New England border protection chief charged with hiring illegal immigrants

DUHRRRR!!!!

Henderson sounds like a compassionate person and I only hope that I would do the same for people struggling to get by in a foreign country. Why is she being investigated on this? It is bizarre. There are so many more important issues to confront, and real criminals to go after. Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense.

WOW, Government at their best...

This is so typical in Boston,and our country. Do as I say, not as I do. Was this another affirmative action hiring.? We really need more! Yeah right. We have really lost this country. Just go to South Fl. It's all foreign,and mostly illegal.

We are almost a third world country. SAD

I hope they they fine her and have her back pay the current rate to the person, who cleaned her home. $75 for cleaning a home today is a dream. She not only violated our laws, she took advantages of an illegal immigrant.
Being in the position she was in - make the offense so much more criminal. She should have known a lot better. Glad she was caught. - Pingo

Welcome to the wingnut bizarro world. Its OK to demagogue people who are here illegally but its also OK for us and our business friends to hire them. Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican. Fortunately, the nightmare is over in less than two months.

What a sick world we leave in...although I'm against ilegal immigration at least these people were here working...Ms. Henderson probably wanted to keep giving these people work...Come onnnnnnn

We need immigration reform in this country. It should not be illegal to help your neighbor. I doubt that the housekeeper "agreed" to wearing a wire to rat out her employer, but rather she was blackmailed into wearing a wire to avoid punishment.
I do agree that Ms. Henderson was not performing her job as she should have been, but this really highlights the need to figure out this issue of the many unprotected workers in our country who we depend on.

Fire the woman for being and idiot,, and make sure she never gets hired again for that same type of position, But dont spend my taxpayer money and tie up the court system over a domestic housekeeper cleaning a house,,
They other think I wish this article stated, was what is the deal the domestic got for wearing the wire.

When are charges against Romney coming for doing the same?

Laws are made to be enforced!! (Otherwise don't make em.) Deport her as well!!

I second that

Henderson sounds like a compassionate person and I only hope that I would do the same for people struggling to get by in a foreign country. Why is she being investigated on this? It is bizarre. There are so many more important issues to confront, and real criminals to go after. Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense.

Posted by Michael December 5, 08 11:34 AM

I second that

@ #2 You are right on.

Michael, are you for real? Stop being so naive. Henderson is paying her almost nothing to work for her. She's not being compassionate, she's being cheap. Someone in her position should know better, but for one reason or another they feel they are above the law. While there may be more important issues to confront, it is also important to confront this issue as well. Henderson should lose her job.

Where's the punchline, Michael...we're waiting ----it's a joke, right?

Michael, laws are in place for a reason. Although we're in an economic quagmire, I believe if businesses didn't have illegal immigants to rely on they would have to raise their wages to attract US citizens, thereby improving lower- wage earners' standard of living.

Hey Michael,

What part of ILLEGAL dont you get? Illegal immigrants are a drain on our economy. They drain tax dollars without contributing back in. Do YOU want to pay more so they can come in here illegally, pump out a US Citizen baby that you pay for then drain our resources? have you ever been to a South West border town where crime is rampant because they hop the border with nothing ans start stealing to get by? WE HAVE legal immigration, WE HAVE ways for people who want to be here legally to get here. ILLEGAL is ILLEGAL. Put her in jail, send them home.

Michael this is an issue because she is breaking the law that she is in charge of implementing in our region. Calling this a conflict of interest would not even give it justice to how large of a problem this is. Take away your emotions for this lady you don't even know and then you can realize what is going on here.

...but in seriousness, this is unacceptable. She knows better, and there more to this story I can just tell. This is another case of someone in power being above the law; to the point that he or she mocks it.

Better yet, this person is being paid by the tax payer. If the people wanted the regional director of Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection to be above the law we would ask for it.

At least we pay this person enough so that she can afford to have someone clean her house while she is not doing her job!

I have a great idea, lets go into a recession!

Another example of "the law does not apply to me".Regardless of the "compassion" she may have felt, if this person was here illegally, she should have reported them and then perhaps intervened in assisting to get them legalized.

WHos going to clean houses and do the dishes in the restaurants?not americans

Henderson is a figure head and should be fired. Compassionate person? The cleaning lady took a job from a citizen because she could charge less with no tax to pay. What about your fellow citizen that pays taxes? I only have compassion for people who come to my loved country the way my grandparents did LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. All others should be shipped back to the home country and return the right way.

She is breaking the law in an area she is in charge of. Only a loony left MA liberal like Michael wouldn't see why this is an issue.

In response to Michael...

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Dear Michael,

When the "regional director of Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection " is ASSISTING illegal immigrants, I'd say it is worth investigating. You know, kind of like investigating police officers that sell protection to drug dealers, etc.

While you cannot solve the ILLEGAL immigration problem by focusing on the immigrants and ignoring the businesses that encourage them to come over, the laws of the country should be applied equally to everybody.

Have fun.

Henderson sounds like a fraud and a crook. She ignores the laws she is paid to enforce and advises illegals on how to circumvent them. I hope they nail her and the illegal aliens she uses to clean her house.

Michael - do you totally miss the point here? A compassionate person? Please - she's breaking the law that she's supposed to uphold. I don't understand why it's o.k. for these officials to break the law and people like you twist the facts and call her compassionate. Illegal immigration is a huge issue and costs citizens of this country billions of dollars. Oh, and by the way, "real criminals to go after" - um, they happen to be criminals by being here illegally and draining resources for taxpaying, legal citizens.

Her crime is not that she engaged in a mutually beneficial transaction with another person.

Her crime is that she receives tax dollars stolen from us, the people, in order to prevent the rest of us from also engaging in mutually beneficial transactions.

While what she did was hire a woman in need of work, She still broke the law. Is it ok to rob a bank because you are going to give some money to a homeless person? Worse thing is she broke the law she was hired to enforce.

Gosh. Even federal employees move to Massachusetts to be corrupt. Must be something in the harbor.

Add up the taxes, tolls and corruption and you can see why so many of usleft the state!

You can't even have free market auto insurance! BAHAHAAHHAHA

She is a Border Patrol Chief., her job is to stop illegals from getting in and staying. I can assure you that it had nothing to do with compassion and everything to do with "Slave Labor".
As for helping someone "get by" in a foreign country. All in favor of that so long as they are LEGAL!!!!

Is there ANY other news in New England...c'mon....who HASN'T hired an illegal at one point in there life? If you live here and haven't your lying....
And maybe she should stop living the 'do as I say not as I do' routine.

She sounds like a compassionate person because she chooses to hire an illegal do her housekeeping? I believe she's doing that to save a few bucks...there's no compassion there! Why is she being investigated? Perhaps the fact it is illegal to hire illegal aliens? I for one do consider illegals as "real criminals". What's really sad is the fact there are far too many people such as yourself who just don't understand there are immigration laws and consequences for not obeying them!

Henderson needs to be suspended and then if the charges are true fired. Upholding the law means upholding the law, she can't pick when to uphold the law.

This arrest is completely ridiculous. I mean, seriously, we are going to spend tax dollars to prosecute someone for hiring a housekeeper. What a joke.

Another reason why your work life and personal life should be kept apart. This is what can happen when you make the wrong person mad at you, they can and will drop that dime. It's no ones concern how your house gets clean, when at work its best to keep those facts to yourself.

This is a perfect example of the way Massachusetts ENCOURAGES illegal aliens to come to this state. My town is overrun with illegal aliens and they are ruining the school system and living (section 8) for free.
The best way to handle this is to pass a constitutional ammendment that only US citizens can benefit from government programs.
The message should be clear to illegal aliens: GO HOME OR WE'LL MAKE YOU GO HOME!

You are a tool, Michael. There are not any issues more important than tax evasion, identity theft, welfare and Medicare expense. All are fixtures with illegal immigration. You want to talk about taxpayer expense!

Is somebody slipping me crazy pills?

Hey Michael, she is being investigated because SHE BROKE THE LAW you moonbat fool. Any illegal is more than welcome to stay if they apply for citizenship and etc....If they don't, then I can't get them out of here quick enough. If they want to stay, then register for citizenship and pay your own way like my ancestors.....Stop relaying on medicaid and the idiots of the mass. legislature to keep giving you a free pass. Anyone who comes here but doesn't register just wants to EXPLOIT THIS COUNTRY, not help it

Michael, you were probably one of the liberals who wanted Gov Romney burned at the stake when it was revealed that his lanscapers employed illegal aliens. How about helping struggling people who are US citizens first. When you read the story did you cringe when realizing that the woman had her baby on your tax dollar? Of course not! Maybe that's one reason why the state is going bankrupt. Refusing medical care to illiegal aliens would save the state tens of millions of dollars each year and allow legal citizens more affordable healthcare. TOGETHER WE CAN____ CHANGE

Crossing into another country illegally is a crime. Just try to sneak into Mexico or Brazil and get caught. The consequences are a lot less pleasant than what these criminals face here. The reason Henderson is going down is because it is her job to protect the country from these criminals and not encourage them. Hope they send the Brazilian back to Brazil after she testifies as well. One less for us to worry about.

Michael: "Henderson sounds like a compassionate person ......"
obviously you don't know her. Evil comes to mind! She was in charge of
all uniformed Customs in Boston....Sh'e suppose to ensure the law is applied,..not circumvented, good bye to another corrupt gov't official.....

Michael, I am with you of what you wrote but don't let your emotional dictates of the facts and circumstances of the story. Henderson is a law enforcer and if she can not do her job, she should quit instead of working for the gov't.
Law and Order

Unemployment in this country now 6.8%. Get the illegals out and there woudl be enough jobs for the unemployed so not only are they a drain on our resources and bankrupting hospitals and cities and even States in some cases but now they are taking jobs away from Americans. I say prosecute anyone who hires an illegal. If there is no work for them they will soon go back to their 3rd world hell holes and we would not have to deport them. The fines imposed on employers could go to helping out the services strapped by these hoards.

I have no sympathy here. She knew the rules and she also is in the position as a federal employee to uphold these laws. My family came to this country as immigrants as well, but there is one difference. They did it the right way and the legal way. They had to learn english, follow all the rules and regulations of citizenship, but they did it. There should be no free rides. This is America Home of the Free not America Free Homes!

"Henderson sounds like a compassionate person...."
GIVE ME A BREAK!!
Can people please get their heads out of the flower pot!! YOU CAN NOT STAY IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. Repeat; YOU CAN NOT STAY IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY!!
I know several individuals who came to this country and worked for YEARS to legitmately gain citizenship. Citizenship is long, it's hard and it's the reward for dedication to this country.
It was hard in the 18th century, it was hard in the 19th century and it's hard
now, as it should be.
Hendreson should be deported with her housekeeper back to Brazil to enjoy one of the fastest growing economies in the Americas.....but wait, the housekeeper just had a baby here, so now we can welcome to OUR welfare system

now. .

What no pictures!?! After Wilkerson and Turner got stung, I expect pictures.

To Michael:
Here is why this is an issue:
1) taxpayer monies goes to support illegal aliens within this country (hospitals, schools, etc.)
2) illegal aliens take jobs away from unemployed Americans (there are plenty of them these days)
3) it is illegal to pay someone under the table (IRS does not like it when it does not get paid nor do I like the fact that I am a tax paying citizen when Lorraine and the illegal immigrant are not)
Maybe Lorraine was compassionate but maybe she did not want to pay someone $120/week to clean her house that properly files their business taxes and is here legally in the US? Maybe if this person came here LEGALLY, we would not have this issue? Maybe if we enforced our laws a bit more that we would deter illegal immigration in the US?

Are you Kidding Me?!?!

Is there a single public official that is not corrupt in Boston? I'm just glad these scum bags are finally getting caught. I'm sick of paying for all of the amenities provided by the United States, that are being abused by Illegal aliens. We have enough underprivileged legal Americans that could use public services provided by the government, without having those privileges stolen by people who don't pay for them, and don't deserve them. I just hope she goes to Jail.

Are you people all serious? Deport the housekeeper and put Ms. Henderson in jail for 10 years. This is like a cop dealing drugs.

Matt, you say "this really highlights the need to figure out this issue of the many unprotected workers in our country who we depend on"? Are you really saying that we need illegal immigrants in this country to clean our homes?? First of all, anyone who "needs" to hire an illegal immigrant because they are too lazy to clean their own home deserves to be in jail. Second, there are plenty of legal home cleaning services in the yellow pages.. Sure, they cost a little more, but if you're willing to break the law just to save a few bucks, you deserve to be in jail also...

It seems Henderson had compassion for the Brazilian worker which the Brazilian worker must have realized. So, they talk about the Brazilian worker wearing a wire device. What I think they failed to mention is how they convinced the Brazilian worker to wear a wire device because I don't think the worker did it so willingly. The word 'agreed' in this context is quite deceiving Coercion and false promises, I suspect.

Why is it so strange to think people that weren't born in the same country that you were are just as wonderful as those who have been born here? Maybe there are some outsiders that would love to do harm to us nationals, but I really don't think it's the majority, so we reject all the others even though they have done no wrong, and that's acceptable? There's citizens that are in businesses right here in the good ole' USA that aren't good for us - drug dealers, and wall street brokers to name two. I vote we get rid of them, please. Remember, the true homebodies of this great US are really Indians, every one else came later, didn't they?

What a horrible mess the 911 attackers have created in that we are now living in fear of our fellow humanity that just happened to have been born in a different country. I want to go back to the time I learned to sing about Jesus loving all the children, red and yellow, black and white.......... I'm going to still believe it.

This lady deserves to be put in jail for the maximum sentence. She is responsible for 190 officers whose jobs are to keep illegal immigrants OUT of our country, while she is secretly helping illegal immigrants stay IN the country??? She is getting paid with tax-payer dollars to do a job which she obviously didn't believe in.. If we could, I would say take away her citizenship and send her to Brazil with her illegal immigrant maids.

These people who think Ms. Henderson is a compasionate person and they would do the same belong in jail with her. It is illeagle to hire undocumented people and people who break the law should be punished. Grow up and get real

Another case of the government believing that the laws don't apply to them. God, I miss America!

qeyhq4eyh5,
What does this have to do with being Republican? This is one person, not an entire party. Most Republicans DON'T think its OK for businesses to hire illegals, and are against the actions that this person has taken. It is only a very small but wealthy and powerful slice of Republicans who are all for hiring illegal workers. Some people may demagogue people who are here illegally, and some may hire illegal workers for their businesses, but that doesn't mean that they are the same group of people and that they agree with each other. Nice try though.

Nice!

I hope that justice is done, the illegal alien is deported, and that Lorraine Henderson loses her job in the process as she so rightly deserves.

Hey qeyhq4eyh5;

You think the republicans are to blame? Don't think for a minute that this "nightmare" is going to end in 2 months. Situations like this are going to continue...and Mr. "change" Obama hasn't got the answers either.

