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BRWONSVILLE — The owner of a South Texas bakery, accused of illegally employing undocumented immigrants, housed employees next to the business.
US Magistrate Judge Karen L. Betanquor learns that Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila Guell employ workers who cannot legally work and workers who cannot work in the United States. After testimony that he was, he determined that there was a possible cause for him to believe that he had broken the law by “bearing an alien.” Evacuated them in apartments adjacent to their business.
The agents implemented “Workplace Enforcement Actions” at Abbey Bakery in Los Fresnos, and arrested eight migrant workers on February 12 following tips received by the agency on December 12th. morning.
Six immigrants were in the country on temporary visas that were not authorized to work in the United States. It is unclear if they have been in the US longer than the visa is granted, but immigrant staff are taking them to Mexico.
Tipster informed the agency that the employer was hiring immigrants without pay, Duke said. However, when an agent asked the employee, he said he received $8 per hour.
During the raid of businesses, including Dulce’s Cafe, agents also searched for apartments on the side of the building where multiple employees lived. Duke described the apartment as a rectangular room with no six beds along the wall, two bathrooms and no kitchen. The windows were covered in cardboard boxes.
The agent also asked a couple who allegedly admitted they knew that their employees were not allowed to work in the US
“They said they knew this would happen one day,” Duke said.
The lawyers representing the couple said that providing shelter to employees is not evidence that the couple is trying to hide from detection, but that there was no evidence that the employees were not allowed to leave the apartment. He insisted that it was not.
“There was no cover-up,” said Sergio Villarreal, Baez’s lawyer.
The judge set up $100,000 bonds with $15,000 in cash deposits each, and $100,000 in bonds.
After the hearing, Avilaguel’s lawyer Jaime Dees said the case was unusual and could cause fear among business owners who provide housing for employees.
“That’s a really scary idea,” Dees said. “Their lives are now shattered.”
Baez and Avila-Guel have five children, between the ages of 10 and 31.
According to David Avilaguel’s brother, both are legal residents of the United States, and moved from Mexico to the Rio Grande Valley more than 20 years ago.
He said the couple are hardworking people and his sister lives in America’s dreams.
“This is just dirt,” he said.
Reporting in the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by the Methodist Healthcare ministry of South Texas.
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