January 30, 2007

New Haven's John DeStefano helps feds profit from illegal activity

John DeStefano is the mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, a city that CT or the federal government should consider investigating and temporarily taking over if necessary. He has links to the non-profit group "JUNTA for Progressive Action", and that group is collaborating with the Mexican government.

Since we last checked in with this situation, Kica Matos - former executive director of Junta - is now "City Hall's new immigrant policy guru and mayoral staffer". She is or was the wife of Henry Fernandez, DeStefano's campaign manager in his failed bid to be governor of their state. Laura Huizar - formerly the program coordinator for economic development at Junta - now leads the group.

And, DeStefano has now announced that the city's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program - which helps low-income people file tax returns - is open to illegal aliens. And, both Matos (bear in mind, a City Hall staffer) and Junta will be reaching out to those illegal aliens to get them in the program.

The city's popular tax assistance program, formed by this public-private coalition, helped 773 New Haven residents claim $1.8 million in refunds and tax credits last year, and hopes to expand its volunteer base to serve 1,000 this year, according to City Hall.

VITA added another feature: Low-income people can sign up for an IDA (individual development account), where each dollar they save will by matched by two dollars from Empower New Haven.

Why would undocumented immigrants volunteer to file taxes, especially when they don't qualify for social security benefits or the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, a tax break for the working poor?

Many already pay taxes and might hope for a tax refund.

Others are "hoping that in some point in time" the U.S. would pass a law granting citizenship to undocumented immigrants who've been living here for a certain number of years. Tax receipts would not only prove residency but also strengthen their case for citizenship, explained City Hall's new immigrant policy guru and mayoral staffer, Kica Matos.

The program's expansion to include the undocumented follows in the vein of the city's new immigrant protection policy, which allows immigrants to call police without fear of deportation.

We're also treated to the charming thoughts of the mayor:

"If you're a member of the community, you're working in the community, you're enjoying the benefits of the community, and you should pay taxes in the community... We're going to help folks do that, explain how they can do that, and not feel threatened that they're somehow being turned into immigration as a result."

Have you ever done something, knowing what you were doing was not just wrong but a bit sleazy? I'm sure that at least one or two people present might have gotten that uneasy feeling somewhere during the proceedings, perhaps here:

Can they be assured they won't be deported? "There are no assurances," replied Matos. An IRS (Internal Revenue Services) spokeswoman didn't return a request for comment as to whether the IRS shares the ITIN list with the Department of Homeland Security, which handles immigration issues.

Matos said her research showed the IRS and homeland security office have been "reluctant" to get into each other's business concerning ITIN participants. In the ITIN's eight years of existence, only two instances have come up where ITIN filers ended up in trouble with immigration officials, Matos said.

UPDATE: The New Haven Independent approved and then later deleted the following comment I left on the article:

If you live in CT, please contact your state reps and governor and urge them to investigate and consider temporarily taking over New Haven:

- Junta is collaborating with the Mexican government (tinyurl.com/2f973c)

- DeStefano has links to Junta, including his former campaign managed being married to their former exec director (Matos) and Matos now working for City Hall

- Matos and Junta will be "reaching out" to illegal aliens to get them into a "city-backed" program

Posted to Immigration2007a at January 30, 2007 11:09 AM

Comments

Look most of john Destefano family are from mexico, and as far as collaborting with the mexican government our own government is helping mexico to move its population\drug money and drug dealers into our government ASP, here by the millions each year, so John Destefano and Bush want the people of the third world here for money reasons and control, john isn't doing anything but Following Orders! if you know what i mean?

By the way all social benefits will disappear soon, so get in line, read "Do not go gentle into that good night", by the way you all will go gentle into that third world night without a fight and without knowing it at all.

Posted by: Fred Dawes at January 30, 2007 02:42 PM