US intensifies raids on firms employing illegal immigrants

Continuing with its crackdown on illegal immigrant workers, US attorney office successfully prosecuted two members of an immigrant family that “knowingly” had hired illegal immigrants.

Hiring of illegal immigrants, which are ready to work for low wages, is not any thing new in US. Since few decades, Asians, Chinese communities are known to hire illegal workers as they are ready to work for a fraction of wages. This trend has since intensified and gained ground after the onset of recession.

Plummeting margins has forced small industries to hire illegal workers.

In the recent raid, Shafique Amirali Dhanani and his sister Shirin Dhanani Makalai entered into plea agreement and admitted that they knew some of the 28 arrested workers were employed by them knowingly that they have used false names and Social Security numbers. Dhanani and Makalai sat solemnly through the court proceedings. In a statement, they said, "We very much regret violating the law and dishonoring the fine reputation Yamato Engines and our family enjoys. ... "

Their company too faces prospect of fine that could range up to $500,000 on criminal charges of encouraging and inducing illegal immigrants to live in the USA.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has issued guidelines that emphasize more raids on employers hiring illegal immigrants than on the immigrant workers themselves.