Guatemalan workers allegedly swindled out of work permits now face deportation

More than a dozen migrant farm workers fromGuatemalasay they were cheated out of their work permits and treated like "slaves" after coming to Quebec earlier this year.

The workers were taken into custody when immigration officials raided a job placement agency inVictoriaville, Que., last month, and are now facing deportation.

"We thought this was a good place to work and earn a good salary," Juan Antonio Godoy Enriquez, one of the workers, said at a Montreal news conference Tuesday.

"But at each place we worked, we became slaves and were not paid what we were promised."

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Enriquez said the workerswere sometimes paid as little as $300 forworking 85 hoursa week.

"We were still getting paid better than back home, so we kept our mouths shut," he said.

Enriquez said they wereworking at a farm in Victoriaville when a placement agency, LesProgrsInc., encouraged them to leave their jobs to fill in at other farms in central Quebec.

They are the victims while the man who did this to them is walking around free.- Susan Ramirez, lawyer

He said the agencypromised them work permits to make the move.

Instead, the agency took thousands of dollars off their pay, but never actually applied for the permits, he said.

The Canada Border Services Agency said itsofficers led the raid on October 26,as part of an investigation into unauthorized workers. Both the RCMP and the SretduQubec confirmed they assisted in the operation.

Les Progrs owner EsvinCordon, who is also originally fromGuatemala, told Radio-Canada on the weekend that he has nothing to hide. He declined to comment further when contacted by CBC News on Tuesday.

Noneof the allegations made by the migrant workers have been proven in court. Cordon's lawyer,Lydie-MagalieStiverne, said he was also arrested during the raid but has not been charged with a crime.

"He says the allegations are completely false," Stiverne said. "And he says he always wanted to do everything legally."

Stiverne says Cordon told her the migrant workersapproached him for work.

He agreed to find them jobs, on the condition they applied for a change in their immigration status. The workers signed a contract with another agency to take care of that, she said.

"To see his reputation tarnished, it's very hard for him right now," Stiverne added.

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Facing deportation

At the news conference, the lawyer for the Guatemalan workers, SusanRamirez, said all 15 of her clients were taken into custody by CBSA officials during theraid on Oct. 26.One of the migrantswas deported this morning.

Four were released on $1,500 bailwith promises from guarantors who are Canadian citizens, which Ramirez saidmakes them less of a flight risk.

The remaining tenare still being held at the immigration detention centre in Laval. One of the men in custodyis scheduled for deportation on Tuesday.

The others will appear at an immigration hearingon Monday; all face deportation.

Ramirez isasking for a stay in the removal proceedings and for the workers to be granted open work permits. She arguesher clients did notwillfullybreak the law andshould be given a second chance.

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Ramirez saidthey didn't realize they'd lost their status, because Cordon had ensured them he had taken care of the paperwork.

She saidtheir status became illegal once they switched workplaces.

They've also filed complaints with the province's workplace health and safety board, CNESST.The complaints are aimed at the placement agency and the farms where they worked.

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