1,200 janitors fired in 'quiet' immigration raid | Minnesota Public Radio NewsQ

1,200 janitors fired in 'quiet' immigration raid Minnesota Public Radio NewsQ

I think this story shows that immigration enforcement is alive and well under the Obama administration. This sort of enforcement is more effective and cost effective than the swat like raids of previous years. It is also more humane than surreptitiously whisking away parents into immigration detention while the children are still at school (as happened in the Bianco raids in Massachusetts).

Still, if this is not as emotionally disruptive to families - it is still disruptive of business.  Perhaps some out of work US citizens or legal residents will end up with janitorial jobs now.  But they won't stay in those jobs - and there won't be 1200 of them hired.  The 1200 people who have lost their jobs will now stop contributing to the local economy. Some additional number of homes will likely now be foreclosed on. Some will leave and some will simply find other jobs (probably for lower wages in this economy).

So although this type of enforcement is much to be preferred over "cowboy justice" -- legalization and reform of our immigration and employment laws are needed to avoid prolonging this recession.