She should lose her position at the VERY least as she is obviously not doing the job she is paid to do. We in the private sector would be kicked to the curb for such an infraction.

All of us were immigrates, we took the land from native indians, why are we so harsh to new immigrates, they came here for living, they have to survive, just like our old grant, grant, grantparents, they are human being too, please, the GOD will punish this law.

Good for you Michael!

This just highlights the insanity of out immigration policy. Here is a person who has been working hard for 7 years, earning and spending money in this country and trying to make a decent life for herself. How can we advocate free trade without free movement of labor (as well as money and goods). The europeans have figured this out - why is it so difficult for us Americans?

The only way to stop ILLEGAL immigration is to remove the incentive, aka the money. The way to do that is to go after people who hire illegal immigrants. People who hire illegals do it by and large because they work cheap. With all this cheap labor that means employers can low ball legal workers and not pay them a living wage, because the illegals will do it cheaper. Employers do this because they can better line their own pockets, AKA THEY'RE GREEDY! Henderson hired an illegal to save herself money, not because she's a caring person. The solution is to punitively punish employers for hiring illegals. That way it's no longer cost effective, and without the jobs the illegals won't come!

hahaha above the law!!! not if your not shareing the wealth, what a hack!!!

sounds like someone at work dropped a dime on the boss . . .

Did she pay this illegal in cash? Maybe the tax people will be looking into weather she filed a 1099.

Compassionate? HA!

Maybe wants to save money.

Cause if she was Compassionate she'd pay more than $80.

The real story here is that even the people in charge of enforcing immigration laws believe they are draconian. We should not punish people for trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. There is no victim in this crime. The only harm associated with these laws occurs when families are torn apart by immigration officials. Whine all you want about illegal immigrants not paying taxes and leeching off the rest of us. The fact of the matter is that a number of them do pay taxes and many desperately want to have that priviledge. The government loses far more tax revenue from corporations exploiting tax loopholes and basing themselves offshore in order to pay lower taxes. I don't here you complaining about that. To whom you were born or where you were born should not be the basis on which we judge people. American, Chinese, Guatamalan, Kenyan, Swedish, whatever.... It doesn't change the fact that they are still people.

Round up all the Illegals and ship them home where they belong. Period.

It's not about how hard they work, or what color their skin is. It's about the *sheer numbers* of Third World refugees flooding our shores. We have enough troubles of our own without importing them. We don't need more carbon emmisions, more trash for our landfills, more traffic on our roads, more offspring to educate in our schools, more stress on our dwindling open space, etc., etc. In California they are building two new schools A DAY, and they can't keep up with the Illegals pouring over the border.

Enough. We have quotas for a reason. Round up the invaders- and ship them back where they belong.

Why is Henderson being investigated? She controls close to 200 armed federal agents and entry access in 3 states including the one in which most if not all of us reside. She's open to blackmail to keep her illegal practices hidden. The Feds caught her first - likely tipped by one of her co-workers who first recommended she drop the illegal immigrant.

Both Gov. Romney and one of his sons were caught doing the same thing. Why they escaped prosecution: good question. Maybe this reporter can look into that. It seems The Gov skipped past the hangman on this one.

We will never get illegal immigrants on planes and back to their countries. I expect something close to blanket amnesty and registration/legal SSNs to get them and their taxes more accountable. It will be unpopluar for a week or two, and then something else will take its place.

Henderson is not being compassionate. She is playing both sides. Her job is to protect the border from illegal immigration, but she does nothing about illegal immigrants she chooses to employ.

Would anyone feel compassion for a police officer that only breaks the law when he is not on duty?

I think that Henderson should be fired. Clearly, she cannot carry out her duties as the border patrol chief. I understand wanting to aid someone, but the laws are in place for a reason. In her position, she knew how to aid her housekeeper from evading the law. This is wrong on so many levels.

I do want to state that I have nothing against LEGAL immigrants. In fact, I know several legal immigrants who are upstanding people who work here in the US. I do have problems with those who go about their immigration in the wrong fashion and take advantage of our society.

N. I have not hired an illegal alien ever. I have lived here all my life.
I know it must be hard for you to realzie not everyone does as you do or is hypocritical.

I clean my own house. Don't have any kids. Those I know with kids take care of them themselves or have family help.

The job I have does not have illegal aliens either.

qeyhq4eyh5 - Only Republicans hire illegal aliens right? Democrats support illegals for the votes, not because they care - so give us all a break - it's no more acceptable for them to break our laws and take advantage of our generosity, than it is to turn a blind eye to it while others exploit them for less than a fair wage or proper working conditions - Only obeying laws that YOU feel are just is true hypocrisy

This is the perfect solution. Since cowards won't let us put up a wall, make it cost prohibitive to get caught with illegals. $250k an incident. Use the fine money to pay for the big dig and then you can take down the MassPike tolls. There you go, two birds with one stone.

PUT HER ON TRIAL,FIND HER GUILTY AND SENTENCE HER TO JAIL TIME.
DON'T KID YOURTSELF,SHE WOULD COME AFTER YOU.

Hi Michael
You are right. I support you.

Until someone takes their jobs, or is willing to do it for less, people like her and Michael will continue to believe they are being "compassionate".
If you are are immigrant to this country and if you have followed our entry process, welcome. If not, the line starts in your country of origin, There are many in front of you who have legally followed our guidelines in good faith. Get in line. If we need your talents, we'll call you.

Here are some questions that I want to ask. To all those who seem to think people who do not like illegal immigrants what would you tell all those people who are trying to enter the country legally? "Sorry for being stupid and following the rules. You should have snuck across the border like these smart people"?

Are you happy to let people cut in front of you in lines?

Does a country have the right no know who is in their country?

John Q has the right idea. Take away the incentives from the businesses hiring illegals, and stiffen the penalties for those who break the law. And in the case of a woman like this in a position of authority who got caught aiding and abetting an imgration criminal, she should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

We need to set an example for other law-enforcing/breaking hypocrites that there will be consequences.

Hey, Rich, formerly of Weymouth...what Utopia did you move to that doesn't have taxes or corruption? (But if it's so great there, why do you comment here? Hmmmm.)

Henderson deserves to be punished for knowingly employing and abetting an illegal alien in breaking the law. I don't think she needs to go to jail, but she should certainly lose her job and the possibility of gaining any other federal position. Also a hefty fine would be in order.

Reply To: Henderson sounds like a compassionate person and I only hope that I would do the same for people struggling to get by in a foreign country. Why is she being investigated on this? It is bizarre. There are so many more important issues to confront, and real criminals to go after. Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense.

Well first off she helped her cross the border illegally. Secondly, Hired her as an illegal imigrant. Third, she Henderson holds a position of trust and title as N.E. area as the Regional Director of Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection. Hmmm, wonder if she helped Al-Quiada. Lastly and just as important: Even at that low payrate for house cleaning there are so many "U.S. Citizens unemployed" that the job could have been filled by and would have been. But some people here do not see the security breech and the fact that illegals do not pay taxes which is contributing to the bad economy as well as taking jobs away from rightful citizens. But hey "stupid thinks as stupid writes"!!!

Whenever those charged with enforcing laws, break them, they break down the public trust in those agencies and hurt other agents. Prosecute her to the full extent, as she would do to others.

Its funny how half of the people would react if they actually understood that nearly every restaurant and hotel in the US completely exploits illegal labor and if they did not the cost of a meal and a room would go thru the roof. The Bush Administration has forced law enforcement to act as INS agents making it impossible for illegal immigrants to receive protection under the law. Imagine getting raped or mugged or cheated by an employer and knowing that if you call the police you will be deported on the spot. Imagine being the perpetrator of such crimes and knowing that the victom is helpless because after deportation who will appear at court to try you?

The reality is that the immigration laws and the enforcement of them are really biased to Central and South Americans and Mexicans .... I haven't seen or heard of any Canadian Deportation or European Deportation. But that's what you get when you put a Texan in the White House.

Brian,
Americans have been cleaning house, washing dishes in restaurants and doing janitorial work long before you were born. That includes me, members of my family and friends. The illegals take some of the jobs away because they work cheap and avoid federal and income tax, therefore, do not report the income and thus, qualify for free health care, free dental care, food stamps, subsidized housing, etc. All these expenses are paid for by American citizens.
Let's not forget, the increase in crimes - drugs - gangs - DEPORT THEM!

One of the failures in stopping terroisim and the threat to the U.S. is our inability to enforce our own immigration laws. Has everyone forgotten 9/11?
Henderson took advantage of both our failed system, and the person who is here illegally, not to mention she violated her own oath of office. People who immigrate her legally are the victims here as well. She should be so ashamed and deserves the full measure lawful prosecution.

Henderson sounds like a compassionate person and I only hope that I would do the same for people struggling to get by in a foreign country. Why is she being investigated on this? It is bizarre. There are so many more important issues to confront, and real criminals to go after. Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense.

Posted by Michael December 5, 08 11:34 AM

I third that

Uhm, I wonder who paid the medical expenses for the woman to have her child here? I wonder what medical plan she is on when she gets sick...I'm sure she is not going to the emergency room.

It's a shame that some people are too lazy to clean their own homes and too cheap to pay the rate that Americans require to do the job. Ms. Henderson should be fired, fined and made pay back taxes with penalties and interest for the FICA owed. The housekeeper should be sent back to Brazil and told to get at the back of the line. There are MILLIONS of noncitizens waiting to get in.

HAHAHA!! 2003 to 2008!!! ABIDE BY THE LAW, SPECIALLY IF YOU ARE UPHOLDING IT!!! ROFL!!

In defense of Romney, when running for president he went out of his way to hire documented workers to mow his lawn (when you spend $40 million of your own money on a campaign, you're not going to cut a corner like that to save $400). But, the landscaping company he hired, they screwed him over by charging top dollar for the work, paying bottom dollar to undocumented chumps, and pocketing the difference. One thing you can count on Romney for keeping his books clean.

Go Romney in 2012!!!

First of all she violated the LAW. She violated her oath of office. Lets get it strait. She was the Regional port director for the Boston Area for Customs and Border Protection... not Border Patrol. They are different. slight differences but different. If she was being investigated and the cleaner was wearing a wire then it was deemed serious enough. Hope she gets the maximum. She gives all those folks in Customs and Border Protection who are trying to do their jobs under the law a bad name.

#2, what are you on liberal crack? This woman Henderson
IS PAID TO UPHOLD THE LAW, not assume to be above it.
Apparently you do not think that people should be held accountable to the laws of this country, when they are paid to uphold them?
So, it begs the questions:
Why have laws?
Why pay people to enforce laws if they can ignore them, while enriching themselves - being paid to do work they are obviously not doing?

Compassionate? BAH! She's saving her ill-gotten money hiring an illegal to do her housekeeping. No compassion in saving yourself money while breaking the law you are paid to enforce. If she and others were successful in enforcing immigration laws, we would not have such an influx of illegals. And the black market economy (under the table) would dry up.

I hope she also gets a little inquiry from the IRS regarding employment taxes.

There's some compassion for the rest of us!

I continue to ask myself the same question -

What part of "ILLEGAL" is lost on people? Regardless of however compassionate this woman is, she's furthering an illegal practice. Would any of you be on her side had she been participating in a drug smuggling or prostitution ring?

I completely agree with Michael (Comment #2)

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Only compassionate fools invite more people into their boat than it can safely hold.
Restricting immigration has nothing to do with racism or feelings of superiority, and everything to do with economic sense.
But then, how many have economic sense?

Excellent point Brian (#21). We want to deport all the illegal immigrants who do the crappy jobs no one else wants to do. Then we'll complain that there's nothing but crappy jobs available.

The real victims here are the small American businesses who play by the rules and are forced to compete with criminals who hire ILLEGAL aliens and pay them well below minimum wage.

The other victims are the AMERICAN CITIZENS who are forced to subsidize the costs of the ILLEGAL alien invasion and infiltration of our country, ie FREE education, FREE welfare, FREE incarcerations, and FREE healthncare (BTW, IT'S NOT FREE), while the profits are privatized amongst the criminal enterprises.

We don't need any new laws. We certainly don't need an ILLEGAL alien AMNESTY that rewards ILLEGAL aliens for invading and infiltrating out country. What we need is our current laws ENFORCED.

Kudos to ICE for their hard work with embarrassingly little resources.

Although this is illegal, one question comes to mind. What happens to the housekeeper now whose child is an American citizen but she is not? Does she get deported? Do we seperate mother from child? Do we have to go to such measures to enforce a questionable law? People have immigrated into the USA for centuries in order to give their children a break, a chance at a better life. So now we 'out' Henderson and possibly ruin two other lives and maybe more. . . who knows how many people the housekeeper supports? Is this her only child? Does she send money home to Brazil? How heartbreaking. . . for so many people. . . . not exactly a Merry Christmas!

I think Henderson should be fired. Don't I find it utterly insulting that a border patrol chief could foster safe haven. As far as Illegal's…Close the damn borders, get an accounting on who is here and tax them for the services they suck from us.

"She’s supposed to be deporting aliens, not hiring them," said Assistant US Attorney Brian T. Kelly, chief of the public corruption unit.

Thank you for enforcing the Law.

Henderson may be a compassionate person, however she holds a position in our government paid for with tax dollars. As a tax payer, I found it outrageous and in violation of her title. I believe she should be fined and held accountable for not withstanding her role as defined as part of her job. I, along with other tax payers are floating her salary, and expect she should fill the job description accordingly. If she feels she is too compassionate of a person to enforce these laws and rules we have in place, then she should find another line of work. Otherwise, she should be accountable for breaking the law.

What I'd like to know is how did the ICE Special Agents motivate the housekeeper to rat out her boss who was protecting her? Does she not realize that she is now going to be deported? Or did they cut her a deal so that she can stay if they get the conviction against the official?

What people like Michael want is for law enforcement officals to be selective on the laws they enforce. There is a reason why they call them "illegal" immigrants. It's because they are breaking our laws to be in this country. Look at how some of the other contries handle illegal immigrants. In England if you are caught in the country illegally you sit in jail until you can pay to send yourself home. You either have someone wire you the money or you work a prison job until you can pay for the ticket to leave the country. In Mexico in order to get a visa to live in the country you have to prove you can speak the language. Other countries hunt down their illegals and send them packing and we turn a blind eye to the situation. If the US had been proactive in detaining and deporting illegals long ago we would be where we are today with illegal immigrants. The law makers need to stop worrying about public opinion when the subject of illegal immigrants comes up and just do something to address the issue. It is always a campaign issue and nothing ever gets done about it. People always say who will do the jobs that the illegals do and the answer is the people that used to do them. Kids looking for part time work, ex-cons and drop outs. With the economy the way it is today I bet there are plenty of people out there that would like to pick up some extra money doing some of those jobs that are taken by the illegals.

