July 11, 2004

"Seattle labeled 'hot spot' for human cargo"

This is what happens when you refuse to enforce the immigration laws:

Sophisticated criminals are smuggling thousands of people from around the world into Washington -- from Canada, through Sea-Tac Airport and through the Port of Seattle.

Federal and local officials believe that many of them are victims of human trafficking -- working in sweatshops, massage parlors, restaurants and farms here and elsewhere. But because many local law-enforcement agencies have no idea how to identify trafficking victims, very few of them have been found. So the federal government plans to launch an Anti-Trafficking Task Force here in the fall to improve enforcement efforts.

Federal experts believe Seattle's many points of entry make the city one of the nation's top human-trafficking hot spots...

[A federal apparatchik says,] "People don't know that it's happening. A good percentage of those who are trafficked are being trafficked for labor reasons -- to work in migrant camps. They're being held in debt bondage. ... It really is akin to a modern day form of slavery."

Seattle being "immigrant-friendly" (in English: turning a blind eye to illegal immigration), leads to an environment where involuntary illegal immigration can thrive. Seattle - like Los Angeles and other big cities - has a "sanctuary law" and forbids their police officers from asking about someone's immigration status. And, like other political organizations, they'll fold at the first hint of a protest from Racial Identity groups or the Mexican government. If Seattle or the Feds want to get serious about reducing modern-day slavery, they'll start getting serious about illegal immigration.

Posted to Immigration2003 at July 11, 2004 11:24 AM

Comments

Not fiscally prudent.

Not gonna do it. Nope not gonna do it.

Posted by: IXLNXS at July 11, 2004 12:10 PM

To have one's ethnic group associated with a population which is enslaved, or strictly speaking, in peonage, is very negative for the image of that group. If these groups are trying to get an improved image for their group, doesn't that make it difficult for them to be enthusiastic about the spread of peonage among their people in this country? I can't imagine them advertising that we now have more chinese slave in America, or exulting over the numbers of mexican peone north of the border.

Posted by: John S Bolton at July 12, 2004 12:43 AM