AP: Calif. (fence) Company Faces Immigration Charges

[Eugene]

Calif. Company Faces Immigration Charges


Thursday December 14, 2006 8:46 PM

AP Photos

By ELLIOT SPAGAT

Associated Press Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A Southern California fence-building company and two executives
pleaded guilty Thursday to knowingly hiring illegal immigrants and agreed to pay a
combined penalty of $5 million. The executives could also go to prison.

The penalty is one of the biggest fines ever imposed in an immigration case, and
the case represents a rare instance in which prosecutors brought criminal charges
over the hiring of illegal immigrants.

Golden State Fence Co. will pay $4.7 million. Mel Kay, 64, the company's founder,
chairman and president, will forfeit $200,000, and Michael McLaughlin, 42, a manager
in the company's Oceanside office, will pay $100,000.

The two men admitted hiring at least 10 illegal immigrants.


-snip-

Among Golden State Fence's projects in recent years was construction of part of a
14-mile border fence in San Diego in the late 1990s.

-snip-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6281055,00.html

Earier report from the San Diego Union Tribune...

Company in inquiry built fence at border

Feds look for hiring of illegal immigrants
By Joe Cantlupe
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

November 24, 2006

WASHINGTON – A California company under investigation on suspicion of hiring
undocumented workers won a contract in the late 1990s to help build the San Diego
border fence with Mexico to thwart illegal immigration, federal records show.

Federal authorities said there is no indication that the company, Golden State
Fence Co., which has an office in Oceanside, hired undocumented workers on the
fence project.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20061124-9999-2m24fence.html

[Gregorian]

1. Reality sucks.

Don't these guys watch the Daily Show! :)

[frylock]

2. fuggin a!!

I've said all along; impose heavy fines and lock the owners/executives up in a REAL prison, and watch the immigration issue fade away.