Responding to # 45 posted by James:

Your post demonstrates your anti-immigrant sentiment. If all the illegals had to "get out of here" Let's see how you enjoy paying $20.00 for 1 apple. People are crying about the economy now.... hmm

Lorraine Henderson's problems are mulitiple. She was reminded by coworkers in 2005 and again in 2006 that her employment of the housekeeper was illegal. In other words, government officials were aware of the situation and turned a blind eye to it for at least two years in an effort to allow her to remedy the situation. I should point out that I use "reminded" instead of "informed" because as a government employee tasked with a border protection mandate Henderson clearly understood the legality of her actions. So the gravity and potential repurcussions of the situation did not escape her, she chose to ignore them even going so far as to hire two other illegals when her primary housekeeper went off to have a child.

The egregious nature of her crimes should disqualify her from receiving sympathy from anyone with an ounce of critical reasoning abilities. Jail time is appropriate here. And no matter how many of you want to hold Henderson up as compassionate the facts in the article above paint the opposite picture.

She paid these workers a pittance "every few weeks" to clean her house. Tell me, how many local home cleaning services in Salem could be contracted for 75 bucks "every few weeks"? I'm guessing the answer is "none". These types of arrangements on a small scale and even larger incidents like the case down in New Bedford not too long ago should and need to be regarded in a different light because what we are dealing with is the exploitation of an undocumented and powerless underclass that is only a hair away from slavery.

Yes, slavery. And it isn't just latino and brazillian illegals that are being lost in our society. We see the similar and worse happening to asian illegals and white european illegals (white slavery ring a bell anyone). These people, in addition to cleaning our homes and picking our fruit, are in many cases also being forced to service our "Johns" on street corners as forced prostitutes and worse. Don't justify illegal immigration with flimsy appeals to emotion because the prefered image that many people would like to believe - the hard working undocumented worker" trying to get by doesn't represent a complete picture of the situation. And until the nation is is ready to address the issue without polarizing it and putting people into two categories: "racist" and "not racist" then all of us are responsible for the results.

She was supposed to enforce and uphold the law.
She broke those same laws we pay her and trust her to support.
She should be fired.
"ILLEGAL" look it up.

its illegal- plain and simple. These laws are in place for a reason and there are LEGAL ways to immigrate into the United States. She should be tried and convicted and the housekeeper should be deported and take her child with her. Our tax dollars need to be used for better things... how about our roads, bridges, FAILING ECONOMY!!!!

Michael - Congratulations! This is the single most idiotic comment we've ever seen in one of these left-wing hug-fests on boston.com.

It's this person's job to protect our borders from illegal aliens, not to hire them on the cheap to clean her house.

>>Henderson sounds like a compassionate person and I only hope that I would do the same for people struggling to get by in a foreign country. Why is she being investigated on this? It is bizarre. There are so many more important issues to confront, and real criminals to go after. Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense.

Drain on the economy? Sorry to say but the 11 million estimated illegals are a very large part of our economy. All of the illegals I know do not depend on welfare for anything, some even pay their taxes. Border fenses and such are also a joke. A large majority of illegals get here by staying once visas have expired or sham marriages and the like. Yeah, they fly here on an airplane and don't jump the boarder - that's why the border fense is a huge joke.
Do away with immigration laws, tax all of their earnings and bingo! Everything is fair. Once all the jobs are gone, people will stop wanting to get in.

What she did was wrong, ESPECIALLY considering her job, but I think prison is a bit harsh. She should lose her job, be fined, and have to do LOTS of some type of productive community service, but prison? Her world has just come to an end & she will be shunned by everyone who once respected her. All the above should be punishment enough.
People pick up immigrants at just about every Home Depot in the country in the early morning for cheap labor. It's not a HUGE crime, but given her job, it is much worse than the tradesmen picking up their illegal help each morning.
As for her being "compassionate" ? BULL !!! She took advantage of those who cleaned her home, paying half of what a tax paying cleaner would have charged.

Michaels' taking a lot of heat and it's well deserved. Michael, what planet are you living on? You're joking right? Or maybe you live in Brookline? Cambridge?

Sounds like both Michael and Peter are either here illegally themselves or they're card-carrying comrades from the People's Republic of Cambridge. People who sneak into this country ARE real criminals. This lady is earning wages, using our roads and schools, and going to the Emergency Room without paying a penny of taxes and/or very possibly with a stolen identity. I can only hope, Peter and Michael, that the stole identity is yours. You just take a little trip down to Texas, sneak into Mexico, then turn up in an Emergency Room for treatment to see what is SUPPOSED to happen when you enter a country illegally.

TO ALL PRO-ILLEGALS:

This flee infested woman committed a crime! These illegals are tearing away at our country, whether they come here just to work or just commit crimes!

Every dollar earned by an IL-IL-IL-Legal Alien takes earning potential away from a citizen. So what? That's what the mooon-bats will respond. Have you ever seen the working conditions that these people accept, or the living accommodations they'll choose? They come in buy cars and drive without insurance and pay no taxes, purchase as little as possible while sending AS MUCH $$$$$$$$$$ out of the country as possible.
I'm all for helping people in need. Let's start with helping actual American's.

There is a larger more blatant problem here. This Ms. Henderson's """"JOB"""" is supposed to help with securing our borders. And instead she looked the other way while trying to "help" this woman. What a SAD SAD story our system has become! She should be indicted for Grand Larceny on top of the other crimes for stealing while at work! This same Government system will climb up a Plumber's backside side-ways because he asked a question and, will do nothing about illegal Aliens.

The system and the Moon-Bat Society make me wish I were an illegal. I wouldn't have to pay taxes or any local, state or federal fees and would barely be issued a citation for any crime I chose to commit.

Wake up American People!!!!

It seems that this is a pertinent issue and that many people are very interested in it. What could be better news than public officials with excellent health benefits etc. living outside the laws that they are paid by the tax payer to enforce.

arn't there alot of unemployed black people in boston ????
maybe she has a spiritual and physical allergy to poor blacks and whites???

This woman is an official government agent in charge of Home Land Security. What part of that don't you libs understand? She had no right, first of all, to hire illegals, and then, especially inportant, to counsel an illegal on how to avoid being caught. This woman should be made an example of. The illegal's country needs to develope compassion, so it's citizens would be encouraged to stay there, instead of entering the United States illegally. LIBERALS, thy name is hypocrisy!

This is so disturbing. It feels like the 30s in Germany. Immigrants, dont you all call yourselves "Irish", "scottish", "english". Accept it, this is a country of immigrants and all of you are the children of those. What this woman did is incorrect because she broke the law she is suppose to enforce. Do not blame it on the immigrants. For years and years immigration in this country has turned into a shameful and neglected part of governing America. There is no easy way to immigrate "LEGALLY" to the US.

not a surprise. does the government do anything legal????

If a law is not enforced, it creates a new law....that is law under equity, so when the states ignored enforcement they created a reasonable or equitable expectation that the law will not be enforced.

Talking of breaking the law: justice demands that you look at all culpable parties when dealing with undocumented aliens. Deporting every person who is illegal is not justice! The presidential election spoke for the immigration issue. McCain, Obama, Hilary and Palin were all pro-comprehensive immigration reform. The far right wackos like Tancredo and Hunter ate the dust!

$75 every couple weeks to clean house?!! Wow I'd hire her too!

When are people going to wake up and smell the coffee. I'm soooo sick of hearing that the illegal's are doing the jobs that Americans don't want to do. The problem is that the companies that are hiring these people are trying to save a buck and get away without paying the real wage that it takes for an American to survive and live without breaking the law. They're paying the illegals $5/hr when they should be paying $9 or $10. THAT is why Americans do not do these jobs. If you apply for a job as a cleaning person at a hotel and you put on your application that you want to make $10/hr and they find the illegal and offer them $5 or $6/hr, you don't get the job. Bottom line is this: come in the country the right/legal way or don't come. If you get caught we have the right to throw you out. Fine the companies that break the law for hiring illegals. And, throw the book at this lady who is supposed to be in charge of protecting our borders!

Seems no one wants to answer the question

"What is so wrong with asking people to follow the rules that so many others follow?"

Now I wonder how many "care" about immigrants are those that complain about outsourcing? Oh wait they do higher end jobs, we can't have that.

it is very convenient to hire this people,hard working,mostly trouble free, thats why goverment wants to keep them illegal,they are happy with less,it is like feeding wild animals you do not want them to become too friendly.

From most of the comments above, I have the impression that many Americans put too much emotion on their judgment. If Henderson advised her illigal house cleaner to be careful, she was not thinking about the money that she was saving. She was showing compassion for the Brazilian lady.

Why many Americans hate so much? It is healthier to love.

In a few years you will be able to get a citizen to clean your house for a sandwich and a cup of coffee. People used to pay to work in restaurants so they could eat leftovers. If one law doesn't matter, no laws matter.

//The housekeeper told her, according to the affidavit, that she had been living in the United States illegally for seven years after paying a man to smuggle her across the Mexican border//

So, it is possible for someone to come here illegally; work for 7 years paying no taxes; and not getting caught... Great.

She took an oath to protect and uphold the constitution and our laws. She has not only failed to uphold laws, she actively broke laws.

It is not compassion to hire cheap labor. After 7 years, she increased her pay by $5? Is that compassion? No, that is enjoying cheap housecleaning.

The woman from Brazil should be deported. Ms. Henderson should lose her job, security clearance and pay a severe fine.

The fact that the woman was working means nothing to me. 94% of Americans work just as much. Willingness to get ajob should not qualify someone for illegal entry into the country. Was this person paying income taxes? Unlikely. That is another crime...tax evasion.

I think she should lose her job because, well, she's not doing it. Laws are laws and that's what we pay her to enforce. If she doesn't like it then she should find another job anyway. Having said that, I don't see what the big deal is about illegal immigrants. It's kind of like illegal marijuana...just make it legal and the problem is solved. These illegals who clean houses do it because it's the same kind of work they have in their own country, only we pay 20 times better.

$75 for a few hours work is NOT exploitation. Kick all these domestics out of the country and you'll have a lot of desperate housewives committing suicide (ok, slight exaggeration, but they'll be very unhappy).

Ummm all of you who think its absurd to get your house cleaned for $75-$80 per cleaning, clearly don't get their houses cleaned. I pay $80/cleaning for a legal citizen to clean my house, that doesn't make me lazy nor does it mean I am taking advantage of someone. It simply means, I like a clean house and since I don't have to do it....I won't! People have HOA's to maintain their property, pay landscapers to do their yards, pay someone to clean their carpet once or twice a year, pay a mechanic to service their cars. That does not make them lazy. It makes them smart for paying towards the economy and having someone who is specialized in doing thoser services, do them! On that note, I think this Henderson lady gets everything they give her! She is definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed!

(1) to all the "book 'em, Dano" types, something is "illegal" only because people put a law "on the books" saying it should be; (2) to all the "what a cheapskate!" types, the "house" the immigrant was cleaning looks barely big enough to be a 1-bedroom condo, (3) no one wants to do the jobs the illegal immigrants wind up getting (case in point being comments on how "cheap" the accused is), (4) the "chuck 'em out" crowd sounds hypocritical in light of Massachusetts' pride over its involvement in the Underground Railway 150 years ago.

deport her and hire an american and pay her good american wages.
dont take advantage of cheap labor

Wow! My home state sure is leading the pack, but in what I'm not sure!!! It's tragic and pathetic, but I'm glad people are getting caught. It seems that we've "settled" in this country. Too many people explain away law breaking with "Well, it's always been done this way." Give me a break. I work in a small town that has a PART-TIME mayor and he's been allowed to create a hostile work environment with his open humiliation and bullying of the town's employees, as well as fire people at will, but no one with clout (department heads or council members) will stand up to this guy. We (voters/tax payers) need to hold public officials accountable (whether they're elected or appointed) and not dismiss anything that they do. They do what WE allow them to. People like Henderson and Wilkerson thumb their noses at our democratic system, thinking none of the laws or social rules apply to them.

Gee, another Democrat abusing power ? Taking advantage of an illegial immigrant, illegially here and employing her ? The Regional Director of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection giving an illegial, illegial advice on how to get around the system ? Wow, amazing. Democrats complain about the deficit ( while they continue increasing spending ) and complain about the Iraq war costing 6-7 billion a month, but illegials cost about 17-18 billion a month. Let's wake up and clean house on these liberals. Were a country with laws let's enforce them. She deserves the full prosecution of the law.We can't afford to have public officals acting like they are above the law, she should be made an example.

I love how Massachusetts Liberals Blame Bush for this, the woman has been with Customs since 1975. Maybe now Obama's illegal Aunt, living in subsidized housing, can apply for the job of Customs Director for Homeland Security.

If your company can not stay in business without breaking the law then you need to go out of business. If you are here illegally you should be deported. We should make a law that says if you are here illegally you have 6 months to leave with your property, after 6 months you will have your property confiscated to reimburse the American taxpayers and you will still have to leave. Also we should have mandatory jail time for those who use illegal labor as well as hefty fines. We could do it in the summer when school is out, use school busses and make schools make those busses available if they want federal funding

it does us no good allow the regional director of Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection to hire an illegal cleaning lady.

It does not matter if other businesses break the law to circumnavigate the expense of having a legitimate employee.

If the law is so off course it will be changed, and we will not need her in office any more any way...

I am most worried that a person in charge of Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection is in flagrant violation of her own office and what it stands for.

In mexico they would take care of you in the hospital and would not ask where you came from. I've been there and in the hospital...but i get your point.

Just another Liberal supporting slavery. Send all the illegals packing NOW!

Illegals pay taxes? How is that? They don't have documents. So are they using false documents? It is OK to lie that way?

Since you can't work unless you fill out an I-9 and have to so documention they are lying to do so. They are using false documents.

If I did I would be in jail. So where is the difference?

Henderson stole a job from an American (yes, we'll clean houses and anything else that needs done, how do you think this country got built?) She should be in PRISON and yes it is WELL worth the money to prosicute this panderering scumbag traitor who is helping an unarmed HOSTILE invasion of our nation. These illegals believe that this is their nation, and that we (Americans of Europian decesent) must leave. Why do think we are in the pickle we're in? Gov't wasn't encouraging(arm twisting) the lenders to make all these sub prime loans to to the average American.

People you have totally captured the spirit of the season, fine, imprison, real criminals! WOW, we have a serious problem here. All those willing to spend their tax dollars on prison for someone involved in this SERIOUS OFFENSE raise their hands! It is so easy to depersonalize these folks and say "throw the books at them"....Enjoy the holidays!

illegal aliens take jobs from Americans, use community services they didn't pay for, impact and destroy schools, impact and destroy the healthcare system to the extent that many emergency rooms have closed are closing due to unpaid services given to illegal aliens. illegal aliens are the fastest growing population in our prisons, the illegal alien gangs are becoming the largest and most violent in this nation. Illegal aliens represent a severve security problem with violent muslim groups and others (remember 911) entering this country and purporttrating crimes against Americans.

