Civil rights lawyers filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against a government contractor that was the target of an immigration raid this summer, accusing the company of bilking illegal workers out of pay and violating their rights.  The suit accuses Terra Universal Inc. and its owner, George Sadaghiani, of denying illegal immigrant workers overtime and sick pay and discriminating against them because of their visa status.

"Our employment laws provide everyone equal workplace rights regardless of what country you came from, how you got here and your immigration status," said Jennie Pasquarella, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union-Southern California, which is participating in the suit. "A fair day's pay for a fair day's work is a basic American rule, with no exceptions."

Immigration agents seized 43 workers in June at Terra Universal's Fullerton factory, where lawyers say the company manufactures laboratory equipment for the U.S. military and other government clients.  The lawsuit names four workers, two of whom were seized in the raid. Pasquarella said lawyers would seek class-action status for the suit, which seeks lost wages and other damages for what could eventually include some 300 plaintiffs.  The suit alleges that the company put red stickers on illegal immigrant workers' personnel files, which marked them for lower pay, longer hours and hostile treatment. (click on link to read full story)