Police: Illegal Workers Arrested At O'Hare
Illegal Immigrants Accused Of Using Fake Badges To Work In Critical Areas Of Airport
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O'Hare Airport, in Chicago. (AP)
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The 23 allegedly illegal workers were employed by Ideal Staffing Solutions Inc., whose corporate secretary and office manager also were arrested after an eight-month investigation that involved federal, state and Chicago authorities.
According to Elissa A. Brown, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, Ideal Staffing has been working on a contract basis for airlines including United Airlines, KLM and Qantas.
"The investigation identifies a vulnerability that could compromise national security, while bringing criminal charges against individuals who built an illegal work force into their business practice," said Brown.
Ideal Staffing officials did not return a telephone message left after business hours Wednesday by The Associated Press.
Much of the investigation centered on the airport security badges issued by the Department of Aviation, said U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald. Agents found that 110 of the 134 badges issued to Ideal Staffing workers did not match the individuals who carried them, he said.
The discrepancies were first noted in March by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector, Fitzgerald said.
"If we are to ensure public safety, we must know who has access to the secure areas of airports," Fitzgerald said. "A fundamental component of airport safety is preventing the use of false identification badges, and punishing those who commit or enable such violations."
An investigation by CBS station WBBM-TV found evidence in garbage dumpsters used by airport contractors that badges were missing. The findings revealed how Chicago's Department of Aviation failed to monitor its badge program.
"If these badges are floating all over the place, is the Department of Aviation doing its job?" Chicago's Inspector General David Hoffman told WBBM. "A fair and important question and a question that needs to be answered from the ongoing investigation."
Mary Gurin, 36, of Carpentersville, and Norinye Benitez, 24, of Franklin Park, were each charged with one federal count of harboring illegal immigrants for gain and one federal count of misuse of Social Security numbers. They were scheduled for a preliminary appearance later Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Brown said.
Benitez is believed to be an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and Gurin employed her and signed her airport badge application while knowing her illegal status, Brown said.
The workers arrested, 21 from Mexico and two from Guatemala, were being held in the Cook County jail. They face state criminal charges and deportation, Brown said.
According to affidavits in a complaint against Gurin and Benitez unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, the applications for the 110 bogus badges listed Social Security numbers that either did not exist or belonged to other individuals, some of whom were dead.
One affidavit from a temporary worker who cooperated with authorities said Benitez told him to look through a box containing about 20 airport security badges and to pick one with a picture that resembled his own face.
The affidavits allege that Ideal Staffing told workers they needed to have identification, but that the documents did not have to be legitimate, and also accused the company of supplying some workers with deactivated badges issued in other names.
Brown, Fitzgerald and other officials declined to answer questions about how workers could use deactivated badges to enter secure areas of the airport, saying that the investigation continued and that not all details could be revealed.
Cook County State's Attorney Richard A. Devine said his office has issued more than 100 arrest warrants in the case.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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See all 224 CommentsAGAIN - this is what happens when the government tries to eliminate government employees, and replaces them with privately run companies. Haliburton has taken over most of the logistics and supply for the US military (at many, many times more money), Blackwater has taken over security services for American diplomats (and use Iraqi civilians as moving targets), and the Department of Aviation is hiring employees through a temp agency, instead of directly hiring the employees themselves.
So now, instead of hiring the employees themselves, they''re going to "save money" by going through a temp agency so they don''t have to find the employees themselves. But now because of this, they''ll have to hire someone to monitor the temp agency''s hiring practices.
Where is the savings?
Posted by JetRanger7 at 07:45 AM : Nov 08, 2007
If you''re legit, you should send copies of the same letter to the agencies you mentioned above, the local and state police, your county sheriff''s office, AND also let them know that you are sending copies of the same letters to the investigative reporters at your local newspaper(s) and tv news station(s).
They don''t want to be caught doing nothing, especially by the press, and at least one agency will have to investigate. If not, I''m sure at least one media source will investigate - they love getting the scoop on a currently hot topic. What will it cost you - about $7 - $10 if that much? A little time, 10 - 12 copies of a letter, and a dozen envelopes and stamps.
As an American citizen, you have an obligation to report a law being broken.
Any time you see contract employment, expect to see a reason behind it...ie, illegals, avoiding to pay benefits, or taxes, or simply greed to improve the P&L. The contract puts another layer between the CEO and the law violations as they can claim they had no knowledge of the status of the workers.
Are any of their, or any other, contracted sites being investigated?
BTW
How can New York pass a law to give illegal immigrants LEGAL drivers licenses? Isn%u2019t that in-and-of-itself a criminal act?
Posted by omnibus66
a better solution would be a mandatory living wage and give the undocumented aliens access to the labor boards, OSHA etc. If undocumented labor was competitively priced with home grown labor, we would quickly hear an end to the calls for a needed "guest worker program".
