Employer Reports Injured Worker to ICE for Deportation

Do employers now feel that they have free reign to abuse and steal wages from undocumented workers? It appears that may now be the case.

Jose Flores, a thirty-seven year old immigrant from Honduras, was working for Tara Construction, when his leg was broken on a job site. Tara failed to have worker’s compensation insurance on the date of the accident, making the company liable for medical payments and fines.

What Tara did next was stunning:

Sobosik [Mr. Flores’ attorney] says she could not have expected what would take place when Flores’ boss offered some cash to help the family and arranged a meeting.

“The employer told this worker where to be, at exactly what time, and immigration was waiting,” Sobosik explained.

         Source: WBUR

As Mr. Flores sits in jail, his leg still six months from recovery, his family (including five children) are left devastated. Three of his young children are citizens, but what will the family do if one or both of their parents are deported back to Honduras? They fled gang violence in Honduras 17 years ago, and as a result of the US-backed coup in Honduras in 2009, gang violence is once again out of control.

For more on this story, read or listen to WBUR’s coverage of this case.

The Metrowest Worker Center, a task force ally, setup a crowd funding campaign for Mr. Flores and his family. Please consider a donation and help spread the word:

 

UPDATE 5/22/2017: Jose Flores was released to his family for deferred action due to pressure from Metrowest Worker Center, MassCOSH, and other members of the Immigrant Worker Center Collaborative and legal allies. Details and next steps here.