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Donate to the ACLU! (BTW: plaintiff attys want $2.4 million from Hazleton)

Thinking about donating to the ACLU?

Attorneys who represented the plaintiffs in the Hazleton immigration case filed court papers this afternoon seeking nearly $2.4 million in attorneys fees and costs.

In a 25 page brief, 37 attorneys from seven different law firms and legal organizations say they are entitled to the money to compensate them for the thousands of hours they spent interviewing plaintiffs, defendants and preparing voluminous court filings for the case.

There's a list of some of those involved in last year's case here; I think it's safe to assume that the "legal organizations" include at least the ACLU and perhaps the PRLDEF as well.

The city will probably appeal the amount, but even if it's reduced this will serve as a disincentive to those other cities who might consider adopting similar ordinances. And, that will enable even more illegal immigration. Wouldn't those lawyers feel better about themselves if they worked for law firms that ran daytime TV ads for those who "slip and fall"?

UPDATE: This says it's more than $2.3 million, plus $45,000 in costs:

The plaintiffs' petition "illustrates the circus the ACLU brought to this case," [mayor Lou Barletta] said. "They had 20 attorneys sitting in the courtroom at a time, 16 of them doing nothing but running up the bill."

The petition lists 37 lawyers as having worked on the case, most of them from the Philadelphia firm Cozen O'Connor, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.

They billed a total of 7,613 hours.

The lawyers defended their fee request as reasonable, saying the city repeatedly amended its ordinance in an effort to put it on sounder legal footing - making more work for them.

That works out to about $300 an hour if we simply divide $2.3 million by 7613, and it's even higher if not all of the amount is just for lawyer's fees. That would seem to be a bit exorbitant for lawyers working for the ACLU in Pennsylvania. Who knew being stalwart defenders of the Constitution could pay so well.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 03:04 PM

Waukegan: "immigrant rights groups" protest arrests of gang members

From this we see the latest example of just how far "immigrant rights groups" are willing to go:

Immigrant rights groups are holding a 24-hour prayer vigil to protest the arrests of 58 Mexican nationals.

A crowd gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office Thursday night in Waukegan. Some at the vigil are questioning why people who have already been through the legal system were targeted.

ICE agents arrested 58 Mexican nationals with alleged ties to violent street gangs in the northern and northwest suburbs this week in the largest local dragnet targeting foreign-born street gang members.

Possible-but-questionable mitigating circumstances are offered by Ryan Pagelow of the Suburban Chicago News in "Caught in gangbanger deportation sweep":

Relatives of some of the legal permanent residents swept up in the immigration crackdown focusing on gang members this week said their relatives are no longer involved in gangs, although a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said only individuals who pose a threat to public safety are being arrested in "Operation Gangs Away."

The only one of the organizations mentioned is Casa Mexiquense of Waukegan, which was discussed in this 2004 article:

"People are beginning to open their eyes," said Carlos Sanchez, who is working with Casa Mexiquense to mobilize naturalized citizens in Waukegan.

From July of this year, here's a picture of their Margaret Carrasco meeting with Emma Lozano to oppose Waukegan trying to establish a 287g program. They also distributed a brochure similar to the one put out by another CASA; whether it's the same or derived from that isn't known.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:55 AM

Ana Marie Cox: Mitt Romney not a Christian

Ana Marie Cox (aka Wonkette) can be seen on the Keith Olbermann Show here saying the following:

"I know Mitt Romney is not himself Christian.... or, that's a point of debate..."

Posted to Bloggage at 09:57 AM

Mitt Romney: Strong Man, for a Strong Country

Watch the following video, I dare you! Do you now doubt that Mitt Romney is not best choice for Leader? What is the matter with you if you have doubts? Remember: Mitt Romney is the only candidate who bent the iron bar at the Algoronok Festival! It was not Rudy Giuliani (spit!) who slew the dragon that was menacing villagers in the Forest of Maglrnka! It was Mitt Romney! Of his virility, have no doubts: he has sired no less than five sons, all of whom stand ready to join in the defense of the Homeland against the Knablors!

Posted to Politics at 06:27 PM

Pamela Constable/WaPo promotes CASA de Maryland, illegal activity

Pamela Constable of the Washington Post offers a slab of pro-illegal immigration propaganda in "Sometimes, A Labor Day/A Trailer in Gaithersburg Is a Haven For Immigrants Hoping for a Better Life". Some of it has been discussed here, including this extremely inflammatory quote she offers from one of the "immigrants":

"A guy hired me the other day to do some painting. I got in his van and right away he turned on the radio. It was one of those stations that is full of hateful talk against immigrants. I just sat in the back and said nothing, but it made me feel like a Jew in Nazi Germany."

A real reporter - and not just someone whose job responsibilities apparently include promoting illegal activity - would have called him on that statement. Constable, of course, let it stand.

She also notes that the center is operated by the CASA de Maryland, which she only describes as a "non-profit". They're obviously much more; her article describes flyers telling what to do in case of an immigration raid and they may be the ones from CASA.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 03:21 PM

AFL-CIO, ACLU, NILC sue DHS over no-match letters; EWIC

From this:

...a lawsuit filed against the Department of Homeland Security this week contends that the new rules are discriminatory and will lead to mass firings of legal workers. Even United States citizens will face discrimination if they look or sound foreign, according to the suit.

Filed in a San Francisco federal court this week, the 17-page complaint [link] also names the Social Security Administration as a defendant because it says letters informing businesses of discrepancies between employee records and the agency's database would violate worker’s rights and impose burdensome obligations on employers.

And, from this:

But leaders of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of trade groups representing the politically influential construction, lodging, farming, meatpacking, restaurant, retail and service industries appealed on Monday to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to postpone the plan's implementation for six months.

Raising the possibility of plant closings, autumn-harvest interruptions and other destabilizing consequences for the U.S. economy, 50 business organization members of the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition signed a letter warning of "uncertainties, disruptions, and dislocations throughout broad swaths of the workforce," as well as discrimination against Hispanic and immigrant workers.

DHS spokeshole Russ Knocke says they'll fight the lawsuit "vigorously", something I tend to doubt since Chertoff and Bush are on the same side as EWIC, the ACLU, and the AFL-CIO in supporting illegal immigration.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:48 PM

Over 20% of those without health insurance are not citizens

There's a picture here with Census Bureau figures from 2006 showing that over 20% of those without health insurance are not citizens (~46 million and ~10 million). They don't indicate what percentage of the 10 million are here legally vs. those here illegally, but surely a good percentage are illegal aliens. And, of course, illegal aliens stand a lesser chance of being counted in the Census for various reasons.

Perhaps the point could be made to those Democrats who are pushing Universal Health Care that one of the impediments to their schemes is that many Americans object to picking up the tab for foreign citizens who are here illegally, especially considering that based on their past actions both the Mexican government and their sympathizers would take steps to encourage even more Mexican citizens to come here and take advantage of our largesse. Perhaps if we worked at it we could even force the Democrats to choose between their support for UHC and their support for massive illegal immigration.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:42 PM

Mexico: the U.S. demands you make Elvira Arellano a "peace and justice" ambassador!

The recently deported former illegal alien Elvira Arellano now wants to be named as a "peace and justice" ambassador, which would enable her to come back to the U.S., presumably under diplomatic immunity. She had a private meeting with Felipe Calderon, but now the Mexican government just says they discussed some form of visa, and not a diplomatic assignment.

Whatever the case, I say: "please, Mexico, grant her wish!"

Why, they could go even further and encourage her to openly work with the Democratic Party and leading "immigrants rights" groups. We can always dream.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 02:11 PM

Number of ICE agents doing worksite/interior enforcement drops 1000 to 4000

From this:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement criminal investigators will no longer be involved in immigration work site enforcement or conduct checks for illegal alien prisoners.

Almost 1,000 ICE Office of Investigations agents will be reassigned exclusively to customs investigations, reducing the manpower involved in detention and removal of illegal aliens to 4,000 nationwide, according to documents obtained by The Washington Times and interviews with ICE union representatives...

Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:48 PM

What's beyond stunning?

Here's another Natalie Merchant/10,000 Maniacs video:

Posted to Celebrities at 11:28 PM

Neo-nazis protest illegal immigration in Omaha... FBI involved?

A February 2006 neo-Nazi (National Socialist Movement) march in Parramore, Florida was organized by an FBI informant, according to documents obtained in an unrelated trial. The FBI wouldn't say what knowledge it had of its informant's actions related to the march.

Now, the same Nazi group is going to be surrounding the Mexican consulate in Omaha this weekend to protest illegal immigration. Could an FBI informant be involved in spurring them to organize that protest? That's certainly a valid question given the Parramore case.

Note also that the Mexican consul knows just how to play this:

Mexican Consul Jose Luis Cuevas believes the racist, anti-immigration group has as much a right as any to express their views-even if he doesn't agree with them. "I have seen every kind of demonstration from pro to totally contrary so they are totally within there right to do it," Cuevas explains.

Of course, he might at least have added that protests like this will be used by those who support illegal immigration to discredit everyone else who opposes it.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 08:35 PM

Texas governor Rick Perry opposes border fence, in Mexico

Texas governor Rick Perry - supporter of the Trans-Texas Corridor - said lots of things on a trip to Mexico today:

..."I don't think [immigration "reform"] is that difficult of an issue if Congress would have the maturity to sit down and really discuss it and cut out all of the mean rhetoric and really talk about what is a solution to this issue," Perry told a news conference.

Regarding immigration reform, Perry highlighted the importance of developing a foolproof biometric identification system to track individuals and to ensure that they pay taxes and "live within our laws."

Did I just hear boots off in the distance, or was I just imagining things?

He suggested offering renewable, 24-month visas for those who follow such requirements and "incarceration and/or deportation" for those who do not.

He added that, under such a system, he would support a "free flow of individuals between these two countries who want to work and want to be an asset to our country and to Mexico."

Since those are (I believe) two different countries, they will always have competing interests. Thus, it would appear that Perry foolishly thinks people can completely be an asset to both at the same time.

Perry also said Texas has given a blueprint for securing the U.S.-Mexico border to the federal government.

"We know how to deal with border security, and you don't do it by building a fence," he said. "You do it by putting boots on the ground; you do it by using the technology that's available ... and coordinating very highly with local, state and federal officials.

Why do our elected officials keep making trips to Mexico and making questionable comments there? A past example comes from WA governor Chris Gregoire but Nancy Pelosi set the gold standard back in 2003.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 02:50 PM

Would a 42 foot ladder industry be such a bad thing? (border fence, Napolitano, Richardson, Perry)

One of the more idiotic, childlike things you'll hear supporters of massive immigration say goes like the following recent quote from Texas governor Rick Perry:

"But the idea that you're going to build a 1,200-mile wall ... is idiocy. It absolutely would not work. If you build a 40-foot wall, then the 42-foot ladder industry takes off."

Did Frank Luntz come up with this "joke"? It's been made by both Bill Richardson and Janet Napolitano; no word on whether Arnold Schwarzenegger has said it as well. Perhaps they got together at a recent border states meeting and wrote down piffle on index cards or something. Or, perhaps the AILA or some similar group started it.

While there are far more worthy questions to ask them, perhaps throwing their absurdity right back at them might help shed some light on their approach to this issue:

"But, governor Perry, wouldn't that result in building up Mexico's ladder industry? Might that not cause some Mexicans to decide to stay home instead of using those ladders? Why, Mexico could even end up being a hotbed of ladder production and a major exporter! Plus, think of all the R&D necessary to build a ladder that's 42 feet high! Why, I think you've put your finger on the solution to the immigration problem!"

Posted to Immigration2007b at 02:48 PM

Thanks, Huckabee: Arkansas Mexican consul opposing immigration laws

Back in 2003, former Arksansas governor and current presidential contender Mike Huckabee asked Vicente Fox to establish a Mexican consulate in Arkansas. They opened that earlier this year, and consul Andres Chao has been a busy beaver:

A sweeping [Prop. 200/187-style] Oklahoma law denying benefits and jobs to illegal immigrants raises concerns among the Hispanic community around the region, the region's Mexican consul said Thursday.

Consul Andres Chao said those concerns come as police agencies in northwest Arkansas prepare to send officers to federal immigration training. However, as Arkansas' cost of living remains low, the state and surrounding area will draw immigrants wanting to save money to send home to their families, he said.

"The Hispanic community is worried about this new law," Chao said in an interview with The Associated Press. "They are working together to try to convince (them) that this new law is not perfect. They are doing the jobs over there and they insist there are other options."

...Chao said lawyers working with immigrants groups planned to challenge the law on constitutional grounds. He said the consulate, based in Little Rock, would work to protect the human and labor rights of Mexican immigrants, without mentioning how state laws should treat them...

I'll try to look into whether those lawyers have links to the Mexican government, or whether they're just useful idiots.

Chao is also complaining that Steve Womack, the mayor of Rogers, AR has been stonewalling him on a meeting; that city is among others sending their police officers for 287 (g) training, which would allow them to participate in federal immigration enforcement:

Chao said he has scheduled meetings in September with the Rogers police chief and with the sheriffs of Washington and Benton counties.

"It's my point of view that it's better to talk with the community, to know each other and understand the situation and fix it," Chao said. "The (Hispanic) community is worried about this situation. They are wondering what is going to be the next step."

He said the consulate in Little Rock has received numerous calls from people who fear unjustified arrests and deportation.

Related:
Mexican consul from Little Rock encourages advocacy for illegal immigration

Posted to Immigration_consul at 02:40 PM

Virginia: Gov. Tim Kaine opposes state troopers enforcing immigration laws (287g)

From this:

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine does not want to create a statewide partnership with federal immigration officials that would allow state agencies to identify illegal aliens and begin deportation procedures, despite calls from the state's attorney general [Republican Robert F. McDonnell] and anti-illegal-immigration groups [such as Help Save Virginia].

"The governor does not object to localities choosing to enter into localized agreements with [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]," said Kevin Hall, Mr. Kaine's spokesman. "He has concerns, however, about asking state troopers to assume primary enforcement of federal immigration responsibilities."

Some state agencies already do some degree of reporting. Recall that two 9/11 hijackers got Virginia driver's licenses, there was at least one case of fraud at the Virginia DMV.

And, recall this absolutely idiotic Tim Kaine quote:

"I don't believe immigration is one of the top issues in Virginia if you ask Virginians... It does matter to a number of people, but compared to jobs, education, health care, transportation, it's pretty far down."

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:26 PM

A response to a critic, re: switchback

Reader "S. Gupta" writes:

I saw that video of you on the Mt. Wilson Trail. I'm familiar with that trail and with the still shots you included in it of the fence [ed.: about the 2:50 mark]. Others might not have picked up on what you did, but I did! You cheated! You didn't do that switchback! You stopped and took a picture, you didn't stay on two wheels! You're a cheater! Cheater! Cheater!

Well, I've got news for you. Yesterday I went to do this, but as I drove up Lake I saw some smoke coming from the hills, together with water-dropping helicopter. I kept driving, because it looked like I could at least make it to the big transmission towers, and the fire looked to be in the hills behind, perhaps up the Castle Canyon trail. But, when I got to the top of Lake the street had been blocked off so I drove all the way back and did the Mt. Wilson trail.

And, by "did", I mean that first, infamous switchback. Granted, what's beyond the fence isn't a vertical drop but it is pretty steep and if I crashed through and didn't snag on a rock I'd probably be in for a long trip. It's not that it's difficult, only that it's a bit precarious. No dabbing either, Mr. Gupta!

