Associated Press
BOISE, Idaho - Four major agricultural companies and a nonprofit organization were sued Wednesday by an Idaho county that accused them of conspiring to hire and harbor illegal immigrants.
The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court contends the four companies - Syngenta Seeds, Sorrento Lactalis, Swift Beef Co. and Harris Moran Seed Co. - and the nonprofit Idaho Migrant Council - have violated the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which was designed to target the mafia.
Syngenta Seeds is based in Golden Valley, Minn.
Canyon County in southwestern Idaho alleges the businesses are hurting the county by taking part in an "illegal immigrant hiring scheme," and that the undocumented workers use county resources such as indigent medical care, jails and schools.
Posted by katie at July 28, 2005