Illegal aliens should be deported their property confiscated dna samples taken of them and if they attempt to return jailed for 15 yrs no parole then BILLJOHNSONdeported.

I am a former US Government employee with Permanent Tenure under Competitive Services status

As a former Federal Employee of the US Customs and Border Protection an agency of the US Department of Homeland Security, my last grade in federal services as CBP Officer was GS-1895-11, assigned to the Port of Boston, MA.

Since joining CBP as America’s Frontline I have been subject to a hostile working environment because of my race (Asian) and national origin (Indian/Goan) since September 2003. Filing a grievance with the EEO I have faced numerous hardships and retaliations brought against me making it a hostile environment at work performing “THANKLESS and UNAPPRECIATED� risky assignments to protect the American Public.

Since the day I joined US Customs & Border Protection agency in 2003 I have been subjected to numerous episodes of harassment, discrimination, physical and verbal assaults and been traumatized at work and hospitalized.

The events that are being enlisted here are only partial documented events that have been addressed to senior management with CBP in Washington D.C as well as in my EEO complaint between 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Compassionate? Don't do what I do do what I say? She'd make an excellent politician. Who appointed this bimbo? Is she a "D" or an "R"? I hope she is prosecuted to the nth degree. No excuse being a honcho of border security and exploiting illegals. I have no pity for the illegals either. Did they cut a deal? Asylum for turning States evidence??? I've said it before I'll say it again. Teeorists needn't rush to destroy us, we'll implode on our own!

It's the end of the World, God help us all.

STOP THE PRESSES......For the first time in history, the Boston Globe has used the word "illegals" in one of their headlines, and even worse, the widely acknowledged hate words "illegal immigrants" in the first sentence of a story, and yet again several more times thereafter. Something is terribly, terribly wrong with this situation! What has happened to required usage of the term "undocumented workers" that Deval Patrick, Barry Obama, et al., have taught us is the only permissible language to be spoken or written whenever this extremely unpleasant and very politically incorrect subject is ever raised? We must all wonder what is going on at the Globe? We know that all of their "news" stories are meticulously crafted from conception through editing, and they must have an ulterior motive for this drastic departure from convention. We can only speculate as to their motivations.....hmmmm.....hmmmm....

Lorraine Henderson is just cheap. Instead of paying someone from Salem a decent wage to clean her house, say $150, she wanted an illegal alien to do it for $75. I wonder if the money she saved each month is worth the 10 years in prison, plus fines and legal fees.

Anyone who says she was just being compassionate is full of it. How compassionate is it to ruin decent working class jobs with cheap, illegal immigration? Why pay a local carpenter $2500 to do some crown molding for you when you could get a couple of Brazilians to do it for $1000. The people people that suffer the most are working class, tradesmen and their families, who get replaced by illegal, cheap labor . AMERICANS are being hurt by illegal immigration and it was her job to stop it. She violated the public trust, so throw the book at her!

On top of that, you know the illegal wasn't paying taxes on the $75 she got, but she will be the first in line for welfare, schooling, school lunch, free emergency room visits, etc. So, the people who's jobs are being undercut are the ones who pay outrageous taxes to support the ones taking their jobs.

Thanks for nothing Lorainne. I hope you go to prison for a long time.

I'm shocked

A Republican in Massachusetts?
What is this world coming to.

We should be investigating crooked stockbrokers, too.

How dare they!!! Don't these bozos know that Obama, Biden AND McCain all voted to give social security benefits to illegal aliens. If these senators don't understand the meaning of ILLEGAL, why should this dame?

This is disgusting.

Does the punishment fit the crime?

10 years of incarceration plus $250,000 seems pretty steep for hiring a housekeeper.

What about the millions of other people who hire illegal immigrants? Why are they making an example out of this woman?

Directed to message 111. Explain to me how "some even pay their taxes" You are even dumber than your BH Liberal tendancies if you believe that. There is absoultly no means for the taxes to be credited without a legal SSAN. Anyone who believes that an idiot. Every spare dime they have goes back to "their country". I'm sure that Henderson disciplined her employees for much less infractions. She got what she deserves, and this country will continue down the tubes if it doesn't wake up and stop givining lillegals a free ride.

a lot of poor unemployed working folk making comments here, any of you want to clean my house for $75?

then shut up then

PS - how do you know that they are not American citizens? We SHOULD clear out ALL the illegal workers. Also, ONLY buy products made in America by AMERICANS. (I mean North Americans, from Estados Unitos)

Compassion would be hiring a LEGAL resident who's barely making end meet and paying them a decent wage. What she did is not compassion. She found cheap labor and didn't want to lose it.

Would be like a tax collector skimming off the top.
She failed in her position. She should be stripped of it and handed down a sentence harsher than the 'average'. Tar and feathers anyone?

Seven years of employment,no taxes? Beside the free medical, and probably food vouchers maybe she can now sign up for unemployment ! Henderson should give the cleaning lady her home and benes and maybe Henderson could be allowed to become a cleaning lady for her. Now that's compassion! Also, Michael could be her driver and and renounce his citizenship and give it up to the cleaning lady. Just more compassion! People I know waited in line for years to become a USA citizen.

I love those who make statements that are not really true either out of prejudice or just plain ignorance. Romney hired a lawn service. The lawn service was using illegals. Those are the facts. We all buy things. Are we to investigate every company before we purchase something? I think not.

Hypocrisy thy name is NOT just republican - Example Sen Dodd, DEM, CT, and representatice Charles Rangel, DEM, N.Y.. Thy name is career politician. Politicians should be held accountable for their abuses. Henderson's heart may have been in the right place but her head certanly was not. The law is the law. If we have to follow it, so does she. I hope they through the book at her and the case doesn't get swept under the rug. Unfortunately, the "Old Boy " network will take over and bury the case. She'll get off with a slap on the wrist.

Oh I see. It's the governments fault that this government employee(paid by tax payers) knowingly hired several illegal immigrants. Hmmm sounds like more cool-aid in play here.

Malachi 3:5, please read it. If you're an atheist or do not believe in the Bible is used for defining morals in society, then deport anyone you please and ignore the passage and continue with your opinions of treating immigrants as second class humans in the US. Just because something is in the books as law does not make it moral or ethical. I sure don't see the 6.7 percent unemployment popultion lining up for jobs that immigrants perform.

Illegal means illegal! whats wrong with you people. And where and who start that nonsense that Americans wont do house keeping or other similar jobs. That's called brainwashing. Repeat something enough times and people will believe it.
I've done just about every kind of job manageable along with other Americans. So don't tell me Americans are lazy or unwilling to work.
You think there are only 11 million illegals here. Why don't you try 25 to 30 million. This country was built by immigrants-Legal immigrants. We have imigration laws for a very good reason. Deport illeagals period.

Illegals cost American TAXPAYERS $383.3 BILLION "per year" in welfare, food stamps, medicaid, HUD housing (60% illegal), FREE public schools, FREE emergency rooms, free college tuition, and FREE LEGAL DEFENSE while they rape (1 million), rob, and murder (9,000 per yr) American citizens, join criminal gangs with impunity, and drive drunk on our highways killing even more Americans. The illegals have taken ALL the construction jobs in my state (at lower wages $8 - no taxes are being paid) DISPLACING American workers ($18 - taxed) and causing huge unemployment rolls. ALL the states are going broke because the illegals use 40% of social services but PAY NO TAXES. 2% of them pick crops, 40% are on welfare.

#2 you are what is wrong with America when it comes to the "Illegal Alien" debate and enforcement of existing laws.

A person takes an oath to enforce the law of the land and then circumvents those laws for her own gain = low moral character compounded by greed/corruption = law breaker.
What part of illegal do you & your limp wristed liberal kool aide drinkers not understand?

Oh I see-- it's the governments fault that this tax payer paid government employee hired several illegal immigrants. hmmm maybe a little too much kook-aid in play me thinks.

BJC

You're way off base on this one. Even if all the illegals had jobs those that use false SSN's are paying taxes where those that aren't paying taxes have the type of jobs that make it easy to hide income. That stated, now that hundreds of thousands of American citizens are out of work what happens now? The illegals are taking jobs that could be worked by Americans. Additionally, with the economy the way it is and the type of jobs that the illegals tend to take, many more will be sucking off our system as they are laid off and/or lose customers due to the economy.

HANG HER

You bleeding hearts in Mass., should look at what has happened to California, they are broke and begging for (other people's money), the Feds, to help them out again. And one wonders why, because of huge labor union contracts,a socialist state government, and millions of illegal immigrants. There is no more money for all of these illegals. And by the way, how do you guys in Mass like your high taxes now, they will be getting alot higher soon.

Really paying attention huh?? Was she on the job in 2001???

and how many unemployed citizens would take that job as a house cleaner, hotel room cleaner, meat packer, farm hand and so on. The lazy citizens I know would rather collect unemployment and disability instead of working those jobs. Stop using the line that illegal immigrants steal jobs.

"Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense." Obviously you don't have any common sense. Henderson broke the law; the law that she has sworn to uphold illustrating that she can't be trusted with responsibility, nor can she be trusted not to become someone's dupe. Her "good intentions" could have had terrible ramifications, and anyone else like her could put the country in grave danger. If you lack the sense to see that than God help us all.

The complaint of illegals is that the process to enter legally is too long.
Well, it will always take too long unless you have open borders and then you don't have a country.
'"Make them legal and put them at the end of the line for citizenship is the cry."
Folks, their primary goal is not citizenship, it's to get into the U.S.
Once in they get all the bennies except the right to vote and they'll probably do that anyway.
I'll support the end of the line theory, as long as the line starts on the other side of the border.

What? Brian, are you seriously suggesting that if we deport illegal aliens then we will have to live with dirty dishes and unclean homes? What an insult on so many levels.
I guess I'm not very compassionate because I find it immoral to take advantage of people and pay them substandard wages. I wonder if all these "compassionate" people would feel any differently if there were no immigration laws. Then they would have to pay real wages (or at least minimum wage and overtime). Do you think that immigrants will continue to work for pennies if they can legally work here?

Jail put this lady in jail and fine her. Judges need to make a statement that if you break the law you go to jail. I am sick of unions standing behind cops, firefighters, city workers, and more. If you are in a position of power and break the law GOOD BYE have fun in a 6X9 cell with 3 hots and a cot. This is BS that taxpayers money is being abused the way it is mean while the Taxpayers are losing jobs fearing recession and people of power are breaking laws and keeping pensions. STOP the madness.

Deport the illegal and jail the lawbreaker who hired her.

Duh.

Do as I say - not as I do people!

If this Homeland Security Officer was that compassonate about her illegal houskeeper, and illegal aliens in general than why didn't she quit her job and become an immigration lawyer? Further, the woman had a child during the time she worked for her. Who is the father? Is she hiding more illegals? Who is paying for this child if the woman only makes $75. a week. Likley the taxpayers. How about some compassion for hardworking taxpayers struggling to raise children!

This is absolutely nothing!!!!

The idiot Hussein Obama selected the Governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano to be the Director of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and being an Arizona citizen, I will say this, there was not one bit of legislative action submitted by the State Senate and State house of Reps, that she approved that would imposed sanctions on illegal aliens in Arizona. It was the peoples' proposals that were voted upon and approved by more than 72% of the state and she couldn't veto those!!! Napolitano + Immigration = CHAOS!

Good riddings. People like her should be in jail...one criminal helping another criminal.

118. do you not understand the meaning of the word legal immigrants? Do not give these illegals credit for anything other than draining our economy. They sign up for WIC and food stamps and the locals can't touch them. Who has to pay for this??? Us......My legal daughter went to get temporary aid to help her and her daughter and nearly had to beg (in English) while masses of spanish speaking women with lots of kids were given translators ,,,,,,,fair is fair??

I pay $50.00 for my brazilian house cleaners. Every other week, and i think she is great. Come on every one of us are using the illegal services, just go to Mcdonalds, or dunkin donuts.

#118, Are you on crack? There is a legal process for becoming a US citizen. It just takes time. Why should it be easy? We can ill afford to take in all the people who want to come here, that's the truth. I'd rather have a legal immigrant who has been screened that someone hopping the border who might very well be a criminal. Go to Texas, Go to San Diego then open your yap about just letting any old people in.

Why is it that people assume that there is no real process for legal immigration and that sneaking in is the only way for someone to get here. Do your homework people!!! We allow thousands of immigrants legally.

Do you want a country full of people who ignored the law to get here in the frist place??? Let's hope they don't ignore the law if you are driving a car they want or if they want your wallet or your child. Get a grip!

Google "Q&A: Illegal Immigrants and the U.S. Economy", a story by NPR that takes a balanced (if not comprehensive) view of the issue of immigration. Here's the conclusion:

"There are places in the United States where illegal immigration has big effects (both positive and negative). But economists generally believe that when averaged over the whole economy, the effect is a small net positive. "

What needs to change are the qualifications for citizenship. Getting thrust out of someone's womb in a certain location should not lead to automatic granting of the hard-won rights of a full-fledged member of our society. How about we consider factors such as your knowledge of our history and democratic system (that excludes 90% of native-born Americans), whether you have bothered to learn an employable skill and are willing to use it to contribute, whether you give back anything, etc. I would think that risking your life to get here would actually be quite a plus on this list. Its the housekeeper who should have citizenship, and some of the posters here, who clearly know nothing of our nation's history, and are lacking when it comes to morals and ethics, whose citizenship should be suspect.

# 2 and #13 both liberal boobs..

The law's are to be enforced not only did she break the law by hiring her. She gave her tips on how to be avoided...

I guess you would be ok with the principal selling your kids dope as long he was in charge of the local DARE chapter at school..

again #2 and 13 morons

KG

All counties have immigration policies and for good reason. There are those reasons based on laws/security and voting (accountability) to those on economics and business. I fall more on the economic side where large migrations/immigrations can destroy a countries economy, even the US economy.

No-one blames a legal immigrant for wanting to improve their life, it’s the illegal immigrants that are the issue as well as the system we have in controlling this issue. If every person and company were heavily fined if caught employing an illegal immigrant then this issue would clear up pretty quickly. Granted, there are laws in that do just that… but they are not used or enforced!!!

KG

All counties have immigration policies and for good reason. There are those reasons based on laws/security and voting (accountability) to those on economics and business. I fall more on the economic side where large migrations/immigrations can destroy a countries economy, even the US economy.

No-one blames a legal immigrant for wanting to improve their life, it’s the illegal immigrants that are the issue as well as the system we have in controlling this issue. If every person and company were heavily fined if caught employing an illegal immigrant then this issue would clear up pretty quickly. Granted, there are laws in that do just that… but they are not used or enforced!!!

