Political Quotes

“law enforcement officials who made the arrests and looked at this called it a ``modern day plantation.'' What happened was a string of very profitable convenience stores had undocumented immigrants from Pakistan and the Philippines routinely working up to 100 hours a week for below minimum wage. And although their employers made $180 million over a dozen years, while pocketing much of their employees' wages, these workers lived packed into apartments unfit for human habitation. Because they lacked the proper immigration paperwork, the workers were simply too afraid to speak up for themselves. It happens all the time. These were the circumstances at more than a dozen 7-Eleven stores in Long Island, NY, and in Virginia. They were raided last week by Federal immigration officials. The unfortunate conditions exposed by this high-profile bust, however, are all too common. The busts do not come very often. They were able to get to the bottom of this. Most of the time these people are so abused and nothing happens except the abuse continues. More than one-half of undocumented day laborers say they have been cheated by employers. One-quarter of undocumented workers polled in New Jersey say they have been assaulted by their employers, a crime they rarely report. A lot of times there are language barriers, and they are simply afraid they are going to lose their jobs and maybe be deported.…”