(LIFEZETTE) A dairy farmer in Michigan pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of harboring more than 100 illegal immigrant workers and agreed to pay $1.38 million in penalties to the U.S. government.
Denis Burke, who emigrated from Ireland, owns and runs two farms in the Michigan Thumb region: Dunganstown Dairy and Parisville Dairy. While appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris in the Bay City federal courthouse Tuesday, Burke signed a plea agreement admitting that he did not seek legal permission to hire the more than 100 illegal immigrants employed between his two farms.