A western Iowa man who earlier this year pleaded guilty to harboring illegal workers has been sentenced to two-years probation and six-months home confinement. U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker says 33-year-old Shui Ming Lin will also be required to forfeit $100,000 of property used in the harboring activities and pay $110 to the crime victims reparations fund.
On February 22nd, Lin and his wife, Wendy Zhang, both pleaded guilty to hiring undocumented workers. The five former employees — four Chinese national’s and one Hispanic national — were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after they were arrested in June 2006. On March 7th, a federal jury convicted Lin of harboring the illegal immigrants who he employed at his restaurants in Atlantic and Harlan.
The workers were housed in Lin’s Atlantic home and above his restaurant in Harlan. The U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement bureau is working to determine whether Lin will face deportation. Wendy Zhang was sentenced to time already served in jail. Since her application for political asylum from China was approved, she will not be deported.