For #5 I read a number of other articles regarding this news item and nowhere did I see any mention of Ms Henderson's political affiliation. So how do you come up with that she's a Republican you friggin' bozo. She broke the law that she was supposed to be upholding. She took advantage of an illegal alien bordering on endured slavery. She should be fined severly and put in jail. The illegal housekeeper and her 2 friends should be deported. And you need to stop drinking that Liberal left wing cool aid.

"...Accept it, this is a country of immigrants and all of you are the children of those... Do not blame it on the immigrants. "

I don't blame it on immigrants whatsoever. They were INVITED to come here. They filled out all the paperwork, paid their fees, had criminal background checks, medical screenings to make sure they were not bringing in diseases like virulent TB, HIV, AIDS, Chagras, dengue fever, Leprosy, plague, etc., and waited patiently in line for years to get here.
Of course, ILLEGAL aliens have done of the above, ENFORCE OUR LAWS!

The bottom line is the illegal alien broke the law and so did Henderson for hiring one. It's about time law enforcement officials started cracking down on this, good for them.

Go to jail dumbo, no wonder this country is so screwed up, everybody wants more than they earn an does not care about laws or who they hurt.

I'm reading the various posts and it is amazing to me the folks on here that don't see anything wrong with this picture. Henderson abused her authority and right, took advantage of her title and tax payers dollars by not with holding what it is her very job role requires her to do. Not to mention, as well as openly discriminated because she had something to gain from it all, i.e. cheap labor. Who is she to define, who is and isn't a threat to our security? These laws are put in place for security purposes as well as economics. It would be great if we could take on every immigrant that comes to this country but the plain truth is we do not have the means to provide for the thousand of illegals that come here every year. It is a face and evident in our country this day. This is terrible.

Why no photo of Henderson? Who is she? Who does she know? What is her background that enabled her to get the job?

Sorry but in this economy, where jobs are few, that job should have gone to a legal resident. This still is a county right with borders and citizens out of work looking for a job.

But now, she has a baby or two or three or four or five... and has a better chance to stay here the more kids she has. Each baby equals more welfare checks. She was smart there at least, :(

And you liberals like Michael wonder why your state is a disaster to live in.

Looks like someone wanted her gone...LOL

"If Henderson advised her illigal house cleaner to be careful, she was not thinking about the money that she was saving. She was showing compassion for the Brazilian lady.

Why many Americans hate so much? It is healthier to love."

Would you be saying the same thing if the chief of police told a bank robber to "be careful" when robbing banks? Would the chief of police be showing compassion?

AMERICAN CITIZENS love America.

Now I'll sleep better at night...............

The U.S admits more LEGAL immigrants each year than any country in the world (upwards of a million). We do not need illegal immigrants who have no allegiance to anyone but themselves. Try to consider: there are about 50 million people in your house whom you do not know. Also, with the unemployment rate so high, I'm sure there are people who can work these jobs. Perhaps our own teenagers can do them instead of texting and playing video games. By the way, when did the average American become so elitist as to refuse to do any hard work?
Westindian--20.00 for an apple? What planet are YOU on? Actually, the cost of produce would increase, but by about .20-.30 cents. Frankly, I'd gladly pay it. Do any of you realize that every single person who has posted here in favor of illegal immigration has expressed virtually no facts? --A lot of feelings, but NO facts (or real thought for that matter).

There is nothing compassionate about hiring people for low wages from a foreign country, when millions of people here are losing their jobs. Those that want open borders, please be compassionate toward your OWN COUTNRY, and the people that live here. Mexico is on the verge of being a failed state, with rampant corruption in all levels of government, and the drug cartels actually controlling large portions of that country. I have sympathy for their plight, but it does no one any good to have the United States import people who come from that kind of society, who are largely uneducated, and have spread gangs across this country.

Michale------ Went to public schools huh ?
Port of Boston ? ................ say it ain't so !
Looks like we'll have to have Bawneey Fwank form a committee to check this out !!

Without reforming our in immigration laws we will lose foundation of economic success this country experienced by allowing in laborers and entrepreneurs from all over world. These just shows that we all must care more about this issue and make sure our law makers get back to immigration law and allow in all eligible professionals who want to emigrate here. That will imminently raise our efficiency in work place and make our products more competitive in global market. Let’s not drown in homogenick reaction and look on our society as are for father versioned: Free Equal and Competitive.

We could avoid this waste of money and discussion without end if the immigration reform had already passed. Hurry Obama!!!

since when is 75-80 dollars for an hours work not good money. you people have you heads up your u know whats. she broke the law...she got caught. So What!

Let's see she got a good deal on the maid service but YOU the taxpayer paid for the maid's housing, fooda stampas, hospital care to have the baby, if not returned, school for the kids ect. multiply that times 20,000,000. Adds up!

For all you bleeding hearts for the illegal immigrants, bring your check book to Texas and help us pay for the anchor babies being dropped by the illegals. A whopping 70% of babies born at Parkland Hospital in Dallas (one of our nations busiest) are illegals at a cost of over $70 million. Do a search on Snopes to get the full picture.

To #155...please educate yourself on sales taxes (paid in almost all states, regardless of immigration status) and ITIN numbers (issued to tax-payers who don't have a social sec number)...and please refrain from calling people who disagree with you "idiot(s)".

Is the corruption ever going to end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow one person... come to any Arkansas Poultry processing plant (Tysons) or any roofer and you will find thousands of illeagal. She is being being held up as a patsy but it's a start.

Because of her position as an HS regional director, Henderson should be sentenced and fined to the maximum, as should anybody who knowingly hires an illegal alien. Illegals are overrunning this country and the cost in social services expenses, the court and prison costs of their criminal acts and the fact that they send the bulk of their income out of the country creates a triple whammy against the economy and damages American workers and incomes. The pain and suffering of their crime victims is horrendous. I've seen it first-hand. The housekeeper and her relatives should be deported muy pronto!

The housekeeper and her relatives should be deported muy pronto..

I live in so. california and over the past twenty years have slowly seen it turning into a third world country.. Several months ago our gov. would not sign the up-coming budget because it was 16 billion over budget in his eyes. They trimmed everything but the 14 billion that goes for healthcare, welfare and school assistance to the illegal immigrants..

I am retired, but the people I worked for in the restaurant businss, told me that if I applied for a position with them, they would not hire me. No hablo espanol. I was an employee that was pursued by head hunters for other positions.

I wass

Fry her...

This is the exact problem with our country. Illegals cost this country about $500 BILLION a year.

Deport her and housekeeper for being a rat.

Michael, I just got hit by an illegal alien, no driver's license, no insurance, no registration, not their car to begin with, nothing but a Mexican ID to show. My car was totaled, the illegal alien paid a fine and picked their car up from the police impound lot within 24 hours, and drove off, again, no license, etc. Now they continue to drive under the same circumstances, only now in a vehicle that is unsafe for the road. My car was totaled, and it took a month for me to get back on my feet. So if you think the government should spend more time on "REAL" crimes, you can just send me a check to cover my insurance deductible. Until you are ready to put your money where your mouth is, keep your opinions to yourself.

And this whole argument that "they do jobs American citizens won't" just doesn't hold water. I would refer you to a TV show called "Dirty Jobs", which shows American citizens doing jobs many people would turn their noses up at. The show makes that argument look like what it is--absurd!!!

Someone said "Whose going to clean houses and work in restaurants) [witthout illegals] . My answer to that is some of the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in the last year might be interested. Illegals are breaking the law entering this country. Americans are arrested for breaking the law - but it seems illegals are not.

I own a residential cleaning company and these illegal workers kill a small business like me. I carry the necessary insurance, pay taxes etc but these people dont so they can charge less than me. It's almost impossible to compete with them. I contacted Kennedy, Kerry, and Lynch's office and what a suprise they have provided no help.

ITS NOT RIGHT! I PAY TAXES AND DO EVERYTHING ON THE BOOKS. THE HOMEOWNER AND THE ILLEGAL WORKER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.dAN

Idiots who think there are more important things to investigate aren't paying attention to the the cost to society. Idiots who ask "who will clean our houses and bus tables at restaurants" aren't paying attention to the unemployment statistics.

She violated the very law that she is paid big bucks to enforce. Americans do clean houses professionally, there's no need to hire illegal alien work thieves unless you wish to avoid paying a decent wage for the work done.

My housekeeper can't speak English, but she sure can clean a house very well, especially for $65/wk - cash. I don't know if she is legal or not, she doesn't understand English, so I can't ask her.

People, people whats all the fuss? California has no problem paying for all of their "Illegal immigrants" Neither do we here in Arizona.
Oh wait, California is going bankrupt and our Governor Doubtfire is begging the Feds for money.
Someone said it earlier. It's not about hate. It's about following the LAW. The immigration laws are in place so we can grow our economy to match the population.
I'm sure once our Governor takes over as Sec of HLS everything will be fine.
Good old Barry "O" made a wise choice.
THIS COUNTRY NEEDS TO WAKE UP!!

It's

Maybe if she had done the work herself she could have worked off some of those "extra" pounds she's sporting...

Several commenters have made the point that Henderson was being "cheap." But I don't see how they can conclude that from the article. For all we know the housecleaning only takes four hours -- which means the Brazilian woman was getting $20/hr. While that's not big money, it's certainly a respectable wage. As for firing Ms. Henderson, it obviously had to be done -- lack of respect for the law is unacceptable for someone in her position. Still, spending hundreds of thousands to prosecute and potentially imprison her seems a bit much. I mean, I don't exactly feel safer now that the country has deported one more house cleaner. Do you?

Someone asked who is going to clean and do dishes, not americans. That's only true now because the wages for these jobs are skewed by a cheap illegal workforce. If the illegals were eliminated from the equation, either by taking them out of the workforce, or forcing a competitive wage to be paid to them, the wages for these jobs would increase until Americans WERE willing to take them. The argument that they are doing work Americans won't is wrong, they are doing work Americans will do at a wage lower than what an American will take for that work. It's basic supply and demand, illegals are an oversupply of low wage labor, and they lower the earnings of Americans.

Did any of these people who ask why is she being prosecuted even read the article? Her only job was to enforce this type of law!!! It is not a republican issue either. You sound iggnorant when you simply blame a "party" for one persons obviously stupid actions.
She employeed these people because she didn't care much about them being here working and she got the work for short money. It's that simple. Goes to show once people get these gov jobs they think they are untouchable. Hopefully she losses her job, any retirement and goes to jail. Thanks for the protection too.

"Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican. Fortunately, the nightmare is over in less than two months."

Yeah whatever qeyhq4eyh5.

It seems to me YOUR democraps are just as, if not more so, GUILTY. And how do you know this lady's political affiliation? You're a partisan HACK. Ah, and Michael? You state" "There are so many more important issues to confront, and real criminals to go after." Well, Michael it IS criminal, to both be here ILLEGALLY, or hire someone who is. What don't you understand about that?? Go visit east LA, and tell me how it doesn't matter.

PRISON? Here we go again. Is there any wrongdoing in our society that doesn't involve prison??? We have 25,000 prisoners in Massachusetts, just under 12,000 in state and the rest in county.

The MA DOC budget is 530 million dollars a year to imprison people, mostly nonviolent drug offenders and people who hire immigrants.

These are not dangerous people who need to be locked up! This is money that could be better spent on education and healthcare, but there's no money for either of those.

Enough of this police state! The prison industry is exploding, the only one seeing a profit these days, today it's 1 out of every 100 people in prison, the ratio will be narrowing in due time, which means we'll all have done time at one point or another.

Without these blogs it would be impossible to plumb the depths of stupidity of the left. Thank you.

Both Henderson and her illegal accomplice of a house cleaner were stealing. Henderson was stealing a fair, taxable wage from a legal worker to clean her house. Her illegal "employee" was stealing income tax from the IRS and robbing resources and a job from legal residents.

Liberals love to lay their head on the pillow each night certain that their side looks out for the poor. The poor citizens in America must compete for jobs with illegals which drives down wages. The poor must send their kids to overcrowded schools because illegals have moved in. The poor must get to the back of the line in emergency rooms. Rich people receive ALL of the benefits of illegals, primarily cheap labor, and suffer none of the pain. Their illegal staff doesn't live, get sick, or send their kids to school in their town.

Wake up! Liberal pseudo-compassion is throwing the poor in this country both ends of the rope!

If the government starts arresting everyone who has an illegal doing their yard work, house cleaning or childcare we better start building more prisons, FAST.

It would sure elimimate a lot of my competition.

Mitt are you paying attention?

Vorenious (comment 179) you are a serious redneck. If anything you need to be deported. Check your data Janet Napolitano is of Italian heritage, was named one of the top five Governors and has signed one of the toughest law making It crime to hire illegals immigrants and requires all businesses to verify the employment eligibility of workers through a federal database.

She took an oath of office, so did the president and congress, do you see them upholding the immigration laws. Monkey see monkey do.

I think a disgruntled employee found a way to get even with the boss!

To 145,
What does that have to do with this woman being arrested? You were allegedly wronged how does that dovetail with this Henderson woman? Did you drop the dime? Are you Officer A?????

You pro-illegal immigrant posters are complete nitwits. Low income, low skill immigrants (legal and illegal) are a HUGE burden to taxpayers. Because of their low wages, they pay little to NO taxes yet the taxpayers are paying for their healthcare and children's education. Most towns are paying $10k for each child for education. And we all know how expensive healthcare is. Illegal immigrants are getting all of this free. And if they got amnesty, it would be worse because then they would qualify for more welfare programs and we would have to pay them SS when they retire. For low income workers, SS pays out far more than the worker pays in.

Illegal immigrants DO compete for jobs against low income Americans and teenagers. Why do you think there is a 20% unemployment rate for teenagers - it's because of illegals. If the illegals weren't here, wages would have gone up. For those who think products and produce prices would skyrocket, you are economic idiots. Wages are a very small part of produce and products. This is an excerpt from a 2000 study -
The major reasons why a big increase in farm wages has little effect on retail prices is because farmers get a small share of the retail price and farm workers are a small share of farm production costs. For a $1 head of lettuce or a $1 pound of tomatoes in the supermarket, farm worker wages and benefits are about 7 cents, which represents (1) 7 percent of the retail price and (2) 35 percent of the farmer’s price of these commodities. "

The Globe did a hatchet job on Romney regarding the illegal immigrants who were working for his landscape contractor. Romney didn't know they were illegal nor is it his responsibility to ask what their immigration status is. He was assured by his contractor that they were legal. There is nothing more he could have done.

Michael wrote:

"Henderson sounds like a compassionate person and I only hope that I would do the same for people struggling to get by in a foreign country. Why is she being investigated on this? It is bizarre. There are so many more important issues to confront, and real criminals to go after. Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense."

