Laurel Raid Raises Questions

Home · News · Weather · Sports · Schools · Photo Album · Program Schedule · Obituaries · Stocks · ALFA Skycam Network · Classifieds

Health · Politics · 2008 Elections · Community · Religion · Entertainment · Restaurants · Station Info · Recipes · Green Guide · Horoscopes · Gas Prices · Coupons

Save

Meridian, Miss.
Posted: 7:09 PM Aug 27, 2008
Last Updated: 7:09 PM Aug 27, 2008
Reporter: Tametria Conner
Email Address: tametria.conner@wtok.com

14 comments

A | A | A

After nearly 600 suspected illegal immigrants were detained in a raid at Howard Industries in Laurel, some may be wondering who's keeping track?

Well, state Rep. Greg Snowden says the law now requires employers to hire legal U.S. citizens and then verify them electronically through an employment verification program called the E-Verify system. And he says either Howard Industries didn't E-verify those employees or there's a huge glitch in the electronic system.

"Either they're lying about E-verify or we have a really big problem," said Snowden. "Because if E-verify doesn't work, then I don't know. We will have to step back and look at the whole thing all over again."

Here's the catch with the E-verify law. Officials say the state would have to find violations after the July 1 effective date of the law for charges to be pressed. So there's a chance there won't be any charges filed against Howard Industries.

However, Snowden says, several years ago, Howard Industries received state funds for a job expansion to hire more employees. And if it turns out some of that money was use for illegals, Snowden says Howard Industries will have some problems.

"If in fact they have employed a vast number of illegals that's certainly not what the state money was supposed to be for," said Snowden. "It was supposed to be for expansions and job creations for Mississippians."

This raid was one of a series of recent high-profile crackdowns on illegal immigrants. Immigration laws have been a hot topic and this is also a concern for many American citizens as well.

A lot of people are wanting to know who's keeping a tab on these immigrants and who's legal and who's not? Well Census Bureau officials say it's not their department.

"We don't ask anything about citizenship. We only ask the basic questions, race, their name, their age, their gender, whether they are head of their household and basically those are the seven questions we deal with," said Willy DeBerry, area manager for the U.S. Census Bureau.

Even in light of this situation, Census Bureau officials say the department does not plan on adding questions regarding citizenship.

A recent study estimates about eight thousand illegal immigrants live in Mississippi.

More Stories
Hike in Domestic Violence Linked to Bad Economy?

Holloway Case Apparently Near End

CDC: "Mississippi Has Highest Teen Birth Rate"

Flood Warnings Issued Around Miss., Ala.

FEMA Extending Hotel Program In Louisiana

Threefoot Project Passes Council

County Reacts to Job Losses

PSC Approves Energy-Saving Plan

Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: hal Location: neshoba county on Sep 9, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Kay, you took the words right out of my mouth! Thanks for having good sense MY FRIEND!!!!

Posted by: Kay on Sep 7, 2008 at 09:07 PM
Oh dear S, you not only don't know how to spell naive, you are it in the true sense of the word. I am so sick of you bleeding hearts. If you did one ounce of research on this subject to learn the negative effects illegal immigration is having on this country you wouldn't be so compassionate. Do you remember 9-11? How do you feel about the people murdered on that day? If we don't soon start some serious immigration reform here we might as well all move to Mexico because that is going to be exactly the way the US will be in the next century. Illegal immigrants are costing taxpayers billions of US dollars every year. They take away our jobs, don't pay taxes, use our social services, hospitals, and schools for free, and send their money back to their country to support their families. I'm all for immigrants coming to this country for a better life just like my son-in-law did but they need to do it the right and legal way. You "my friend" are not very bright, are you?

Posted by: hal Location: neshoba county on Aug 29, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Not a bigot, just a realist and a republican taxpayer who is fed up with moochers and law-breakers. I am fully aware of our "melting pot" history. You seem to keep overlooking the fact that they're here ILLEGALLY. Come here, work, pay taxes, shop in our businesses, eat in our restaurants, have a good time and better yourself....that's not the issue! The issue is that they're here ILLEGALLY and no matter how many bills they pay or how much in taxes is contributed, if you're ILLEGALY, then you are BREAKING THE LAW, and that is not okay!! You punish them because it's ILLEGAL and that's the chance you take when you do something against the law....even if it is "those who only want a better life for themselves and their family". It's still not okay! Maybe you should take the time to learn the definitions to "abide", "legal", "illegal", and "law".

