Spanish to evade taxes, drive without a liscence, etc. and engage in identity fraud as many times as you like for the $50 price of a new ID.
88 agree | 93 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Oh, it's a solution, Ike. Of course you getting big heat from your constituents as they reap what you sowed is part of the process. PWC has always been a diverse community, not racist or xenophobic. What motivated us is what you are going to see over the next 12 months or so. When they start coming in from Mexico straight to Maryland rather than PWC, we'll see a sea change on this issue.
121 agree | 124 disagree
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Jonn Lilyea said:
O'Malley wants to increase our taxes and Leggette wants to welcome refugees from Virginia - this is responsible government? What electoral nightmare put these two stumblebums in office?
129 agree | 128 disagree
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Concerned said:
Those last two posters don't speak english very well. They shouldn't be here. Extradite them back to Kentucky!
141 agree | 144 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Your correct they all should be AUDIT by IRS for all the FRAUD they are committe by hiring ILLEGAL ALIES.
161 agree | 127 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This lawmeker they should be GONE and joyner together whith the ILLEGAL ALIENS, they do not represent the CITIZENS that put they in power, the are traitor, they rather to take more care of the ILLEGAL ALIENS interes than the US CITIZENS.
108 agree | 120 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The Montgomery County Council aids and abets Illegal activity in Maryland every day, which blatently violates Federal Law. Wake up Washington , time for a raid don't you think? The Montgomery County Council spends tax revenue to fund these day laborer sites, against the voting public's expressed wishes, and at the same time the same council cut public school funding. The council members should run for office in Mexico (where their real constituents are) because they won't get re-elected in this County again.
164 agree | 140 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Central American Spy Agency!
120 agree | 122 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
They came to town and arrested criminals. Felons to be exact. I want our officers to arrest criminals. Concrened about illegal immigration? Join Americnas for Legal Immigration - ALIPAC www.alipac.us
158 agree | 138 disagree
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Ben said:
CASA is just another racist organization, like LA RAZA that is being supported by the american public. Time to cut all aid to organizations like this. If they want to spout their racist, anti american agenda, they can pay for it themselves. And Jose Morales, if it is getting harder to find work, I think it's time you went back to your own country, instead of being a parasite here.
156 agree | 122 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Why don't they just stop giving this group the money since its obvious they are trying to show the illegals how to cheat the system. No government money should be spent on illegals - NONE !!
153 agree | 152 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree those who hire the illegal alien they should pay taxes otherwise they are breaking the LAW by no declearing the wage they paid to the aliens.
148 agree | 138 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
How to cash an Ilegal Alien in a fraud? Just compare the Social Security Number against the IRS taxes. The Job has to file and the Ilegal has to file to otherwise it's taxevacion.
139 agree | 119 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Illegal aliens, CASA and MD elected officials such as Omalley, Wyn , Van Hollen and Montgomery county executive Ike Leggett must stop hiding under the word IMMIGRANTS. Legal immigrants actually received only less than 5% of the illegal expenses. 95% of the benefits are received by illegal aliens or illegal border trepassers into USA. Montgomery county voters need to get serious to vote these traitors out of office in the next election.
162 agree | 140 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Montgomery County immigrant advocacy group should change its name to MOntgomery County ILLEGAL alien advocacy group. 90% of its work is to protect , give false ID and provide shelters and jobs to ILLEGAL ALIENS. As a montgomery county tax payer, I want it to stop using my tax money on illegal operations . I regret to have voted to Ike Leggett who spend my dollar on illegal activities by breaking federal immigration laws.
144 agree | 153 disagree
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GAB said:
We need to cut the spigot of cash to CASA to make progress on sensible immigration reform in Maryland, whatever form it takes. CASA sucks our tax dollars out of our wallet and provides us with no services we value.
143 agree | 140 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I am sick of these groups assisting these illegals with breaking the law and getting away with it. Then when American groups go within the law to stop it it is always unconstitutional!!! I am sick of this invasion that this weak govt. is ignoring while more of these illegals come here posting up like they been here all along. If they cannot speak the language or identify their nation of orgin, deport them !!! Screw these groups taking the sides of those that are not suppose to be here. I say lock them up as well for harboring fugitives!!!
168 agree | 147 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
These are illegal aliens invading our country and sucking our tax money paid of us as property and income tax. These are MD officials who approved to waste our tax money: Governor O Malley, congressman Wynn, and Van Hollen, and Montgomery county executive Ike Leggett. It's all our fault to vote them in OFFICE.
156 agree | 122 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hate groups? I'm amazed at how loosely people such as Torres who advocate illegal immigration use the term "hate groups" and "racist" when talking about American citizens. Americans comprise the most diverse nation on earth - and 82 % of the American population is against illegal immigration. So, according to people like Torres, Hispanics, Jews, blacks, whites, Chinese, and every other group who does not support illegal immigration is a racist. What an arrogant and disgusting accusation.
177 agree | 129 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"A LINE IN THE SAND" Iraq's Learning Spanish Before Crossing to America page 29 of DHS report Senator Mc Cauls 10th District Texas Website Do you know who/whom you are hiring?
172 agree | 109 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
It is a do it yourself program. You need to do it. ie: wehirealiens.com boycott foreign products U.S. workers needs the jobs boycott stores adding to the problems.
188 agree | 130 disagree
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fred said:
if u want a fix to immigration is simple if a us company hires illegals and is cought doing so closeum down for 3 months if cought again closeum up for good companys that hire them are promoting illegal practices spending more tax payers money for beefed up border potrols wont solve it u have to stop what they are comeing here for u take the money away they have no reason to come here
165 agree | 135 disagree
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Dennis Clifford said:
We need to have ICE raid this center and then go after the employers that hire the illegals from here. Stopping illegal immigration is not done by giving out freebies, making jobs easier to come by or failing to enforce the law. We the people are to blame for illegal immigration and one of the main problems is allowing places like this to even operate. Illegals come for work, providing it encourges them, making it really easy to get because of city and county help makes it worse. I am not sure what is so hard to understand about the word ILLEGAL. For those of you who don't understand it means breaking the law, any law, all laws. Assisting a person to break the law makes you an accomplice and thus a criminal also. Don't ya just hate when reality raises its ugly head?
181 agree | 138 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Good, Save Maryland (and VA & D.C.), we will also give you names of immigrants from Africa, Asia, Europe and their Fancy Employers, who practice Identity-Payroll-Banking Fraud. They also Break the U.S.A. Laws. Discrimination is also a Penalty. Let us all become Minuteman.
154 agree | 151 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
These day labor centers should require contractors to pay at least a certain percentage of daily wages for each laborer they hire and then the contractor will deduct that amount from the laborer's pay at the end of each job. That amount will somehow help the county generate revenues and lessen the burden of running these centers. Contractors should be required to fill up forms stating how many laborers they will hire, the hourly rate and how many hours they will work. This form should serve as the basis for computation for the fees. The more the county gives free services to these people, the more the people are angered, they don't pay federal and state taxes so why not charge them for the services?
161 agree | 119 disagree
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