Should I report this? Who should I report it to?

[Not_Giving_Up]

OK, here's the deal. The place I work for (run by repukes) is a relatively small landscape business. The guys on the mow crews are paid in cash every week...no taxes taken out. Some (I don't think all of them) are "undocumented aliens"...ok, they're illegals. The people running the business KNOW this. There is at least one crew leader who drives a company vehicle daily who has no driver's license because he's not legal. I was actually in the room when he was told that he needed to give them his info so they could apply for his visa, then he can get a driver's license and get paid more. WTF? They don't even know the last names of some of these guys. Should I report this? If I do, where do I start? Immigration? IRS? (for not taking out taxes), DPS? HELP!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

1. INS, I guess.

La migra.

What is your motivation for doing so? Just curious.

Because what will end up happening is the illegals will suffer more than anyone else. I guess. Could be wrong. Are you in TX?

[Not_Giving_Up]

4. Yes, I'm in Texas

As far as my motivations, there are many.

1. Who knows if these guys have criminal records...who knows if they are sex offenders. This is who you want for your lawn guy?? (OK, I don't have a lawn, and if I did, couldn't afford a guy, but you get the picture)

2. They are driving without licenses, and get tickets all the time. The company pays them...argh! What if one of them gets in a wreck?

3. They go out of their way to "hire" the illegals...I know plenty of citizens who need a job.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

15. Ok

but

1. No one knows. That's the chance they take hiring them.

2. The company is taking a huge chance with that, but they know it. It happens ALL over Texas and other states. I'm not saying it's right, but...there it is.

3. Go find five white guys willing to mow lawns. And now get the company to agree to pay them wages and bennies five white guys would demand. Good luck with that.

It's not a good set up, I grant you. The company gets to pay slave wages, but the illegals have a job. They are illegal so it's pretty much all they can do.

Seriously, go ahead and call, but the company will get a slap on the wrist (if that) and the illegals will have to go mow lawns for some other company. Or clean out toilets. Or sweep a warehouse.

Etc.

[havocmom]

20. Meat packers in Nebraska and construction workers all over the place

have been replaced by illegals. The argument that they are only being hired to do jobs legals won't do is not valid anymore. They are hired cuz it saves $$ on taxes and insurance for businesses. It is a lie that they only take jobs no one else wants.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

21. Then where's the freaking INS on this?

The IRS? Why are companies being allowed to do this, in that case?

[mac56]

22. Because no one has bothered to call.

For many of the reasons listed in this thread. Well-meaning though some of them may be.

[asjr]

26. Just another way of opposing raising the minimum wage. I do not

see how workers making minimum wage make it through 2 days. Some have 2 jobs just to break even. We have become a slave nation again.

[Laughing Mirror]

25. Unless you have any cold hard statistics

Showing that immigrants showing up in your community are more likely to be sex offenders than more established locals leaving your community, I don't think I'd use that flimsy notion as a reason to notify the authorities. Other than that, I agree with the others who say you should contact the IRS. Do not put the blame on the workers. They did not create the economic chaos where you live, although they are the ones being exploited and suffering the most consequences of it.

[Not_Giving_Up]

32. The thing is this...

We don't know if the immigrants have records because they are completely undocumented. They can walk in here and say that their name is anything...no proof. So, no, I don't have statistics. I'm not saying that they are all criminals, but there is a chance that some of them are.

[Laughing Mirror]

38. And there is a chance that criminals are already living in your community

Such as the people running the landscaping service that you, an employee, are thinking about reporting to the IRS.

There are criminals, and then there are criminals. Never make the assumption that the person redoing your roof who speaks another language and may look different from you is a criminal just because he or she happens to work for criminals.

[havocmom]

16. The businesses that employ illegals would suffer if they got turned in.

They must be making $$ on the deal, or they wouldn't be doing it: dodging SS tax payments employers are required to make, workers' comp payment into the insurance funds for injured workers, and who knows what other tax dodges they are taking advantage of.

Sorry, but I do not think the workers of the US should have to make payroll tax payments and they let a lot of employers skate on their share of payroll taxes.

If this nation is serious about documenting workers, then INS would be serious about going after the businesses which profit from the risk illegals take.

If this nation is serious about fairness in taxation, the working class would not be expected to subsidize the ownership class with increasing payroll (not just income tax) while more and more jobs go to illegals and taxes do not get paid on that end by business and the top 1% scarf up on all the goodies.