Are you F-ing serious??? She was hired to uphold the laws of this nation. She was derelict in her duties. And, if you don't like the laws in this country, then work to change them. Your lack of thought and limitless altruism is what will be the ruin of this great nation.

Ding Dong...

To #219
You're part of the problem. I wouldn't be to proud of that.
If you just stick you head in the sand maybe Barry Obama can make it all better. Grow up!!!

This actually comes close to entrapment.
It being Boston, such public corruption is a long and storied tradition. The unarmed tax paying peasants of Massachusetts get precisely the kind of government they deserve: CORRUPT.

What's next the Drug Czar of the USA importing heroin into the country?

Michael what are you smoking?? I was waiting for the twist ending or punchline. I cant believe it, the head of border control in the NE hiring
illegals... Let the Brazilian stay here and send Henderson to Brazil !
I like immigrants. Great people, new ideas, food and culture,
they bring vibrance to otherwise rundown areas of large cities, but please just come legally. Nobody likes a line jumper.
Anyways, isn't the next POTUS also an illegal. www.obamacrimes.com

OLets get down to the facts about imigration. A illegal imigrant has more access to tax payer dollars then a legal resident. YES they pay taxesYES they get loans easier that has landed us in the mess we are now in. Yes they get HUID funding and put 2 -3 families in a shack and only pay about $600.00. They have taken my modest family of a wife and 1 child to a level of living in the GHETTO. In my quiet little cul de sac of 16 apartments, there are now about 60 adults.

Did she also hire Obama's aunt? She is also in the Boston area and probably for hire. By the way, is ICE after the aunt and will she be deported or hired into the cabinet? I wonder...

Amazing, the same old catch phrases: "only doing jobs Americans won't", "they are paying taxes & social security", "need to make them citizens", etc..
Granted Americans don't want to do some of those jobs at the going rate that is paid to the illegals.
Illegals may be paying taxes, but usually under a stolen SSN. But stop to think of what happens when the person that owns that SSN gets notification from the IRS that their taxes withheld don't match their returns?
Lastly when the illegal is made a citizen, are they going to accept the same wages as before? No, they will be Entitled to a Minimum Wage at least!

To #229
Get a clue. We here in AZ have passed several laws and Governor Doubtfire has chosen not to up hold them. After we passed one law on immigration she had the balls to tell us "We did not understand what we were voting on"
Come on down to AZ. Sit in an emergency room like I did when I needed stitches. (I got hurt at work) It was like being in a foreign country. AND they took many illegals ahead of me. I know they didn't have insurance or a job. I do, and had to wait. Don't go spouting of about something you know nothing about. P.S. I'm not a redneck, I'm a business owner.

The anti-immigrant comments on here are disappointing to say the least. Immigration in the US is broken not because of immigrants who come here but because of lawmakers who refuse to adapt immigration law to economic and social reality in the US. It's easy for people to spout off as armchair referees on who's deportable and who's not but the reality is that the issue is far more complicated and nuanced; knee jerk reactionaries shouting deportation, illegal and prison need to chill out and allow reasoned debate and a certain amount of compassion and strategic thinking to guide us through these times.

Go home!

"Another sad moment when laws about immigration grind against common sense." Obviously you don't have any common sense. Henderson broke the law........" -- Some Wicked simplistic thinking befitting a sacred fiveyear-old.

There is in the real world no difference between a "legal" and "illegal" immigrant. Only in the mind of those scared of their fellow human beings. It's like being scared of gay people because they're gay, black people because they're black, or poor people because the're poor. NO DIFFERENCE.

And the "stealing jobs " thing: That's complete crap. If you get ten thousand immigrants of any kind here, than you need a half dozen more doctors, more houses, more carpenters, more grocery markets, more police and firefighters, more teachers, nurses, dog-catcers, lawyers, etc.etc. In short, immigrants CREATE more jobs just by being here.

And as far as "going on welfare", that's more crap. If they got it together to get here, then they'll be working. If someone wants to just sit around, they won't be putting in the effort to come here. And furthermore, to receive public assistance, you need to show proof of citizenship or immigration status, so "illegal" immigrants can't receive public assistance, and legal ones can't receive any either for the first five years they are here. Welcome to American generosity.

Anyone who doesn't like immigrants of whatever kind is UNAMERICAN. PERIOD. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, and should join the Taliban where anything resembling rational thinking, curiosity, generosity or openness to one's fellow humans is completely verboten.

How many people here have checked out their housekeeper's immigration status? Did you make sure that the kid who mows your lawn or shovels your walk was here legally? How about your babysitter?

No? Then you have no business condeming this woman.

The hilarious part is that the woman she supposedly "helped" turned around and snitched on her!

Beautiful... hope they both go DOOOOWWWWNNNNNNNNNNNN.....

The answer to this madness is comprehensive immigration reform.

This woman took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, (all government employees take the Oath - I've done it!) and she did not. It's real simple - she broke the law and she should pay the price. The illegal should be deported, end of discussion. All socieites have laws and when those laws are not obeyed society breaks down and chaos rules.
Those who think there is no problem with illegals coming here will sing a different tune when they take YOUR job!

To Michael @ #13. Are you sure your name is not spelled 'Miguel'?

RE#6 - Typical left-wingnut response - it's all the Republicans fault! FYI, Ms. Henderson has been with US Customs since 1975 and has worked her way up the ranks - not a political appointee! How sad for the left-wingnuts who wanted to blame her on Bush. Next time, do a little Google work before making the usual asinine partisan political comment.

WHO IS JOHN GALT?

the housecleaner probably has been granted immunity( free citizenship)
henderson may serve less than 6 months if any jail time
henderson will pay a fine
loss of a career but not retirement
kuddos to the person who had the guts to turn her in

This is classic liberal hypocrisy in action: do as I say, not as I do, and highlights yet another example why libs do NOT want to fix the problem with people entering this country illegally - they hire them. God forbid they should pay an American citizen to do this work - and pay them a competitive wage to do it. No, they want to take advantage of someone who has no legal standing, pay them dirt wages, and hold their illegal status over their head. This is simply yet another form of abuse, and shows yet again that - not matter what they may actually say publicly - libs do not care about the needs of the American worker.

This woman should be fired immediately. I am a taxpayer, I'm paying her salary, I am outraged, and she should be FIRED - NOW.

Good luck with all of that.

Only in the wacked out "up is down" "black is white" fantasy world of liberals like Michael is this woman a victim.......Fire her and ship the illegals back to the 3rd world country they came from. This mentality of Michael unfortunately is spreading among the masses,which is partially why this country is in shambles. I fear for my children's future.

This lady was just helping her out. If the feds really wanna go after people they should sit outside of Home Depot's and U Hauls here in Los Angeles.

All you against illegal immigrants, you want to deport the illegals from the UK, Germany etc. as well? Right? Oh, whoops, nope, just the dirty brown people. HYPOCRITES.

To all you clueless idiots out there who are saying, "so she hired an illegal alien to clean her house... what's the big deal?" The woman was in a supervisory capacity, hired by the United States government to enforce the immigration laws of the United States. She knowlingly and willfully flouted those laws, repeatedly. Maybe you wingnuts don't believe in immigration laws; maybe you don't even believe the United States should protect its territorial boundaries from illegal encroachment. Many of us, however, do. Her arrest was a good thing. Bravo to I.C.E.!

Henderson sounds like a compassionate person and I only hope that I would do the same for people struggling to get by in a foreign country. Why is she being investigated on this?
**
Because she broke the law - DUH! If did the same, then you'd be arrested, too.

10-30 million illegals in the country. The great majority hired by white people. Even as the economy plummets, most white people will not do as good a job as illegals for the money. GOD bless the hard working illegals that work hard for a buck. This is the reason they triumph over adversity.
Us as Americans should take our cue and take our jobs back. When I was going to college, I lived in abandoned apartment buildings so I could afford college. Many Americans are not willing to do that. If we do not educate ourselves better then we need to undercut the illegals. We speak english, most people would rather hire an American for the same money... no less no more.

Great. This SLOB, is walking around free, while 2 HERO Border Agents, RAMOS and COMPEAN, are rottin in prison for shooting a DRUG SMUGGLER. While we're at it, you might want to check her LAWYER too. She hired one illegal. She's obviously stupid enough to do it again.

Henderson knew better. After being promoted to a position of honor and trust with the CBP, she violated the law that she swore to uphold. I believe that the word for such an action is "hypocrite"; moreso, by giving professional adivice to her Brazilian maid she also aided her on how to circumvent immigration law and evade removal from the United States.

After her day in court Henderson should be fired, fined, and sent to prison. She will then be able to clean houses with her former employee.

Hey...where is the news about Obama's aunt and uncle who are STILL living here illegally...when will they be SENT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait until this 4 pathetic years with Obama is up and he loses in the next election after the stupid Americans who voted for him realize he is just an incompetent moron who needs hundreds and hundreds of Clinton cronies around him to give him advice because he has no idea of what he is doing! Send back hi illegal aunt and uncle, whom he knew were here illegally and then deport the rest of the illegal aliens right after them!

She broke the Law she should be punished. Deport all illegals. I worked with a guy from England he was here legaly,he jumped through all the hoops to be a US Citizen and he can't understand why people here are condoneing the Liberals and Moderates stance on Illegals. This Nation needs a Liberal enama.

This has everything to do with low gas prices. If gas prices were higher this would have never happened.

One would think ICE would have better things to do than target one domestic worker. I live in Louisiana, where virtually every construction site is rife with people who are speaking Spanish exclusively and driving vehicles with Texas license plates. IT is obvious from the story that MS Henderson had formed a strong personal bond with her employee and this overrode her professional considerations. Ideology is no bar to personal feelings. Just look at Strom Thurmond and Thomas Jefferson.

WAHT DO YOU EXPECT ?
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PRESIDENT !!!!!!!!!!!!
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION SECRETARY OF STATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION REGIONAL HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR !!!

Michael is a typical Liberal: it's all about "emotion" and to heck with the Law. If your "intentions" are good, then whatever you do is okay - even if it's illegal, or a disaster. So, the "kind" lady gave a "needy" illegal a job - violating the very Law she's being paid to enforce, and saddling the taxpayers with yet another expense - and the Libs all think that's just fine, 'cause she "meant well". I wish these people would GROW UP! This isn't a TV sitcom. We have a homeland - and our own families - to protect and preserve here. And I, for one, am sick of the burden of naive and ever-failing Liberal social "solutions".

Send the illegals home and give the jobs to legal Americans--this is why we are in this bad economy now. We cannot afford this. Fire Henderson and all of those corrupt individuals like her. We Americans are tired of these freeloaders!!!! Get these criminals out of this country now--they don't belong here.

Opinions on the Immigration "Issue" aside, she was caught on tape inciting someone to break a law that she swore an oath to uphold. THERE IS NO DEFENSE FOR HER ACTIONS.

As a Police Officer, I hope she does time for what she did.

Have you all been asleep for the the last 50 years.......She's a frigging Dem; no autopsy no foul.

And then if there is an autopsy;. like Vince Foster (or John Glasgow) you just have to be a really powerful Dem to get away with murder...

She needs to be in jail.
Illegal's need to be back in their country, not in mine.
Liberals want to pick and choose the laws they obey.
If she had used the "N" word the same people supporting her now would want to hang her.
What a shameful group .

Another cronie...BUSTED! Good! The Customs side of ICE has always considered immigration enforcement beneath them...in fact since the creation of ICE it has been a thorn in the side of INS agents. Now that this 'port director' who SWORE AN OATH to enforce the law has been publicly nabbed, it might be a wake up call to the others flaunting the law!!
Great job to the agents who busted her!!

Hopefully she will be required to pay all the back SSI, medicare and minimium wage and overtime for those who worked for her in addition to all fines.
She should get the exact same treatment as she did to others who hired illegals. The fines levied on the New Bedford plant would be a nice place to start, but since she was a corrupt government official, they should be significantly higher.
This is typical "selective enforcement" I can hire illegals and pay them less, not pay benifits, but I will close you down if you do it.

I'm not sure if Henderson sounds like a compassionate person. I think she sounds like someone who wanted her house cleaned. She does not deserve to go to prison, though, that is far too harsh a sentence for something so minor as this. And please, people, you're all letting your hatred of "the other" shine through here. Just because you hate people from non-euro countries, doesn't make them criminals.

Meanwhile, the US has murdered well over a million people in the Middle East alone in the last several years and we just keep on murdering. How can any one of us call anyone else a criminal?

The survey question does not allow for a gray area. Yes, she should face maximum punishment - but that is because of her role as head of homeland security. If Joe six-pack was tried and convicted (he wouldn't be - he'd sit on his lazy a** and let his wife do all the work, like that guy Onslow on the dole in "Keeping Up Appearances") - another story. A fine and probation/community service.

However Joh (#225), I hardly think the housekeeper poses a threat to national security.

just another example of why we are soon to cease to exist as a nation. We will soon degrade into a civil war/ revolution, just as soon as our fiat money finishes its collapse to being so worthless, it will take a basket full of dolars to buy one loaf of bread. REALLY, get ready people.

Just another Massachusetts traitor!!
The penalty for betraying the trust of her position should be severe; and if it had caused the death or injury of an American citizen, the firing squad would have been appropriate.
10 years?...probably enough as long as there's no early release for "good time"!!!

to 146,

Since you are a former employee, you should probably keep your comments to yourself. especially since you haver an ongoing lawsuit against her!!! Use your head, wait, thats probably why you don't work there anymore, you don't ever use your head before doing anything!!! Smarten up!!!

I just read all the comments. Several of you make very good points about the effect of illegal immigration. BUT - I am appalled at the lack of English
education in this country !! So many posters can not spell nor use the
correct verbiage in their posts and a lot of them, because of that, do
not make much sense and read like 2nd graders still learning their
"native" language, its meanings and the way to use it to communicate
their ideas/opinions properly. It make me wonder how many of you are school drop-outs. This woman broke the law she was supposed to enforce and deserves to be fined, lose her job and go to jail.
I

She lived in a condo. $75 is probably fair. Condo because she wants to move in a flash if US govt, transfers her. I worked for FDIC for 5 years before being laid off, (no political connections), big job but paying a LOT less than her. My predecessor was marched off in handcuffs. He got 2 years home confinement and lost his job and pension, (malfeasance, like this woman). She's toast not because what she did was wrong and violated her oath, (I took it also). She's toast because she is an embarrassment to the people who got her the job..

No 146, you were/are paranoid, no one harrassed you! You were trying to get promoted or something!

Micheal, does this means child molestors are compassnate people for just wanting one to love kids?

No.

Criminals aren't compassionate.