However, the "haterz" will be glad to know that I only made it part way through the first rock garden before I stalled out. I tried to get started from a complete stop, but that didn't work so I walked through that. That's also got quite a bit of exposure; it'd be nice to find something like that without so much of a steep drop.

Posted to OutdoorSports at 03:06 PM

Sen. Larry Craig in "he said/he said misunderstanding"

Normally, a high class site like this wouldn't even acknowledge somethig like this, but it is Larry Craig, so:

Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes police officer investigating lewd conduct complaints in a men’s public restroom, according to an arrest report obtained by Roll Call Monday afternoon...

A spokesman for Craig described the incident as a “he said/he said misunderstanding,” and said the office would release a fuller statement later Monday afternoon.

After he was arrested, Craig, who is married, was taken to the Airport Police Operations Center to be interviewed about the lewd conduct incident, according to the police report. At one point during the interview, Craig handed the plainclothes sergeant who arrested him a business card that identified him as a U.S. Senator and said, “What do you think about that?” the report states...

I guess the stress of working on AgJobs got to him.

Posted to Politics at 02:10 PM

California dentists welcome new mandatory dental exams for kindergarteners

California has a new law mandating dental exams for kindergarteners in public schools. But, it has "few teeth" (ouch!), Barbara Feder Ostrov of Mercury News "reports" (link).

Children will not be barred from school if they do not get the checkup. Parents who can't afford the exam, lack insurance coverage or simply do not want their child's dental health evaluated can sign a waiver to opt out of the requirement. And because the law does not require treatment of problems identified during screenings, some critics believe it will do little to get poor or uninsured children the dental care they need.

Yet dentists remain hopeful that the new rule will help improve the oral health of California's schoolchildren, noting that tooth decay in some kids can be so severe and painful that it keeps them from learning or even eating properly.

It's good to hear them say that, since (at least according to this), the California Dental Association "sponsored" the legislation from Assemblymen Bill Emmerson and John Laird. They've even got a helpful page at their site describing the new law.

After the excerpt above, "reporter" Ostrov backs up their claims with studies and then directs readers to the CDA's site for more information.

What she doesn't do is contact anyone who might wonder about what links the CDA has to those who sponsored or voted for this legislation. "Following the money" is so old skool, dontcha know.

Posted to California at 01:09 PM

"Mexico's new robber barons" (Carlos Slim)

Eduardo Porter - a member of the New York Times editorial board who's apparently a Mexican citizen - offers a discussion of the world's richest man - Mexico's Carlos Slim - here. I haven't yet found it at the NYT's site; perhaps it won't appear since they're one of the enablers of the elites that he decries:

Slim's treasure is equivalent to slightly less than 7 percent of Mexico's total production of goods and services - one out of every 14 dollars' worth of stuff made by all the people in the country... The income distribution in the United States may be fast approaching Mexican levels of inequality, but in relative terms, [Bill Gates] isn't even in Slim's league. His $58 billion fortune is less than 0.5 percent of the nation's GDP... It takes about nine of the captains of industry and finance of the 19th and early 20th centuries - Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, John J. Astor, Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Stewart, Frederick Weyerhaeuser, Jay Gould and Marshall Field - to replicate the footprint that Slim has left on Mexico... ...But the momentous scale is not the most galling aspect of Slim's riches. There's the issue of theft... ...When competitors were eventually allowed in, Telmex kept them at bay with some rather creative gambits, like getting a judge to issue an arrest warrant for the top lawyer of a competitor... ...The United States today is heading toward a Mexican-style social contract. The concentration of 44 percent of the nation's income among the top 10 percent of taxpayers is on a par with Mexico's disparities. It's getting hard to find government officials in Washington without deep ties to corporate interests...

This follows the WSJ's "The Secrets of the World's Richest Man" (link) earlier this month, which has much more on how he gained his wealth. In a slightly unexpected move, they criticize him on the same grounds as Porter. And, of course, like the NYT, the Wall Street Journal is one of the enablers of the income disparity in Mexico.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:59 PM

Sacramento County whistleblower fired: non-emergency healthcare to illegal aliens

From this:

The Sacramento County physician [medical director for that county's indigent services program] fighting to end the county's practice of providing medical care to illegal immigrants was fired earlier this month.

Dr. Gene Rogers said he was terminated Aug. 6 "in retaliation for whistle-blowing."

...In his 2003 suit, Rogers alleged the county was putting public funds at risk by providing nonemergency medical care to undocumented residents -- in violation of federal law...

The case was dismissed on an apparent technicality, and he's appealing. What the SacBee fails to point out is that Rogers claims that U.S. citizens were deprived of services due to the money that was spent on illegal aliens.

There's a sympathetic editorial on the case here. The one firing him was Lynn Frank, that county's Health and Human Services director. Another person mentioned is Program Manager Nancy Gilberti.

Dr. Rogers filed a lawsuit in 2003 after county officials "stonewalled" him when he questioned why they were cutting budgets while still providing non-emergency medical treatment to people who have no legal right to be in the country.

The lawsuit is currently under appeal in federal court, but its impact was felt in the state capital, causing a nervous Latino Legislative Caucus in California last year to push through a bill by state Sen. Deborah Ortiz that explicitly allows counties to "opt" to provide non-emergency medical care to illegal immigrants. Sacramento County also responded, Dr. Rogers said, by seeking to alienate him from his prior relationships with county medical staff and by methodically preparing to fire him - with a little humiliation thrown in along the way...

Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:24 AM

Breaking: Watergate 2? Burglars break into politician's office

Breaking... In what may in fact turn out to be "Watergate 2", burglars have broken into a politician's office and have taken unspecified things, also leaving unspecified evidence behind... Developing... now trying to determine where, when, to whom...

This just in... dateline: Hartford Connecticut... politician is Senator and presidential candidate Christopher Dodd... never mind...

Posted to WackyHumor at 07:45 PM

National Council of La Raza won't denounce Elvira Arellano (Ruben Navarrette)

Even Ruben Navarrette - someone brazen enough to write a column defending his friend and Mexico's propagandist Rob Allyn - doesn't support the case of Elvira Arellano. Leaving aside the other things he says in his latest, he did do a bit of a public service by trying to get the take of the National Council of La Raza ("The Race"; NCLR) on her case. He doesn't appear to have gotten a straight answer from NCLR Vice President Cecilia Munoz:

"We have questions about whether going after people one at a time ultimately has much of a payoff in terms of effectiveness... What's the strategy behind our immigration enforcement? Are we trying to round up everyone and send them out? Because if that is our policy, then we're going to fail... We're not just sort of levitating people out of the country with no impact... We should be making deliberate judgments about what our immigration priorities are, and I'm not sure that going after workers who are also parents is our most effective strategy. It's certainly not a cost-free strategy... It is really very upsetting to see parents torn away from their children... And you wonder: If this is our enforcement strategy, what kind of country are we becoming?"

One might expect a "mainstream" group like NCLR - the one that Karl Rove pandered to a while back despite them funding extremists - to at least utter some verbage about how they don't support convicted criminal defying deportation orders, or about how they don't support someone using a false identity to gain work at an airport, yet I guess that was just a bit too difficult for them.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:54 PM

Elvira Arellano L.A. protest draws several hundred

Christopher Weber of the Associated Press informs us that supporters of the recently-deported illegal alien Elvira Arellano (what he calls "immigrant rights activists") marched through downtown Los Angeles yesterday. The high estimate of those attending is 2000 from the organizers, with the unnamed authorities saying it was just 600. The main organizer was Juan Jose Gutierrez from Latino Movement USA, but other just as questionable groups were there such as ANSWER's L.A. branch and CHIRLA, a group that has allegedly collaborated with the Mexican government.

Other organizers are listed on this poster (la.indymedia.org/uploads/2007/08/weare_elviraarellano_march8.2007.jpghxbxfy.jpg), including:

* We Are America Coalition
* Hermandad Mexicana of the San Fernando Valley
* NALACC
* an SEIU local
* Our Lady Queen of Angels Church
* ONE-LA IAF (the Industrial Areas Foundation, founded by Hillary Clinton idol Saul Alinsky; see the previous link)
* March 25th Coalition
* CARECEN
* Rapid Response Against the Raids Network
* L.A. County Federation of Labor
* New Sanctuary Movement (another possible Mexican government link)
* UCLA Labor Center (write chancellor *at* conet.ucla.edu with your thoughts)

There's at least one wonderful photo here:
la.indymedia.org/news/2007/08/205765_comment.php

And, here are some of the videos and their highlights:

* some U.S. flags; several AnswerLA.org signs; even a "No justice, no peace" sign
youtube.com/watch?v=_B1zvugbrNg

* someone doing crowd control... in an "SEIU Security" jacket: youtube.com/watch?v=zY6HpDlSwT8

* small U.S. flags, with a large red banner in the background saying: "Raza Si, Migra No"; a small sign demanding voting rights for all
youtube.com/watch?v=LYzcAGAjQwU

* a child holding a "America USA has become like Nazi Germany"; a large "Stop the Raids" banner from CHIRLA
youtube.com/watch?v=zgRx0ljIa20

* Mexican flag waving; a sign from the Party for Socialism and Liberation with a picture of Che and the slogan "The Worker's Struggle Has No Borders"
youtube.com/watch?v=b-l4Xf8cBq8

* A few U.S. flags, but more Mexican flags
youtube.com/watch?v=8xqSpwLii70
youtube.com/watch?v=vsGZ2Z1JixE

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:34 PM

Is attrition working in Oklahoma? (Arizona too?)

If states and cities enforce immigration laws to the extent that they're able, will that reduce the numbers of illegal aliens in those localities? Of course, one of the stock false choices that politicians and others offer is between massive deportations and a massive amnesty; they rarely acknowledge attrition, although the New York Times begrudgingly was forced to do so recently. And, attrition seems to be working in Oklahoma:

Thousands of Hispanics have fled the Tulsa, Okla., area in the shadow of a looming state law that limits benefits and mandates deportation for illegal aliens, according to a report from KTUL television in Tulsa.

The state of Oklahoma recently approved a new law that requires deportation for illegal aliens who are arrested, and limits benefits and jobs to those individuals. The report said in East Tulsa, where a community of Hispanics has grown over recent years, there's been a sudden drop in population...

Of course, these could be scare tactics from supporters of illegal immigration; note that those claiming the drop in population probably have an axe to grind and that they're refering to "Hispanics" and not illegal aliens, which is probably an attempt to racialize the issue.

UPDATE: Bearing in mind that such reports have to be taken with a grain of salt, Daniel Gonzalez of the Arizona Republic offers "Migrants fleeing as hiring law nears". He says:

based on interviews with undocumented immigrants, immigrant advocates, community leaders and real-estate agents, at least several hundred have left since Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano signed the [employer sanctions] bill on July 2

That bill will take affect on January 1; note that one of those "advocates" or "leaders" is Elias Bermudez of Immigrants Without Borders, thus the grain of salt.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:24 PM

Immigration "reform" will be perceived as amnesty

One of the standard games that president Bush, members of his administration, the presidential candidates, and other politicians play is to claim that "comprehensive immigration reform" is not amnesty. They then go on to define amnesty as immediate citizenship or similar and say that because their scheme involves fines and the like it isn't amnesty.

Of course, what they consistently fail to note is that millions and millions around the world would perceive any form of legalization, "regularization", "adjustment of status", or whatever other term you want to use as amnesty.

In this post I'll try to collect data points helping illustrate that point.

* "2 Va. counties OK immigration crackdown"/Sarah Karush/Associated Press/August 25, 2007/link

For Martinez - who has lived in Manassas, in Prince William County, for two years - the resentment against illegal immigrants came as a surprise. "It broke my heart," the 41-year-old Mexico City native said of the [Prop 200/Prop 187-style] measure. "We were all thinking there would be an amnesty" declared by the federal government.

(Note of course the AP claim that the measure was enacted because of "resentment").

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:14 PM

Judge Michael Bennett: using false identity results in no deportation order

I'm sure there are hundreds or thousands of U.S. citizens in prisons for purchasing birth certificates of those who died as children, assuming their identities, and then obtaining other identity documents such as SSN cards and passports. However, I guess there were "mitigating circumstances" in this case:

[U.S. Immigration Judge Michael Bennett] on Friday allowed a prominent Portland-area union organizer and illegal immigrant to return to Mexico voluntarily instead of deporting him, calling his repeated use of a false identity "unfortunate" and a "tragedy."

...Assistant Chief Counsel Margaret Rosenast of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had asked for a removal order, commonly called deportation. Removal orders prohibit people from legally returning to the United States for a period of a few years to a lifetime, said Dorothy Stefan, chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Seattle office, which includes Oregon.

...Cobian entered the United States illegally in 1989. He later purchased the birth certificate of Jose Luis Mendoza, a California boy who had died as a child, and assumed the little boy's name. In 1996, he used the name to apply for a Social Security card and later used the false identity to obtain a U.S. passport as well as legal residency status for his wife, also a Mexican immigrant. His wife was unaware that her status was based on fraudulent documents.

...The judge made it clear that Cobian's crimes -- especially his use of a false identity to obtain legal residency status for his wife -- were serious. He said deportation would have been the expected outcome.

But he said that he had the legal ability to exercise his discretion in the case and had decided to do so, describing the decision as a "close call." The judge said he wanted to bring finality to the case.

"I do wish you the best, sir," Bennett told Cobian.

Perhaps a reporter should look into the other "close calls" that judge has made, and also look into what usually happens to U.S. citizens who do the same thing.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:08 PM

Canada: Quebec police admit to infiltrating SPP protest

The Surete du Quebec has admitted that the three "black bloc"-style protesters at the recent Security and Prosperity Partnership meeting in Montebello were in fact police officers as a union leader has previously claimed. However, the Quebec police claim that they weren't there as "agents provocateurs" but were in fact there to prevent violence. For the backstory, see Les agents provocateurs at SPP protest in Canada?

In related news, the North American Union apologists entry has been updated.

UPDATE: Even if you support police going undercover at protests, and even if you support them posing as black bloc members rather than, say, hippies, it's a bit difficult to support the fact that one of the cops had a rock in his hand. While he never used it, why did he have a rock in his hand? For that extra touch of the echt?

Posted to NAU at 11:24 AM

ACLU: did the Crystal Lake Police Department violate the First Amendment?

Someone call the ACLU!

An event by the Illinois Minuteman Project scheduled for Saturday has been canceled after the Crystal Lake Police Department demanded a $3,500 payment for security costs from the hotel where the event was to be held.

Regardless of how one feels about the Minutemen, the request by the police department is inappropriate. The Minutemen were planning to hold a private event on private property at the Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake. The supposed security need was for protesters – the McHenry County Peace Group – who were going to be on public property near the event...

If the event had been scheduled for a public location, I'm pretty sure the PD's actions would be unconstitutional. I don't know whether because the protesters were going to be in a public area means that their decision was likewise unconstitutional.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:20 AM

Seattle ferry "unusual behavior" persons: where are they from?

I don't want to get into the issue of the two persons who supposedly have been exhibiting "unusual behavior" on a ferry in the Seattle area except to point out that the photos (seattle.fbi.gov/pressrel/2007/public082007.htm) to me seem to say "We are from a land or neighboring lands formerly associated with the Soviet Union." I have a few leading possibilities, but what say you, bearing in mind that almost all people from whatever countries named are not terrorists or sympathizers thereto and that the people in the photo may be completely innocent, etc., etc., etc., etc.?