Posted by: s Location: p on Aug 29, 2008 at 08:30 AM
oh dear hal, i am not nieve, you my friend are bigoted... these are hard working people not the criminal element we should be pursuing and a child born in the country IS infact an American citizen... how easily we forget we are a nation of immigrants... i suppose the statue of liberty should be revised... to say sorry to all you huddled masses... if you're from mexico we just don't want you??? the fact is they do pay bills, they work keeping industry here in mississippi and that industry pays taxes into our local and state government... they support our local economy... you my friend are only seeing what you wish... is illegal immigration a problem? certainly... but as i said... why punish those who only want a better life for themselves and their family... this IS America afterall... perhaps you should take time to relearn your nations history...

Posted by: compassion Location: Meridian on Aug 28, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Why don't we just open up concentration camps and put all the Mexicans in there? give me a break. Has this nation turned into Nazi Germ. all over again? Pray for the compassion of Christ.

Posted by: HernandezUSA Location: CA on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:56 AM
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration met recently with Assistant Secretary Julie Myers of the Department of Homeland Security to encourage a decrease or elimination of immigration raids. They cited the separation of families as one of their reasons the raids should cease. These bishops are only addressing symptoms of a larger problem. The parents caught in the raids broke the law. If they are deported, their children can come with them. The decision to break up their families was theirs, not ICE’s. How many of illegals also left children in their home countries to be raise by some one else? I'm sure if you look at Studies by UNICEF you 'll find that 10's of thousands of children have been abandoned by criminal parents.

Posted by: HernandezUSA Location: CA on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Even, if our Federal government continues to keep its head in the sand, its our STATE and LOCAL governments Job to enforce our LAWs and yes INCLUDING every AMERICAN citizen (ALL RACES) to keep out Illegal Aliens from OUR Country. Tell your Government you are tired and want them out and the business that hire the illegals held accountable. http://www.numbersusa.com and http://capwiz.com/proenglish/home/ and http://www.capsweb.org

Posted by: Mack Location: Meridian Area on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:44 AM
The welfare dependent society refuses to touch jobs that do not pay a living wage. That does not give an employers the right to BREAK THE LAW.

Posted by: hal Location: neshoba county on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Oh dear s, how nieve you are! Don't you know those people receive welfare and other benefits too....not all of them work. There's no harm in wanting to come to America to make a better life for your family, but there is a problem when it is done illegally. I don't think having a baby here makes someone "a parent of an American citizen", it makes them the parents of a baby they had while they were here illegally. A lot of illegals will get pregnant just to try and avoid deportation. I don't think that makes them a "functioning member of society", it makes them a burden on taxpayers because most of them do not have health insurance and they rely on Medicaid.

Posted by: s Location: p on Aug 28, 2008 at 07:03 AM
This solves nothing... the only thing raids like this accomplish is the spliting up of families, uprooting many peoples lives, and taking away people who have been functioning members of society. These people taken away in this raid are the ones who are just here to make a better life for themselves and their families and many of them are parents of American citizens... They pay bills, support the local economy and work at jobs that most of the welfare dependent society refuses to touch. Yes illegal immigration is a problem... but honestly... who in their situation wouldn't do the same thing? If it was you or I who were living in total poverty wouldn't you do anything to ensure your family was taken care of??? Why not focus on the dealers on the street? The criminal element??? and leave these poor people alone...

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 28, 2008 at 06:57 AM
Clarke County should be checked out also. There is most definitely some illegals there.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Local law enforcement can take action against illegals in their jurisdiction. Alabama has done a lot of this. Why doesn't Mississippi, more namely Meridian and Lauderdale County?

Posted by: American Location: MDN on Aug 27, 2008 at 09:02 PM
I don't understand why law enforcement even bothers arresting the illegal immigrants. They don't deport them because I have personally dealt with INS myself. They claim they don't have any funds in their budget to deport unless they have committed a felony offense.