Fired American Apparel workers to get benefits of sale

It was a holiday sale for a singular group of beneficiaries — illegal immigrants who had been thrown out of work.

“It makes me feel less guilty for buying all this stuff,” said Dolores Arellano, 19, one of more than 1,000 shoppers who thronged Saturday to the parking lot of American Apparel in downtown Los Angeles.

The trendy, L.A.-based clothier sponsored the “Justice for Immigrants” event to benefit some 1,600 employees let go in recent months after federal inspections uncovered discrepancies in their immigration documentation.

All the proceeds from the sale will go to the families of the dismissed workers and to organizations representing immigrants, said Peter Schey, an attorney for American Apparel in the immigration case.

American Apparel has been a strong proponent of changes in immigration law that would allow many illegal immigrants to attain lawful status. One of its bestselling items is a T-shirt bearing the Legalize LA logo, a motto that also appears on a massive banner adorning the firm’s plant in the garment district.

The pre-Christmas sale featured discounts of up to 85% on shirts, sweaters, dresses and sundry other items. The crowd was larger than expected, and workers were constantly carting in boxes of new clothing to be placed on racks and bins spread across the parking lot, flea-market style. Some shoppers waited more than an hour to get in; later, they faced a half-hour wait to pay. The policy was cash only, no returns.

Some shoppers were on board with the sale’s pro-immigrant thrust.

“You’re buying things at a good price, but it’s for a good cause,” Robyn Ybarra, 22, said as she and friends picked through the racks. “I’m for immigration reform.”

Others seemed more attracted by the prices than the charity.

“Everybody’s entitled to their opinions, but I feel people should come here legally and by the rules, like we did,” said Sahara Ayineh, 19, who said she emigrated from Iran with her family.

Her sister, Saba Ayineh, said the prices were favorable compared with those at retail stores. “American Apparel is usually over-priced,” she said after purchasing an armful of new clothes. “This is more reasonable.”

Among the crowds picking through the bins were American Apparel employees and friends of the dismissed workers.

“Many of our colleagues have lost their jobs, so it’s good to know this will be a help for them,” said Carmen Garcia, 37, a native of El Salvador. “It’s very hard for them to find jobs now.”

Although the Obama administration has mostly ended the high-profile work-site immigration raids endorsed by the Bush White House, it has stepped up federal document audits of companies and workers. Firms found to have workers whose documentation does not match official records may be subject to sanctions if they don’t act.

Supporters call the audits a humane way to enforce immigration law, without the disruption of raids. But critics call the audits inhumane “desktop raids” that still force low-income immigrants out of work.

-- Patrick McDonnell in downtown Los Angeles

Photo: Shopper Sharon Kwon of Fullerton, second from left, waits in line to pay for her items. Credit: Christina House / For The Times

Comments

[BLW]

"American Apparel has been a strong proponent of changes in immigration law that would allow many illegal immigrants to attain lawful status."

Of course, so they can have workers that they can pay less than legal residents. Also, American Apparel isn't paying for all the services the illegals are draining from those are legally here. No amnesty. Boycott American Apparel.

[Tirau]

I don't have any sympathy for illegal immigrants who have lost their jobs and find it "hard" to get another one. There are hundreds of thousands of American citizens out there who need the jobs which illegals are taking. Honest people who played by the rules, like the Ayineh family, are being hurt by those who consciously break American law every day simply by being here.

[Fabricio]

Am I supposed to believe that American Apparel didn't know these people didn't have legal papers?. Is that what this article is about? I wonder how much these workers were making an hour...

[jgonzalez]

If people would just follow the laws, they would still have a job. Desperation isn't an excuse to break the law.

[Hairy Carrion]

American Apparel is run by the world's biggest douchebag.

[Paula]

How is it that illegal immigration audits is forcing low income workers out of jobs. It's the employer who decides what to pay an employee, not the audits. The audits only job is addressing the problem of illegal immigrants who are breaking the law by not being here legally,not because they are in low income jobs. Again, jobs they should not have in the first place. In my opionion American Apparell is overpriced clothing. It's employers like this that should be penalized and arrested for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. Maybe the motto should be we provide overpriced cheaply made clothing ( here one day unravelling or shrunk the next)to keep an illegal immigrant employed.

Also,I find it ironic with all the homeless people around the American Apparell building they never held a fundraiser to help them. How about hiring a homeless or out of work American, instead of an illegal immigrant...If you won't do that, how about helping the homeless in the downtown area?

[syscom3]

for every illegal alien who loses their job, a legal resident takes their place.

That's the way it should be when the unemployment rate is 15%.

[Steve]

How about some compassion and sympathetic stories for the 15 million Americans out of work & the 10 million more who are underemployed?