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens have lost their jobs thus far. When their unemployment (checks) run-out any menial job will be like gold. In 9-18 months when deflation turns into hyper-inflation, things may be worse than the great depression. This is why the libs in congress will push for "illegal amnesty," otherwise it's war and civil disobedience in the streets over jobs, money, food, and there will not be enough to go around. How will you defend yourself against a "legal citizen" now? If a border fence is not completed within the next six months, along with all illegal hiring sanctions intact, and effective deportations; then you best know how to hunt, fish, and grow your own food. You will also need the weapons to protect yourselves. It will be interesting to see how the compassionate libs will react with near worthless money; a thousand dollars to fill the tank, and a hundred bucks for a loaf of bread. All the while with illegals now "legal," living like and eating kings on farms, because most of you haven't learned how to pick potatoes.

Sadly, both Dems and Republicans encourage illegal immigration.
With Obama soon to sign a bill authorizing legalization of all illegals into the country, any foreigner would be a fool not to move heaven and earth to get here.
Illegals now cost you and me billions in health care, medicaid, food stamps, welfare, schooling, etc. They use fraudulent ID to obtain these benefits. They take American jobs, especially troublesome in today's economy.

And there's nothing we can do about it....

Yup. I bet she's buddy buddy with the Bin Kerry's, Bin Kennedy's, Bin Clintons, and the Barack NoBama Bin Laden himself. More liberal idiots needed to either be in prison or shot.

We would save a lot of money and time if we do away with Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection.

This fat pig should be cleaning her own house, just as I clean my own place. She might not be so fat! A nation that does not do its own work is not a nation, its a plantation. Hang her fat a** in Bostyon Commons.

"The answer to this madness is comprehensive immigration reform."

Rewarding criminals for their criminal actions will only invite more criminals and more criminal actions!

Whenever the party (Rep or Dem) of the accused bureaucrat is not mentioned in the article, IT IS ALWAYS A Democrat. Gimme a break, all government workers in Boston ARE DEMOCRATS. This is where Bawney (I never met a Fannie i didn't scroo) Fwanks is from. That is a fact of life. Democrats do the crime, Republicans do the time. She got what she deserves being law enforcement officer. How much money in back taxes and unemployment insurance has this woman shirked? Throw the book at her. She is not being compassion, she is being greedy user.

This is so terrible. Illegal immigrants are just Gods Children and the people hiring them are only trying to help. So long as illegal immigration does not effect me, my job, children or family and so long as i can contunue to benefit from illegal aliens I will always feel this way. Those that don't agree with me are just haters and probably racists and certainly not Gods children. This is a country of immigrants, (not citizens ) no more racist melting pot, we are wonderful diversity sald bowl. "Multiculturalism" is a 7 syllable word meaning 7 syllable phrase "Getting rid of white people"

THIS IS WHY AMERICAN TAX PAYERS DO WITHOUT MEDICAL. MEANWHILE HOSPITALS ARE CLOSING DAILY FOR MANY YEARS. CALIFORNIA, AND MANY OTHER STATES ARE BANKRUPT ! WAITING FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS TO PAY-UP FOR THE ILLEGALS, THAT GET WHAT TAX PAYERS CAN'T AFFORD. THEY ARE THE MAIN REASON FOR HIGH UN-EMPLOYMENT. GO TO ANY CONSTRUCTION SITE ,AND SEE WHO IS DOING ALL THE WORK , AND GETTING EVERY BIT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. WE CAN'T EVEN BUILD PRISONS FOR THEM,FAST ENOUGH.. AND IN 8 YEARS WILL OVER-POPULATE AMERICA.

"There is in the real world no difference between a "legal" and "illegal" immigrant. "

Immigrants were INVITED to come to this country. ILLEGAL aliens have invaded and infiltrated it.

INSANITY!

Boston,

You are so corrupt, from your head to your toes. You actually shout down people that stand up for the law. Gee I wonder how many other people are so-called "helped" when she looks the other way. Time to clean out all the crooks, if you have the guts. I doubt you can with the youngest generation has a problem with the truth and cheating. Put a fence around the whole city.

What is compassionate about paying someone below a liveable wage? That is exploitation of a desperate human being. How is it that our compassionate politicians belly-ache about how a family cannot live on minimum wage and then look the other way when business pays illegals less than that. How is that compassionate? When did exploiting desperate human beings become wrapped in phony compassion? If these traffickers in human exploitation were to pay these people the same as a legal worker, then I might get the whole compassion argument. But otherwise it is one step above slavery. Exploitation is exploitation.

Michael what part do you not understand the woman is probably making 100,000 a year for the US government and she is supposed to be enforcing the law not breaking it. Hiring people that are here illegally is a crime and she should have the book thrown at her.

The laws concerning employment of illegals have allways reeked of hipocracy and double standards.I'm a master chef and if I can't find work cooking I'll take a job washing dishes.(I have)I think We're selling Americans short by defining what they are willing to do to get by in hard times.We should force fair hiring practices for Americans,people will be surprised at how good 8 or 9 bucks an hr. looks when your on empty.

It's like Spitzer... if you're going to specifically enforce these draconian laws, you gotta at least follow them!! This woman is responsible for breaking up families and ending people's chances at achieving the American Dream...

She should have spent her time working on immigration policy change... without her gun and badge...

Hypocrites like this should do hard time.

Joemac22 comment was right on!! Keeping you private and work life separate is absolutely necessary in order to survive the headhunting within this agency. I mean come on, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out someone was gunning for her. Why did it take 5 years to get this case to fruition? What kind of discipline will the employee (most likely professionally jealous employee)l receive for not reporting the incident immediately if they were so concerned? You don't think the housekeeper got something in return for wearing a wire? And Exploitation? What- it probably took her maybe 2 hours to clean at approx $35/hr-The cleaning lady makes more an hour than our GS 5s.
And I would bet that there are a lot of nervous people out there now in the agency-- all your house remodeling/repairs, new decks etc....This is probably just the beginning. Henderson has just been picked as the new example.
Final thought, this is news in MA when the Patriots can't win!! Spy gate was more interesting then this!

With the federal government reporting another giant loss of jobs for November, isn't it time to stop the massive importation of foreign workers?
How can this make any sense for the American people's own government to be recruiting more competitors for a dwindling number of jobs? Month after month as hundreds of thousands of Americans lose their jobs, the feds keep pumping another 140,000 new foreign workers into the laborforce.
The new foreign workers compete with the laid-off and underemployed highly skilled Americans in most professions and occupations Its time to end this madness. Call or email your representitives and hold them accountable.

WOW!!! Now THAT'S news!!! A terrorist with a mop? How many crooked members of Congress have to be swept under the rug to find an infraction as serious as THIS one??? I'm not "condoning" the hiring of illegals, only questioning the burning of DHS resources in order to go after and detain such low-hanging fruit, while the very concept of "Border Security" remains virtually "science fiction" as yet one more political football. Chertoff and his crew don't deserve anything even remotely resembling a corner office suite.

What part of " it is illegal to hire illegal aliens in the USA" don't some of you people understand? Especially when you work for the Federal Govt with one of the agencies that are supposed to enforce this law. By the way the law was made by the US congress, house and signed into law by the President of the US many years ago.

Who appointed this deadbeat to the job? He or she should also be fired. This is typical local government cronyism.

NO HUMAN BEING IS ILLEGAL! Chances are no "American" would be willing to stick their head inside a toilet and clean it like these people were doing, specially for what they were getting paid for. I praise them for pursuing a better life. WAS SHE WAS WRONG for HIRING THEM?, YES! Specially when she is the one supposed to be setting the example?! But that goes to show how great is the need for "immigration reform" in this country. AMNESTY NOW!
Give these people the opportunity to come out of the shadows and start paying taxes, driving legally! As well as become healthy to society as a whole with standards and paremeters that enable justice, honor and dignity!

When Ms. Henderson is off the clock, she's an ordinary citizen. She's a homeowner, just like you and I. It's not our responsibility to figure out who is here legal and who is not. We just want some simple work done around the house. Sounds like she was railroaded.

Some of you have mentioned the figure that 11 - 12 millon Illegals are in the U.S. In the year 2000 this exact same figure was used. California and Texas alone has at least this many Illegals. Over a year ago the official figure - unreported by the Main Stream Media, of Illegals in this country was 38 milliion not 11 or 12 - and that figure was considered low.

Homeland Security is a joke. And some if not many of those employed there break the rules and laws of their country with impunity, including turning a blind eye to Illegals at every opportunity afforded them.

It is the Main Stream Media that controls the U.S.of A and the Liberals are their tools. Meaning whoever controls the information controls the country. They will not let go of their power. The only way to continue to control is through socialism. And poor illegals and the downtrodden will eventually be the majority. And what does this tell you.

Anarchy.

I'm just glad as qeyhq4eyh5 states, in 2 and half months all the problems in the US will be over. HA! I voted for Obama but he's not a magician. I really hope everyones not disappointed when he can't magically fix everything.

500,000 Americans out of work and the government imports people to fill our jobs. Then our kids and the poor can't get jobs because illegal aliens are willing to work for slave wages for women like this one. And she works for the government to keep these people out of the country.

Hell, we might as well give the place away since no one cares anyway.

And the illegal immigrant turned witness (undercover agent) will be granted a green card for her hard work. So this official did more to circumvent our laws than she is being charged with. Corrupt incompetent officials...

Since when is it a crime to work! The Bible says the one who does NOT work should not eat. To make a law against work is the real crime.

How can you make ILLEGALS obey the Law.when Politicians,Small buisness-men and Homeland Security executives continue to break the Law with no fear
of consequences.
I never have taken any property from the Indians,I never had a slave! All immigrants came here for a better life! But they didnt jump fences and go in front of citizens who have been waiting for years LEGALLY!!
Stealing jobs by undercutting minimum wages is not smart.

I am a retired Federal agent (Immigration & Customs Enforcement). The crime this woman is charged with goes to the heart of being a law enforcement officer. If she did what she is accused of she flagrantly chose to violate Federal criminal law. Not only does she deserve to be convicted, she deserves to be fired and to lose her retirement. There is no gray area here.

All government jobs should belongs to the people with the citizenship only,
Rich foreigner should not allow to buy their green card
government should make these who got the green card by marring someone
should not be allow to become a citizen until he or she is a green card for at
least 10 years, currently 5 years.

Hey #10 he hired a firm to do landscaping - they hired some illegals. Do you investigate every employee of everyone you do business with? Just asking?
Did he tell them to be careful and not leave the country? Get a grip!

How many has she busted for doing the same thing? It is unbelieveable anyone would stick up for her. No wonder there is so much trouble in this country, nobody takes responsibility for THEIR actions.

I have a newsflash for those who charged this woman.
THE MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS HERE IN THE US ALL HAVE JOBS - OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T BE STAYING

We have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy on illegals. Works great when you need a scapegoat or a political witch hunt.

What part of illegal dont' people understand. The poor women who's working illegal in this country. Maybe we should go to Brazil for work. What does Republican have to do with this artical? You either do right or wrong. Deport the pregnant one, or we'll be paying for her and her baby for the rest of their lives. What has happened to American and the laws we placed. No wonder people are angry and frustrated. The crooks and slackers are taking over the country. Paid leave, come on. Maybe she should go to Brazil and work their immigration system.

It is because of "compassionate" idiots like Michael that we have over 11 million illegals working in our country, while we have just lost over 500,000 jobs in the last few months. Hopefully, a large number of those losing their jobs were illegals, but for every citizen or legal immigrant that lost their job, an illegal should be taken from their job and deported.

Henderson gets to keep her benefits right? Is this a "political appointee" position? What's the guarantee the next person chosen is any better, they may part of a drug smuggling operation. To think they give U.S. citizens the fifth degree just to fly a plane, need your drivers license, take off your shoes, go through the metal detector, beverages aren't allowed, your toothpaste tube is too big, etc. Than they one of their political neopotism friends like Lorraine Henderson and Michael Brown. If everyone is happy about the way things are they shouldn't complain about these people like these.

Actually, She is making around $148k a year.

Listen, all the arguments we hear about how illegal aliens are proping up the economy are the same ones used 150 years ago by the southern plantation owner concerning their black slaves. If the truth be told, I doubt a worker at minimum wage lives as well today as an African slave did in Atlanta. The we have laws and despite what we think of them, we are all obliged to obey them. It wouldn't hurt some of you to try to understand the detrimental effects illegal aliens have on the newly-arrived legal immigrants. My wife is one of the latter and she has a very difficult time finding work...most jobs are taken by illegals already... And yes, she's will to work at McDonalds or do housekeeping at a hotel...problem is, she doesn't speak Spanish.

Of course, it is wrong for her to hire illegal aliens - especially considering the nature of her job. The hypocracy is that EVERYONE else in the USA can hire and employ illegal aliens and abosolutely nothing is done to them (anyone who thinks this is a Republican issue - Clinton waived off an impending investigation of Tyson foods for hiring illegals in the '90's). So the double standard exists: DHS officials have to hire only legal aliens (who wouldn't be caught dead doing jobs like that - they are legal, why should they) but everyone else should have no problem finding an employee. I'm not excusing her - just condemning the double standard.

I'm not sure why it took so long if she was warned back in 2005. She should have to pay whatever free entitlements that illegal received (assuming she didn't go back to her country to have the baby) at tax-payer expense over these years. She should be barred from whatever clearance level she may have received working with DHS. Also, that illegal should have a comfortable rid back to her own country with denounced citizenship for her baby. Comfortable ride only because she helped the government in the end. This illegal had disregarded the rule of law for years, and should not be awarded citizenship.

This woman should be sent to prison. How can someone who is paid to keep our borders secure from the massive invansion of illegal aliens be part of the problem by making it more attractive for them to come here? We really need to start throwing the book at people who hire illegals.

Pingo, you're crazy. I've cleaned homes for a living, and $75 a house is AWESOME. Most people pay $60-70 for a professional TEAM of workers, not just to one person. Being an illegal immigrant makes that woman a criminal, and hiring her makes this official a criminal. I hope the Brazilian gets deported and this official gets the max sentence.

From a conservative in fly-over country. Regardless of the reporting and claims, she is, as we all should be, are innocent until proven guilty. It should be that simple. We have become so quick to accept reports and rumours as fact.

Bostonians, living in the cradle of revolution, should know better.

I say send this anti-American, law breaking hypocrite to prison post haste. Let her keep O.J. company for awhile. Fine her the $250K and then use what federal retirement contributions she's made to help defray the costs of her prison stay.

This former federal public servant needs to be made an object lesson of.

Agents are dying on the border protecting the United States. Alien smugglers are ruthless killers of both law enforcement and aliens. What she did is equivalent to urinating on those dead Agents graves.
She earns a good salary and was could afford to use a reputable cleaning company but opted to pay poverty wages. She should be ashamed of herself. I applaud the U.S. Attorney that does not tolerate her behavior. She needs to resign as I am sure all those who work for have lost their respect. She did commit a Felony ! ! !

