U.S. Seaport Hires Illegal Immigrants

An employment agency that for years has provided illegal immigrant workers to various companies, including a major U.S. seaport, has finally been raided by federal authorities who say it presents an obvious homeland security threat.

The Baltimore Maryland agency, Jones Industrial Network, traffics in illegal workers from throughout Latin America and Africa and this week Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials arrested 69 of them after raiding various businesses.

While its nothing new to see U.S. companies such as factories and meatpacking plants employ illegal immigrants, this case is alarming because the firm regularly furnished the Port of Baltimore with these undocumented aliens that could have easily been terrorists.

In fact, knowing that illegal aliens freely accessed a major international port is what drew the attention of federal agents who said it is a major security vulnerability that could absolutely lead to a disaster. Federal agents also seized a bank account containing more than $600,000 from the employment agency.

Supporters of the detained illegal immigrants demanded a stop to the raids and held signs that urged U.S. authorities to stop dividing their families. Authorities responded by saying that about 20 of the illegal aliens arrested might get a “humanitarian release” if, for example, they have small children who depend on them.

One outraged political blogger finds it absurd that people arrested for violating the law may be eligible for humanitarian release. If a person is arrested for stealing, they would not be granted a humanitarian release because they have children at home. Perhaps bail, but not a free pass.