Immigration sweep hits Maui eateries
22 illegal workers are seized at 3 restaurantsBy LILA FUJIMOTO, Staff Writer
POSTED: May 6, 2008
LAHAINA — Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 22 illegal immigrants who were working at restaurants in Lahaina and Wailea during sweeps at locations of two restaurant chains Friday.
Eight workers were arrested at Cheeseburger Island Style and Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurants in Wailea and Lahaina, while 14 employees of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Lahaina were arrested, according to the agency.
The arrests were part of separate ongoing investigations, the agency reported.
Rob Berger, Bubba Gump director of operations in Hawaii, said employees from the host, kitchen and merchandise sales departments of the Lahaina restaurant were detained.
“A lot of these employees worked here for years and have friends and family,” he said Monday. “It’s a very difficult time in this restaurant, obviously.
“We were closed for a few hours, but we were up and running shortly thereafter. The restaurant experience for the guests will be the same.”
When the agents showed up, “obviously, we assisted them in any way we can,” Berger said. “Our company has strict policies and procedures to ensure maximum compliance with immigration laws.
“During the hiring process, we do take a lot of steps to ensure that we only hire people that are authorized to work in the United States.”
He said employees are required to present two current forms of identification, with the information on them verified by a company bookkeeper.
“We take every step that’s required by law to ensure that each and every one of our employees is authorized to work in the United States,” Berger said. “It’s very frustrating to think that with all that we do, there are still people beating the system.”
Those arrested include Mexican nationals. After agents interviewed the immigrants, 20 illegal workers were being detained, according to ICE. The group of 14 men and six women was transferred to the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. Two other men were processed and released under supervision, pending future immigration proceedings.
“The lure of employment is one of the most significant factors fueling illegal immigration,” said Wayne Wills, special agent in charge of the ICE office of investigations in Honolulu. “Every job held by an illegal alien is a job taken from a U.S. citizen or legal resident of this area.”
The ICE said family members of those arrested can obtain information about their relatives’ detention status by calling (808) 541-2623 and selecting option 2.
ICE was assisted in the enforcement by the state Department of Public Safety Sheriff’s Department, Maui Police Department, Coast Guard, Hawaii Army National Guard, FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Maui police referred all questions to the ICE office in Honolulu.
• Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.
Member Comments
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Wahine
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05-12-08 12:38 AM
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Mahalo Sub. I love all cultures and all people. I just don't like to see discrimination against any cultures. Hope the best for you! Peace!
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subcomandantepepe
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05-11-08 5:28 PM
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dennisdakine i knew you using the work computer for personal things like posting on a forum any way i speend in of time on you wahine i see you are and intelligent and cain person you try to help others i wish will be more peoples like you thank you all chau el subcomandante
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Wahine
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05-10-08 5:55 AM
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dennis, get real. why would I say that stuff?? Here is the answer.....to goad you because you are a pacific islander that is putting preferential treatment on the "Pacific Islanders". I was saying that crap to prove my point that you can't just choose one nationality of illegals and make them go but let the other ILLEGALS stay...My entire point was that its so ironic how in a melting pot society, there is still so much racism.... Sorry that you can't see the bigger picture.. Take Care Bye Bye then :)
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subcomandantepepe
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05-09-08 9:11 PM
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dennisdakine the more you post the more i think you need a boyfriend i have a couple of friends i can introduce you to you may miss the beatings on the weekends but the are cool guys they may make you happy
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subcomandantepepe
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05-09-08 9:03 PM
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way I don't need to I guess you have to much time to watch TV all day so you think saving peoples life's and helping others is a labor of the authorities and not every day courtesy and good manners but in your case sound like you are a person who squish the system day by day and try to make you understand the reality is impossible and you never know you may have Spanish blood pumping in true your hard I will love to met you but I cant but let me tell you what one day you may just break the law and your dream may came true I see you learn same Spanish did you really know the mining I am not Mexican so pendejo and baboso is not even in my vocabulary 'quote' ""secret agent you say you are why do you not personally and professionally endorse and uphold the enforcement of America's immigration laws"" I don't work for immigration and I don't think be and immigrant is a crime is just a political issue I fight crime I don't play political games
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dennisdakine
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05-09-08 8:20 PM
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faux wahine, remember writing any of the following statements: -If our "locals" would quit the ice and the weed maybe they'ed want to work for a living rather selling drugs or surfing all day -these people (Mexicans) have more drive and motivation than 10 locals. -PACIFIC ISLANDERS talk like they have a whole lot of junk in their mouths. -The local mentality here is so sickening. And then you have the gall and audacity to say "I haven't even voiced my opinions except for pointing out your comments were uncalled for. MENTIDAS! MENTIROSA!! RACISTA11 Now, tell the good people of Hawaii what is you ancestry?
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dennisdakine
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05-09-08 7:36 PM
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Pepe, are you a complete retard? I have just gotten in in your *ss on every post on every taking point and your only response has been gibberish and poorly written gibberish at that. No, subcommandantepepe my delusional pendejo, it is you who is embarrassing yourself in front of all the people of Hawaii. Bavoso! If you say you are the super CIA/FBI/DEA etc. secret agent you say you are why do you not personally and professionally endorse and uphold the enforcement of America's immigration laws. My advice to you is to recite the Pledge of allegiance everyday until you understand what all the words mean.
