In July, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent out a press release announcing a $118,000 fine levied against blueberry grower Jasper Wyman & Son for hiring violations. Jasper CEO Ed Flanagan spoke out against the release, saying it was an act of intimidation to instill fear into farmers, since the fine was five years old, […]
In July, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent out a press release announcing a $118,000 fine levied against blueberry grower Jasper Wyman & Son for hiring violations. Jasper CEO Ed Flanagan spoke out against the release, saying it was an act of intimidation to instill fear into farmers, since the fine was five years old, due to a paperwork error and had been paid nine months prior to ICE's announcement.
Seeking information on the timing of ICE's annoncement, Mainebiz Editor Carol Coultas submitted a Freedom of Information Act request asking for correspondence surrounding the decision. As Carol writes in her Oct. 3 editor's letter, "What I got back was a copy of the original press release and a series of printed email exchanges with nearly every word redacted. ...The cover letter accompanying the packet cited FOIA Exemption 5, which protects from disclosure internal discussions around a press release's content."
Click here to read ICE's response and see the redacted email exchange.
