White House aide Dan Scavino Jr. reportedly knew undocumented immigrants worked at one of Donald Trump’s golf clubs, the New York Daily News says, as is claimed by a number of former workers. Scavino “was involved in the hiring,” said Gabriel Sedano, who worked at the club for over a decade until he was fired last month. “If they needed more people, he would always have to say yes because he was the general manager. Everything went up to him.”
Scavino currently holds the position of White House director of social media, ghostwriting for his boss, violating the Hatch Act, and firing off the occasional anti-Semitic tweet. But in a former life, the ex-golf caddy managed Trump’s Westchester golf club in Briarcliff Manor, New York. After two immigrants stepped forward in December to say they worked at Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, the Westchester club has fired undocumented employees en masse during the past few weeks, including some that had worked there for years.
Scavino won’t comment on what he knew, but former landscaper Juventino DeLeon said workers openly discussed not having papers. “’We would always talk about it,’ DeLeon said and alleged Scavino himself was once in the room when such conversations took place,” the report continued. Immigrant employees were also prohibited from driving company vehicles “because it was assumed they didn’t have licenses.”
Other employees have alleged that management knew about the fake paperwork. Banquet chef Jesus Lira told the Washington Post last month “that, on two occasions in 2008, an accountant at the Trump club rejected his fake documents and told him to go obtain better ones,” saying that “I can’t accept this, go back and tell them to do a better job.” As for Scavino, Sedano said he frequently mingled with workers. “He always mentioned that he started from the bottom. He told me many times, ‘You’re doing a good job.’”
Anibal Romero, an attorney representing a number of these former workers, has now been in contact with New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office regarding the series of allegations, while members of Congress have urged that these workers be protected, saying that any administration effort to deport them during any investigation of abuses by the Trump Organization could be considered obstruction of justice.