There’s another delay, the fifth so far, in the federal trial of a western Iowa couple charged with harboring and employing undocumented workers. U.S. District Judge Harold Vietor granted a motion by an attorney for Xiu Wen Zhang and Shui Ming Lin to have the couples’ trial continued to February Fifth. It had been set to begin today (Monday).
Zhang and her husband allegedly concealed at their Atlantic residence, one Mexican and four Chinese workers, and employed those same individuals at their restaurants in Atlantic and Harlan. The scam began to unravel when Customs officials got wind of suspicious Western Union Wire transfers being made by the workers to China, in March of 2006. The illegal aliens have since been turned over to Immigrations and Customs and Enforcement officials.
Zhang and Lin remain in the U.S. under temporary political asylum from China. Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges and remain free on their own recognizance. If convicted, they each face ten years in prison and possible deportation.