Posted to Terrorism at 09:56 PM

Feinstein, Reid, growers to push AgJobs amnesty (yes, again)

Senator Dianne Feinstein apparently gave a speech today where she promised to bring back the AgJobs farmworkers amnesty scheme, which would cover at least 1.5 current illegal aliens. Harry Reid already promised to bring it back, perhaps attached to some other bill such as the Farm Bill.

Step one in the plan for passage calls for farmers and their allies to emphasize anew the dangers of losing an agricultural work force.

They've been working on that for a while, with sympathetic "news" sources promoting "crops rotting in the fields" articles.

"Agriculture is going to push this thing," Manuel Cunha, president of the Fresno-based Nisei Farmers League, said Wednesday... Recently, Cunha took part in an immigration conference call with White House officials who are maneuvering in their own way.

[...Step Two involves Reid's schemes...]

Step three in the AgJobs game plan relies on employer anxiety over a new Bush administration plan for cracking down on companies that hire illegal immigrants. Two weeks ago, the White House announced plans to send out tens of thousands of so-called "no-match" letters...

Posted to Immigration2007b at 07:28 PM

Saul Arellano, Karla Barguiarena, and Child Protective Services

Karla Barguiarena of Houston's KHOU offers a disturbing interview with Saul Arellano, son of deported illegal alien Elvira Arellano. The article only gives a preview of the bias; the video is where you can see her bias in full flower. It's over 7 minutes long and unedited, for which I'm actually thankful: you can hear the "reporter" asking a series of leading questions, such as trying to get him to say that president Bush is "mean". Unfortunately, he had only said that a bit half-heartedly, and she then asks him why he (supposedly) said Bush was mean. SA replies, "I don't know", which the reporter then follows with, "yes you do". And, in two other places when asked what he wants Bush to do, SA immediately launches into what is obviously a scripted response ("...stop the raids and deportations...", etc. etc.)

The video and the article show the dangers of having racial advocates posing as reporters. But, on a more important note I think it's time to call Child Protective Services.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 02:24 PM

Elvira Arellano, Mexican lawmakers to push immigration "reform"

It looks like Elvira Arellano is going to be the gift that keeps on giving: she'll continue to push for an amnesty from Mexico, and she'll be assisted in that by Mexican politicians. Her radicalism (see the fifth update to that link) can be used to discredit all of her future efforts and those with whom she's linked; if we're lucky some additional U.S. leaders might decide to help her cause.

From this (via this):

...Mexican authorities and activists wasted no time in trying to capitalize on Arellano's new cachet, scrambling to align themselves with Arellano and gently suggesting what the newest chapter in her life should look like.

On Wednesday, Arellano, 32, plans to travel to Mexico City, where on Thursday she plans to stand with a group of Mexican congressmen to denounce the U.S. Congress for not passing more lenient immigration reforms.

Plans are also under way for Arellano to headline a Sept. 12 rally near Tijuana's border with California, an appearance meant to coincide with a demonstration planned in Washington...

...Rosario Ibarra, a prominent human-rights activist in Mexico City, suggested that Arellano use her celebrity to chastise the Mexican government for not providing enough economic opportunities to keep its people in the country.

Raul Rios, a Mexican congressman from Arellano's home state of Michoacan, suggested she should push Mexican consulates in the U.S. to do more to help undocumented immigrants. "We should start by fixing our own house," Rios said, adding he helped to create a nonpartisan coalition on immigration issues to work with Arellano.

"Elvira is an example, not just for those who live in the United States but for immigrants all over the world," said Jose Jacques [Medina], a Mexican congressman from California. "I think she can convert herself into an icon for a struggle that is even more global, that addresses the root causes of migration."

Yes, the "struggle".

UPDATE: From the AP:

A Mexican Senate committee passed a measure Wednesday urging President Felipe Calderon to send a diplomatic note to the United States protesting the deportation of an illegal migrant who took refuge in a Chicago church for a year.

The committee also approved a scholarship to help her 8-year-old U.S.-born son, Saul, who is an American citizen and stayed in the United States.

..."We cannot remain quiet in view of this injustice and must ask for firm action from our authorities," Mexican Sen. Humberto Zazue said.

He accused the United States of violating international deportation accords by denying her access to the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles.

..."For me it is very important that our government take a strong stand to defend all of us who decide to migrate to another country," [EA] said.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 07:34 PM

Potemkin President: 2002 guidelines to protect Bush from seeing protesters

The guidelines for appearances by president Bush was recently obtained by the ACLU under an FOIA request, and it details the many ways that both Bush and the media were to be blocked from seeing protesters:

any event must be open only to those with tickets tightly controlled by organizers. Those entering must be screened in case they are hiding secret signs. Any anti-Bush demonstrators who manage to get in anyway should be shouted down by "rally squads" stationed in strategic locations. And if that does not work, they should be thrown out... It directs the White House advance staff to ask local police "to designate a protest area where demonstrators can be placed, preferably not in the view of the event site or motorcade route."

The "Presidential Advance Manual" is in this PDF.

Much of this could have already been figured out, but it's good to have their tactics in a formal form. It's also interesting to note that the manual is from October 2002, just over a year after 9/11 and while Bush's popularity was still above 60% (link).

Posted to Politics at 05:35 PM

New Jersey Attorney General: ask immigration status of all charged with serious crimes

From this:

Attorney General Anne Milgram today ordered all local police officers in New Jersey to inquire about the immigration status of suspects charged with serious crimes, and to notify federal immigration authorities if there is reason to believe the suspect is in the country illegally.

The requirements, which go into effect immediately, apply to suspects arrested for specific indictable offenses and for driving while intoxicated, Milgram said. If the suspect is unable to prove he or she is legally in the United States, the police officer is required to notify Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, she said. The policy also specifies that prosecutors and courts be notified...

...The 7-page directive also sets guidelines for municipalities that apply to federal immigration officials for Section 287(g) authority, which deputizes local, county and state officers to enforce federal immigration laws. While the directive grants the full exercise of federal immigration authority at county jails and state prisons for incarcerated undocumented immigrants, Milgram said, street cops participating in 287(g) could invoke federal immigration authority only after an arrest is made...

The directive is in this PDF file; it doesn't apply to victims, witnesses, and those asking the police for help.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 05:31 PM

Les agents provocateurs at SPP protest in Canada?

At the recent Security and Prosperity Partnership meeting in Canada, Canadian police may have used agent provocateurs in an attempt to discredit the crowd. We have received this communique:

Video footage of the arrest of police officers posing as demonstrators at Montebello, August 20, will be shown today at a news conference at the offices of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada. "We have proof that the three individuals who were "arrested" after being exposed as "agents provocateurs" were, in fact, members of the Quebec police force," says CEP President Dave Coles, and we plan to do what it takes to bring this matter to justice." CEP Secretary-Treasurer Gaétan Ménard, Barb Byers of the CLC and Council of Canadians President Maude Barlow will also be in attendance.

There's video of the incident here; it's a bit hard to follow if you aren't Canadian. There's a news report on the protesters here; video of a tear gas attack here; far-left "immigrants rights" protesters here; supposed Communists/anarchists burning an American flag here; and, if you want to see a dirty hippy who speaks broken English with a French/Canadian accent together with an incompetent juggler, click here. Needless to say, it would probably be best if those type of people sought their therapy elsewhere.

Posted to NAU at 11:27 AM

Bush doesn't deny North American Union

From this:

President Bush today sidestepped a direct question about whether he'd be willing to categorically deny there is a plan to create the North American Union.

Instead, he ridiculed those who believe that is taking place as conspiracy theorists.

Here's that portion of Bush's thoughts:

"We represent three great nations. We each respect each other's sovereignty. You know, there are some who would like to frighten our fellow citizens into believing that relations between us are harmful for our respective peoples. I just believe they're wrong. I believe it's in our interest to trade; I believe it's in our interest to dialogue; I believe it's in our interest to work out common problems for the good of our people.

"And I'm amused by some of the speculation, some of the old – you can call them political scare tactics. If you've been in politics as long as I have, you get used to that kind of technique where you lay out a conspiracy and then force people to try to prove it doesn't exist. That's just the way some people operate. I'm here representing my nation. I feel strongly that the United States is a force for good, and I feel strongly that by working with our neighbors we can a stronger force for good.

"So I appreciate that question. I'm amused by the difference between what actually takes place in the meetings and what some are trying to say takes place. It's quite comical, actually, when you realize the difference between reality and what some people are talking on TV about."

Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper also got his digs in, saying there wasn't going to be a NAFTA superhighway and that it wasn't going to be "interplanetary" either. He also stated that much of the talks involved jellybean standards. What a joker!

I note that even Mike Huckabee (link), John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Rudy Giuliani have issued stronger (sounding) oppositions to the plan. Are the comments above simply yet another example of Bush being an idiot, or does he know more than they do?

UPDATE: Here's video of Bush making his statement from Wolf Blitzer's show (link). It's almost like Bush is trying to make people think there's a conspiracy. Instead of looking into the matter, both Wolfie and Suzanne Malveaux get a chuckle out of the whole idea that some could be pushing for a NAU. They truly are crack "journalists".

Posted to NAU at 10:38 AM

Elvira Arellano gets hero's welcome in Mexico

I'm not entirely willing to take the Los Angeles Times' word for it, but the recently-deported Elvira Arellano may have been given a rousing welcome in Mexico. A good portion of that country has no respect for our immigration laws, thinking like her that they have a right to immigrate here under any circumstances. And, 58% think the U.S. southwest rightfully belongs to Mexico. Obvious to many outside the Beltway, that's an extremely dangerous situation. Is it good public policy to allow people who think like Arellano to come here?

...rarely has Tijuana welcomed a deported immigrant the way it has embraced Arellano this week.

Since Arellano was arrested in Los Angeles and returned to Mexico she's engaged in a whirlwind of public appearances where she's been heralded as a hero for defying U.S. authorities by taking sanctuary in a church.

...in Mexico, Arellano's experience is portrayed as a story of principled resistance, of a woman who fought before becoming one of the thousands of illegal immigrants who file sadly back into this border metropolis every year.

"You've become the voice of all the Elviras in the U.S.," said Heriberto Garcia, of Mexico's National Commission on Human Rights, an independent organization...

...Callers to talk shows pledged their support. She has been invited to meet with federal lawmakers in Mexico City today.

"Elvira unites Latinos behind her," blared a headline from the Frontera newspaper.

...Mexican media were falling over themselves giving her the spotlight, which they believed she richly deserved...

Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:28 AM

AVWatch: Tony Villar on Elvira Arellano; Mexico complains about consular protocol

Elliot Spagat of the Associated Press offers a two-fer. First up, former MEChA leader and current Hillary Clinton campaign co-chair and Los Angeles mayor Tony Villar (aka Antonio Villaragosa, Mayor Reconquista) has thoughts on the Elvira Arellano matter:

"Until we resolve the status of the estimated 12 million undocumented people living and working in the United States by giving them some meaningful pathway to citizenship, families will continue to be torn apart."

Not quite as fiery as I would have liked; unfortunately he's at least smart enough to realize how much of a liability explicitly supporting her would be.

And, while we're on the topic, Mexico is complaining about a possible violation of consular protocol (irony noted):

Arellano asked to speak with Mexican officials in Los Angeles but was denied, [Luis Cabrera, Mexico's general consul in San Diego] said. She was not given access until hours later, at San Diego's Otay Mesa immigration detention center.

Mexico's Foreign Relations Department issued a statement saying that denying Arellano access to the consulate may have violated "bilateral arrangements established for a safe and orderly repatriation and to allow for immediate consulate access when the defense requests it."

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was unaware of any request that Arellano made to speak with Mexican officials in Los Angeles, and Arellano was given extensive access in San Diego Sunday night, agency spokeswoman Lauren Mack said.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:00 AM

Huffington Post prints GOP recruitment post (Eric Stoner, Bryan Farrell)

Eric Stoner ("a writer based in New York, whose writings have appeared in many publications, including The Nation") and Bryan Farrell ("a researcher for Rolling Stone and an independent journalist in New York") offer "Fear and Loathing on the Jersey Shore". The (presumed) couple went abroad (i.e., left Manhattan) and spent a weekend in in the sticks:

Down on the boardwalk we observed a scene that would be recognizable to most Americans: teenagers, junk food, and trinket shops selling an assortment of "ironic" t-shirts. It's not unlike a shopping mall or arcade, pandering to a gluttonous consumerism that is all too distinctly American.

It goes on like that. And, I don't think it's a satire, nor do I think it was intentionally meant as a GOP recruiting tool. It just reads like it. I congratulate Arianna on returning to her roots.

Posted to Bloggage at 08:15 PM

Tancredo: Newark victims families should sue city for negligence

From this:

Presidential candidate Tom Tancredo is urging the families of three young murder victims to consider suing the city of Newark for negligence, saying [in Newark] its lax immigration policy [as a sanctuary city] is at least partially to blame for the execution-style slayings.

Mayor Cory Booker, who has said involving city police in immigration matters would hurt the relationship between police and the immigrant community, repeated that contention today, citing the conclusions of a Clinton administration study on the issue.

"Local law-enforcement officials should not be going out asking, inquiring and investigating whether people are documented or undocumented," Booker said. He said such behavior "creates a chill in which often the most marginalized and vulnerable citizens in my city do not feel comfortable engaging with the police. It's an environment I will never tolerate as mayor."

He then played the outsider card and accused Tancredo of trying to "inflame" the community.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 08:02 PM

Not much reporting at SPP meeting (Montebello, Canada)

The leaders of the U.S. (George Bush), Canada (Stephen Harper), and Mexico (Felipe Calderon) are meeting in Montebello, Canada to discuss the SPP ("Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America", spp.gov). Some say, and I tend to mostly agree, this is the precursor to a North American Union in which the three countries would be joined EU-style.

As could be expected, the mainstream media isn't doing their job and reporting on what's actually involved and trying to find out what it all means.

The best of a bad lot is "Police tear gas, pepper spray protesters at Montebello summit" (link), and only because it contains actual mainstream thoughts from some of those opposing the summit:

...Susan Howard-Azzey, a homemaker from St.catharines, Ont., criticized what she called the lack of transparency and consultation in the SPP process.

"I'm not impressed that the SPP is making such big decisions on behalf of Canadians without consulting us and when we go out to the streets we're criminalized."

A group of powerful business executives has been invited to make a closed-door presentation Tuesday at the summit on changes they believe the continent needs. No such invitation was extended to scientists, environmentalists, or other social activists.

...Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians said people shouldn't be fooled about who really sets the agenda at these summits: the 30 business leaders who sit on the North American Competitiveness Council.

The group comprises leaders from 10 companies in each country and includes corporations like Wal-Mart, General Electric and weapons-maker Lockheed Martin. They advise the three national governments on facilitating trade.

Barlow called for a moratorium on the "profoundly anti-democratic" SPP until the citizens of all three countries are consulted and their elected representatives are given oversight over the business-driven initiative...

* "Clashes erupt at summit protest" discusses how most of the protesters are a bit wacky, without trying to discuss the stands of those who aren't (link).

* Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times offers "Bush's Talks With Neighbors Are Overshadowed by Storm", which contains nothing of note. It mentions the protests in the final paragraph without going into any detail.

* The interview Ray Suarez conducted with former Canadian PM Kim Campbell and former Mexican foreign minister Jorge Castaneda is likewise insipid (link), and doesn't even discuss the protests.

* "SPP deal could create common border standards" (link) describes some of the things they're discussing:

* Working on biometric systems -- incorporating unique identifiers like iris scans and fingerprints -- to improve the security for passports, visas, permanent resident cards, transportation credentials and other border documents.