What the thread originator speaks of is tax fraud and possibly insurance fraud, considering no works' comp and unlicensed drivers for company vehicles. So what happens in case of accident? WE ALL GET HURT.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

Ok good luck with that.

I hope you have a large army to deal with the problem. Heck you'd need a large army just to deal with all the undocumented workers just working in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Not deal with them physically, mind you, I just mean you'd need a hell of a lot of people to help you out in reforming the system. Oh and you'd either need the system on your side or you'd need to break it.

[havocmom]

23. A few high profile cases with owners paying big fines and going to jail

would certainly make others think about it. Once they know THEY are the ones taking the risks, the law breaking would slow down. They do what they get away with.

More cost efficient to round up people at work and haul the boss off to jail than to have all the manpower & equipment racing around in the dark on the borders shooting it out with coyotes.

[hunter]

29. I agree, but it's not going to happen.

Lax enforcement of immigration laws is a form of union-busting.

[havocmom]

44. "union busting" You hit it right on the head! Business wants cheap labor

and so enforcement of hiring illegals is a joke. The corporations run the nation. What they want becomes law. What they don't want us to be able to do becomes illegal.

And they want to drive down wages/worker protection AND environmental protection. When American workers become desperate enough, they will beg to have environmental and worker protection laws removed. They will insist on what the Corps. want cuz the Corps intend to starve them out.

[GraphicQueen]

41. Who cares

if the illegals get hurt? They are here illegally and have no right to anything in this country. I just wish that our government would fine big-time the businesses that hire the illegals. What I really wish is for the CEOs of said companies would get arrested but we all know that would never happen.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

45. Other DUers have told

me "left ugly is just as ugly as right ugly." I see that they are right.

[Socialist Dem]

46. Who Cares?

Someone is driving without a license, and probably isn't insured by the company. What happens when he falls asleep behind the wheel from working 3 jobs because he's getting paid less than minimum wage and ends up killing "legals"? Who do you think ends up paying after all the funerals and lawsuits are over? We all do through higher insurance cost for one.

Don't think that what effects others won't effect you someday, even if it's indirectly. And just remember the next time you buy fruit, that "illegals" were working their asses off so you could buy it.

[bowens43]

2. Why report it?

The poor guys are just trying to survive.

[Not_Giving_Up]

7. I'm just trying to survive too

I pay my taxes, thank you. I barely cover the basics, but I don't qualify for assistance because I make too much money, but they get assistance without ever paying taxes.

[gollygee]

19. Why do you think they get assistance?

Even legal immigrants don't get gov't assistance. When my husband moved to the US, he was told very specifically that he could not get food stamps, welfare, or any other kind of governmental assistance.

I'm sure these illegal immigrants aren't getting any government assistance.

[mac56]

12. Remember the Republican mantra..

If they (the employers, that is) have nothing to hide, they've got nothing to worry about.

They're the party of personal responsibility, after all.

[Dora]

3. INS & IRS

Call IRS first. That tax cheat crap pisses me off.

[candy]

5. The unlicensed driver offense would go to your state DMV----but as far

as the illegals go,I would do nothing. Let them go after the big corporations first.

I'd just report it as driving w/o a license(which bothers me) and forget the immigration status.

[Ian David]

6. Start with the IRS

The IRS gives you a reward if you provide them with original information that leads to recovering money.

I would start with them first. Get on the record, so that when you report your boss to other agencies the IRS can't cheat you out of your reward.

Next, do a google search on your local media outlets and see which ones have done exposes on these sorts of things before. Make sure they are not owned by Murdoch or Sinclair.

Personaly, I have no problem with undocumented aliens coming here and doing jobs that none of us want.

My problem is when Republicans take the jobs we *DO* want and ship them over-seas.

[Not_Giving_Up]

9. I'm sorry, but I'm sick of hearing

"jobs that none of us want"

Bull....they pay these guys seven bucks an hour or more...plenty of people I know would like to quit making minimum wage.

[Bridget Burke]

11. And start a job search, as well.

I'm sure you'll find a company that will suit you better.

[NVMojo]

8. you can also report it to the state workers comp folks as this is illegal

to have people work and not provide them with worker's comp. There should also be a labor commission or board in your state that you can file a complaint with. many will allow you to be anonymous.

IRS for taxes. If you go to their website they have a number to report fraud and you can also be anonymous.

I live to make life hell for jerk repukes.

[babylonsister]

10. You might want to think about

possibly losing your job if the bosses get wind of this. They could trump up some excuse or other...

