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Wage theft prevalent among undocumented immigrants
KGBT ^ | 06.12.2013 | Nadia Galindo

Posted on 06/13/2013 5:55:10 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch

Fuerza del Valle Workers' Center is raising awareness about wage theft among undocumented immigrants.

“Most people do not know you can call police after they try to get their pay from an employer and the police have a duty to follow criminal law and investigate the employer," Hector Guzman Lopez, Fuerza del Valle Workers' Center coordinator, said.

Under Texas Penal Code it is illegal for employers to not pay for labor regardless of the person's legal status.

Basilio Castro, an undocumented immigrant, was working at an Alamo apartment complex painting and doing construction.

“They liked the job so they were like finish painting all the buildings,” Castro’s wife, Valentina Casas said.

His employer paid for his gas to get to work, but never paid him wages.

“He started saying 'well, I need money' and it took them three months to give him $100,” Casas said.

After eight months of working and struggling to make ends meet, Castro contacted Fuerza del Valle Workers' Center through La Union del Pueblo Entero.

The group was able to get him his wages which totaled more than $1,000.

Guzman Lopez said wage theft often goes unreported by undocumented immigrants.

“Especially in the Valley, there’s a large culture of impunity, a culture of ‘I can work somebody to death and not pay them what I have to pay them,’” Guzman Lopez said.

Guzman Lopez said undocumented immigrants can report wage theft to local law enforcement agencies without fear of being arrested or deported.

“Any report made at the McAllen Police Department will be investigated and once that investigation is completed it will be turned over to the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s office,” Lt. Joel Morales, with the McAllen Police Department, said.

Organizers want to send a clear message to dishonest employers.

Work with no pay is not OK.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Mexico; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aliens; corruption; quislings
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Hiring illegal aliens is not OK, Nadia.
1 posted on 06/13/2013 5:55:11 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
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To: SwinneySwitch

Good enough, pay them and then send them back to their home country.

Also, charge the employer a very LARGE fine for hiring an illegal alien. The fines should increase every time they are caught.


2 posted on 06/13/2013 5:59:06 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (The only crimes that are 100% preventable are crimes committed by illegal aliens)
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To: SwinneySwitch

In the interest of the rule of law, punish all the crimes committed here: By the employer for hiring illegals and theft. By the illegal for invading our country. Take the money owed from the employer, and pay for the transportation home for the foreign national. Problem solved.


3 posted on 06/13/2013 5:59:22 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Our rights come from God, not men, and they are therefore UNALIENABLE, and NON-NEGOTIABLE.)
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To: SwinneySwitch
The group was able to get him his wages which totaled more than $1,000.

...I'm sure Odungo's selective IRS swooped in to get their taxes right?

4 posted on 06/13/2013 5:59:26 AM PDT by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: SwinneySwitch

Illegal aliens. Wouldn’t it be theft using services American citizens are taxed to pay for? No sympathy. If they were legal this probably wouldn’t happen. Go home and come the legal way.


5 posted on 06/13/2013 6:04:58 AM PDT by Irenic (The pencil sharpener and Elmer's glue is put away-- we've lost the red wheel barrow)
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To: SwinneySwitch
Illegals should be paid with a Bus Ticket back to the Fatherland....never cash.

Incidentally, when Amnesty is passed this week (or next week, at the latest), those "back taxes" on the cash pay Illegals got is SURELY going to be reported to the IRS by the Illegals, right???

ROFL

6 posted on 06/13/2013 6:10:08 AM PDT by traditional1 (Amerika.....Providing public housing for the Mulatto Messiah)
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To: traditional1

Look at it this way, about 50% of wage earners pay no income taxes now. When they, ha, add in the back wages of illegals making minimum or less wages, the number not paying income taxes will zoom AND THEY WILL QUALIFIY FOR THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope this does not ruin anyone’s day but the facts are the facts. The result is we will not only be supporting these people with welfare in the like, forget the protestations from Rubio et al, not only will they continue to remove citizens from the work force by working for less, we will be underwriting their amnesty with direct payments from the treasury.

Excuse me while I throw up.


7 posted on 06/13/2013 6:18:48 AM PDT by Mouton (108th MI Group.....68-71)
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To: SwinneySwitch

Ten minutes after these folks get their Green Cards the unions have plans to organize them all.


8 posted on 06/13/2013 6:25:18 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Irenic
I heard a “sad” story about an illegal alien that was caught going back over the border with $14,000 in cash that he had saved working as a dishwasher long hours in the USA for ten years. His money was confiscated.

My point of view is, he should’ve been here in the first place.

9 posted on 06/13/2013 6:28:44 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (The only crimes that are 100% preventable are crimes committed by illegal aliens)
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To: SwinneySwitch
Go home.
10 posted on 06/13/2013 6:29:53 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (There is no reason for the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Paperwork to have his own Seal Team Six.)
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To: PATRIOT1876

^ shouldn’t have been here


11 posted on 06/13/2013 6:34:55 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (The only crimes that are 100% preventable are crimes committed by illegal aliens)
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To: SwinneySwitch

Honor among thieves?


12 posted on 06/13/2013 6:38:05 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: Irenic
Organizers want to send a clear message to dishonest employers.

but they do not mind the dishonesty of being in the US illegally... ugh...

13 posted on 06/13/2013 6:40:32 AM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: PATRIOT1876
I'll give him some sympathy because he was at least going back with his earnings and not staying here to suckle off the taxpayer teaty.

The reasons the $14K was seized:

  1. Because the government revenue agents could. Any amount over $10K not declared when entering or leaving the country is subject to seizure and not just the amount over $10K, all of it. It is in the fine print on the entry and exit forms.
  2. They were really p*ssed about losing another Democrat voter.

14 posted on 06/13/2013 6:41:05 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: mountainlion
Honor among thieves?

well, one side is being honored...

15 posted on 06/13/2013 6:41:12 AM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: SwinneySwitch
Here's a suggestion for our oh-so-oppressed illegal aliens:

GO HOME!!!

16 posted on 06/13/2013 6:42:51 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: PATRIOT1876

“I heard a “sad” story about an illegal alien that was caught going back over the border with $14,000 in cash that he had saved working as a dishwasher long hours in the USA for ten years. His money was confiscated.”

That was apparently resolved in his favor, except the IRS had to get its pound of flesh first. Still, I can’t imagine the hit was all that big. Minimum wage jobs simply do not impose much of a tax liability. Even after penalties are factored in, I figure the guy ended up with at least half of the original amount:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/illegal-whose-59000-was-confiscated-still-may-get-/nLrTw/


17 posted on 06/13/2013 6:52:19 AM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: Zhang Fei

18 posted on 06/13/2013 6:54:24 AM PDT by Daffynition (Stand Your Ground)
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To: SwinneySwitch

Enforce laws against Americans but not against illegal aliens? What pays to be an American anymore?


19 posted on 06/13/2013 6:56:30 AM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off. -786 +969)
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To: SwinneySwitch

Without something in writing it is tough to prove what was agreed to, hours worked, etc. But word will spread if an employer beats workers out of wages, and they’ll stop working for him.


20 posted on 06/13/2013 7:01:16 AM PDT by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed &water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS, NOW & FOREVER!)
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