Rentals prompt federal charges TENANTS SAID TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

By Valarie Honeycutt Spears [e-mail] Friday, March 7th, 2008 A father and son who own two large Lexington apartment complexes have been ordered to appear in U.S. District Court Friday to answer charges that they rented to at least 60 illegal immigrants and hired two without documentation to work for them. A 32-count federal indictment charges William Jerry Hadden and Jamey Hadden with harboring illegal immigrants from 2000 to November 2007 at the Woodridge Apartments and Cross Keys Apartments. Both complexes are located off Versailles Road in an area heavily populated with Hispanic immigrants. Most, if not all, of the 60 tenants named in the indictment are facing deportation, and several of them have been charged criminally with illegally entering the United States, said Lexington immigration attorney Rachel A. Newton. Advocates for immigrants said they fear the case could have a "chilling effect" on other landlords, leaving immigrants with few options for places to live. The case is the "local manifestation of a national policy shift" on the part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to target landlords, employers, and other people who knowingly harbor illegal immigrants, according to Newton. Chicago-based ICE spokesperson Gail Montenegro confirmed the agency's focus on those who harbor illegal immigrants, saying, "It's a priority." The Haddens hired two men who they knew were illegal aliens to work at their apartment buildings, according to the indictment. Those men, whose identities are not revealed in the indictment, are cooperating with prosecutors, says the indictment, which was filed Feb. 29. One man worked as an apartment manager, the indictment says, and the other worked in maintenance but helped with leasing apartments. The indictment alleges that once the Haddens began renting to illegal immigrants, they changed their rental policies and quit requiring credit checks, proof of identification and Social Security numbers. Previously, tenants not having documentation were rejected, the indictment alleges. Also, the indictment says that the Haddens circumvented a Kentucky Utilities policy of requiring customers to provide Social Security numbers. The Haddens would have all the bills sent to the apartment building office and then distribute the bills to individual tenants, the indictment says.

[Watchful]

I am glad to see that our government is finally clamping down on illegal aliens in Kentucky. If all cities would do this, those that are breaking our laws would be forced to return to where they came from. I agree that the best way to clean them out of our communities is to clamp down on those that are housing and hiring illegals. Anyone found harboring illegals should pay a really stiff fine and possible jail time, depending on how involved they are in this criminal activity. I don't know how many illegal aliens there are in Warren County and Bowling Green, but they won't be here long. There will be more and more arrests throughout the state. It is just starting.

[Senior Citizen]

If our govt. had just enforced the laws that were on the books, we would not be in this shape. All illegals need to return to their country of origin. I have nothing but respect for those who entered the country legally and have persued cititzenship.

[Wan Um Gone]

We cannot sit by and let the hundreds and thousands of illegal aliens move in to our communities. They are leeches on our society. Some will say how thankful we should be to have them come here and do jobs no one else will do. That is not true. Some will say how sorry we should feel for the illegals because they don't even have health insurance. They don't have to. The local ER or Urgent Care is their doctor's office. The hospitals cannot turn them away, no matter what it costs the hospital and the doctors to take care of them. We should all be writing our congressmen and representatives, governors, mayors, police department, sheriff's department, and anyone who will listen, to let them know we are unhappy that our laws are not being enforced. We must turn these people in so they can get a ticket back home.

[Business Owner]

The govt has me paying taxes for police and US Marshalls, yet I have to do their job when hiring or renting someone??

If 70% of americans were not sorry then the mexicans would not have jobs. It would be different if Mexicans worked for 3 dollars an hour, but they DONT they get 8-10 and hour for common labor jobs that americans will not do..

Here stack these boxes for 8 hours.. Mexican worker does what is asked American calls friends on cell phone asks if he should do this or not, decides its a BS job and says f it I'll go down and get on welfare and get a food stamp card..]

Americans need to wake up and realize that sometimes you have to do a job you dont like, you dont get to start as BOSSMAN.. Face it Most Americans are LAZY.. its an epidemic.

