Blunt ousts contractor who hired illegals
March 07, 2007
JEFFERSON CITY – Following a state employee’s tip that led to the detainment of dozens of suspected illegal immigrants, Gov. Matt Blunt recently ousted a state contractor who hired illegal workers and ordered state agencies to enact a no tolerance policy through tough new contract protections.

Blunt cancelled the state’s contract with Sam’s Janitorial Services of Norman, OK and barred them from doing further business with the state after local and federal law enforcement agencies identified dozens of suspected illegal immigrants working under falsified documents. Vernon Morris, a state employee who serves as the Housekeeping Manager, first noticed inconsistencies in the contract staff’s documents and tipped off the Capitol Police. The Blunt Administration immediately reached out to the U.S. Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Office as state law enforcement worked with MIAC to identify the illegal workers that will be detained in Kansas City before being returned to their home country.

The governor immediately took action and by executive order directed state agencies to audit all contractors to ensure that the contract employees are legally eligible to work in the U.S. and to terminate contracts if it is determined a contractor employs illegal immigrants. He further directed that tough new provisions be included in all future state contracts to allow the state to immediately cancel contracts if it determines the contractor knowingly has employees not eligible to work in the U.S. The new provisions will further require all contractors to certify that all their employees meet state and federal employment eligibility requirements. The new contract language will ensure that Missouri may always cancel contracts when illegal employment practices are uncovered.

The contractor provided services in four [the Kansas City Star quotes the governor as saying nine] state office buildings in Jefferson City. Their first contract with the state was awarded in 1998.

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Editor's note: A search of GovernmentContractsWon.com showed that the contractor, Kwabena Asamoah-Boadu, who established his general building and office cleaning services in 1991 as a small disadvantaged business, had been awarded three small federal defense contracts during 2000 and 2002.

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