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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2018)
8A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018 Immigration agents descend on 7-Eleven stores in 17 states Oregon,Washington among the states By ELLIOT SPAGAT and NOMAAN MERCHANT Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Seven immi- gration agents filed into a 7-Eleven store before dawn Wednesday, waited for people to go through the checkout line and told arriving customers and a driver delivering beer to wait outside. A federal inspection was underway, they said. Within 20 minutes, they verified that the cashier had a valid green card and served notice on the owner to pro- duce hiring records in three days that deal with employees’ immigration status. The well-rehearsed scene, exe- cuted with quiet efficiency in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, played out at about 100 7-Eleven stores in 17 states and the District of Columbia, a roll- ing operation that officials called the largest immigration action against an employer under Donald Trump’s presidency. Oregon and Washington were among the states targeted. The employment audits and inter- views with store workers could lead to criminal charges or fines. And they appeared to open a new front in Trump’s expansion of immigra- tion enforcement, which has already brought a 40 percent increase in deportation arrests and pledges to spend billions of dollars on a border wall with Mexico. A top official at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the audits were “the first of many” and “a harbinger of what’s to come” for employers. “This is what we’re gearing up for this year and what you’re going to see more and more of is these large-scale compliance inspections, just for start- ers,” said Derek Benner, acting head of ICE’s Homeland Security Investi- gations, which oversees cases against employers. “It’s not going to be limited to large companies or any particular industry — big, medium and small,” he said. After the inspections, officials plan to look at whether the cases war- rant administrative action or criminal investigations, Benner told The Asso- ciated Press. 7-Eleven Stores Inc., based in Irving, Texas, said in a statement that the owners of its franchises are responsible for hiring and verifying AP Photo/Chris Carlson U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents serve an employment audit notice at a 7-Eleven conve- nience store Wednesday in Los Angeles. work eligibility. The chain with more than 8,600 convenience stores in the U.S. said it has previously ended fran- chise agreements for owners con- victed of breaking employment laws. Unlike other enforcement efforts that have marked Trump’s first year in office, Wednesday’s actions were aimed squarely at store owners and managers, though 21 workers across the country were arrested on suspicion of being in the country illegally. Illegal hiring is rarely prosecuted, partly because investigations are time-consuming and convictions are difficult to achieve because employers can claim they were duped by fraud- ulent documents or intermediaries. Administrative fines are discounted by some as a business cost. Amy Peck, an Omaha, Nebraska, immigration attorney who represents businesses, said an employer crack- down will never work because the government has limited resources and there are many jobs that people who are in the country legally do not want. “When these audits occur, the employees scatter in the wind and go down the street and work for some- body else,” Peck said. “You’re play- ing whack-a-mole.” President George W. Bush’s admin- istration pursued high-profile criminal investigations against employers in its final years with dramatic pre-dawn shows of force and large numbers of worker arrests. In 2008, agents arrived by helicopter at the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, and detained nearly 400 workers. Last month, Trump commuted the 27-year prison sentence of Sholom Rubash- kin, former chief executive of what was the nation’s largest kosher meat- packing operation. Barack Obama’s administration more than doubled employer audits to more than 3,100 a year in 2013, shunning Bush’s flashier approach. John Sandweg, an acting ICE direc- tor under Obama, said significant fines instilled fear in employers and avoided draining resources from other enforcement priorities, which include child exploitation, human trafficking and money laundering. Wednesday’s audits arose from a 2013 investigation that resulted in charges against nine 7-Eleven franchi- sees and managers in New York and Virginia. Eight have pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay more than $2.6 million in back wages, and the ninth was arrested in November. The managers used more than 25 stolen identities to employ at least 115 people in the country illegally, know- ing they could pay below minimum wage, according to court documents. Neither 7-Eleven nor was its par- ent company, Seven & I Holding Co. based in Tokyo, was charged in the case. Julie Myers Wood, former head of ICE during the Bush administra- tion, said the most recent inspections showed that immigration officials were focusing on a repeat violator. Part of the problem, Wood said, is the lack of “a consistent signal” between administrations that the U.S. govern- ment will prosecute employers who hire immigrants without legal status. Some immigration hardliners have been pressing Trump to move against employers. Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said the inspections offered “a good sign” that the administration was seri- ous about going after employers. But, he said, the administration would need to go beyond audits. “It’s important for Trump to show that they’re not just arresting the hap- less schmo from Honduras but also but also the politically powerful American employer,” he said. In Koreatown, agents gathered in a grocery store parking lot and drove through side streets in unmarked cars to their target location. The manager was in Bangladesh and the owner, reached by phone, told the clerk to accept whatever doc- uments were served. The clerk told agents he had no knowledge of doc- uments required to prove eligibility to work and was asked to pass along bro- chures for voluntary programs aimed at better compliance with immigration laws. CLASSIFIEDINDEX classifieds NOTICES MARINE Special Notices ............................. 104 Boats for Sale................................. 251 Public Notices ............................... 107 Boating Parts & Accessories ..... 254 Announcements .......................... 