Undocumented former employees of the Trump Organization met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to seek protection from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and urge an investigation into the hiring practices at the president’s business.
CNN reported that Victorina Morales, who last month went public with allegations that the Trump Organization knowingly employed her and other immigrants without legal status, met with New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker (D) and Bob Menendez (D). Three other former Trump Organization workers also attended the meeting.
Menendez said he planned to “raise concerns” with federal agencies to ensure the individuals’ statuses were not “negatively” affected, CNN reported.
{mosads}”[The workers] really speak volumes about the hypocrisy of the president who rails against immigrants but uses their labor and does so in a way, and an in an environment, as I understand it, that was hostile to them and threatening to them,” Menendez told reporters.
The group of workers also met with Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), according to CNN.
Morales and other former employees at the Trump Bedminster property in New Jersey went public in recent weeks with allegations that the Trump Organization helped them and other immigrants who were in the country illegally obtain and keep employment.
The attorney representing one of the former employees has called for a federal and state investigation into the Trump Organization’s hiring practices.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that about a dozen Trump Organization employees were abruptly fired earlier this month from Trump National Golf Club in Westchester County because they were found to be in the country illegally.
Eric Trump, one of the president’s sons and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, told The Washington Post on Tuesday that the expanded background checks will be used at all properties “as soon as possible,” starting with the company’s golf clubs.
The president, who still owns the Trump Organization, has made cracking down on illegal immigration a cornerstone of his administration.
The president triggered a recently-ended government shutdown that lasted 35 days with his demands for $5.7 billion to fund a wall along the southern border. Congressional Democrats offered $1.3 billion for border security measures, triggering the impasse.