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. And who gets hurt the most, the bosses or the illegals

[Pale_Rider]

17. They need no stinking excuse ...

... since Texas laws support "at-will" employment.

[skygazer]

14. INS and IRS and possible DMV

However, rest assured that the only people who will get in any real trouble are the illegal aliens. While I understand your position and to some extent agree with it, I think it sucks that the company will likely not be penalized at all for hiring them. They, on the other hand, will probably get shipped back to Mexico if they're not held as potential terrorists.

See it all the time here in California. The guys get shipped out and the company waits a bit for things to quiet down then they hire the next crew of Mexicans for peanuts.

[gaia_gardener]

40. Illegal immigrants was a huge deal in the

senate race in OK. My thought was if we really cared about illegal immigrants taking jobs we'd penalize the people hiring them - they couldn't take jobs if no one hired them.

But, that would be bad for business so we'll never go after them. The system is fucked and the people in power have no desire to fix it.

[Kire]

18. you know what we do to Rats in the Lounge!

[ret5hd]

24. serious?

get a hidden video camera, wire yourself up and document your boss knowingly hiring illegals. photocopy/ photograph documents. do all the james bond stuff. then tell the workers that you are going to turn all this stuff in just after the next payday, don't be here cause ins probably will also. offer to put one or two of them up at your house till they find another job. then contact the media, irs, ins, etc.

not serious? blow it out your ass and quit trying to fan racial hatred here.

[Not_Giving_Up]

30. I'm not fanning racial hatred

It's just not right that the company gets to not pay taxes, comp insurance, etc.

[ret5hd]

34. really?

maybe you're telling me the truth, that's why i gave you the advice you ased for. but the attitudes expressed in your quotes below made me wonder. it seems that you are a lot more resentful of the workers thanb the employer.

**************************
ok, they're illegals

They go out of their way to "hire" the illegals...I know plenty of citizens who need a job.

but they get assistance without ever paying taxes.

they pay these guys seven bucks an hour or more...plenty of people I know would like to quit making minimum wage.

**********************

[hunter]

27. Odds are good nothing will really happen if you report them...

At worst, you may lose your job, the "illegal aliens" may lose their jobs, and then in a few months it will be business as usual for your "repuke" bosses. Maybe they lose their current business, but they probably have a backup plan. It could be that with their extensive experience hiring "illegal aliens" they can get better paying jobs as "independent" labor contractors.

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. Problems such as this require creative solutions. You wanna fight, then fight, but know exactly what you are getting into; maybe you risk having to move out of town if things get ugly. (If it was me I'd simply get the hell out as quietly as I could... Like big fucking deal, it's just a "lawn care" business...)

You don't want to piss off the local bosses -- often they "network" and keep informal blacklists of "troublemakers."

Whatever you decide to do, good luck to you!

[mac56]

28. So there's nothing that can be done to these bosses?

That sucks.

What's the incentive for other employers to follow the rules, then?

[hunter]

35. Yeah, it does suck...

Twenty five years ago many of my coworkers were "illegal aliens." I learned a lot. Nowadays the problem is worse, and the employers tend to be more sophisticated.

Illegal immigration is a big fat positive on the Bush administration's balance sheet. They want their workers to live in fear. Feudalism doesn't look all that bad when you are a lord.

[Ima]

31. That is good advise.

I would look for another job.

[Not_Giving_Up]

33. I already am

This entire place is run in a state of choas.

[Bertha Venation]

36. here's my opinion, fwiw

Is it hurting you? Is it taking money out of your pocket? If the answers are "no," leave it alone.

[Bertha Venation]

37. here's my opinion, fwiw

Is it hurting you? Is it taking money out of your pocket? If the answers are "no," leave it alone.

[sangh0]

39. CALL THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY

and let them know their client allows their employees to drive ompany owned vehicles without a license.

[Not_Giving_Up]

42. OK Gang...

I think I'm just going to look for another job, and then report it. I might take months for them to get around to checking it out, but then again, they might be diligent. It just turns my stomach to come here every day.

[tjdee]

43. What about YOUR job?

Have you thought about what will happen to YOU if this "small landscape company" is forced to pay fines/whatever happens and YOU are downsized? They may be unprepared to deal financially with the fallout of this.

What if it gets back to the company that you dropped the dime on them?

Just something to think about. If anything, you should find a better job and THEN inform on them.

Yes, our citizens need jobs. Yes, your bosses are hypocrites. This is one of those grey areas.