There are 8.3 million illegal aliens currently working in the U.S. If President Obama was serious about getting millions of Americans back to work, he would order Janet Napolitano to restart the workplace raids to remove illegals from their illegal jobs.

And any form of "path to citizenship" a/k/a mass amnesty like we saw in 1986 would fail and lead to more illegal immigration.

[riposter]

Audits are token enforcement shows done in order to provide cover (with the help of newspapers like the Times) for the obvious agenda of keeping illegal immigrants in the country till Obama and company can reward them with legal permanent residency. These advance warning audits simply require that the current illegal immigrant employees of the audited companies leave and seek employment elsewhere. And since employment enforcement is done on this token basis covering a tiny fractions of employers, there is little in the way of government obstacles to the continued violation of laws against employing illegal, just as Obama and the LA Times wants.

[anayeli]

There was a documentary a few years back that profiled this company as an employer of illegal immigrants. The model? We can import the labor instead of exporting the jobs. Of course we have no concern whatsoever for the costs externalized to society. Or that these are jobs that many low-skilled American citizens would be happy to have.

[little italy]

meery christmas and god bless

[Warren]

why feel sorry for people who were using fake immigration documentation. They knew what they were doing when they presented the fake documents. I wouldn't shop at this place to support the illegals.

[davidozone]

The real culprit here is corporate greed.This company is really part of the problem.they are keeping two sets of books all the while knowing this would happen.Talk about exploitation on the company's part and ignorance now faced by the undocumented workers.I am calling all Americans to boycot this ridiculous apparel.

[daniel]

l a times and american apparel are pro illegal immigration. American apparel is using this as a publicity stunt. My brother has been out of work for 4 months and wonders why people keep hiring illegals. When you steal citizenship that mentality gets passed down.

[Jombi]

Am I supposed to feel sorry for the ILLEGALS who were caught? That's like asking me to feel bad that a burglar got caught breaking into someone's home to steal Christmas presents. Had they not broken the law and come here illegally, they would not be in this situation. I am sick and tired of these criminals being portrayed as victims. It's those who come here legally that are the victims, along with the rest of the citizens. If the US would enforce our immigration laws, our unemployment rate would rapidly decrease.

[Joanne]

These are specialty jobs that take training and experience to do. Not just anyone can do them. What happens when workers here are not hired, even though they are here illegally, the work goes to China. It would be better to give these specialty workers a green card, because many of them can't be replaced. The employer should be required to try, but when jobs can't be filled, and many jobs won't be, those jobs should be able to be filled by specialty green card aliens.

[Ituyu]

One thing that needs to be made clear is that these "illegal immigrants" don't have a legal option like those that came here through current procedures. That is why Amnesty is necessary because these people have been arbitrarily left out of the equation.

[Ituyu]

Some people here lack even the most basic and fundamental understanding of economics and the reality of why deporting millions of people would not be in our best interests as a nation. There exists no knowledgeable agency involved with immigration matters that believe that we can accomplish such a task as removing millions of people from within our borders. Will please consider the economic impact of the removal of millions of workers and consumers? What in the world leads some of you to believe that the result would be more jobs for Americans?

[Tara]

American Apparel payed their 1600 (!) illegal workers $12.50 per hour, subsidized their lunches and provided benefits. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 and in CA it's $8.25. Please don't tell me there are no legal immigrants or U.S. citizens who wouldn't be willing to take these jobs. False or stolen documents provide entree to many well paid jobs in the U.S. in many industries, including union jobs. Yes, these workers displace do those who have come here legally, as well as U.S. citizens who have fewer skills and less education than the average American. Good job, ICE.

[Ituyu]

The idea that “illegal immigrants” is a popular propaganda disseminated by known Hate Groups. That idea fails the test of scrutiny because according to economists “illegal immigrants” create more jobs than they fill through their participation in our economy. The education of children is mandated by Supreme Court decisions. To use taxpayer money to remove “illegal immigrants” who create more jobs and help keep American companies within our borders is insane. A system that is paid for by the “illegal immigrants” through penalties/fees that makes them accountable like everybody else, helps our economy grow and keeps jobs here in America makes better sense. Immigration Reform is clearly the better choice, as it will result in a solution that is actually in our best interests, is cost effective and can be accomplished with relative ease.

[LEV]

In good times, no Americans would take the jobs that were then filled with illegal immigrants. Why do you think farm jobs are filled with migrant workers? With unemployment as high as it is, I am sure there would still be open positions in garment factories because most Americans think they're too good for piecing together someone else's clothing.

[Ely]

Easy. Make all illegals legal. There would be no more illegals and Uncle Sam would make billions out of the fees.

[Ituyu]

LEV, not only are our fields filled with "migrant" workers, the majority are "illegal immigrant" migrant workers. That's because our policies and laws need to be reformed.