* Implementing immigration measures that include requirements for admission and length of stay, visa decision-making standards, border lookout systems for wanted individuals, and the possibility of entry and exit procedures, and

* Devising ways to share data on high-risk travellers such as suspected terrorists and other criminals.

Related:
Ben Feller/AP whitewashes Bush Canada trip (SPP)

Posted to NAU at 07:48 PM

Minnesota bridge: officials knew of "remote but real possibility of the eight-lane freeway bridge failing"

From this:

Internal MnDOT documents reviewed by the Star Tribune reveal that last year bridge officials talked openly about the possibility of the bridge collapsing -- and worried that it might have to be condemned... The documents provide the first look inside MnDOT's decision-making process as engineers weighed benefits and risks, wrestling with options to prevent what they believed was a remote but real possibility of the eight-lane freeway bridge failing.

Posted to Miscellania at 07:25 PM

Elvira Arellano arrested by "La Migra"!

Convicted criminal Elvira Arellano has been arrested by ICE in downtown Los Angeles. Apparently Telemundo is trying to rile up their audience, but La Opinion only has a brief report (laopinion.com/supp2/?rkey=00000000000002163320).

Will this result in massive riots as supposed Americans who put their race ahead of their country join with foreign citizens who are here illegally to support attempts by some to refuse to abide by our laws? Or, will it go largely unnoticed except by those outside the far-left who'll stage a few small protests? Will corrupt priests like Cardinal Roger Mahoney rally 'round Elvira, or will they decide that for the sake of their little remaining credibility it's best to leave the issue be? Did ICE do this to show that no one is above the law, or did they do it in order to provoke a reaction from the left and use that to get the amnesty they want?

I suspect that come tomorrow people will respond to the name "Elvira" by saying, "You mean, the horror movie presenter?", but we shall see.

UPDATE: "Immigrant Rights Activist Elvira Arrellano Arrested in LA -- Solidarity Actions in Chicago Tonight and Tomorrow" (chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/79065/index.php). Hopefully Democratic politicians won't let the community down and will decide to stand in solidarity with Arellano and in support of massive criminality.

8/20 UPDATE: She was deported to Tijuana late last night (laopinion.com/primerapagina/?rkey=00000000000002166700), and will continue the struggle from the Mexican side of the border. "Citizen Saul" remains in the U.S. with Emma Lozano. U.S. Reps. Luis Gutierrez and Bobby Rush will be pushing private citizenship bills. The final paragraph of the article notes that CHIRLA ("Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles"; allegedly has collaborated with the Mexican government) is urging people to express their outrage... by calling Julie Myers of ICE. La Opinion - always willing to help out - even includes her phone number.

Note to GOP and Dem politicians: wouldn't supporting Elvira be a great way to reach out to the Hispanic vote? Many hacks have said that in order to get that supposed vote it's necessary to support amnesty; what difference is there really between that and supporting Elvira? Many or most of those who would have been amnestied are guilty of working under a false Social Security number, with some going even further than Arellano did and engaging in identity theft. The only thing unique about her is that she was unlucky enough to be caught and convicted.

If you're going to support millions of unconvicted lawbreakers in a corrupt plea for votes, surely supporting just one convicted lawbreaker shouldn't be a problem, right?

UPDATE 3: As always, Biff knows best! Please, Democrats, heed his call and stand up for immigrants rights.

UPDATE 4: Unfortunately, so far support from the "mainstream" left appears to be a bit lacking. Patty Kupfer - head of The Sojourners' Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform - offers a sympathetic post (blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2007/08/sanctuary-movement-activist-ar.html) and links to their magazine, which features her on the cover (sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj0709&article=070910a). And, Atrios says (atrios.blogspot.com/2007_08_19_archive.html#8506770275171716290):

You know, there are aspects of the immigration issue where I think well-intentioned people can have wide disagreement on, but I just can't think of any good reason to support the deportation of the parents of American citizens.

Meanwhile, an unknown party has posted a diary entry wondering why John Edwards isn't jumping on this issue.

UPDATE 5: I called attention to this page that Emma Lozano and Arellano wrote (somosunpueblo.com/Unify_and_Focus.html) before (cached here), but I think this is a good paragraph to throw back at anyone foolish enough to support her:

We have taught that our people did not come here because of the American Dream but because of what the American nightmare did to our countries of origin. We have asserted that our demand to be here and to be fully enfranchised here is a right not a privilige and a destiny of our people to transform this nation.

UPDATE 6: The useful idiots/peacenik collaborators at the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is "gravely concerned" other her deportation, claiming that she was "ripped away" from Saul (link). In fact, she can always take him with her. Christian Ramirez, an "AFSC national immigrants' rights coordinator", met with her in Tijuana. Their release ends with:

Instead of giving free rein to repressive worksite raids and other punitive enforcement measures, this country needs constructive immigration policies that enable Elvira Arellano and other undocumented parents to remain with their children and find a path to legal residency and citizenship.

Based on her quote above, you might say it's her manifest destiny to get on that path.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 07:45 PM

George Stephanopoulos/ABC Democratic "debate": no immigration questions

What is George Stephanopoulos of ABC News trying to hide from his viewers? Obviously, one thing he's trying to hide is a grown-up discussion of immigration matters: neither August 5's GOP "debate" nor today's Democratic debate featured any questions about immigration. There's not a single instance of "immig*", "undocumented", or "aliens" in the whole transcript (link).

Immigration is where almost all of the candidates are weakest, and it's a salient issue to millions of Americans. Yet, Stephanapolos refuses to discuss it. Why?

The next time you see someone like a journalism professor or newspaper editor pretending that MSM reporters are anything other than hacks and propagandists, ask them about this point: why won't Stephanopolos discuss this issue?

Posted to Politics at 10:42 AM

Thanks, liberals & libertarians: 71% support "foreigners-only" ID card

More irony: those "liberals" and "libertarians" who support illegal immigration in the belief that it will lead to more freedom are making things worse, creating a problem that the majority of Americans realize need to be fixed. That leaves an opening for someone with a "fix", such as Rudy Giuliani with his "foreigners-only" ID card. That would eventually become a national ID card, resulting in much less freedom, the opposite of what those "liberals" and "libertarians" want (or pretend to want).

And, it's a popular idea. From the latest Rasmussen poll:

By a 71% to 16% margin, voters also favor a proposal that would require all foreign visitors to carry a universal identification card as proposed by another GOP Presidential hopeful, Rudy Giuliani. Seventy-four percent (74%) also favor the creation and funding of a central database to track all foreign visitors in the United States.

The latter is also a Giuliani idea.

In other results, the border fence is supported 56 to 31 (Republicans: 75% for), with cutting off federal funding to sanctuary cities being supported 58 to 29 (Republicans: 73% for).

UPDATE: Right on cue:

"The question is: in what circumstances will people be asked for their IDs?" said Jay Stanley, a privacy expert at the American Civil Liberties Union. "Will dark-skinned foreigners be asked for their IDs while a Caucasian person isn't?"

Well, OK, if you insist. Then I guess to avoid that we're all going to have to get one of the cards. You've still got freedom, however. You'll get to choose whether to ID yourself using a retinal scan or a cheek swab.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 07:13 PM

Letter: 22 House members oppose North American integration talks on Bush Canada visit

From this:

Twenty-two members of the U.S. House of Representatives – 21 Republicans and a Democrat [Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Kansas] – are urging President Bush to back off his North American integration efforts when he attends the third summit meeting on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America next week in Montebello, Quebec.

They make it clear that continuing any such agenda at this point would be disregarding growing apprehension in Congress about the plans.

"As you travel to Montebello, Canada later this month for a summit with your Canadian and Mexican counterparts, we want you to be aware of serious and growing concerns in the U.S. Congress about the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) you launched with these nations in 2005," the letter said...

Posted to NAU at 12:33 PM

Ben Feller/AP whitewashes Bush Canada trip (SPP)

Ben Feller of the Associated Press offers what's called here "Bush to Tighten Ties With Mexico, Canada". After an initial smackdown, it reads a bit like a Commerce Department press release:

Never fond of interrupting his Texas vacation, President Bush is doing it this year to bolster ties with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, two friendly neighbors and vital partners.

Bush joins Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Montebello, Quebec, on Monday [at the North American Leaders' Summit] in hopes of expanding cooperation among their countries, which enjoy the largest trading partnership in the world.

...Instead, the broad theme is economic prosperity, built around several topics: border security, competitiveness with India and China, product safety and energy solutions.

..."What's really important is that they continue to reflect the significance of North American integration -- the fact that there are post 9/11 problems, but they aren't going to undermine trade and investment," said Charles Doran, a scholar at John Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.

At least he admits it, but perhaps Feller could have spelled out what "integration" means. Then:

...Still, many people in Mexico are wary of U.S. intervention [relating to drugs], fearing it could threaten their sovereignty. That is a common worry in cross-border efforts.

Tell us more about that. Oops, he didn't.

Protests are expected, although the resort will be under tight security and access is limited.

Why there would be protesters isn't explained, nor does he discuss the curious security cordon they'll establish.

Then, an offhand reference to the SPP (spp.gov):

The first meeting, in Texas, launched a partnership in which the countries have tried to harmonize their security and economic programs.

Posted to NAU at 12:10 PM

Lindsey Graham wants biometric Social Security card

How ironic that the pro-illegal immigration efforts of "civil libertarians" like the ACLU will make it easier for those who want to control the populace to push through their schemes:

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday he will introduce legislation to replace all paper Social Security cards with plastic biometric cards that can't be duplicated, so employers can be certain of the legal status of their workers...

...Employers need a system they can rely on to determine the legal status of potential workers, so Graham said he plans to introduce a bill this fall to replace all Social Security cards over the next 10 years at a cost of $8 billion to $10 billion. The new cards would be tamperproof.

"The documents used to get a job in America, a Social Security card, is a piece of paper that's easily, fraudulently duplicated," Graham said at the University of South Carolina, where he demonstrated a program employers can use to check the legal status of workers along with Homeland Security Department Secretary Michael Chertoff...

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:03 PM

Media alert: Elvira Arellano has left the sanctuary (L.A., DC on tour)

Elvira Arellano - the illegal alien who was ordered to be deported after being convicted of using a false Social Security number and who's been holed up in a Chicago church for a year and who's only a sympathetic figure to those on the far-left - has left her "sanctuary" and is currently on a road trip.

The first stop: Los Angeles' La Placita Catholic Church, aka Our Lady Queen of Angels. They're already participating in the "new sanctuary movement", so perhaps they'll take her in. Apparently there will be a march tomorrow organized by the March 25 Coalition.

Along for the ride: the Rev. Walter "Slim" Coleman, husband of what could charitably be called Arellano's "agent", Emma Lozano of Centro Sin Fronteras. They refused to tell the AP whether "Citizen" Saul Arellano is with her; the Chicago Tribune says he flew ahead.

Next stop: Washington DC for a September 12 prayer meeting and lobbying effort.

In a normal world, the DHS would ignore her and perhaps try to undercut her case by, say, publicizing her court documents or discussing the various links of her associates. However, with corrupt officials like Michael Chertoff around, one cute trick they might play would be to arrest her in as public a fashion as possible in order to enrage the left.

If we were lucky, we could get Democratic leaders to back her efforts. However, with even the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times opposed to her efforts that might be a bit difficult.

While Mayor Richard Daley, Governor Rod Blagojevich, and U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez are backers, Barack Obama and Dick Durbin unfortunately realize how much of a liability supporting her would be. But, perhaps if we worked at it they could be brought around to support "immigrants rights".

Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:32 PM

Mexican trucks to be allowed to carry cargo on U.S. highways (NAFTA)

Mexican truckers are currently limited to operating withing 25 miles of the border, but a new one year pilot program will soon start allowing 100 companies to travel anywhere they want. All that's standing in the way is approval of safety plans by the Transportation Department's inspector general; if problems are found they'll be corrected first. This was announced today, and in the Federal Register so it wasn't exactly like the Bush administration was trying to shout about it from the rooftops. And:

The Transportation Department acknowledged that most of the 2,300 public comments on the project challenged its safety and economic effects. But the agency concluded the demonstration, involving about 10 percent of the Mexican truckers who applied, "is sufficient to determine whether the safety oversight program" can ensure there will be no erosion of highway safety.

I'd imagine there will be such an erosion, but paid or amateur hacks will be on call in the case of an accident to blame it on other things.

Related:
Dems temporarily block Bush admin Mexican truck scheme; forgetting something?
Bush administration lets Mexican truckers past border zone

Posted to Immigration2007b at 05:18 PM

Watch for the "Clergy Response Teams" (quell citizens after martial law)

The following is an actual news report from Shreveport's KSLA (text here and in extended entry) discussing how the DHS is working with local religious leaders as part of "Clergy Response Teams" who would tell the citizens to give up their guns and abide by any martial law restrictions.



Speculation on this here; note that back in 2006 Prison Planet posted this:

A Pastor has come forward to blow the whistle on a nationwide FEMA program which is training Pastors and other religious representatives to become secret police enforcers who teach their congregations to "obey the government" in preparation for a declaration of martial law, property and firearm seizures, and forced relocation.

In March of this year [2006] the Pastor, who we shall refer to as Pastor Revere, was invited to attend a meeting of his local FEMA chapter which circulated around preparedness for a potential bio-terrorist attack, any natural disaster or a nationally declared emergency.

The FEMA directors told the Pastors that attended that it was their job to help implement FEMA and Homeland Security directives in anticipation of any of these eventualities. The first directive was for Pastors to preach to their congregations Romans 13, the often taken out of context bible passage that was used by Hitler to hoodwink Christians into supporting him, in order to teach them to "obey the government" when martial law is declared.

Full text of the article:

Could martial law ever become a reality in America? Some fear any nuclear, biological or chemical attack on U.S. soil might trigger just that. KSLA News 12 has discovered that the clergy would help the government with potentially their biggest problem: Us.

Charleton Heston's now-famous speech before the National Rifle Association at a convention back in 2000 will forever be remembered as a stirring moment for all 2nd Amendment advocates. At the end of his remarks, Heston held up his antique rifle and told the crowd in his Moses-like voice, "over my cold, dead hands."

While Heston, then serving as the NRA President, made those remarks in response to calls for more gun control laws at the time, those words live on. Heston's declaration captured a truly American value: An over-arching desire to protect our freedoms.

But gun confiscation is exactly what happened during the state of emergency following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, along with forced relocation. U.S. Troops also arrived, something far easier to do now, thanks to last year's elimination of the 1878 Posse Comitatus act, which had forbid regular U.S. Army troops from policing on American soil.

If martial law were enacted here at home, like depicted in the movie "The Siege", easing public fears and quelling dissent would be critical. And that's exactly what the 'Clergy Response Team' helped accomplish in the wake of Katrina.

Dr. Durell Tuberville serves as chaplain for the Shreveport Fire Department and the Caddo Sheriff's Office. Tuberville said of the clergy team's mission, "the primary thing that we say to anybody is, 'let's cooperate and get this thing over with and then we'll settle the differences once the crisis is over.'"

Such clergy response teams would walk a tight-rope during martial law between the demands of the government on the one side, versus the wishes of the public on the other. "In a lot of cases, these clergy would already be known in the neighborhoods in which they're helping to diffuse that situation," assured Sandy Davis. He serves as the director of the Caddo-Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

For the clergy team, one of the biggest tools that they will have in helping calm the public down or to obey the law is the bible itself, specifically Romans 13. Dr. Tuberville elaborated, "because the government's established by the Lord, you know. And, that's what we believe in the Christian faith. That's what's stated in the scripture."

