A coalition of 25 groups and 17 individuals, including NELP, has urged the Department of Agriculture to withdraw a proposal that increases poultry processing line speeds and removes hundreds of federal inspectors from poultry processing plants.

The proposal, which would modify USDA’s poultry slaughter inspection program, increases the poultry line speed to an unsafe level and allows plant employees to replace federal government inspectors for certain inspection activities. In addition, the proposal reduces the numbers of federal inspectors working at poultry plants. While the poultry inspection program does need improving, the proposal was developed with limited public input. USDA did not consult with its inspection advisory committee prior to issuing its proposal; nor were public meetings held to solicit the views of the public before the proposal was announced. In addition, the groups highlighted a number of critical food safety and worker safety concerns raised by the proposal.

FILED UNDER: Regulations | Worksite Enforcement

Arizona News Channel 3 reports on a workplace raid conducted by Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Tempe, Arizona. While Sheriff Arpaio has been the subject of investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for discriminatory enforcement against Latinos, and has lost a 287(g) contract with the federal government, Arpaio has continued to target immigrant communities through the use of workplace raids in investigations for "identity theft."

Check out the AZFamily.com website for a video story on the recent raid.

FILED UNDER: DHS/ICE | Immigrant Workers | Worksite Enforcement

New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council Contract Groundbreaking for Immigrant Workers—providing key protections preventing employers from using immigration status as a weapon in organizing. [New York Daily News]

Carwash Workers in New York City Plan Union Drive. [New York Times]

Alabama’s Anti-Immigrant Law Will Cost Billions and Allow Bosses to Abuse Workers Freely. [Alternet]

ICE Agent Who Shot Supervisor Was the Subject of Complaints in Workplace Raids. [Los Angeles Times]

FILED UNDER: DHS/ICE | Immigrant Workers | Labor | Litigation | Wage Theft | Worksite Enforcement

On January 24, 2012, ICE agents conducted an enforcement action against workers at the Little America Hotel in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Agents did not raid the worksite, but went to the homes of workers early that morning. One of the workers who was targeted was Erica Delgado, a single mother and a survivor of domestic violence. Although ICE did not arrest her on the day of the raid, and instead threatened to return. Terrified of the consequences of an arrest by ICE and return to Mexico, Erica burned her trailer home with herself and her daughter inside, committing suicide and killing her 11 year old child. Fourteen people lost their jobs at the hotel.  Three are in federal custody with charges of misuse of a SS#.

The story below was written by Jack Pugh and published by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, but is not available on their website. Earlier coverage of the story is available here.

Immigration, Part One: Erica Delgado and Miriam Ortiz

Jack Pugh, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Erica Delgado and her daughter Miriam Ortiz diedin Cheyenne on February 3, 2012. Erica Delgado was thirty-four years old. Miriam Ortiz was eleven. Ms. Delgado killed herself and her daughter, setting fire to the trailer they lived in.

It was an act of desperation and hopelessness surpassing all understanding.

Erica Delgado was from the state of Chihuahua in northern Mexico. Chihuahua shares its border with Texas and New Mexico. Ciudad Juarez is its largest city. Juarez shares a bridge over the Rio Grande River with El Paso, Texas.

FILED UNDER: DHS/ICE | Immigrant Workers | Worksite Enforcement