Social Security card might not be legal ID in Pilgrims Pride immigration case, judge says

Jul 07, 2008 (Chattanooga Times/Free Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CHX | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- A federal judge has suggested that when two men used false Social Security cards to gain employment at the local Pilgrim's Pride plant, they might not have technically broken the law.

Juan Luis Dardon-Canelo and Andres Loarca-Reynoso, along with three others, are being criminally prosecuted in the wake of a large immigration raid in April. Today, they were set to plead guilty to using an illegal identification document -- a Social Security card -- to gain work at Pilgrim's Pride.

U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice's revelation that Social Security cards are not necessarily valid forms of identification, however, sent the defense back to the drawing board with no complaints from the federal government.

Judge Mattice recalled a 2003 case in which the government prosecuted Tyson Foods for hiring illegal immigrants. In that case, U.S. District Judge R. Allan Edgar dismissed certain charges with regard to the use of a Social Security card, ruling that a certain section of U.S. immigration law does not list the document as a valid form of I.D.

"This is an issue that will have to be decided by a higher court," Judge Mattice said. "I'm not sure you can base this charge on a false Social Security card."

See tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press for complete coverage.

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