Couple on trial on charge of hiring illegal immigrants to work in Ann Arbor Chinese restaurants

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: ANN ARBOR NEWS

A couple who operated two Chinese restaurants in Ann Arbor went on trial in federal court Tuesday, accused of hiring illegal immigrants and allowing them to live in the basement of their Ypsilanti Township home.

Guan Chen and his former wife, Hoa (Hoy) Le Chen, are charged with harboring illegal immigrants by providing work, transportation and a place to live in late 2006 and early 2007.
The Chens have pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors said the Chens run the New Garden Buffet in the Westgate Shopping Center on Ann Arbor's west side. Their other Ann Arbor restaurant, the Golden Chef, located in the Maple Village Shopping Center, closed after a fire in 2006.

In remarks to jurors in U.S. District Court in Detroit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina McCullough said the Chens kept "several" immigrants in the basement and controlled "every movement."



Read more: http://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/news/index.ssf/2008/10/couple_on_trial_on_charge_of_h.html

---

small business get screw big business get away with it

[trthnd4jstc]

1. In 2006, The Morning Chef Restaurant was destroyed by an Early Morning Fire!

The poor Chen's divorced in 2007, and now they are going to trial for having illegal immigrants working for them. Wow. They were gaming the system. I manage a tiny business, and I refuse to hire illegal immigrants. Some get rich, and some get caught.

[WriteDown]

2. Living in basement?

I would love to see photos of that.

[Faith No More]

3. This is called slavery folks and it's alive and well in our so called free country

[JonQ]

4. Good

now get the other 10,000 or so companies also hiring illegals.