Ro33, I skimmed through half that article, which was quite lengthy and full of time-wasting details, before I gave up and just did a search on the word "fine."
Here's what I arrived at:
On December 13, 2011, ICE agents raided the home, business, and farms belonging to Mike Millenkamp, a dairy farmer in eastern Iowa. It was the beginning of a seven-year ordeal that would upend Millenkamp’s life. At the time of the raid, he had just four employees. Three of them were undocumented. ICE hauled away his business records, arrested his employees, and launched an aggressive investigation. After sifting through his files, the government said that about three quarters of the thirty-eight workers he had employed over a four-year period were undocumented. Millenkamp pleaded guilty to “illegal alien harboring” and agreed to pay $250,000 in fines and penalties. Despite a relatively clean record, he was sentenced to three months in federal prison and three years of supervised probation, which just ended this past summer. I don't see how this supports your argument.
First of all, Millenkamp knew he was breaking the law. The punishment seems rather harsh, but that's also to be expected in a district that is very pro-Trump and anti-illegal immigration.
Second, there's nothing in that story that proves lawmakers knowingly allow their own constituents to break the law. There are no political connections cited between Millenkamp and Devin Nunes, or between him and Steve King. In fact, the story bemoans the exact opposite sentiment, namely that illegal immigrants there and anyone who dares to employ them live in abject fear of ICE.
And third, there are many farmers, especially those running small, independent operations, who get by with legal labor. Iowa in particular has a very good and functional migrant worker program, which also includes education and public assistance for said workers. The workers get benefits, the farmers who hire them get benefits, and it's a win-win for all involved.
Bottom line is that you were indeed making shit up, namely the notion that local Republican politicians knowingly allow constituents to break the law.
Tenchusatsu |