Civil rights advocates believe the amount of public cooperation during such a time of unrest may ultimately depend on how long they expect a suspension of rights might last.

Posted to Privacy at 12:31 PM

Bush admin scam: Social Security "no match" letters will have little effect ("tough" new DHS policy)

This has to be read in its entirety to be believed. The Bush administration can't even keep a scam going for a few days.

Days after unveiling a major crackdown on businesses that hire illegal immigrants, the Bush administration is now quietly admitting that its most heavily touted weapon in pursuing employers will be virtually useless.

...But Homeland Security officials acknowledged this week that because of a privacy provision in the IRS code, immigration officials will actually have no way of knowing which employers have received "no-match" letters, which have complied and which have not...

...Left untouched, however, was section 6103 of the IRS code - a privacy provision the government has long interpreted to mean that Social Security officials are forbidden from sharing tax information with other agencies...

..."I think this is viewed as more of a self-enforcing thing," said John Gay, top lobbyist for the National Restaurant Association, which represents about 1.4 million estimated employees in California. "This is another tool in their kit. It's easier to establish a violation with these rules."

Tom Nassif, president of the California Grower's Association, said any "no-match" letters a company receives will come out during a civil trial if that business is ever cited for immigration violations...

...[Steven Camarota, research director for the Center of Immigration Studies] said he suspects the Bush administration hopes the business community, whose division over the recent Senate immigration compromise bill helped lead to its failure, will be galvanized into action by the threat of economic upheaval.

"They don't really want to upset the apple cart, they just want to tip it back and forth and act like they're doing something," Camarota said of the administration's rules.

...Nassif agreed but called it a risky gamble with the country's economy...

Posted to Immigration2007a at 11:02 AM

Block a bulldozer for Al Gore! (civil disobedience against global warming)

According to Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times (Times Select; excerpt) Al Gore not only "vibrates with passion [about global warming]", he wants young people to take direct action. Now, certainly, civil disobedience is perfectly justifiable in many cases, but I don't think Big Wooden Al is either Gandhi or Thoreau, even as he tries to assume their mantles for his own ends.

I ran into Al Gore at a climate/energy conference this month, and he vibrates with passion about this issue -- recognizing that we should confront mortal threats even when they don't emanate from Al Qaeda.

"We are now treating the Earth's atmosphere as an open sewer," he said, and (perhaps because my teenage son was beside me) he encouraged young people to engage in peaceful protests to block major new carbon sources.

"I can't understand why there aren't rings of young people blocking bulldozers," Mr. Gore said, "and preventing them from constructing coal-fired power plants."

Posted to MultiCultiCult at 11:39 PM

Supporters of immigration laws threatened by John McCain

Senator John McCain claims that he's received death threats over his immigration stance and Associated Press writer Steven Paulson, while noting that McCain "declined to elaborate on the threats" otherwise took him at his word and refers to the threats as "unprecedented". He probably isn't lying, but then again he's probably received such threats over the course of his career. They might have picked up due to the fact that many people are upset about this issue; with more people involved, there's a greater probability that those already predisposed to make such threats will actually make them.

Other than that, he's simply playing the victimization card, and doing so before a group of co-elites at the Aspen Institute. No doubt similar scenes have played themselves out all throughout history, as, for instance, those in the drawing rooms of St. Petersburg marveled at the beliefs of the serfs.

Like Lindsey Graham and other name-callers, he's simply trying to portray his opponents in as bad a light as possible. Back in June, Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times discussed other supposed threats, and, like Paulson he took the "Grand Bargainers" at their word. Kyrsten Sinema played the same game, as did a Mexican consul.

Continuing the righteous-victim-of-yahoos* theme:

McCain acknowledged that the immigration issue, along with his support for the war in Iraq, had cost him politically. "Look, I've got to do what I know is right for this country. These issues I have to take head-on," he said.

* "Y is for Yahoo" by William Kristol, 04/10/2006, link

Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:51 PM

BP sector chief: "The Border Patrol is not equipped to stop illegal immigrants"

While newspapers have been known to take things out of context, I'm having trouble seeing how that could have been done in this case:

Border Patrol agents dont have the responsibility of apprehending illegal immigrants, Carlos X. Carrillo, chief patrol agent for the Laredo sector, said at a town hall meeting Wednesday. "The Border Patrol is not equipped to stop illegal immigrants," Carrillo said, noting that illegal narcotics are also not on the agents priority list.

"The Border Patrol mission is not to do any of those things," he emphasized.

The Border Patrols mission is to keep the country safe from terrorist and terrorist weapons, he said. Carrillo added that when and if terrorists come into the country, the agents will be ready...

Carrillo said the Carrizo cane along the river is an environmental challenge. He said that before enforcing any type of fence, the Carrizo canes need to be addressed, allowing agents to patrol and spot traffic in the river...

8/28/07 UPDATE: He's "apologized":

"It's painfully obvious to me that I could have done a better job of articulating my talking points... As long as the resources are made available to the people who can make it happen, we will certainly do everything we can to ensure that a zero tolerance policy is brought forward. But to initiate a program like this, without the funding, would not be wise."

12/01/07 UPDATE: There's video and a transcript of his remarks here.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:41 AM

EWIC, NILC have a scheme to block DHS no-match push

From this, we receive word that Laura Reiff of the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition tried to block funding for the recently announced supposed push by the DHS to enforce the Social Security number no-match regulations. They apparently didn't find anyone willing to help them out, so, together with attorney Monica Guizar from the National Immigration Law Center, they're trying a new tack:

Among the ideas under consideration are seeking approval of a resolution under the Congressional Review Act, a rarely used tool that allows Congress to review and overrule regulations, or raising the question of whether the rules violate the Regulatory Flexibility Act, which require agencies to consider the impact of their regulatory actions on small businesses.

Anything to "help" "immigrants".

Posted to Immigration2007b at 08:02 PM

Giuliani Vows to End Illegal Immigration (WhiteOut, rubber stamp makers celebrate)

Rudy Giuliani has vowed to end illegal immigration as we know it. Under his plan, a new governmental organization will scour the web, editing pages to change the words "illegal immigration" to "legal immigration" (all site owners will be required to put their passwords in a government database for their and our safety). Likewise, the same group will access newspapers' computer systems and do a search-and-replace of those two terms. Millions of gallons of WhiteOut [TM] will need to be ordered for materials that are already printed. And, border patrol agents will each be issued a set of rubber stamps and inking pads to welcome any "guest" who can make it over the border.

I kid! At least, I think I'm kidding. Certainly, in the past, Giuliani has praised "undocumented aliens", but that was last decade.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 04:29 PM

The video that could make Mitt Romney president

I don't want Mitt Romney to be president, but if I did I'd work night and day to get as much attention as possible to this NSFW video: link. Once again: the end of it is NSFW.

Now that's a smear! And, sleazy too, and one that only a small percentage of the population would not be disgusted by.

So, if you have a DailyKos account, or want to send it to Crooks & Liars or even democrats.org, feel free. Let's get the word out about this Romney fellow!

Posted to Politics at 11:28 PM

Illegal alien drunk driver kills three, could get three or four years

Under a plea deal, an illegal alien who killed three young Americans while drunk in a head-on collision could get a little over four years in prison. Lee County, North Carolina Assistant District Attorney Mike Beam made the bargain that would allow him to plead to involuntary manslaughter with 16 to 20 months for each count; minus 10 months time served that would result in a sentence of 38 to 50 months.

According to his lawyer:

He's very, very sorry. It's a tragic accident.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:12 PM

Rudy Giuliani names immigration advisory board

Rudy Giuliani has named a few people as advisors on immigration matters. Their bios are here:

* Robert Bonner, former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

* C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., former Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

* Victor Cerda, former Assistant Secretary of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the DHS

* Michael Petrucelli, former Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

* Nicolle Sciara Rippeon, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Bonner

* Ray Shepherd, Member, former Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations

* Jan Ting, Assistant Commissioner at the Immigration & Naturalization Service under Bush I

With such high-powered advisors, surely Giuliani won't have any problems answering tough questions about this issue. So, please go to his campaign appearances, ask him those questions (especially about his "foreigners only" biometric ID card scheme which would eventually become a national ID card), and upload his responses to video sharing sites.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:36 PM

Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney know nothing about NAFTA Superhighway. Nothing!

On July 30, Michael Luo of the New York Times offered the blog post "Rumors of a Superhighway", refering to the NAFTA variety. Apparently the candidates for president are being asked about it, but, as with other questions they're being asked the questions are too general and allow the candidates to play semantic games. There's a video outtake at the link where Mitt Romney claims to know nothing about it and supports U.S. sovereignty. Then, McCain is asked about it and says he wants to calm the questioner's fears: "we will not be united with any of those two other countries."

That's a relief, but I'm a bit skeptical, especially since one of those trying to calm our fears is the NYT:

So, fact or fiction?

Federal officials say the latter. Elements of the concept have roots in ideas pushed by private and state-level entities promoting commerce across the continent, they said, adding the notion of a federal project for a behemoth highway bisecting the heart of the country and erasing America’s borders is an urban legend that has spread wildly on the Internet and talk radio. The candidates, though, still want you to know they are against it.

Gosh knows, we can always take unnamed "federal officials" at their word. That's some good reporting there, I tell you. And, here's another instance of good reporting:

A befuddled Rudolph W. Giuliani got the question recently in Concord, N.H., where he told a woman that he had never heard of the highway.

Apparently Michael Luo missed this:

...At the center of negotiations for multiple legs of the Superhighway Corridor throughout Texas, is none other than Rudolph Giuliani's law firm which landed the Comprehensive Development Agreement for a widening of Interstate-35, now referred to as the TTC-35, in addition to the Master Development Plans for State Highways 121 and 130 among other legs of the TTC. All negotiations for Cintra were and are presently handled by the law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP, of which Republican Presidential candidate, Rudolph Giuliani, has been a senior executive partner since March 2005. His law firm is the exclusive legal counsel for Cintra...

It's up to citizen journalists - and not the MSM - to find out where the candidates really stand. First, the questions need to be more specific, such as regarding Giuliani's links to the plan or asking people like McCain to assist in national anti-NAU legislation such as that proposed by various states, asking him to exercise more oversight, or asking him to assist with filing FOIA requests. And, the questions and answers need to be videotaped by someone other than the NYT and then uploaded to various video sharing sites.

Related:
The North American Union apologists entry has been updated.

Posted to NAU at 02:24 PM

Linda Chavez needs your help to fight WaPo expose of her PAC's finances!

Matthew Mosk of the Washington Post looks into the finances of Linda Chavez' empire in "In Fundraising's Murky Corners" (link). As a reliable supporter of massive immigration, it's a bit odd that they'd turn on her, but perhaps the fact that she's a conservative swayed them towards publishing it. I'm sure everyone that she called a racist, mean-spirited, xenophobic hater will just be rushing to defend her:

...In the years since she was forced to pull her nomination as Bush's labor secretary after admitting payments to an illegal immigrant, Chavez and her immediate family members have used phone banks and direct-mail solicitations to raise tens of millions of dollars, founding several political action committees with bankable names: the Republican Issues Committee, the Latino Alliance, Stop Union Political Abuse and the Pro-Life Campaign Committee. Their solicitations promise direct action in the "fight to save unborn lives," a vigorous struggle against "big labor bosses" and a crippling of "liberal politics in the country."

That's not where the bulk of the money wound up being spent, however. Of the $24.5 million raised by the PACs from January 2003 to December 2006, $242,000 -- or 1 percent -- was passed on to politicians, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal election reports. The PACs spent even less -- $151,236 -- on independent political activity, such as mailing pamphlets.

Instead, most of the donations were channeled back into new fundraising efforts, and some were used to provide a modest but steady source of income for Chavez and four family members, who served as treasurers and consultants to the committees. Much of the remaining funds went to pay for expenses such as furniture, auto repairs and insurance, and rent for the Sterling office the groups share. Even Chavez's health insurance was paid for a time from political donations.

"I guess you could call it the family business," Chavez said in an interview...

Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:04 PM

Larry Craig on no-match: without "reform" it's the end of the American Dream

Yet another sign that the Bush administration's current pledge to enforce our immigration laws is a scam comes from the thoughts of Senator Larry Craig, who spoke to a Rotary Club to promote his AgJobs amnesty:

Pressure to pass immigration reform will intensify as millions of undocumented workers lose jobs as a result of a crackdown by the Social Security Administration, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said Thursday... ...Craig said $3.5 billion worth of crops rotted for lack of workers last year. He predicted that figure will double because many crops are "highly dependent on the hands of working people."

But, wait, things could get even worse (according to him):

"What will happen over the course of the next two months is several million workers will be laid off or fired and there is no one to take their place... [No match letters are] the law. It's being enforced, and it should be enforced... If the borders are shut and we become a closed society, then the most we can grow is about 1.2 percent a year... Control it, legalize it, manage it, but recognize that if we want to continue to grow and that our grandchildren would wish to achieve the American Dream as we have, then growth is essential."

It'd certainly be interesting to know what he means by "shutting the borders", since we're likely to have large amounts of legal immigration for a long time. I suppose he means either a) preventing illegal entry, or b) reducing the flow of low-wage labor from Mexico. And, it'd be interesting to know who he actually reports to:

Craig said he's already had word from an ally in his fight for a guest worker program, a California agricultural company that laid off about 200 of its 500 employees as a result of "mismatch" letters.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 11:16 AM

Adam Nagourney: Mike Huckabee is a laugh a minute

Adam Nagourney of the New York Times offers a completely sympathetic profile of presidential candidate Mike Huckabee entitled "For a Joke-Telling Candidate, a Second-Place Finish". Here's one of those fun jokes:

Or consider this, as he invited Republicans to join in "a Q. and A." with him in West Des Moines. "What it really stands for is questions and avoidance," he explained. "I do my best not to say anything that would end my political career."

Of course, if Nagourney were actually doing his job, instead of wasting the NYT's readers' time with lame jokes, he would have tried to ask The Huckster some tough questions and made sure he didn't avoid answering them. Of course, that assumes that Nagourney's real job is as a journalist; more than likely his real job is to support hacks like Huckabee who support massive illegal immigration. Nagourney's bosses would probably reassign him to the Alaska beat if he actually dared to look into and ask Huck about his past immigration-related statements and actions.

A question for Nagourney: eventually citizen journalists are going to start asking the tough questions you refuse to ask and completely bypassing the NYT. What happens to your career then?

Related:
Adam Nagourney doesn't confront GOP candidates on immigration politics
Adam Nagourney spins his way into 30% of young adults sharing NYT loose immigration policies

Posted to Politics at 09:29 AM

McCain (lamely) confronted on immigration in New Hampshire

Shortly before reiterating that he supports a "guest" worker scheme and amnesty but is just taking a different tack to get his goal, Senator John McCain was able to deflect a poor question. This shows once again that simply ranting or asking open ended questions doesn't work, you have to ask tough questions about past statements or actions. Here's the "question":

"I'm terribly concerned there's real danger we're going to lose our country from within... Even if we make English the national language, what difference does it make if you can vote (in Spanish), if where everywhere you go, the hospitals are obliged to provide interpreters? We need one language."

That's followed by Fox's the Associated Press' editorializing:

McCain said he believes more must be done to require immigrants to learn English, but matched her suspicions with some of his trademark straight talk.