I love the argument that if we illegals are forced out of the job market that there will be no Americans to fill jobs in restaurants and meat packing houses etc. Don't worry, between the breakdown of the family and civil society, we're turing out plenty of high school drop outs. There would be starter jobs for them while they get a second chance to get their act together and overcome the hand they were dealt by their parents and their communities.

A law, to be a good law must be enforced equally. Henderson's job was to prevent you from being able to hire an illegal. Her using her position to take advantage of an illegal by knowingly hiring them was doubly offensive because she was paid to keep you from doing just that. All government employees should be held to higher standards. Fire her, jail her!

Having worked in the federal government for an entire career, I recognize the symptoms of an enforced diversity selection program (without regard to qualification) which, in addition to getting gender diversity, produced ethical and competence diversity in the extreme.

pd wonders who will clean houses and wash restaurant dishes if all the illegals are deported.
The answer is simple -- people will clean their own houses.
If restaurants won't pay enough to attract legal workers, let them shut down. And then guess what -- people will cook their own food, and clean up after themselves!
I and my 3 daughters all go to work and are quite able to take care of our own homes. Guess what again -- the children help!!!
pd -- get back to reality.

It's a shame the people that run our government agencies are the first people to break the laws they are supposed to uphold. How in the world would you think so many folks running government agencies and actually being given large salaries are the folks that will make slaves of the people they are supposed to be deporting. I guess she didn't think about being caught, but if she had noted in past years several high-profile people (Linda Chavez) that have joined a government agency have had to stand down since they have been perpetrating the crime of hiring illegals.

Miguel and Michael,

What part of the fact that both of these women are breaking the law don't you get? And now the Homeland women is on paid vacation at taxpayer expense.

It is people like you two who are a big part of the illegal problem by encouraging them with your so called compassion. What about some compassion for your fellow taxpaying citizens (if in fact you are citizens or even here legally for that matter or pay taxes) and your country overall?

Get

Don't you see? It's not COMPASSIONATE to discriminate against this hard-working Brazilian cleaning lady! She needs to feed her growing American family! The only LOGICAL solution is do away with ALL laws entirely! Then NO CRIMES can be committed! Brilliant!

Or GET RID of the socialistic programs that are ruining our country. The main beef people have with illegal immigrants is that they siphon resources from the public treasury without making adequate restitution. I say we have enough AMERICANS doing that already! The Pilgrims figured out socialism doesn't work within the first year!

This woman is an example of why we have tampant illegal immigration that is swamping our country. Obviously the people that hired ared her are incompetant & corrupt. Wonder why hospital costs are so high? Answer: Hospitals are required to give free care to the 20 - 30 million illegals. Why do we have 20-30 million illegals? Because of the 40 million abortions! Liberals are so ignorant with so little common sense as to cause & effect. We need to close our borders, shut down the abortion mills, establish English as our language, establish english only in schools. Remember if you try to be everything, you become nothing.

I do not get you Libs! Shall we discount the Constitution and our Immigration Laws to garner more Liberal votes and add to the massive entitlement and education burden. ( check out all the Nails shops ( cash only please) and you will find more Welfare fraud). Tell you what, go to China,Russia and many other countries and just move in.Then tell their Government that you think you just stay because you like it there. Figures it would be a State with a gay Congressman, Senator that perhaps committed manslaughter,Senator that writes his own VietNam awards( and an expensive pork tunnel)

When I arrived in San Diego in 1996 there were hundreds of American contracting companies legally conducting business. The state of California and the city of San Diego turned a blind eye to the rampant ILLEGAL construction business conducted with no workers compensation insurance and no FICA payments. Today, we have a community completely run by illegal construction companies because the legal employers could not compete when paying upwards of 400% on workers compensation insurance, not to mention all the other regulatory taxes involved. Government that allows one segment of society to operate illegally cheats everyone.

This a typical example of government mind work, especially the democratic ones. Laws are for everyone else but not for us. This is the most arrogant example I have seen in a long time. This is also why we need to clean out Washington D.C. and start over.

Power corrupts!

What is the maximum fine for knowly hiring illegals?

I'm a retired U.S. Border Patrol officer and people in Ms Henderson's position just are not supposed to hire illegal aliens. It is a violation of the law and her position of trust. She is in charge of enforcing the immigration and customs laws in that region...not breaking them! If she is found guilty she should be fired from her job and do some time in jail.

And, Michael, are you related to this woman or what?

Why have immigration laws if they are going to be broken. Henderson was the chief board protection offical. If you can't trust the offical to carry out the law you can you trust. This was a total violation of the American peoples trust. Henderson should be charged with the full extent of the law. This also rises the question of how she carried out the duties of her JOB.

As a federal government employee, if I misuse a government vehicle ( e.g., going to CVS on way to the job) I am suspended without pay for 30 days, no questions. Ms. Henderson, on the other hand, is on "paid administrative leave" for violating Public Law? Ms. Henderson should not only go to jail for the max; be fined to the max; she should also lose all of the pension money she contributed to the federal retirement program. Didn't former Gov Dukakis (D) have a program to give ILLEGALS phony SS numbers back in the early 1980's? And wasn't Pres. Reagan's Amnesty Bill in mid-80's going to solve our ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT issue back then? What happened?

It is astounding to see even one person defend the actions of this CRIMINAL, Lorraine Henderson. Not only did she KNOWINGLY violate specific immigration laws, she is a public official, who VIOLATED HER SOLEMN OATH. There is nothing compassionate here. Compassionate would have been hiring one or more of the thousands of unemployed US citizens and legal immigrants in the Boston area, and paying them a living wage. NO - this is not compassionate, it is just FELONIOUS. I'll bet she didn't pay the required social security taxes for her compassionate hires, either.

Who is going to clean houses and wash dishes? When I was in high school and college, I did! I also worked as a laborer on construction projects in college. Try getting those jobs now if you are a kid. Good luck, especially in construction.

Posted by qeyhq4eyh5
Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican. Fortunately, the nightmare is over in less than two months.

I don't see in the article where it states that Henderson is a Republican. This is Boston, after all. I also remember when Bill Clinton had to withdraw several different Attorney General nominees from consideration because they all had employed illegals and not payed in to social security for them.

I'm an illegal alien,a "wet back",Two years ago I got hired to help in the remodeling of a big prestigious hotel in Oklahoma.The construction company was behind schedule,so there was a lot of pressure to get some work done.
My job was to lay the tile on the lobby-5000 sq. ft. of expensive unique granite slabs.The Hotel had an important event coming "A Pageant Contest".Anyways,I finished the project and got paid $3000.00 dlls. for it, for me and my help,three others,when, of course that was not the price we had agreed on.The very day they paid us,they fired us.
Then they gave the rest tiling contract of the rooms to an old white Vietnam vveteran

Veteran who then turned around and hired me and my helpers.He was very kind,he gave us money for food and paid for our rooms.He offered better wages,and provided us with a much humane treatment.He got me working for him in no time.This act brought trouble to him from the supervisor,but he was good at handling little storms.With him we worked less hours a day and in a more relaxed environment,which gave me time to study and learn English.I'm still working on it.The job lasted for fourteen months,after that I took a ride to California,where I still live.A few days ago I got a call from the owner of the Big Company,asking if I was interested in working for him in a project he is doing in

I hope they throw the book at her - what a prime example of the corruption permeating this nation.

Oh, I didn't know Henderson is a democrat - that makes everything all right!! She's not breaking the law - she's a compassionate person helping - her wallet stay fat!!

This person needs to spend at least 10 YEARS in prison for this outrageous act. Who is safeguarding this country. Is everybody asleep at the wheel here ?
All great countries/empires collapse from WITHIN, not by external power. Roman...British...USA...whoisthenextgreatpower

Michael: "Why is she being investigated on this?"

Uh, she's corrupt. She's dishonest. She's paid well to do a job that she isn't doing. She has a responsibility she has not met. I'd say weeding out corruption from government is a good thing, not something trivial that you want to make it out to be.

Living 23 miles from the Mexican border I see this stuff every day. We've been trying to warn America for the past twenty years. Now a new warning... Over the past year over 4500 murders occurred by the Mexican drug wars a stone skip away. People are plucked off the San Diego streets and held for ransom, often never seen again. Wednesdays paper reported 14 bodies, 6 beheaded were found in a school park this week. Every weekend ten plus are found dead by Tuesday. If you ignore this warning you'll soon find this happening in every part of America. If you let compassionate conservative immigration happen this is coming your way..
Its coming your way

Get the freakin' Illegals OUT of our country! These government officials (and others) who knowingly hire illegals, fine the crap out of them and make them do at least 10 days of jail time. Have them pay for the incarceration.

The fact it was the person charged with upholding immigration laws? Her term in prison should be hard time and not less than 5 years, and after 3 years eligible for parole.

This is absolutely nothing new in the Immigration portion of Homeland Security.

The Port Chief of Nogales, Arizona, was being bribed by a Mexican cartel to allow drugs by the semi full into the US. All along, this drug cartel, kept this very high ranking female port officer of Nogales supplied with Cocaine and funds.

In November 2002, it was discovered by an unknown informant, i.e., another Immigration officer who questioned why she was always present at certain times, and allowing semis to go through unchecked!

Michaels common nonsense - compassion for illegals is keeping a legal hire from a job.

The woman should be fired - fined and sentenced for her crime.

The illegal house keeper should be investigated for non payment of taxes along with all those day workers standing outside home depot.

Michael and his ilk are among those that seem to think with their hearts, not their heads. One can feel compassion, but good sense tells us that this country does have limited resources, including jobs. Please look at the greater good here: we need to enforce our laws in order to protect our workers and all they have gained through great sacrifice and hard work. Employment laws, wages and benefits will be set back because illegal workers and illegal employers think only of their own benefit, not that of the nation. Illegals workers will not care about such things because they are desperate for money, but it sets our country back. Same as with health concerns, and the
taxpayers get caught holding the bag. Laws exist for a reason, and so do quotas. It may be a hard fact, but that is not a reason to ignore it.

I am absolutely against what she did she is a public servant. But what is the diffierence between one public servant hiring an illegal to clean her home or another one hiring her to wear a wire?

Deport them all and build a fence.

It's far too late to be concerned about the illegals in America now. The genie is out of the bottle, there's no going back. A precedent has been set, back in 1965 when they opened the floodgates. We're well on our way to becoming the biggest third-world country in history. Nationalization of banks, insurance and mortgage companies was a great start for our new banana republic. Illegal Amnesty will be the next next nail in our Republic's coffin.

Reply to # 17. U.S. industry will not pay more because illegals take jobs and keep wages low for all of us. I worked for a company for 25 years and FINALLY the company within the last few years decided to move our top wages to a whopping $10.00 an hour. Tell me the companys hiring illegals for cash under the table do not have an effect on wages. Even the construction businesses are paying workers under the table which a large percentage of the money leaves the United States.

OMG ! She needs to be the poster child for MAX PUNISHMENT. She clearly knew the status of her employees and chose to hire them. She needs to be the example of what employers should expect to get if they knowingly hire illeagles. MAX Jail time, MAX Fines, and dragged through the press. Then maybe landlords and employers will get the picture, Hire/house an illeagle go to PRISON. Maybe if the illeagles can't find a place to live or a job they will LEAVE.

she is a heartless winch that was hated by most everyone of us who work under her. She has fired and disiplined personell for far less. burn her at the stake.

Some on this thread claim it is compassionate and wonderful of Democrat Lorraine Henderson to openly hire and coach illegal aliens on braking our laws.

To those misguided citizens I have one thing to say: illegal immigration destroys low income families in America. Illegal aliens take their jobs, don't pay taxes, commit more crimes, flood low income schools, lower school scores and burden local and state finances.

If you call that compassionate, then you don't give a rat's patootie about America's poor. Not one person in America who is pro-illegal immigration cares about the welfare of America's less fortunate.

Even if you don't agree with the immigration laws, and think that it is OK to give these people a chance with a job, that is not the point here.
It is HER JOB to obey, follow, and enforce immigration laws. She did something that is not only illegal, but directly against her own job, she betrayed the government that she works for.she should be fired and put in jail.

Public servents that commit crimes against the american people should convicted of treason and executed.

Isn't there taxes that were not paid on those cleaning services by both parties? Sounds like a few more charges should be applied.

This type of corruption has been going on in the Customs Service and its successor, Bureau of Customs and "Border" Protection, since time immemorial. Her violation has probably been known for a long time. Question is: Who decided to nail her now, and why? What does she have on other Customs types?

Re: Michael from Mass. These are the same idiots that elect the likes of Barney Frank and Ted Kennedy. What else could you expect from the brain dead idiots.

Being fully against anything illegal, I will admit the illegal immigrants I have met over my years of working are always working. They are not laying around collecting welfare. They may be using someone elses social security number and may have an illegal license but they are trying to better themselves. They also tend to have more brains than some in this blog such as 'Michael' who posted at 11:34am on the 5th. My past aquaintences obeyed the laws as much as they could primarily for fear of being caught and jammed up in the system and because they were good people who if they could become citizens looked at people with Michaels logic and wondered what country they had come from. They understood the laws and why they were implemented and that was one reason they had come here, illegally! To better themselves and their families hoping in time they could become legal. I wonder what other laws the Michaels of the world would want us to look the other way on. How about armed robbery? I don't think I should be prosecuted for stealing cause I need it. Or how about illegal entry in to a home and the removal of some things. Your personal things Michael. This Henderson woman took an oath by the way Michael to uphold the laws her position was to enforce. But I guess like her, your word is worthless too.

She should be fired from her job for being a hypocrite. But going to jail over it? Seems excessive.

How does this event make you (us) feel deep inside? A story like this one cuts deep no matter how you look at it. It makes you think and feel that something is morally wrong with it. It highlights the crying need for immigration reform. However, in the meanwhile, there are many laws we may not like. But we must obey them.

Wow, I wonder why my inital comment was screened out. I wonder why ICE is going after this low level idiot! This menatility does not surprise me, CBP is full of idiots in upper management such as this Chief. ICE is another story. Don't they have anything better to do such as terrorism or drug smuggling. I bet the ICE agents would have rather make a deal with the illegal rather than place her in 240 removal proceedings. Or do they know how to set up such a case. I guess it was easier to make a deal for the wire and give her a greencard. America, I am sorry to inform you all, that DHS and CBP are full of people such as this Chief. They do not consider themselves law enforcement they believe they are customer processors. I do not see CBP or ICE as real agencies but more like smoke and mirrors to reassure the American public that something is being done. Pray for this country because we are in alot of trouble.

The people are here. They've got to eat. I'd rather see them working than stealing. If Henderson was paying moneys at least equal to the minimum wage to this INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, she wasn't exploiting her.