Yes illegal alien problem is bad, but asking business's to play cop and investigate this crap is total BS.

[tin pony rider]

yes they get 8-10 $ per hour, but they do not pay any income taxes. so in reality they are making 11-13 $ per hour if you had to pay taxes. but if you had to pay taxes on the 8-10 $ per hour you would only be bring home approximatly 6-7 $ per hour. does this sound fair?

[LuvMyDogs]

tin pony rider wrote:

yes they get 8-10 $ per hour, but they do not pay any income taxes. so in reality they are making 11-13 $ per hour if you had to pay taxes. but if you had to pay taxes on the 8-10 $ per hour you would only be bring home approximatly 6-7 $ per hour. does this sound fair?

Mr. Rider, Who said we have to be "fair" to someone that is a lawbreaker, that sneaks into our country by night, knowingly breaking our law? They don't "deserve" a free airline ticket, either, when they are deported. They should have to serve some jail time when caught or turned in for being here illegal, and while in jail they should have to work on the road crew until they have "earned" their ticket back to their country. Oh, and here is another idea: When a farmer is needing a work crew to work their fields, they could go to the jail where the illegals are serving their pre-deportation "time" and pay the jail to bring out a crew to work their fields. Then the jail can hold the money they are paid in a special account to buy their ticket home with. We should do NOTHING for them for free. We owe them nothing. And, I don't want to hear any sad and pitiful stories about how we are mistreating a poor little family by sending them back to their country. As far as the children involved, we could provide foster care while their parents are serving their pre-deportation "time" in jail. We could do that much for the children, because they cannot help what their parents have done. But, when these kids see what a mess their parents got themselves into, I bet they won't ever try what their parents did. They will remember the day that Mom and Dad had to go to jail for breaking into a country where they didn't belong.

[Business Owner]

tin pony rider wrote:

yes they get 8-10 $ per hour, but they do not pay any income taxes. so in reality they are making 11-13 $ per hour if you had to pay taxes. but if you had to pay taxes on the 8-10 $ per hour you would only be bring home approximatly 6-7 $ per hour. does this sound fair?

Only on farms and cash paid jobs does this happen..
In case you didn't realize most of them now work in Factories. They take out taxes and since the Mexican may or maynot have given a real social they do not get to file return and get what they would get back anyway. so the govt does get tax money through witholdings that are never refunded. Again, not claiming its right but its still not the factories job to look up each employee.. That is between the government and the illegal not the factory. WE pay taxes for this to be done and they have been blowing it on other pork.

Also, there would not me a job market for the Mexicans if most americans were not sorry and looking for a get rich quick scheme. Mexicans are like Americans from the 70's, they save what they make and live off of nothing.. Americans have their money spent 3 months before they make it..

[Business Owner]

Americans need to wake up and stop asking the govt to take care of them.. Take care of yourself and mind you own business and you will be fine.

[tin pony rider]

Business Owner wrote:

Americans need to wake up and stop asking the govt to take care of them.. Take care of yourself and mind you own business and you will be fine.

no them don't need free schooling. free medical care, nor a free plane ride back home. so, do you deduct taxes on them, and send it to goverment. if employers know that they are illegal, taxes could be deducted and not sent to the goverment, but stuck it their pocket.

[Business Owner]

I'm sorry I can't understand you..

QUOTE"NO them dont" what are you trying to say again?

Watch out you may loose your citizenship if you dont know the english language...

[tin pony rider]

Business Owner wrote:

I'm sorry I can't understand you..
QUOTE"NO them dont" what are you trying to say again?
Watch out you may loose your citizenship if you dont know the english language...

they

[tin pony rider]

Business Owner wrote:

I'm sorry I can't understand you..
QUOTE"NO them dont" what are you trying to say again?
Watch out you may loose your citizenship if you dont know the english language...

you may loose yours for working illegal aliens.

[tin pony rider]

Business Owner wrote:

Americans need to wake up and stop asking the govt to take care of them.. Take care of yourself and mind you own business and you will be fine.

speaking of english QUOTE" mind you own business".

