Groups target bosses to deter illegal hiring

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LAKE FOREST, Calif. -- The white van eases into a liquor-store parking lot and is swarmed by 30 Hispanic day laborers who begin intense job negotiations with the driver. Within seconds, another wave of people descend on the van. Mostly white and middle-aged, they snap pictures as they cite federal labor laws.

"If you hire illegal workers, we'll put your picture on the Internet," warns Robin Hvidston, a property manager who became an immigration activist after being alarmed by the number of Hispanics she saw in her Orange County community.

"I hire the legals," the driver, who later identifies himself as Iranian, replies in broken English.

"But these people are not legal," retorts protester Gerry Nance, handing the driver tax and employment-eligibility forms. "You must check all this to be sure."

The driver shakes his head and drives off. The would-be workers return to the wall of the liquor store, disappointed but hopeful the protesters will leave so they can hook a day's worth of wages.

Frustrated by the federal government's response to illegal immigration and worried that illegal aliens are depressing wages, conservative immigration-reform groups are broadening their focus from the U.S.-Mexico border to the workplace -- in Southern California, Texas, Chicago, Virginia and elsewhere.

Their method: Take photos of construction bosses and anyone else picking up day laborers, then post the photos on Web sites (such as WeHireAliens.com and OperationShameOnYou.org), sometimes including home addresses and license-plate numbers. They also turn their footage in to immigration officials.

In Herndon, Va., members of the Herndon Minutemen have filed a suit against the Town Council for voting to set up a day-labor site with public money, said group founder George Taplin.

Mr. Taplin said the scheduled Dec. 19 site opening would give his group a clear target. "All we have to do is just stand there with our cameras," he said. "Nobody is going to show up."

The objective of such protests is twofold -- shame businesses into not hiring illegal aliens and force the government to enforce immigration law.