January 25, 2007

Reuters' Tim Gaynor leads "fearful undocumented workers" charge

As sure as Spring follows Winter, the occasional immigration raid leads to a series of media reports offering sympathetic portrayals of fearful-and-humble illegal aliens. Tim Gaynor of Reuters leads the charge this time with "California Latinos fearful after immigration raids":

Cook Rosa Maria Salazar's eyes dart anxiously to the door as customers file into the Salvadoran cafe in a heavily Hispanic neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles.

"We're terrified. The police could come for us at any time and deport us," she said in Spanish earlier this week as diners fingered maize tortillas stuffed with beans and pork scratchings and chatted softly...

She is, of course, an "undocumented worker". Then:

The-seven day Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sweep, dubbed "Operation Return to Sender," targeted jails across five counties in the Los Angeles area, where police took 423 of what they called "criminal aliens" into federal custody for deportation, after being held on charges unrelated to their immigration status.

Is Gaynor trying to imply that ICE's appelation is incorrect? Are they not "criminal aliens"? Would Reuters prefer a euphemism be used?

Then, we're treated to a quote from Antonio Bernabe of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, a group which has allegedly collaborated with the Mexican government. Needless to say, Gaynor doesn't mention that and I'm positive that Reuters has never published an article looking into the allegations. The quote claims - as is standard for this type of article - that "people are afraid to go out".

Please send a short, polite note to a Reuters editor using the form here: today.reuters.com/HelpAndInfo/ContactUs.aspx

Posted to Immigration2007a at January 25, 2007 02:07 PM

Comments

As mentioned on the Lou Dobbs show today, the problem is not that the illegals are undocumented. The problem is that the documentation is fraudulent. I'll believe that they are timid and fearful when they stop coming across the Mexican border by the thousands every day.

Posted by: dchamil at January 25, 2007 04:47 PM

What a joke. These invaders are not afraid of jack...not ICE, the police or the border patrol. Most of all they are not afraid justice will ever be served. It is, after all, a sanctuary state.

Posted by: Jeebie at January 25, 2007 06:31 PM

Rosa Maria Salazar apparently wasn't sufficiently anxious to not give her name to Reuters.

Posted by: Chris at January 26, 2007 01:18 AM

dchamil is right. and jeebie is dead on, the ENEMY is not afraid of any laws of this place called the USA.

Posted by: Fred Dawes at January 26, 2007 05:36 AM