[Business Owner]

I dont have any illegal aliens .... that I know of. That is the govts job, if they have a drivers liscense and a good record is all I need for proof. It is ridiculous if the govt allows an illegal alien to get a drivers liscense, but I'm required to do further checks to see if they are really legal. Shouldn't the courthouse do that before giving them a liscense?

[sick of misinformation]

actually, 'illegal aliens', by which I think you people mean aliens unauthorized to work in the US (which includes people here legally), DO pay taxes. Unauthorized aliens contributed 6 BILLION DOLLARS to social security and 1 billion to Medicaid in 2006, according to the IRS . And they are only eligible to use emergency medical services because it is inhumane to deny medical services to someone in an emergency situation, and how an 'emergency' is defined is up to your state government. ALSO, every alien pays sales taxes and is either paying property taxes or covering the cost of such taxes in their rent.

[janie]

Illegal is still illegal. I have a hard time believing that 70% of American born citizens are deadbeats. Our society hasn't slipped that far yet.

Please correct me if I am incorrect. There are basicly two types of illegals.........those who entered illegally and those who entered legally and remained illegally.

While some are engaged in employment that is tax paying, how did the illegal get a social security card which is supposed to be a requirement for employment, unless one is paid cash under the table?

It seems to me that we are talking about criminal behavior. The landlord who knowingly rents to an illegal is renting to a criminal.

When I applied to rent at my current apartment two years ago, my landlord did a very thorough background check on me and followed up on all of the information I provided. I wish all prospective tennants were checked out the way I was. Have a good evening.

[tin pony rider]

janie wrote:

Illegal is still illegal. I have a hard time believing that 70% of American born citizens are deadbeats. Our society hasn't slipped that far yet.
Please correct me if I am incorrect. There are basicly two types of illegals.........those who entered illegally and those who entered legally and remained illegally.
While some are engaged in employment that is tax paying, how did the illegal get a social security card which is supposed to be a requirement for employment, unless one is paid cash under the table?
It seems to me that we are talking about criminal behavior. The landlord who knowingly rents to an illegal is renting to a criminal.
When I applied to rent at my current apartment two years ago, my landlord did a very thorough background check on me and followed up on all of the information I provided. I wish all prospective tennants were checked out the way I was. Have a good evening.

Thank You-and have a good evening.

[tin pony rider]

Business Owner wrote:

I dont have any illegal aliens .... that I know of. That is the govts job, if they have a drivers liscense and a good record is all I need for proof. It is ridiculous if the govt allows an illegal alien to get a drivers liscense, but I'm required to do further checks to see if they are really legal. Shouldn't the courthouse do that before giving them a liscense?

Only if the liscense is legal. Didn't, a few weeks back,the BG Daily News have a article about illegal documents being sold in Bowling Green.

[janie]

Sadly, illegal documentation of all sorts is readily available in the area.

A number of years ago, in a nearby county, a chicken processing plant was built and employees were litterally brought up North by the open truck load. Production and distribution of documentation was a thriving business for a while.

A year before the plant was opened, the local school teachers were advised that they were expected to be Spanish speaking by the time the plant opened as it was understood that families would be following the working parent after the initial period of training was completed.

Just because a lot of people made a lot of money out of that situation, doesn't make it right.

[sick of misinformation]

I'm not saying that I approve of anyone abusing the immigration system. My post was a reaction to an earlier post that called unauthorized immigrants 'leeches on our society,' which just isn't the case. Our government has perpetuated a system that encourages individuals to come here at great risk to themselves while ignoring the poverty and plight of millions of US citizens, and all just because big business wants cheap and compliant labor, and that is disgusting. But you know what else is disgusting? Attitudes that demonize people who are doing exactly what each and every one of you would do if it was the best option to support your family. And yes, unauthorized immigrants do use fake SSNs, 75% of them do, and by doing so, they are not working 'under the table,' but are contributing tax dollars to this country.