Does your employer hire illegal immigrants?
Who can you call if your employer is paying illegal immigrants or if your business has been tagged?
Graffiti on this building at the corner of Navarro and Ash streets, represents a problem some say is growing. However, Victoria doesn't have a graffiti ordinance so the city can't force private property owners to remove the spray painted nuisances.
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Have a question for 'Watchdog'?
To submit questions, e-mail watchdog@vicad.com, post them to the "Watchdog" blog or call Advocate Public Service Editor Gabe Semenza at 361-580-6519. No topic is off-limits.
What do you do if you suspect your employer hires illegal immigrants? Also, who will clean the graffiti that appears around town? I answer these questions, which concerned readers recently submitted.
ICE the problem
I received this e-mail recently: "What can be done if you work at a local business that employs illegal immigrants? The immigrants are paid in cash, some are even on disability and are not supposed to be working anyway."
Good question. While some online services agree to file these complaints for you - for a $10 fee - your best bet is to first call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423).
After a bit of hold time, you do get to speak with a human.
"That tip line is staffed 24 hours a day by people who are familiar with the immigration process," said Greg Palmore, a customs enforcement spokesman.
If the federal government fails to take quick action - the department offers a disclaimer while you hold that notes it does not investigate all claims - you should contact local law enforcement, Palmore said.
The sheriff's office or police department likely could summon quicker federal response than either you or I could.
Graffiti galore
A Watchdog column in April noted Victoria lacks an ordinance that requires residents to clean or cover graffiti from private property. The city's code enforcement staff can't cite anyone for unsightly graffiti.
Ever since that column published, I've noticed more and more graffiti appearing on local homes and businesses. Within the last week, I spotted two more instances, thanks in part to concerned readers.
Graffiti covers the north side of a building for lease on the corner of Navarro and Ash streets - a few blocks north of the underpass. Graffiti and obscenities cover all four sides of a small building near the railroad tracks on Port Lavaca Highway between Avenue D and Brownson Street. Even while driving by at 35 mph, the cuss words clearly stand out.
I learned this week, however, that an underused but longtime local program exists to combat the public nuisance. The Victoria Regional Juvenile Justice Center puts juveniles on probation to work if businesses supply paint and rollers.
"We do have a community service restitution program for juveniles and the service was used greatly in the early 1990s," said Pama Hencerling, the chief juvenile probation officer. "I don't know if people forgot we have it, but we used to do it all the time."
The program works like this:
Business owners who become victims of graffiti call Hencerling at 361-575-0399.
Hencerling notifies juveniles on probation.
Business owners provide paint and rollers, and juveniles get to work.
"These kids can't run heavy equipment, but they can use a paintbrush," Hencerling said. "We'll furnish the labor and the supervision."
During the last few years, very few business owners used the service.
Private homeowners, meanwhile, can only use the service under rare circumstances approved by juvenile court judges. Rules differ when the service benefits the private sector, Hencerling said.
"I hope people start using this service. I certainly think we have our share of graffiti for a city our size," Hencerling said. "I'm starting to see a lot more of it than we used to."
Gabe Semenza is the Public Service Editor for the Advocate. Comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
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Comments
According to the following statistics, a trend can be seen in hiring illegal immigrants.
Texas state rankings
number 2 with children on reduced/free lunches
number 51 in high school diplomas
number 2 in Hispanic population on disability insurance
December 3, 2009 at 4:17 p.m.number 49 with children in poverty
number 50 with people that has health insurance
I think Chief was spot on. You can't paint everyone who is drawing aid with the same broad strokes.
December 3, 2009 at 4:11 p.m.Wake up on the wrong side of the teepee, Chief?
December 3, 2009 at 4:01 p.m.Nice two pronged question there about two totally unrelated subjects. I'll address the illegals portion of it. If someone is an undocumented worker, you can bet they are not receiving disability. Alluding to an "e-mail" received and stating the question as you did, does not make it a fact, and no, it was not a "good question".
December 3, 2009 at 3:41 p.m.As far as "does your employer hire illegals", most people that would provide a positive response to that question, are likely illegal as well.
Holly, you are going out of your way to illustrate what a clueless redneck you are lately. There are a lot of folks out of work. Some of us are on unemployment, and some are taking advantage of whatever government assistance is available. I dare say that most, like I do spend every day chasing down job leads and hearing the same song from employers who are laying off rather than hiring. We would much rather be earning our keep as we had become accustomed to, and we are not "milking the system" and taking food out of your kids' mouths. So lighten up and rather than try to be an expert on each and every subject that is discussed here, pick one that you have just a smidge of understanding about and make an honest attempt to sound like you are qualified to offer an opinion, rather than just run your mouth.
You know Victore, not everything can be divided by Democrat v. Republican. Give it a break already.
December 3, 2009 at 2:04 p.m.Why must we be so politically correct here? Instead of the term illegal immigrant or alien, how about using undocumented democrat?
December 3, 2009 at 1:43 p.m.maybe we should make all the hard working illegals legal and all the lazy bum american welfare leaches who won't work illegal and deport them instead!!! I would rather legalize the working ones than support the generations of lazy people who milk the system instead of supporting themselves like us poor working stiffs who have to pay the welfare through our taxes.
December 3, 2009 at 1:02 p.m.I think there is some kind of law for renters that says no more than 2 people per bedroom? I know this law is being broken.
October 19, 2009 at 8:25 a.m.what about the landlords??? You have individuals and then the big real estate companies that give them slum housing. Look also at VISD, they admit their children to the schools.....hhhhmmm
October 19, 2009 at 8:23 a.m.Very Interesting.. I believe most of these people can become legal if wanted to. Most don't want to, they rather live free here. It does not take much to become a legal citizen. Also, for the employers, they should be fined to the extreme, this is why we have lower jobs for the LEGAL people here. And I am for all legal citizens here. The welfare system lets people work also, so I don't complain about that, I see most want to work they just can't afford high prices in rent or food, they need help. We should help out are Legal citizens. I feel employers whom hire illegals are also trying to get away with Tax invasion and should be punished extensively! I hope they do a sweep where I live in this rural area of Tx. I don't mind paying taxes to support the welfare of Legal citizens.
October 17, 2009 at 5:19 p.m.When are people gonna stop being so dumb? If you are illegal, there is no disability benifits. I believe you need a SS for that. and if you are illegal, you can apply but you will be turned down for not having a valid SS.
October 15, 2009 at 10:50 p.m.I believe everyone, no matter what race, should be given a chance at life. A chance to make a living. Why get upset if Illegals are paid cash? Just cause they don't get taxed? I wish I wasn't taxed, I know my tax money helps support some good things, but it also helps pay for all that government assistance. Welfare that 80 percent of the people don't deserve. People that are healthy to work. people who have played the system for years. If you got a job, 3 kids and a single mom or dad, forget getting assistance to help ends meet. If you don't have a job, 3 kids and live in government housing, you get lucky and get 400 to 500 a month. I think, if I didn't have goals in life to have something that was mine and have something to show for my hard work, I would rather be Illegal. Whatever the case, we have to look at the real story. Some of these Illegals get taxed, and help pay for our so called Americans that are on welfare. don't get me wrong, everyone needs a little assistance every once in awhile, but for years straight. Come on. Where is the real issue. And, I'm american born, but my heart is with the Mexican people.