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subcomandantepepe
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05-09-08 4:57 AM
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sorry the welcome party for the mexicans
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subcomandantepepe
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05-09-08 4:49 AM
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i hold few passports from south America, European community and USA but no French i guess you bean to long living on a bottle i cant tell you wear and wen but i bean around the block few times and back my drugs raid ware done in new york city on the late 80 early 90 to name few others probably you will have to spend few days study geography to figure all these places is hard to see how peoples talk because is free and you live on a freedom i provide for you and you don't even have a clue did you ever save a live or even help same one i don't think so i sleep very well every day knowing i exhaust every possible effort to help same one but you never will know that you instead blame the others for the failures and live on a bubble now probably you are dying to know who i am i give you a clue i was in the front page of the maui news alsoon the honolulu paper and on many new york papers and tv i dont want to embarrass you any more so i have to go to prepare the welc
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Wahine
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05-09-08 4:19 AM
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this is what you said dennis: now tell me who appears racist: Your spelling and grammar exposes you as an illiterate, low I.Q. Mexican. You are exactly the reason why ICE must enforce federal immigration laws in da Islands. Your people bring drugs, gangs and criminalty to all of Hawaii. Tongans, Samoans, Filipinos are all Pacific islanders, okay for them to stay but illegal alien Mexicans all have to be deported. Book em'and boot em' Dano. You can't pick and choose who can stay just cuz you relate to the Pacific Island nations more than Mexico....thats all I was saying!
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Wahine
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05-09-08 4:17 AM
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I am not anywhere close to being a racist. I love all people. The thing is I stick up for those who have no voice in this forum who are being trashed for stupid things going back to your previous post about an ignorant Mexican. Other than that, I haven't even voiced my opinions except pointing out that your comments were uncalled for. My other point I wanted to make was everyone in here is assuming they are all ONLY mexican immigrants. There are many more nationalities here and to just assume they are Mexicans is ridiculous. I am not spreading any Mexican propaganda. Infact I don't have any illegal friends. Oh wait, yeah one and she is from TONGA!
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dennisdakine
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05-09-08 4:06 AM
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Wahine, Your disparaging generalizations about "locals' and your prefernce for illegal alien Mexicans "because they do the jobs Americans won't do", tells everyone you certainly are not a wahine. I repeat, you should be ashamed of yourself for disseminating Anti-American , pro Mexican propaganda. ICE will ferret out and deport all your "amigos" in all the Hawaiian islands. Tell us your ancestry so everyone can get a better idea of where your racist, subversive attitudes come from.
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Wahine
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05-09-08 3:11 AM
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Dennis, thank you for making my point exactly! What makes you so much better that you can go and trash talk someone who doesn't have proper grammar and spelling because English is their second language? I'm not ashamed to be a wahine but guess what, I also have many latino friends that spread the aloha much more so than you seem to be doing. So clearly I offended you because I've commented on your nationality....maybe you'll be careful when you decide to speak rudely towards another. PS: Ever read Kon Tiki....technically according to research, there is a lot of Spanish blood in the Hawaiian blood. Embrace it!
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dennisdakine
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05-09-08 2:35 AM
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No, Pepe. 100% of the Mexican Army is Mexican.
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dennisdakine
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05-09-08 2:27 AM
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Parlez-vous Francais, subcommandantepepe? That's some resume you've got there. Let's see, busting international narco-traffickers, mowing down Jihadist terrorists, saving children from the international sex slave trade and what was that last one, oh yes, rescue and recovery at the WTC in NYC on 9/11. In your dreams, maybe Pepe. Anyway, To throw off the vestiges of 400 years of Spanish colonization and 50 years of likewise rule by the USA, the Phillipines certainly has not succeded in resolving red hot priorities like changing the oolonial names of many cities and street names in that country. I'll give you that much commandante.
