Illegal immigrants working as painters have been in the crosshairs of ICE enforcement actions recently.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement department raided a painting company in El Cajon, California and arrested workers who were working illegally.
The federal immigration authorities pursued San Diego Powder and Protective Coatings after obtaining a search warrant that accused the company of knowingly hiring undocumented workers.
According to a local news station, around 50 workers were handcuffed while their immigration status was verified, with fewer than 20 painters ultimately being arrested on charges.
One woman told the station that her husband, the family’s breadwinner, was detained even though he was working on attaining legal status.
Although the U.S. citizens were eventually released, it was only after being forced to stand in the hot sun without water for an extended period of time, the station reported.
Another recent story tells of a painter who was taken to an El Salvadoran prison.
The Miami Herald covered the case of Reye Mota, a 24-year-old immigrant from Venezuela who was working as a painter while seeking asylum.
In this case, Mota got picked up during a routine check-in with the ICE office in Tampa. He was accused of being gang affiliated and deported to El Salvador without trial this month.
Mota is currently being held in the Terrorism Confinement Center, a maximum security facility created to house hardcore gang members.
Mota’s lawyer maintains that he is not in a gang. The Department of Homeland Security did not find any ties to criminal groups previously.
It is still unclear what evidence triggered the accusation of gang activity and subsequent deportation to El Salvador. In at least one well-publicized recent case, someone was allegedly deported to the same notorious prison because of a tattoo celebrating his favorite soccer team.
These enforcement actions are just the latest evidence that ICE is cracking down and painting contractors are not immune. Hire accordingly.
