Immigration raid fallout is tough on town
August 31, 2008
Elizabeth Crisp
elizabeth.crisp@clarionledger.com
Tensions had been building in this small southeast Mississippi town even before the immigration raid at the city's largest employer.
Feelings in the wake of Monday's raid now range from fear to anger to sympathy. And some residents are simply trying to move on.
At least 595 people were taken into custody when agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stormed Howard Industries, a company of more than 4,000 workers that specializes in technology products. It was the single-largest workplace immigration raid in U.S. history.
Lashonda Dase, the store manager of a local pawnshop, questions whether the company knowingly hired illegal workers over those who are here legally.
"You're basically keeping 600 people who are legal to work here from working," she said. "That could be 600 households, 600 children who've been suffering.
"It was wrong if they knew."
No one at Howard Industries has been charged, but the investigation is ongoing. Arrests at companies often can come weeks, months or even years after raids.
The company has denied any wrongdoing.
Wanda Benson, the city's public relations director, would not discuss anything for this story, including questions about Laurel's Hispanic community, Howard Industries' role in Laurel or how the raid stands to impact the city's future.
"Maybe at a later date the city will make a formal statement, but we have nothing to say at this time," she said.
Nearly all of the city's Mexican restaurants closed following the raid and have not reopened.
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