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subcomandantepepe
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05-09-08 2:20 AM
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i don't have any problem whit the pacific islanders or any others i have a problem whit you i have many and many friends here is just people like you they make the others look bad and is not i like the Mexicans better than other is just i respect them us hard workers but these is way you can never understand since you are a ignorant and if you agree to deport all the illegal Filipinos or Tonga's just go to the hotels at 3.30 pm or get on the public bus at 4 pm you will get the 50 % of them but immigration dint do that they went for the Mexicans and by the way all of them are free today cheers i support all immigrants any nationality if the are here to work welcome to america and so you know 30 % of the army are mexicans
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dennisdakine
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05-09-08 1:54 AM
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"wahine? don't think so" After what you just wrote about pacific island people you should be ashamed!! Putting island people down like that. Don't call yourself "wahine" no mo. You have the nerve to say island people talk like they have "a load of junk in their mouth." Pidgin English was develped as a consequence of Haole colonization, cultural dehumaniztion and economic exploitation. For future plantation workers co it was the only way to survive. Note 20% of Hawaii is filipino ancestry, most fourth, fifth generation American. Most anthropologists agree almost all of Polynesia was colonized by seafaring tribesman (and their descendents) from the Phillipine archipelago 5000 years ago. I say yeah, if there are illegal filipinos or Tongans here deport them. I'd like to see you write the same sh** about the Nissei and Issei island bras. You like the illegal Mexicans so much go with them to Mexico and don't call yourself "wahine" no mo. Tell
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subcomandantepepe
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05-08-08 11:30 PM
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dennisdakine my dear i will say just these i am not a Mexican i speak 5 languages and English is not my best coming from a Latin grammar i put in jail more drug dealers you ever see average of 5 to 10 a week 95 % conviction i be in many wards and in many countries i fight against terrorist and even people who slave humans in other countries i see 5 year old kids working for food and 10 year olds working like sex slaves and on September 11 i was on ground 0 doing rescue for 2 days by the way over 400 illegal aliens die on the towers and dint get a penny and dint claim any can i ask you what you did wen i was doing all these work for you maybe eating watching TV and getting fat or sorry you allow to do these because you a pacific islander or by the way Filipinos have a Latin background so you know and did you ever wonder way all the lower states and cities have Spanish names so they are really illegal or maybe is the other way
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Wahine
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05-08-08 4:52 PM
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dennisdakine How can you determine what nationality of illegals can stay and which cannot. Just because a group is Pacific Islanders doesn't mean jack. Lots of illegal Fillipinos and they are doing illegal activity, cockfighting, sexual abuse , etc etc. By the way "hispanic" doesn't just mean Mexican so don't assume they are all Mexican. We have a lot of people from ARgentina, Brasil, and Central America living here. And lastly for you to point out someones comments in this forum and assume they are an ignorant Mexican....that is ridiculous. I KNOW A WHOLE LOT OF PACIFIC ISLANDERS that talk like they have a load of junk in their mouth.....and they purposely talk like that..all dis pigeon stuffs..its disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself for calling that person ignorant and low IQ. Lets assume this person is from Mexico which means Spanish is the persons first tongue.that means, they can speak, think, and write (albeit not great spelling)IN ENGLISH you jerk!smart no
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Mikaela
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05-07-08 9:22 PM
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8.00 dollars an hour is alot of money compared to 8 pesos a day. With the want of money comes greed. Fancy cars, big homes, lack of respect for those who live here legally. Literally illegal immigrants think since nothing is done to them, What these Gringos going do to us? Send us back, we just climb the fence and come back here.
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lsom2000
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05-07-08 7:14 PM
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I've seen so many restaurants and have observed some unusual trends.. Mexican cooks in chinese restaurants, chinese cooks in mexican restaurants, blacks whites it don't matter..If you are allowed to work in the states then go ahead and work if not face the consequence...Ten to one these people who were busted will return to the states because the risk was worth it...
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dennisdakine
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05-07-08 4:54 PM
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Dear subcommandantpepe, Your spelling and grammar exposes you as an illiterate, low I.Q. Mexican. You are exactly the reason why ICE must enforce federal immigration laws in da Islands. Your people bring drugs, gangs and criminalty to all of Hawaii. Tongans, Samoans, Filipinos are all Pacific islanders, okay for them to stay but illegal alien Mexicans all have to be deported. Book em'and boot em' Dano.
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kaitech
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05-07-08 4:11 PM
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Like was said before if folks would stop smoking ICE and work as hard as these folks do. BUT no it is not that way, as a business owner I have no problem paying some one not illegal the right wage if THEY are WORTH the money, I don't believe that hiring illegals is cool and businesses should now that but it all comes back to the mighty dollar. More of our youth should work instead of staying home with mommy and daddy and thinking they can just live off them all there lifes, learn what it is like the the real world, its not just about surfing and partying, getting drunk or getting high, all the darn time.
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UncleB
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05-07-08 1:01 PM
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The "Doing work you wont do" line is a crock. There is always somebody willing to work. Sometimes you just need to pay them and not be upset when you cant bully them. Back in the day all the Hhaole Surfers and Hawaiians and Tongans filled the kitchens. Now that role has changed. Why? Cheaper Labor costs. You dont think theres some Hawaiian or Haole cleaning park restrooms? Well there is and they make a decent wage doing it. Of course if you give somebody the choice..Do you want to as an employer pay some body $18 or $8 per hour..guess what one they will choose. And if your illegal your illegal no matter where your from..Manilla, Mexico or Matangi.
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subcomandantepepe
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05-07-08 5:36 AM
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funy to read so many ignorants coments the federals agencies have to consentrate the resurses on drugs, terrorist ,etc not coming to maui to thake same illegal workers , yes workers not criminals they do the work you guys dont wont to do the clean the mess you guys make they feed you and they dont ask for much 90 % of them cross the desert walking and they dont complain they work all day what they did last week is totally illegal the terrorist in wantanamo bay have more rigths than these poor families and inmigration use and old trick to gain acces to places they pick up same peoples from the street just becouse they look mexicans they dint thake any filipinos or tongans or others they knew wear to find the mexicans and they prey on them but they will came back just becouse the have the will to work and i hope all those they discriminate now realice is more importan isues on the islans
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