Illegal workers arrested in Texas (Daily Reporter)

Illegal workers arrested in Texas
Schauer: Outrageous Enbridge allowed this

By Roland Stoy
The Daily Reporter
Posted Sep 02, 2010 @ 05:15 PM
Winnie, Texas —

Illegal immigrants hired to work on the oil spill in Calhoun County were arrested by Chambers County, Texas authorities Wednesday.

Acting on a tip about two chartered buses parked behind a bank, deputies captured 42 found to be illegals.

A report from setx (southeastern Texas).com said around 40 of those on the buses ran and were able to escape, and those captured were taken to a holding facility in Houston.

Upon hearing about the incident, Congressman Mark Schauer issued a statement recalling the Enbridge pledge to “do the right thing.”

“Enbridge needs to live up to the commitment it made to our community, be a good neighbor, and start hiring qualified Michigan workers to clean up the spill,” said the Battle Creek Democrat. “Our community repeatedly asked the EPA and Enbridge to use local labor, and the fact that Enbridge allowed one of its contractors to hire illegal immigrants is appalling.”

Enbridge Energy Partners is the firm engaged in a massive cleanup operation along Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River, where an estimated million gallons of oil began spilling into the creek in Marshall Township July 25.

Texas authorities said the buses had been chartered by Hallmark Industrial, a cleanup company subcontracting with Garner Environmental Services, subcontracting with Enbridge. Enbridge reportedly fired Hallmark earlier in the week.

Schauer had released letters sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) calling for an investigation of allegations of undocumented workers being used to clean up the spill.

Said Schauer, “It’s outrageous that Enbridge allowed undocumented workers to be hired to clean up the spill, showing complete disregard for our country’s labor laws. That’s why I called on federal agencies to conduct an investigation and hold responsible parties accountable for their actions,” said Schauer. “This situation should not have happened, and it is particularly troubling given the high unemployment rate in our state and the availability of HAZMAT-trained workers right here in Calhoun County that could be hired for these jobs.”

Enbridge President and CEO Pat Daniel said, in a news conference Wednesday, “We’ve now provided direct employment to approximately 500 Michigan residents and indirectly to probably hundreds of others in providing service to that direct workforce on the clean-up effort. We will continue to transition to a high percentage of local workers as we go forward.”

Reports have said up to 1,700 workers have been involved the effort.