Help-wanted sign

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted a series of raids on Swift and Company meat packing plants in six states and arrested almost 1,300 illegal aliens towards the end of 2006, and more recently in July 2007. We learned three very important things from these raids:

• Americans take the jobs illegal aliens leave behind : The day after the raids took place, the media reported that plenty of legal workers lined up to apply for the jobs left vacant by the illegal aliens who fled or were arrested.
• Identity fraud and illegal immigration are connected : Hundreds of the illegal aliens who were arrested are suspected of using the name and SSN of an American citizen. You can fight illegal immigration by fighting identity fraud.
• Attrition Through Enforcement works: More than 400 illegal aliens skipped town after Swift dropped hints about ICE's suspicions. Once the message gets out that there aren’t any jobs for illegal aliens, they leave.

These raids are a good start, but raids alone will not solve the illegal immigration crisis. Constant pressure must be placed on illegal aliens and their employers by ICE and local governments as part of an Attrition Through Enforcement strategy.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has said his agency is prepared to launch similar raids on other plants – even those owned by companies that, like Swift, have attested to comply with the voluntary Basic Pilot program to screen employees – and to take additional actions to track down illegal aliens who are guilty of identity theft. NumbersUSA encourages you to help make this happen.

Unfortunately, most of the reaction to the raids in the media is still being reported from the standpoints of immigration lawyers, pro-amnesty organizations and religious leaders who say it is inhumane to arrest people just because they have broken immigration laws and stolen identities in order to get a job (click here to see an example). It is extremely important that Congress continue to hear that public sentiment is overwhelmingly on the side of enforcement rather than amnesty and leniency.