And, McCain's response:

"I'd also like to tell you that in my state of Arizona, we like the Hispanic heritage. We like the food. We like the music. We like to have Hispanic influence on our state and we are enriched by it," he said, reminding her that similar fears greeted waves of Irish, Polish and other immigrants in generations past. "I understand your concern that our traditions and our culture and background are being overwhelmed by another culture, but I believe we're stronger than that."

Hopefully someone will reference his (no doubt canned) response when asking him specifically about the differences between past immigration and the current variety.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:33 PM

Bush predicts labor shortage if immigration laws are enforced

This is a flashback to July 20 that I didn't note at the time:

President Bush yesterday said Americans will soon realize they need the immigrants and foreign temporary workers that would have been allowed by his immigration bill, which was defeated in the Senate last month.

Mr. Bush, in a town hall session in Nashville, Tenn., also refused to say whether he will pardon two U.S. Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a fleeing drug-smuggling suspect, saying the prosecutor was a friend of his who made his case to the jury that convicted the agents.

..."The bill failed and I can't make a prediction to you at this point, sir, where it's going to head," the president told one questioner. "I can make you a prediction, though, that pretty shortly people are going to be knocking on people's doors saying, man, we're running out of workers."

Mr. Bush said there are workers who will do jobs Americans aren't doing in the agriculture sector in particular, and without them the jobs will go unfilled...

Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:54 AM

Sridhar Pappu/WaPo mentions shooting border crossers in Tom Tancredo article

Discussing all the subtle digs and Beltway and far-left assumptions of "Walking A Hard Line On Campaign Trail in Iowa" by Sridhar Pappu of the Washington Post (link) would take too much time.

So, let's concentrate on this:

...The following day Tancredo [has] just come from a town hall where he addressed roughly 45 people, and where Ray Batchelder, an 81-year-old retired farmer said: "This man here speaks my language. I'm a Democrat, but this man makes a lot of sense. This is the right solution for this border problem: Shoot the first five and the next 1,000 won't come. But that goes against my teachings as a Christian."

When asked about running solely on the immigration issue, Tancredo replies [etc...]

Someone who's not familiar with Tancredo, or who skims the article, or who is predisposed to support illegal immigration may not realize that the candidate does not suggest shooting border crossers. Now, certainly, if Batchelder's comments are parsed correctly most will realize that, but some won't realize that that's not part of the candidate's platform.

And, even with those who do that idea will have been subconsciously associated with the candidate. In such cases, honest reporters would include a sentence clarifying the matter; it may have been there but then removed by an editor, and in that case Pappu should consider finding work at another company.

Perhaps the WaPo should have left it out entirely; but, then again, they probably felt it was just too good an example of how "those people" think.

For all the good it will do, please contact Deborah Howell at: ombudsman *at* washpost.com, recognizing of course that she's part of the problem.

Posted to Politics at 10:20 AM

Mexico-linked Junta sues feds over New Haven immigration raids

Junta for Progressive Action is a New Haven, Connecticut-based non-profit that is or was collaborating with the Mexican government. They were headed by someone named Kica Matos, who now works for the city and has other links to mayor John DeStefano. Now, together with another group called Unidad Latina en Accion, they're suing the feds to obtain the details of an ICE immigration raid that occured in that city on June 6. While I actually support them in their attempt to make sure that their FOIA request is honored, no one should support them in their wider goal of encouraging and enabling illegal immigration.

The Yale Law School's free legal clinic is involved; the Dean of that school is the ethically-challenged Harold Koh.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 08:29 PM

Tancredo places fourth in Ames straw poll; will MSM cover immigration?

Can mainstream media hacks like Tavis Smiley or George Stephanapolous be dragged kicking and screaming into covering immigration matters now that Tom Tancredo has placed fourth in the Ames, Iowa straw poll? Note that he did that despite being the victim of a hoax the day before (link). I'd say there's an equal chance that the perp in that case is a supporter of one of his competitors or someone who, for one reason or another, supports illegal immigration. I'll leave discussing the inside baseball aspects to others, offering instead this chart:

Mitt Romney 4516 votes (31.0%)
Mike Huckabee 2587 votes (18.1%)
Sam Brownback 2192 votes (15.3%)
Tom Tancredo 1961 votes (13.7%).
Ron Paul with 1305 votes (9.1%)

He got almost as many votes as Brownback, and almost half as many as Romney. Despite what has to be considered a strong showing, I'm sure the MSM will find one way or another to continuing avoiding discussing immigration matters in a grown-up fashion.

The ascendancy of Huckabee also gives an opportunity, but from the other direction: he's an incredibly strong supporter of illegal immigration. All we need is one person to go to one of his appearances and ask tough questions (like this one) and then publicize his response, and that might result in his popularity fading and send yet another message to our corrupt leaders.

Posted to Politics at 08:21 PM

"Mexico accused of framing border agent" (Corbett, withholding witnesses)

From this:

Mexico is withholding key witnesses that could exonerate Border Patrol agent Nicholas Corbett of second-degree murder charges and paying for others to testify against him, asserts a union leader.

Brandon Judd, vice president of U.S. Border Patrol Union Local 2544, told WND the Mexican consulate is taking care of all the expenses of three Mexican witnesses to the shooting so they can remain in the U.S. to testify against Corbett...

[...Mexico is paying the witnesses' expenses during the trial...]

...Judd further charged that the Mexican government is intentionally hiding three other witnesses who could absolve Corbett.

"There were Mexican aliens who Corbett had arrested prior to the incident with Dominguez," Judd explained. "These three witnessed the shooting from the back of Corbett's Border Patrol van, and they could see clearly exactly what Corbett was doing."

Judd said the two brothers and the girlfriend all testified Corbett was pointing a gun at them while he was driving, "yet the three aliens who were in the back of the van said they never saw Corbett holding a gun."

"Those three witnesses who would have testified for Corbett got sent back to Mexico. Why?" Judd asked. "Why aren't they still here in the United States when they have important information that could prove that Corbett did not do what the Mexican government and the other witnesses say Corbett did."

Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:26 PM

Dianne Feinstein: either pass "reform", or allow illegal immigration (acropalypse!)

Senator Dianne Feinstein uses the news that the Bush administration says it's finally going to enforce our immigration laws to promote the AgJobs amnesty. Reading between the lines, she's saying that if that doesn't pass, she's willing to support illegal immigration. Is she little more than an enabler of crooked growers? I'll let you decide:

The Administration's approach is a Band-Aid that will not stop the looming crisis American agriculture will face this fall. The crisis is that crops will not be harvested.

Our nation's $260 billion agriculture industry depends largely on undocumented workers. Today, it is estimated that at least 70 percent of the workers who plant, prune, and harvest American fruits and vegetables are undocumented. Without them, American farmers will not be able to fully harvest their crops.

We have found over the years that there simply are not enough Americans willing to do this work. Today's farm workers are highly skilled – they know how to harvest, how to pack, how to can. To take this workforce away would collapse the industry.

[lists supposed instances of growers losing crops due to a lack of workers, although those may be due to other factors... warns of growers moving to Mexico, which might actually be better for both countries... raises specter of tainted food imports...]

...Secondly, if China is able to get a foothold on the American apple market and we see the importation of cheap apples, the American apple market will be decimated...

...In a couple of weeks, there is going to be catastrophe... [...the acropalypse is nigh!...]

I don't know whether Chinese crops are picked using slave labor, but one wonders how far Feinstein would be willing to go to support the U.S. apple "industry".

Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:25 PM

Julia Preston transcribes growers, others whining about "no match"

Julia Preston of the New York Times offers "Farmers Call Crackdown on Illegal Workers Unfair". Awww:

Facing the prospect of major layoffs of farmworkers during harvest season, growers and lawmakers from agricultural states spoke in dire terms yesterday about new measures by the Bush administration to crack down on employers of illegal immigrants.

In the rest of the article, she just lets the growers whine, without calling them on anything they say. It includes quotes from old favorites Luawanna Hallstrom and Maureen Torrey (participant in a call to the White House by the National Council of Agricultural Employers). Of note, Preston passes this along without any comment or without any hint that she questioned the statement:

Ms. Torrey warned that dairy cows would die from lack of milking if New York farmers had to fire immigrant dairy workers.

One wonders what outrageous allegation she would have had to make that would have resulted in Preston calling her on her BS. I've got a farmer who perhaps should get in touch with her.

Then:

Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, who has worked closely with growers, described the new enforcement as a "catastrophe... ...The crisis is that crops will not be harvested."

...Employers in low-wage industries were critical but guarded, reluctant to admit openly that they hire illegal immigrants. Randel K. Johnson, a vice president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, said the measures were "one more kick in the pants" for meat-packing, construction and health care companies that employ immigrant workers in unskilled jobs.

Shouldn't Preston try to press them on their employment of illegal workers? Shouldn't she look into even just one of their claims, rather than simply acting as a transcription service? Shouldn't she look into the links that Hallstrom has to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Torrey has to other politicians? Is she in any way a real reporter?

Posted to Immigration2007b at 09:17 PM

United Food and Commercial Workers International Union supports illegal immigration, opposes "no match"

On a dark, stormy night, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union ("UFCW") released the following press release (link) about the DHS' new "no match" requirements regarding Social Security numbers. Not only are they encouraging the Bush administration to be even worse than they are now by turning a blind eye to massive illegal immigration, it may contain a false charge (bolded):

On a hot, quiet August morning in Washington, DC - when the President is on vacation and Congress at recess - the Bush Administration announced an immigration reform package that essentially mandates federal racial discrimination.

The Administration's guidelines would throw the doors open to racial discrimination to whole classes of people by placing an undue burden on workers who sound foreign, look foreign and particularly, on the tens of millions of Hispanic and Asian-Americans who would face greater scrutiny in the workplace. It is irresponsible to toss out civil rights for the sake of political gamesmanship.

...Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has proven by its past behavior that it is not beyond their scope to traumatize innocent workers, including U.S. citizens, under the guise of immigration enforcement. During its raids at Swift meatpacking plants last December, all workers, including citizens, legal residents, were held by ICE agents and subjected to unlawful search and seizure.

Posted to Immigration2007b at 09:10 PM

DHS to improve border security and immigration within existing law

Don't just take my word for it, here's the fact sheet entitled "Improving Border Security and Immigration Within Existing Law" (link). And, they said it couldn't be done.

Certainly, most of the steps listed sound worthwhile, but I have a sneaking suspicion that some of them will not only be ineffectual but will infringe on our privacy. And, I suspect that some of the "streamlining" of existing guest worker programs will have a few flaws as well. I also suspect that the usual suspects will raise howls of protest about some of the features, such as changes to the citizenship exam. That will, of course, make the Bush administration look better in some peoples' eyes, who'll think that if the ACLU opposes it they must be doing something right.

UPDATE: The nitty-gritty legal details of the "no match" requirements are here:
blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2007/08/my-faq-document.html

Posted to Immigration2007a at 05:12 PM

Youtube/CNN Republican debate questions (I've had it edition)

I give up. Well, not really, but that's how I feel after watching some of the submissions for the Youtube/CNN Republican debate (to be held at some unknown future date). As with the Democratic version, expect CNN to pick the worst of the worst in order to a) not make the candidates uncomfortable, and b) not make CNN's standard questions look as weak as they are.

While Dr. Rachel Jakuba is cute - especially in her snorkel - her question about saving the sea turtle habitat manages to be both too arcane and too general; it will just generate a stock response about saving the environment (link). Someone else wants the candidates to not just take lie detector tests, but "truth serum" (link). A flag-bedecked duck with a very strong Southern accent asks about PETA (link). Tai Fauci has such beautiful eyes that I had trouble focusing on just how general her question was (link). There are several video game questions (link). There's even race-baiting ("White Republicans?", link). There's a barely-coherent, solipsistic question entitled "DUAL or duel citizens for americans and me BORN ULTIMATUM" (link)

On immigration, we've got someone making a false choice by not mentioning attrition (link) and someone else simply asking Romney to state his position on the issue (link). Unfortunately, it's those types of questions that CNN would feel comfortable with asking, rather than actually trying to find out what Romney supports.

On the plus side, here's someone with something I didn't know (link): he's actually Sir Rudy Giuliani, having received an honorary knighthood from the Queen of England (link). Does that disqualify him from the presidency?

Another question concerns our "friends" the Saudis (link). Another asks, "Did Pat Tillman Deserve to be Called "Worm Dirt"?" (link). There's an actual direct question: "Which Republican Candidate profits off of the Iraqi War?" (link). And, there's even one for Rudy about the North American Union, although if asked he'd probably just play semantic games without mentioning his indirect links to at least the "NAFTA Superhighway" (link).

Some earlier submissions to the contest are discussed here.

UPDATE: Here are some more:

Asking Mitt Romney whether he should have campaigned for Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson (link). The same user also wants to know the first (and second) biggest differences between Mitt's healthcare plan and HillaryCare (link). The second video is a bit unique because he actually references how Mitt has answered that question in the past. Then, there's a plea from a seafood processor for more "guest" workers (link). And, a lightweight question/music video about building a tunnel across the Bering Strait. CNN will like it! (link) Someone else wants to check each candidate's DNA to find "off the record offspring". It's not known whether he's serious or trying to make a point about RealID (link) Some educational group has submitted several completely uninteresting videos (link to their profile).

UPDATE 2: The snowman is back with another crappy question (link). Will you as president charge Keith Olbermann and others with treason? (link). Lots of questions from highschool and college kids (link, link,link,link,link; the last includes two stupid immigration questions). An Obama supporter has a series of uninteresting text-only questions (link). Here's a question about SCHIP (presumably from a Dem) which doesn't mention the illegal immigration angle (link). Journey seems to be quite the interesting young lady. (link)

UPDATE 3: A wedding videographer company has a series of pointless questions from Oakland (link). CharityNavigator has questions which I'm sure they find interesting (link). And, the runner-up of our award for Sleaziest Question goes to this (link).

UPDATE 4: The questions for the GOP keep effluviating. "bigfatpothead" says "My question is about hemp". He claims that a "hemp gasifier" can produce "1800 gallons of gas per acre". Investigating that claim is left as an exercise; the cost may or may not be prohibitive (link). A truly clueless gun-grabber ("F8BDamned") asks "Gov. Huckabee, Please Recommend a Weapon" (link). And, the National Education Association has a few questions (link).

Posted to Politics at 12:25 PM

Judi Hasson/MSNBC: how to hire (most likely illegal) day labor

Judi Hasson of MSNBC Money offers "Dirt-cheap day labor". On the first page, she lists all the downsides of hiring day laborers, which she acknowledges are probably here illegally, even refering to the "underground economy". Then, on the second page, she gets down to business and tells people how to engage in illegal activity:

What are the chances of a homeowner being caught?

"Virtually none at all," says San Diego attorney Jeff Isaac, who calls himself "a lawyer in bluejeans" for his practical approach to the law...

[don't do this if you expect to run for office!]

...Cecilia Munoz, the senior vice president for the National Council of La Raza, a national Hispanic civil-rights organization, also pointed out that employers are not expected to be able to spot whether these documents are valid, and for day labor, employers "tend not to check."

Though it is illegal to hire an undocumented worker, the law is seldom enforced...

Unfortunately, we don't know whether Munoz knew this was going to be a "tips" article, so we can't say with certainty that she's advocating illegal activity.

Then, Hasson features a "If you decide to hire a day laborer" section with five helpful tips.

Coming next from MSNBC Money: "If you must cook meth, here's how to do it... safely and cheaply!"

