March 11, 2007

M. Elizabeth Roman on fear-struck sweatshop workers

M. Elizabeth Roman of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette (pron: "wuhssusshzstahhhahchawdah") offers "Immigration raid rattles locals" about the raids at the Michael Bianco Inc. factory, widely considered to be a sweatshop. It follows a now-familiar pattern:

A climate of fear has cast a pall over the local immigrant community in the wake of a government crackdown in a seaport town a hundred miles away.

When hundreds of federal agents checked into Fitchburg and Leominster [pron: leehahaministerahchawdah] hotels several days before they stormed New Bedford-based Michael Bianco Inc., rumors of a local raid spread quickly.

"It is devastating to families," said Matthew Feinstein of the Worcester Global Action Network. "The police presence caused many to fear to go to work or send their children to school."

I have no clue where something calling itself the "Global Action Network" falls on the political spectrum. Could they be centrist? Perhaps a little to the right side of things?

...Immigrant community members in Worcester County watched and waited in fear. When and where would ICE strike next? What could city officials do to prepare?

Maybe if M. Elizabeth Roman wants to do some real reporting - instead of just being a propagandist - she should look into whether any of those city officials have a financial interest of some kind in local companies that profit from illegal activity.

Posted to Immigration2007a at March 11, 2007 09:54 PM