110 Boats Wanted ................................ 257 Boat Trailers ................................... 260 PERSONALS Marine Supplies & Equip. .......... 266 Lots & Found ................................. 181 Boat/RV Storage ........................... 269 Personals ........................................ 184 Fund-raisers ................................... 188 RVs & Trailers RVs & Travel Trailers ............ 301-307 AUTOMOTIVE Campers, Utility Trailers .... 310-313 Antiques/Classic Vehicles ......... 201 Automobiles .................................. 204 REAL ESTATE SUVs/Trucks .......................... 207-210 Open Houses ................................. 501 4WD .................................................. 213 For Sale ................................... 504-513 Vans .................................................. 216 Lots & Acreage .............................. 516 ATVs/Motorcycles ........................ 219 Income Property .......................... 519 Truck/Auto Parts .......................... 222 Manufactured Homes ................ 522 Detailing ......................................... 225 Commercial Property ................. 525 Tires & Wheels ............................... 228 Real Estate Wanted ..................... 531 251 Boats for Sale 2018 27LOA XT24DV Long Cabin Offshore pilothouse tuna boat. Stout construction! Large Alaska Following. Now launching in WA and OR. Need seed boats, will entertain demo discounts for the right buyer. www.xtaeroboats.com Call for details. $149,000. Tacoma, WA. Call 907-342-2141 519 Income Property Duplex Townhouse-style, 1&2 bedroom units, large bonus rooms, garages. Close to downtown, beach. $480,000. See at: 364/366 S. 4th Place, Manzanita, OR, 503-357-5557 denfeld.c@gmail.com Reach the entire North Oregon and Southwest Washington coasts with our classified package options! Call 503-325-3211 for more information. www.DailyAstorian.com 613 Houses for Rent Sm 2/bd in Country Immediately Available $700/mo 1st/last/deposit Include personal history, references, contact info to: Blind Box 45 c/o The Daily Astorian P.O. Box 210 Astoria, OR 97103 616 Rooms & Roommates 3 months, maybe longer, for 1 quiet person. No intoxicants/smoking $595/month. Private bath. 503-325-0000 Don’t have a Daily Astorian subscription? Call 503-325-3211 and let one of our friendly circulation representatives assist you! 619 Commercial Rental Astoria: 3925 Abbey Lane, 800 SF and up. Starting at $.50/SF and up. (503)440-6945 RENTALS Properties for Rent ............. 601-613 Rooms & Roommates................. 616 Commercial Rental ...................... 619 Vacation Rentals .......................... 622 Storage Space ............................... 628 Wanted to Rent ............................ 634 RV/Mobile Home Space ............ 637 PETS/LIVESTOCK Animal Boarding .......................... 701 Feed-Hay-Grain ............................ 704 Pets & Supplies ............................. 710 Horses & Tack ................................ 713 MISCELLANEOUS Fuel, Heating & Firewood ......... 807 Furniture & HH Goods ................ 810 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TV & Electronics ........................... 811 Business Opportunities ............. 643 Antiques & Collectibles ............. 813 Business for Sale .......................... 644 Jewelry ............................................ 814 Arts & Crafts ................................... 816 HELP WANTED Help Wanted .................................. 651 APPLIANCES & EQUIP. Work Wanted ................................. 652 Tools & Heavy Equipment ........ 851 Lawn & Garden Equipment ...... 854 SERVICES Appliances ..................................... 860 Childcare/Adult Care .................. 661 Medical Equip. & Supply ........... 866 Services ........................................... 664 Farm Equipment .......................... 923 619 Commercial Rental Two great retail spaces for rent separate or together: 402SF+303SF. 255 N. Hemlock next to CB Distillery. Cannon Beach, OR 360-608-3109 Retail spaces for rent at 810 Broadway: 700, 1110, or 850 SF. Warehouse space 3600SF. Call Blain. Seaside, OR 360-589-8381 651 Help Wanted Customer Service Representative Full-time position with benefits and excellent starting salary. Must possess excellent customer service skills, computer/data entry, file, fax, answer phones. Must be dependable, organized, self-motivated, and a team player. Submit a resume and cover letter to North Coast Home Care. Email kevin@nchc.net or fax (503) 325-1437 651 Help Wanted Adult Foster Home is looking for a full-time and part-time Caregiver. Must pass background check, experience required. Call 503-791-6420 Bookkeeper-Immediate Full-time G/L Bookkeeper for a busy accounting office in Seaside. Knowledge of computers useful. Call 503-738-9543 for an interview. WE GETRESULTS DANIELLE CALL TODAY TO PLACE YOUR AD 503-325-3211 or 800-781-3211 x231 Email: classifieds@dailyastorian.com Web: www.dailyastorian.com THE DEADLINE FOR CLASSIFIED ADS is 1 p.m. the day before your ad is scheduled to run All classifieds require pre-payment 651 Help Wanted Landscape Maintenance Person 1-Year experience Valid Driver’s License Must be able to lift heavy objects P.O. Box 2573 Gearhart, OR 97138 503-738-2936 651 Help Wanted Full-Time Employment NW Staffing is hiring crab processors for the 1/15/18 crab season. No exp required. Weekly pay. $13/hr. 971-219-0240 Chinook, WA. 503-468-8298 wsanchez@nwstaffing.com Early Childhood Educators for Head Start centers in Seaside, Warrenton and Astoria Teachers and Assistant Teachers to carry out developmentally appropriate activities. To promote the health, nutrition and education of the children and to attend to their safety and welfare and to facilitate kindergarten readiness for all children. Go to www.nworheadstart.org for application process and to review job duties and qualifications. Salary plus health and education benefits. Maintenance Person for vacation rental homes in Cannon Beach. Must be self-starter skilled in basic home repairs. Position is full time and permanent. Send Resume to: Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals P.O. Box 723 Cannon Beach, OR 97110 Planning to move? Sell those items you can’t take with you with a classified ad in The Daily Astorian! LOOKING FOR VACATION HOME CLEANERS! Experience preferred, but we will train the right person. Must be detail oriented, able to work on your own and have your own vehicle. Please provide a resume to Kathy at PO Box 723 Cannon Beach. We will not be accepting phone inquiries. Classified Ads work hard for you!