Now prosecute the folks at Ideal Staffing, take away their contracts, and follow the rot up the chain to whoever gave them the contracts to begin with.
How can New York pass a law to give illegal immigrants LEGAL drivers licenses? Isn%u2019t that in-and-of-itself a criminal act?
Posted by jn122736 at 08:42 AM : Nov 08, 2007
It''s all politics aimed at getting their votes eventually.
Posted by truthspeake2 at 08:08 AM : Nov 08, 2007
That''s not true
SO GO AHEAD AMERICANS BE WEAK, THIS IS COMMING....IT IS TIME FOR A REVOLUTION,TIME TO STOP BUSH/CHENEY
The violence broke out after an estimated 80,000 ant-iBUSH demonstrators - led by university students - marched peacefully to the Supreme Court to protest constitutional changes that would greatly expand BUSH/CHENEY power if voters agree to the changes in December. Unrest, if it continues, could mar a Dec. 2 referendum on the controversial reforms
The amendments being protested would abolish presidential term limits, give the president control over the Central Bank and let him create new provinces governed by handpicked officials.
The protesters demand the referendum be suspended, saying the amendments would weaken civil liberties and give BUSH AND CHENEY unprecedented power to declare states of emergency.
``Don''''t allow AMERICA to go down a path that nobody wants to cross , during the march to the Supreme Court.
BUSH, who was first elected in2000, denies the reforms threaten freedom. He says they would instead move AMERICA toward what he calls ``21st century socialism.''''''''
In televised comments prior to the unrest, BUSH urged ALL AMERICANS to turn out en masse to vote for the reforms. In reference to the opposition, he said: ``Don''''t go crazy.''''''''
Bad-jis, we doe ned no steekin BAD-JIS!!!!!
Posted by omega39 at 08:42 AM : Nov 08, 2007
Nice idea but not correct. In todays news, an article by Walter Williams a Professor a George Mason University for whom I have a great deal of admiration is Headlined "Our poor must be the envy of the worlds poor". It points out why America is a magnet for the rest of the world. Prof. Williams said,
"If I were an unborn spirit, condemned to a life of poverty, but GOD allowed me to choose which nation I wanted to be poor in, I''d choose the United States."
A person in America making $15.000 a year is in the top 5% of the wealthiest people of the ''World''. Google it for your self.
It''s not DHS, CBP, ICE or USBP...it''s your congress. ICE & BP work for CBP who works for DHS who answers to the shirts & ties. If you don''t believe hands have been tied by congress and law makers it''s time for you to get an education. Don''t ask how I know this, let''s just say I do. The entities you refer to would like nothing better than to enforce ALL immigration laws of this country. They can''t do it with leashes attached to their collars.
It truly is a shame that law enforcement takes any of the rap for this nonsense. Oh, and you think there are only 10 to 12 million illegal aliens in this country? Google up some illegal crossing stats and do the math. My 22+ years experience tells me we''re closer to twice that amount.
Seems to be OK to have one working for you, that is, as long as he doesn''t live next door to you. And it also seems OK by many for them to work illegally utilizing false SS numbers. Have met anyone who has had their SS# compromised? There''s another
google taget for you.
Get a handle on it? Folks, I think it''s probably already too late!
Toolmangler, my point was that all insourcing and outsourcing is being driven by a corporate desire to avoid paying Americans a wage that allows them to maintain their current standard of living. Studies show that a large percentage of the undocumented aliens held and overstayed their work visas. Dry up corporate America''s ability to hire and maintain a permanent underclass of slaves and the problem will slowly start to take care of itself.
If we do not have the laws, then our do nothing Congress needs to make some. Be usefull.
If the TOP management of Ideal Staffing and some other there are thrown in jail then it will send a message throughout America and the jobs for illegals will go away and more will go home. In this part of the country, many have already returned to their home countries because of construction recession.
But hold Business accountable for obeying the law?
Oh, no - can''t do that - that would affect profits.
I don''t see why any American should have to obey any laws they don''t want to - the people that run America''s businesses and government get to pick and choose, so why can''t the rest of us?
Talk about a violation of basic Equal Rights...
Posted by likeitis5050
likeitis5050, need I remind you that grand poobah Bush and a couple of Republicans (including one running for president) were also behind the "grand bargain". Did you forget that it was grand poobah Bush that was ready to sell the ports to the Arabs? If the grand poobah spent half as much time going after employers that hire illegal aliens as he did going after medicinal marijuana, we wouldn''t have anywhere near the problem we have now.
Posted by omega39 at 09:19 AM : Nov 08, 2007
My point is that we cannot ''dry up any more'' If I am not mistaken your solution is to ''document'''' the illegals and force a higher wage standard then shut down the hiring practices to ''only'' hire (Legal illegals)? I am sorry if I have misunderstood you but as it is said, "This does not compute".
Whatever happened to stopping illegal entry?
