SPRING VALLEY - The mayor of a suburban village refused Thursday to address a report that he had personally recruited illegal immigrants for a public works project. He denied, however, that any such immigrants had been hired “intentionally and knowingly.”
During a speech dotted with references to opportunity and inclusion, Mayor George Darden announced that Spring Valley is developing a policy to ensure that immigration and employment laws are followed in the future.
“You have to play by the rules, and we do so in our village,” he said at Village Hall. He refused to answer any questions.
Darden spoke after The Journal News reported that Felix Sandoval, an undocumented day laborer from Guatemala, identified Darden as the man who hired him and several friends for demolition work.
“He came on Sunday in his suit,” Sandoval said. “He came and he said to me, ‘Do you work?' ... He gave me a paper with how much he was going to pay us” - $10 an hour.
Asked if he was sure it was Darden, Sandoval said yes and produced one of the mayor's business cards from his wallet, the report said. The Journal News had first reported on Tuesday that illegal immigrants had been hired by the village for the project.
The mayor said Thursday that he spoke a few days ago about seasonal labor with a man who had “legal identification” and who said he had family members who could also work.
However, the mayor said, “It is my understanding that rather than bring his family members to the job site, he picked up a number of other individuals to perform work. ... I do not know whether these workers are, as alleged in media reports, in our country in violation of the law.”
Marc Raimondi, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Thursday from Washington that while he is not familiar with the Spring Valley case, knowingly hiring illegal immigrants is against the law. He said the agency does not comment on whether it is carrying out an investigation.
Rockland County District Attorney Michael Bongiorno said since federal laws are involved his office would not be investigating.
“You have to play by the rules, and we do so in our village,” he said at Village Hall. He refused to answer any questions.
Darden spoke after The Journal News reported that Felix Sandoval, an undocumented day laborer from Guatemala, identified Darden as the man who hired him and several friends for demolition work.
“He came on Sunday in his suit,” Sandoval said. “He came and he said to me, ‘Do you work?' ... He gave me a paper with how much he was going to pay us” - $10 an hour.
Asked if he was sure it was Darden, Sandoval said yes and produced one of the mayor's business cards from his wallet, the report said. The Journal News had first reported on Tuesday that illegal immigrants had been hired by the village for the project.
The mayor said Thursday that he spoke a few days ago about seasonal labor with a man who had “legal identification” and who said he had family members who could also work.
However, the mayor said, “It is my understanding that rather than bring his family members to the job site, he picked up a number of other individuals to perform work. ... I do not know whether these workers are, as alleged in media reports, in our country in violation of the law.”
Marc Raimondi, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Thursday from Washington that while he is not familiar with the Spring Valley case, knowingly hiring illegal immigrants is against the law. He said the agency does not comment on whether it is carrying out an investigation.
Rockland County District Attorney Michael Bongiorno said since federal laws are involved his office would not be investigating.
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