Posted to Immigration2007a at 10:37 AM

Bush immigration policies get one right

Up until this happened, I had no idea who this was, and I dearly wish I had never found out. If we're lucky, she'll tell all her friends to just stay away. We can always clone.

UPDATE: Wow.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 12:16 AM

John Edwards for "racial purity"? (Fred Thompson smear)

Via this we learn that a Santa Monica lawyer named Henry Reynolds has apparently registered imwithfred2008.com, a take off on the real Fred Thompson site imwithfred.com. It apparently featured Klan imagery or statements in an attempt to smear Thompson to those who mistakenly entered the wrong URL. That lawyer is apparently the same Henry Reynolds who's donated to John Kerry and moveon.org. Whoever owns the domain has since enabled cloaking.

And, they've also redirected it to John Edwards' site. To a certain extent.

If you go here and enter the address, you can see that it goes through a few 302 redirects before displaying Edwards' site in a frame. The meta information, however, remains:

Who knew that John Edwards stands for "racial purity"? I guess we better get him on the line to confirm that, eh?

Posted to Politics at 01:20 PM

Dear Rudy Giuliani: yes, New York City was a sanctuary for illegal aliens

Jake Tapper finally earns his keep and has an article looking back at Rudy Giuliani's support for illegal immigration:

But if Giuliani inherited [Ed Koch's sanctuary for illegal aliens policy], he reissued it and seemed to embrace it.

At a June 1994 press conference, Giuliani decried anti-illegal immigration policies as unfair and hostile.

"Some of the hardest-working and most productive people in this city are undocumented aliens," Giuliani said at the time. "If you come here and you work hard and you happen to be in an undocumented status, you're one of the people who we want in this city. You're somebody that we want to protect, and we want you to get out from under what is often a life of being like a fugitive, which is really unfair."

At a speech in Minneapolis in 1996, Giuliani defended Koch's executive order, that, in his words "protects undocumented immigrants in New York City from being reported to the INS while they are using city services that are critical for their health and safety, and for the health and safety of the entire city."

"There are times when undocumented immigrants must have a substantial degree of protection," Giuliani said.

Related:
Rudy Giuliani: NYC didn't give sanctuary to illegal aliens (!?) [July 12, 2007]
Rudy Giuliani still braindead on immigration

Posted to Politics at 11:37 AM

NYT editorial: supports illegal activity; acknowledges attrition; "pest control"

As soon as I hear the words "New York Times editorial" I, like no doubt most others, think "wrong". The latest is on display in "The Misery Strategy". Notably, the NYT has finally acknowledged attrition - enforcing our laws in order to encourage illegal aliens to go home - as a strategy. This contrasts with their prior attempts to present a false choice between mass deportations and a massive amnesty. I guess they knew about attrition all along, they were just being disingenuous.

But, of course, they disagree with this strategy, claiming that it won't work because the situations in the home countries of those illegal aliens are so dire they won't leave. Of note, they don't suggest encouraging those other countries to repatriate their citizens, nor do they suggest urging (in one way or another) those other countries to make situations there more amenable.

And, of course, there's the name-calling: they explicitly state that "ideologues" want to "unleash a flood of misery upon millions of illegal immigrants". And, this:

The American people cherish lawfulness but resist cruelty, and have supported reform that includes a reasonable path to earned citizenship. Their leaders have given them immigration reform as pest control.

And, their disingenuousness (or schizophrenia, or inability to think things through) is on full display. This:

The latest phase of the crackdown... would require employers to resolve discrepancies between their employee records and those of the Social Security Administration... There are millions of people in thousands of workplaces who could be caught in that net, and the government is promising to start dragging it zealously, with stepped-up raids around the country.

Is followed by this:

The Senate had struggled for years to erect the immense framework of bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform, coupling stricter enforcement with a citizenship path and an orderly future flow of workers.

That "reform" would have encouraged millions more illegal aliens to try to come here, and according to "reform" stepped-up enforcement - the kind promoted by the NYT - would be performed to keep them out or send them home. Yet, the NYT is currently trying to portray enforcement of our laws in the most negative light possible. Certainly, a defense for them would be to say that they would support enforcement if there were some sort of "pathway" and "guest" worker program, but does anyone really believe that? Post-"reform", wouldn't the NYT simply write similar editorials opposing the enforcement of the "reform" they supported?

The bottom line is the bottom line: the NYT - for one corrupt reason or another - supports massive immigration of any kind. And, they'll continue to do so, no matter whether "reform" eventually passes or not.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 11:25 AM

U.S. Chamber of Commerce sues Janet Napolitano over immigration law

I'm flipping back and forth deciding who not to root for, but eventually I'm going to have to side with Janet:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday joined businesses suing Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano over the recent law she signed that will revoke business licenses for companies caught twice with undocumented workers.

"Anyone who knowingly hires an undocumented worker is violating the law, but violating a federal law, subject to federal sanctions," said Robin Conrad, executive vice president of the National Chamber Litigation Center representing the U.S. Chamber. "Our members do not want to be subject to a patchwork of state and local requirements, particularly when they are in compliance with federal law."

They say they're going to "aggressively defend" it, but I wouldn't entirely bet on that given Napolitano's history. The US CoC joined an earlier suit from the Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform and the Arizona Contractors Association, which also includes:

Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Wake Up Arizona! Inc., which includes former Phoenix Suns CEO Jerry Colangelo; Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Arizona Farm Bureau Federation; Arizona Restaurant and Hospitality Association; Associated Minority Contractors of America, based in state; Arizona Roofing Contractors Association; National Roofing Contractors Association, based in Illinois; and the Arizona Landscape Contractors Association

Posted to Immigration2007a at 10:53 PM

Is Ruth Marcus lying about SCHIP?

Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post offers "Attack Ads You'll Be Seeing", predicting that the GOP is going to run ads claiming that the Democrats want to take funds from U.S. citizens and give them to illegal aliens. Certainly, the Dems have tried something like this with the DREAM Act, and they certainly appear to be trying to do something similar with the SCHIP program. She says otherwise, or at least she says something:

The provision at issue would repeal a 2006 requirement that everyone applying for Medicaid provide proof of citizenship -- passports or original birth certificates. That might sound sensible, but it has been a cumbersome, expensive solution to a non-problem.

In 2005, when he was overseeing the Medicaid program for the Bush administration, Mark McClellan noted that an inspector general's investigation did "not find particular problems regarding false allegations of citizenship, nor are we aware of any."

...The House provision makes the documentation requirement optional for states, which, after all, have an interest in seeing that their Medicaid dollars are spent properly. Adults on Medicaid would still have to prove citizenship, swear that their children are citizens and provide their children's Social Security numbers. And states would have to conduct annual audits to ensure that no illegal immigrants are being covered.

Thankfully, this site has pointed out the problems in her argument, sparing me the effort.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 02:53 PM

Christine Neumann-Ortiz' monument to low wages, illegal activity

From [1]:

On August 8, a first anniversary commemoration of the raid at Star Packaging will unveil a mock Wisconsin Historical Marker at the site and formally declare the factory's empty shell "a monument to the nation's broken immigration system".

Wednesday's 10am press conference, to be held outside the factory, will begin with the unveiling and be followed by brief addresses from speakers including Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Jorge Islas, Vice President of Sigma America, and workers affected by the raid.

[Newman-Ortiz says:] "One year later, Whitewater is still hurting. A good local business is all but closed, 90 local jobs have gone, families have been scarred by deportations, others continue to fight... The empty shell of the factory has come to represent everything that is wrong with our broken immigration system. We need the federal government to step up and deliver on comprehensive reform so there are no more tragedies like this."

It certainly looks like a tragedy, if you read between the lines of July 18's hugely sympathetic report "Whitewater factory struggles to stay open after worker raid" (by Pat Schneider, link). Since that's an older article, I can let the commenters speak for me:

[Tired of the hand wringing:] ...Why would any hispanic in Whitewater feel afraid? If they're here legally, they've got no worries. They should be even more outraged over this than anyone else - they're the ones getting scapegoated for the actions of the criminals here illegally (yes, they're all criminals the second they sneak over the border)...

[Toaster:] I would say this story belongs in the "Opinion" section. It reads like if you don't support illegal immigrants, you are heartless shit. Yeah, they throw in the token "other side of the argument" at the end. :roll:

[supportamericans:] I have no sympathy for this business owner or anyone else locally that hires ILLEGAL immigrants. The only fear this has cast in our community is a fear that other business owners that hire illegal immigrants and violate federal laws will get caught. They should be afraid.

[1] fairimmigration.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/ unveiling-monument-to-nations-broken-immigration-system
Note that that's from the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, which has Voces as a member. One other member has a link to the Mexican government, another has an indirect link, and a third has an alleged direct link.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 02:40 PM

DEA report: terrorists teaming with drug cartels

From this:

Islamic extremists embedded in the United States - posing as Hispanic nationals - are partnering with violent Mexican drug gangs to finance terror networks in the Middle East, according to a [2005] Drug Enforcement Administration report.

...These terrorist groups, or sleeper cells, include people who speak Arabic, Spanish and Hebrew and, for the most part, arouse no suspicion in their communities.

"It is very likely that any future 'September 11th' type of terrorist event in the United States may be facilitated, wittingly or unwittingly, by drug traffickers operating on both sides of the United States-Mexico border," the DEA report says.

..."Hearings I held in Laredo [Texas] last year and this DEA report show that our southern border is a terrorist risk," [Rep. Ed Royce of California] said. "Law enforcement has warned that people from Arab countries have crossed the border and adopted Hispanic surnames. The drug cartels have highly sophisticated smuggling and money-laundering networks, which terrorists could access..."

Posted to Immigration_terror at 11:28 AM

Democratic union debate: Barack Obama asked to state position on immigration!

Just recently I've complained about the presidential "debates" not featuring any questions or any real questions about immigration matters.

Now, just as I revised my opinion of the MSM, I must revise that after reading the transcript of yesterday's Democratic debate put on by AFL-CIO. Yes, the debate featured only one question about immigration and the question and the answer were the only parts of the entire debate with any instance of "illegal alien", "undocumented", or "immigr*", but that's made up for by the sheer toughness of the question that the AFL-CIO moderators allowed to be asked (those of you who are prone to having Soviet Union flashbacks may want to look away):

JORGE MULASANO (hotel worker): I’m from Argentina, and six months ago I proudly became citizen of this great country. (Applause.)

My concern is for those undocumented workers that established roots here. And my question would be, in your future, if you’re going to create a path to the citizenship for those workers.

MR. OLBERMANN: Congratulations, Mr. Mulasano.

Senator?

Now, that's a tough question; historians may remember that when a similarly tough question was asked during the 19th Plenary Soviet, Igor Blotchnik - acting in the same role as Keith Olbermann - was almost banished to the gulags for even acknowledging it.

Needless to say, Obama responded to this question by supporting enforcing our current laws in order to encourage many current illegal aliens to leave and many fewer to come here in the future. He said we needed to do that for the best of the U.S., as unpopular as it may be in certain quarters. He then went on to disclose that "path to citizenship" is just a euphemism for amnesty and that "back of the line" is a sham as well: illegal aliens will get to remain here and will at the very least disrupt the line if not cutting in front of others depending on the specifics of (what he called) a "scam".

Wait, who am I kidding? He simply responded to that question with his standard blather, and I'll bet if you did a search you'd find him saying something almost word-for-word identical with what he told the union audience.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 09:59 AM

Barry Bonds gets home run 756, surpasses Hank Aaron

And, the best part about it is that there will be no asterisk or anything: he did it completely legitimately. And, he's a nice guy to boot.

Posted to OutdoorSports at 09:31 PM

More proof GOP is corrupt, lacks differentiation from Democrats (Giuliani, Minuteman flyer)

From this:

Rudy Giuliani's southwest political director [Chris Gulugian-Taylor] left a top position [executive director] at the Nevada Republican Party last year after breaking rules by advertising a Minuteman border patrol rally in internal GOP e-mails.

The notices publicizing a "Stop the Illegal Invasion" rally in October 2006 outraged some Hispanic Republicans in the state, who said they feared it would alienate voters in the nation's fastest growing minority group just weeks before election day...

The email is a bit "hard-edged", but the response was disproportionate. From this October 2006 post:

[The email had a] subject line: "Help stop the illegal invasion") to the GOP's e-mail list, complete with nasty little digs like this: "If you are tired of seeing illegals catered to, then join us to send these Un-American corporations a message. "We'll not allow these illegals destroy our country. We'll not permit corporations like Chicago Title, Wells Fargo Bank, and Miller Brewing promote [sic] and financially support the take over [sic] of America by the Illegal Invaders... "Your voice is needed to let these Un-American companies know we will not tolerate them supporting illegals over law abiding citizens."

Once again, that's a bit rough around the edges. But, who could object to the underlying message of opposing massive illegal activity and the corrupt businesses that profit from it?

Why, "Hispanics", of course. See, all Hispanics are strong supporters of massive illegal activity and all of them fully support corrupt banks and others profiteering off massive illegal immigration. Or, at least according to those that the GOP listened to. Returning to the first report:

...[Luis Valera, chairman of Nevada's "Viva Bush Coalition" says] "The Republican Party had made a lot of effort to reach out to Hispanics. With a stroke of a keyboard, he (Gulugian-Taylor) almost dismantled the hard work of a lot of people... I don't think he's a bad person... [but] I don't know if he'll make the same mistake twice."

...Jim Lopez, a Giuliani supporter who chairs the California Republican National Hispanic Assembly, said he had mixed feelings about the Minuteman group because "some of the people ... are doing it for racist reasons, not the security of the country."

He said he wouldn't pass judgment on Gulugian-Taylor because he didn't have all the details on what happened in Nevada.

"We all make mistakes," Lopez said. He added, "If I was Rudy's campaign, I would keep a close eye on this guy."

Asked about the appointment, Edward Lujan, a former New Mexico GOP chairman, said "it's never a failure unless you do it again.

To put this in an even sharper focus, try to spot all the sleaze in this October 2006 article from Timothy Pratt and J. Patrick Coolican:

A Nevada Republican Party official resigned Thursday amid a Hispanic Republican backlash on the heels of an embarrassing e-mail sent out by the party.

The state party sent out a flier Wednesday advertising a rally by the local chapter of the Minutemen, a stridently anti-illegal immigrant group that patrols the border without sanction from the government.

...Party operatives feared the flier would alienate Hispanic voters and the business community that employs them in large numbers. The flier was titled, "Help Stop the Illegal Invasion," and accused companies such as Wells Fargo of being complicit with illegal immigration...

Wells Fargo certainly profits from illegal immigration; if you ask them, they'll say they don't know that many of their customers are here illegally, but in actual fact I'm sure that pretty much everyone realizes that people using Matricula Consular cards to open bank accounts are doing so because they're here illegally.

Returning to the main point, Gulugian-Taylor should either have not sent out the email, or should have made it less harder-edged. On the other hand, if the GOP would like to shed its corrupt image, perhaps it should start by standing up to ethnic advocates who support massive illegal activity and who smear everyone of that same ethnicity as supporters of illegal activity. (GOP leaders: look up "Sistah Souljah" in your local dictionary.)

And an even more difficult task: the GOP could stand up to those corrupt businesses that profit from the illegal activity.

I know it will never happen, but I just thought I'd point it out.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 09:10 PM

Dan Balz (WaPo), Mark Halperin (Time) relentlessly interrogate Rudy Giuliani

In the past, this site has been sharply critical - to say the least! - of the mainstream media ("MSM"), pointing out that they consistently fail to ask politicians tough questions that would reveal the glaring holes in those politicians' policies.

