Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

US vows crackdown on illegal immigrant worker abuse
06 Jun 2009 00:52:07 GMT
 Source: Reuters
MEXICO CITY, June 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. government under President Barack Obama plans to step up prosecutions of employers who abuse illegal immigrants on the job, a senior U.S. immigration official said in Mexico on Friday.

"(There are) employers who employ illegal labor in abusive conditions, don't pay them the minimum wage, make them work hours beyond the 40-hour week work, don't pay them overtime," said John Morton, who heads the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

"I intend to try to identify and prosecute those people much more vigorously than in the past," Morton told a small group of reporters at the U.S. Embassy after meeting with Mexican officials.

After just three weeks on the job, Morton traveled to Mexico to discuss security along the U.S.-Mexican border, which stretches about 2,000 miles (4,800 km).

Many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States entered the country from Mexico.

"We are going to enforce the law, that's our responsibility. ... I intend to make sure we do that responsibly, humanely and thoughtfully," Morton said.

Morton also said his agency is committed to cooperating with the Mexican government to control the flow of money and weapons south into Mexico, where they are used to help fuel a war with drug cartels that has claimed some 2,500 lives this year alone. (Reporting by Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Will Dunham)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  As Millions Flee Conflicts, Women's Refugee Commission Urges New Focus on Livelihoods for the Displaced
Women's Commission - USA

•  UMCOR Hotline for June 2, 2009
UMCOR - USA

•  Deadly Tobacco Products Devastate Developing World
ADRA - International

•  Extra-ordinary volunteering: young people experience life in the developing world
Christian Aid - UK

•  Health System Fixes Needed for Success of Pandemic Vaccines in Poor Countries, Aid Group Says
World Vision - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

•  US vows crackdown on illegal immigrant worker abuse

•  Fire kills at least eight kids at Mexican daycare

•  UN chief urges Sri Lanka war crimes investigations

•  As U.S. presses Israel, EU may join fray

•  Darfuris name babies after ICC prosecutor -Farrow

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Background information

Facts & figures
Mexico United States of America Bosnia-Herzegovina

Related articles

Breaking stories
 US vows crackdown on illegal immigrant worker abuse (1 minute ago)

Fire kills at least eight kids at Mexican daycare (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
 Climate change, wars could sink aid system - Oxfam (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
 As Millions Flee Conflicts, Women's Refugee Commission Urges New Focus on Livelihoods for the Displaced (1 minute ago)

Blogs
 The other "100 days" (1 minute ago)

Maps
 MAP: Swine Influenza (as of 29 Apr 2009) - Location Map (1 minute ago)


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-04T201744Z_01_MEX04_RTRIDSP_2_MEXICO_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/MEX04.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-04T200802Z_01_MEX02_RTRIDSP_2_MEXICO_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/MEX02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-04T200545Z_01_MEX01_RTRIDSP_2_MEXICO_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/MEX01.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-04T200354Z_01_MEX03_RTRIDSP_2_MEXICO_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/MEX03.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-06-03T191628Z_01_HNR14_RTRIDSP_2_EL-SALVADOR-CONCACAF_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/HNR14.htm

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim (R) and Carter Roberts, president of World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), walk before meeting to celebrate and mark World Environment Day in Cozumel, Mexico June 4, 2009. REUTERS/Gerardo ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Sat Jun 6 00:54:52 2009