Now, in Oklahoma, it is a FEDERAL crime for anyone who hires/harbors/transports anyone who is an illegal as well. Not surprisingly we have had many move away from Oklahoma this past week...the law went into effect Nov 1st.
Posted by ToolMangler at 09:11 AM : Nov 08, 2007
That is not a valid argument unless you also include the price of food, housing, energy, and medical care that those people you are comparing us to must pay.
It makes a huge difference, when you can rent a house for $12 a month.
That is not a valid argument unless you also include the price of food, housing, energy, and medical care that those people you are comparing us to must pay.It makes a huge difference, when you can rent a house for $12 a month.
Posted by ibsteve2u at 09:42 AM : Nov 08, 2007
Here is a link that will show you where you (personally) stand in the world, money wise.
I was off with my statistic, (12.23% vs 5%)
http://www.globalrichlist.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by ToolMangler
Catch you later Tool, MRI back problems? Hope not I have my share of them.
Posted by ToolMangler at 09:11 AM : Nov 08, 2007
Yes, and 1/10th of 1 percent have well over 50% of the world''s wealth.
It appears again that Patrick Fitzgerald is the only functioning compentent Republican in the Bush failed Administration and crony political appointees crowd he should run for office but change party affiliation first because he has to many ethics and to much integrity to be elected as a Repug.
All of the above issues are clearly not in line with the opinions of a majority of Americans, and in most cases are in direct conflict with the interests of the working class, which the democratic party is supposed to represent.
There is too much obvious collusion between the parties to pass issues the majority of Americans are against. I.e. Clinton signing NAFTA, Bush and McCain working so hard with Kennedy et al to pass an amnesty bill.
Over the past 3 decades the status/living standards of the working class have devolved from being the envy of the world to joining the ranks of third world countries.
Unaffordable health care, unaffordable essentials like gasoline, food prices now going out of sight, and on and on.
When my wife and I were raising our family I worked outside the home and she took care of the home. Our tasks were equally important even though I was the only wage earner.
Our family income and health coverage then, was actually greater than that of my children%u2019s family incomes today, with both spouses working full time.
I was off with my statistic, (12.23% vs 5%)
http://www.globalrichlist.com/
Posted by ToolMangler at 09:57 AM : Nov 08, 2007
Again, that link provides no measure of comparative wealth.
I spent years living in countries where the average income was often far less than $2000 per annum, so my American dollars made me appear to be comparatively wealthy.
But only because I could rent a house and buy food so cheaply while in those countries!
If you go to this URL:
http://lavoice.org/article667.html
you will see that the average rent for a two-bedroom unit in West L.A. was $2,319.00 in 2005 - before the real run-up in prices.
Someone who is making that $15K that puts them in your (revised) top 12.23% of the world would be one stinking, oozing person - because he or she would have starved to death.
Wealth is comparative - people who sneer at Americans who claim to be poor without considering the cost of living do not enhance their credibility.
Let''s compare it to bears. In the past, to control bears, we used to shoot them. Lots and lots of bears were destroyed until it was determined that perhaps this method was a little too harsh.
Next, we implemented relocation programs; expensive and many times the bears just came back. Now, we''ve gotten a little smarter and apply our efforts at reducing what attracts them. Special provisons are supposed to be made for garbage and food that is left outside. If people don''t comply, there are penalties to pay. The result today is we may still need to relocate the occasional bear, but for the most part they don''t stay unless there''s something worthwhile to stay for.
Stop expecting employers to be document specialists. Get a database system that can check and cross check documentation and put the doc checking into the gov''s hands. You apply for a job, the employer sends documentation to database, experts check it over and send the OK back to the employer.
The violence broke out after an estimated 80,000 ant-iBUSH demonstrators - led by university students - marched peacefully to the Supreme Court to protest constitutional changes that would greatly expand BUSH/CHENEY power if voters agree to the changes in December. Unrest, if it continues, could mar a Dec. 2 referendum on the controversial reforms
The amendments being protested would abolish presidential term limits, give the president control over the Central Bank and let him create new provinces governed by handpicked officials.
The protesters demand the referendum be suspended, saying the amendments would weaken civil liberties and give BUSH AND CHENEY unprecedented power to declare states of emergency.
``Don''''''''t allow AMERICA to go down a path that nobody wants to cross , during the march to the Supreme Court.
BUSH, who was first elected in2000, denies the reforms threaten freedom. He says they would instead move AMERICA toward what he calls ``21st century socialism.''''''''''''''''
In televised comments prior to the unrest, BUSH urged ALL AMERICANS to turn out en masse to vote for the reforms. In reference to the opposition, he said: ``Don''''''''t go crazy.''''''''''''''''
SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE HER IN AMERICA, AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT...
WITH 250 MILLION AMERICANS THEY CANT KILL US ALL..TIME FOR A REVOLUTION.
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