In the kind of plot twist that would make even Kafka gag, former poultry magnate Troy Whitman, whose company was fined for employing undocumented workers just five years ago, is now cashing in on a lucrative government contract to run an immigrant detention facility.
Whitman, who once claimed he “had no idea” his factories were filled with undocumented laborers (“They just worked so hard,” he said admiringly), now oversees Camp SafeWay, a privately-run holding center for migrants who, ironically, were just looking for jobs.
“I’ve always believed in second chances,” Whitman told reporters while sipping espresso in a golf cart. “Especially for me.”
Detainees at the camp are reportedly being used for maintenance, landscaping and food prep; none of which, Whitman assures, count as “employment.”
When asked how he reconciles the irony, he shrugged. “In America, if you can’t exploit the system, someone else will.”