Now, I have to retract that, based on this video featuring Dan Balz (Washington Post, "WaPo") and Mark Halperin (Time Magazine) relentlessly interrogating Rudy Giuliani. They even did it in the aisles of the WalMart in Boone, Iowa... as Rudy was buying granola bars!

These two lions of the MSM relentlessly quizzed him in a "take no prisoners" approach that amateur journalists cannot hope to match.

First, they asked if there should be CostCo's and WalMarts in Manhattan. Rudy answers yes, because he thinks they lower prices. Now, at this point in time you might wonder why they didn't have a follow-up, such as inquiring about traffic and related issues, or disincentivizing walking vs. driving to WalMart, and such like that. But, don't worry: they were thinking of those follow-ups, and that question was just what's refered to in the newsrooms as a "set up". While it can take a full semester to explain that technique, in brief they were lulling him into complacency, ready to spring - like a bear trap - the real question these reporters wanted to ask:

"Is Alez Rodriguez the youngest player to ever hit 500 home runs?"

Ladies and gentlemen, that is how it's done. I shall be writing to the Columbia Journalism Review forthwith, urging that they include this tape in all courses for young journalists.

Note to "citizen journalists": you cannot compete with the MSM, so don't bother trying.

SPECIAL NON-MOCKING, BEHIND-THE-BLOGGING UPDATE: When I first started watching the video, all I knew was the title ("Rudy Giuliani at Boone, IA Walmart"). I originally thought it was going to feature a GHWB-vs-the-price-scanner type of incident. Then, when someone asked about WalMart, I started a bit of a celebration, as I thought that a random citizen - or at least someone from SprawlBusters - was trying to ask Rudy a tough question. I became more than a bit perturbed as there was no follow-up and as the "questioning" became more conversational in tone. Only then did I read the description of the video and realize why that was: the questioners were two MSM hacks.

I'm (thankfully) not familiar with NYC, but if someone proposed planting a WalMart at LaBrea and Wilshire I could outline the various ways that would be a bad idea and how things like traffic tie-ups or the need for road projects might result in costing more than it would save. I'd take that as an opportunity to show that Rudy either isn't able to think things through, or is able to think them through but doesn't care about the negative consequences (for some strange reason or other).

Obviously, that level of dialogue is foreign to Balz and Halperin: their goal is to get a few quotes and maybe ask about a scandal or similar. They are little more than stenographers to the stars (of politics).

I note also that the video is from someone named "mevanh" who signed up to YT just recently, who only has one other video (of Michelle Obama), and who deleted a comment I left on the video similar to the post along with another negative comment. Must be a Rudy fan.

Posted to Politics at 12:46 PM

Bridge builder charged with hiring illegal aliens, some with invalid welding certification

This story helps show how much our entire political system has been affected by corruption:

The owner of Tarrasco Steel, a company that supplied workers on the Biloxi Bay Bridge, was arrested and charged with hiring illegal immigrants on projects in three states. Some had improper welding certification.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Jose S. Gonzalez, 32, at his office in Greenville Thursday, according to a news release. Tarrasco Steel was hired as a subcontractor for rebar installation services to major bridge projects in Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. The federal government considers those bridges as critical infrastructure, and they were part of routine inspections of facilities that if damaged could pose a threat to national security and public safety.

...On inspections of several construction sites March 29, representatives of several federal agencies confirmed the majority of Tarrasco Steel employees were using bogus Social Security numbers, and 77 immigrants were arrested. Twenty-six of them worked for Tarrasco Steel. Some of them worked on the Biloxi bridge, the Huey P. Long bridge in New Orleans, and a project on Interstate 40 in Memphis, among others, the news release said...

It's pretty ironic that Huey Long is involved, if only by name; recall the collapsing staircase from this.

As for political corruption, both the GOP and the Democrats have consistently looked the other way on the hiring of illegal aliens, setting the stage for cases like this. There are probably many similar cases that will never be discovered or prosecuted, until it's too late.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 07:52 PM

Lauren Kornreich lied about Tancredo's remarks about bombing Muslim holy sites

On August 3, Lauren Kornreich of CNN posted an entry at their "Political Ticker" blog falsely entitled "Tancredo: Bomb Muslim holy sites first" and containing the following false statement:

On Tuesday, Tancredo warned a group of Iowans that another terrorist attack would "cause a worldwide economic collapse." He said that attacking Muslim holy sites first would be the only means to prevent terrorists from attacking America. IowaPolitics.com recorded his comments.

He did not say that he wanted to attack those sites "first", as Kornreich falsely claimed. In fact, his remarks made it clear that he would only support attacks against those sites as a response to attacks inside the U.S. He was not supporting a pre-emptive strike, and his plan was intended to deter attacks inside the U.S. You can hear the audio here, and audio from a different radio appearance is in this MP3 file.

The CNN post was originally titled "Tancredo: Bomb Muslim holy sites first", but it's now been changed to "Tancredo: Threaten to bomb Muslim holy sites in retaliation". However, the URL still contains the "first":

politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/04/tancredo-bomb-muslim-holy-sites-first/

Note the August 3, 2007 12:54 pm comment from Dave Dolan:

I don’t think that he should say such things, because certainly that angers folks, but he did not suggest bombing them FIRST. He said we should say first that we WOULD FOLLOW any nuclear attack on the US with a nuclear attack on those cities and that the idea of dooming their own cities by attacking us would be a deterrent. I think his logic is faulty, but your alarmism and misconstruation of the statements he actually made is shameful, and not representative of his true intent.

Note also that even Democratic Underground posters (link below) point out that CNN was lying.

Original CNN post in the extended entry.

Please let CNN know what you think: cnn.com/feedback/forms/form2a.html?1

The following is from a message board; the original message is no longer there so the cache is here:

----------------------
POSTED BY t c ON 3rd August, 2007 AT 18:32:04

August 3, 2007
Tancredo: Bomb Muslim holy sites first

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo’s campaign stood by his assertion that bombing holy Muslim sites would serve as a good "deterrent" to prevent Islamic fundamentalists from attacking the United States, his spokeswoman said Friday.

"This shows that we mean business," said Bay Buchanan, a senior Tancredo adviser. "There’s no more effective deterrent than that. But he is open-minded and willing to embrace other options. This is just a means to deter them from attacking us."

On Tuesday, Tancredo warned a group of Iowans that another terrorist attack would "cause a worldwide economic collapse." He said that attacking Muslim holy sites first would be the only means to prevent terrorists from attacking America. IowaPolitics.com recorded his comments.

"If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina," Tancredo said. "That is the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they would otherwise do. If I am wrong, fine, tell me, and I would be happy to do something else. But you had better find a deterrent, or you will find an attack."

Tom Casey, a deputy spokesman for the State Department, told CNN’s Elise Labott that the congressman’s comments were "reprehensible" and "absolutely crazy." Tancredo was widely criticized in 2005 for making a similar suggestion.

–CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich
Posted 8/3/2007 01:07:35 PM
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/03/tancredo-bomb-muslim-holy-sites-first/
----------------------

The first part of the CNN post appears in the DU thread "Tancredo: Bomb Muslim holy sites first" http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2940596

It includes the paragraph from the above:

----------------------
On Tuesday, Tancredo warned a group of Iowans that another terrorist attack would “cause a worldwide economic collapse.” He said that attacking Muslim holy sites first would be the only means to prevent terrorists from attacking America. IowaPolitics.com recorded his comments.
----------------------

It also links to http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/03/tancredo-bomb-muslim-holy-sites-first

Note that that URL now does a 301 redirect to

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/04/tancredo-bomb-muslim-holy-sites-first/

Posted to Politics at 01:33 PM

Single brain cell theory: Arlen Specter's new apartheid/amnesty scheme

Senator Arlen Specter offers "A Less Ambitious Approach to Immigration". Consider this:

...[Letting the supposed 12 million illegal aliens] hold the status of those with green cards -- without the automatic path to citizenship that was the core component of critics' argument that reform efforts were really amnesty... [That scheme] may be attacked as creating an "underclass" inconsistent with American values, which have always been to give refuge to the "huddled masses." But such a compromise is clearly better than leaving these people a fugitive class. People with a lesser status are frequently referred to as second-class citizens. Congress has adamantly refused to make the 12 million people already here full citizens, but isn't it better for them to at least be secure aliens than hunted and exploited?

So, he's refering to ICE doing their job as "hunt[ing]". And, he's acknowledging that the illegal aliens that he's played a role in allowing to come here are exploited. And, he's refusing to acknowledge a third option of reducing the numbers of illegal aliens here by making sure that ICE does their job.

And, regarding the "second-class citizens" bit, don't be so hard on Specter: he's at least honest enough to admit that this is all a sham:

Or, after our borders are secured and tough employer sanctions have been put in place, Congress can revisit the issue and possibly find a more hospitable America.

In brief: amnesty.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 12:15 PM

George Stephanopoulos shows the way: no immigration questions at GOP "debate"

In previous GOP and Democratic debates, various MSM hacks have featured at most one or two questions about immigration matters, all of them worthless. The Tavis Smiley/PBS Democratic debate had no immigration questions at all.

Now comes George Stephanopoulos of ABC News with a continuation of the trend: the ABC News debate conducted today didn't ask any questions about immigration at all.

I didn't see the debate since I wasn't up at 5am Pacific or whenever it was on and I've been waiting for a transcript. Now, I won't bother.

At some point in time Tancredo, Hunter, or Paul are going to have to answer non-immigration questions with off-topic or related answers rather than letting the MSM ignore issues that a good percentage of Americans are very concerned about.

And, you - yes you - can do your part by going to campaign appearances, asking the candidates tough questions, and then publicizing their answers.

Related:
Send CNN a message about the Youtube "debate"
Worse for democracy: Chris Matthews or Wolf Blitzer? (Democratic debate)
GOP 5/15 debate live coverage
The Politico/MSNBC/Chris Matthews lightweight GOP "debate"

Posted to Politics at 02:59 PM

Kelly Cobiella, illegal immigration supporting hack (DREAM Act)

On yesterday's CBS Evening News, Kelly Cobiella offered a slab of pro-illegal immigration propaganda entitled "Teens Lobby Hill For New Immigration Bill" (link) about the two illegal alien brothers pushing for the anti-American DREAM Act. See the story from Tim Padgett of Time for the background on the case, and see the other posts in this category for other very similar articles promoting that Act.

If Cobiella were a real journalist she would have dealt with this story from a public policy perspective rather than the human interest treatment that she gave it, including trying her best to make the viewers sympathetic to their cause.

It also includes this ludicrous statement:

"To help these brothers, but more importantly to help so many others, because we finally put a face on the problem," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., told the teens.

Supporters of the DREAM Act have planted dozens of reports "finally put[ting] a face on the problem" for years. In Cobiella's defense, she does include half a sentence and a quote from Brian Bilbray indicating that some might actually oppose the Act, but in no case is this report anything other than propaganda.

You can contact CBS News here: cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml

Posted to Immigration_piipps at 11:04 AM

Howard Dean: "By God, we're going to get up... to the Promised Land"

Delivering the welcoming address at this year's YearlyKos convention, Chairman Dean (Dr. Gov. Howard Dean, M.D. to those not part of The Collective) ended with the following:

"America was knocked down by the far-right wing of the Republican Party for the last eight years and by God we're going to get up and recover and stand up for what we used to stand up for... we're going to regain the moral leadership that made America a great country and we're going to live again in an America and stand up [inaudible] to the Promised Land. Thank you very much."

Addressing an audience of Secular Progressives (as they say), one wonders how Howie's religious imagery got such wild applause. Perhaps the KoolAid had been spiked with more KoolAid. I note also that Bush is neither "far-right" nor has he been president for eight years.

(The image is of Howie on the giant TV screen for those in the back of the hall. It probably wasn't necessary since there were at most 1400 people at the entire convention. From dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/8/3/121851/0992)

Posted to Politics at 12:47 PM

Can Tim Padgett propaganda encourage even more illegal immigration? (DREAM Act)

The DREAM Act is an explicitly anti-American bill that would allow illegal aliens to take discounted college educations from U.S. citizens. Corrupt newspapers and "reporters" have offered a long line of propaganda pieces - called around here "PIIPPs" - in support of the legislation. That propaganda is invariably strongly biased towards the Act and rarely if ever mentions its downsides.

Now, here's one in magazine form, from Tim Padgett of Time ("Can Two Kids Alter Immigration Law?", link):

When teenage brothers Juan and Alex Gomez were awakened at dawn on July 25 and arrested by U.S. immigration officials, they simply became two more among the thousands of kids who get snared in deportation dragnets along with their parents. But this week Juan's Internet-savvy high school friends in Miami have turned his case into a cause celebre in Washington - and even if the brothers eventually do get deported, the publicity they've garnered may well boost the passage of a federal immigration bill that would keep other young people like them from suffering the same fate in the future.

Their parents brought them here as toddlers on a tourist visa, which they overstayed. One would imagine that if there were any mitigating circumstances - such as the parents applying for asylum or similar - they would have been mentioned. Since they aren't, perhaps Padgett could have asked their parents what they were thinking. Oops: that's not part of the PIIPP playbook. I've yet to see a PIIPP where a "reporter" asks the parents whether they feel they have any sort of responsibility.

The rest of the article follows the playbook, using euphemisms like "undocumented" and false statements like "the current anti-immigration mood on Capitol Hill". See this category for several past examples highly similar to this one.

But, give Padgett some credit. He manages to offer one (yes, just one) sentence alluding to the possibility that some might have some objections to that which "reporter" Padgett clearly supports:

Critics call the DREAM Act - which was part of President Bush's failed immigration reform package and is now a stand-alone bill - just another amnesty reward for lawbreaking.

Even that contains a half-truth: what failed was legislation written with the input of several others, not just Bush. Surely, a real reporter would have offered more than one sentence with the downsides, right?

Since they don't seem to have a reader's rep, please write letters *at* time.com with your thoughts.

Posted to Immigration_piipps at 07:12 PM

AVWatch: Antonio Villaraigosa Villarnovela; reporter shoved; Mirthala suspended

The Villarnovela starring Hillary Clinton campaign co-chair, Los Angeles mayor, and former MEChA leader Antonio Villaraigosa continues with at least two new episodes:

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today sought to put the scandal surrounding his personal life behind him, one day after the Telemundo network suspended his girlfriend, newscaster Mirthala Salinas, for covering the mayor while they were romantically involved... But a Villaraigosa news conference at the Port of Los Angeles ended chaotically, with a port police sergeant shoving a television reporter against a cargo container as she attempted to pursue the mayor.

You can see a video of the reporter being shoved here. To make it even worse, she's from a Spanish-language station:

The director of media relations for the Port of Los Angeles later issued a statement expressing "regret that this incident occurred" and saying the matter "is being investigated." Port police "intervened to deny access" when the mayor entered a restricted area and reporters tried to follow, according to the statement.

Hillary Clinton could not be reached for comment, because I didn't try. Tony Villar's political future was reportedly spotted applying for a job as a greeter at WalMart.

Posted to Los_Angeles at 05:09 PM

CNN/Youtube: Don't ask Mike Huckabee this question

Dear CNN:

Please do not choose the following video for the upcoming GOP debates.

If you ask Mike Huckabee this question, it just might end his political career, as well as showing the millions who watch the debate just how lightweight the questions the mainstream media usually asks are. So, to avoid you actually doing both a public service and your job, I urge you not to select this video. Maybe the snowman has another probing question or something.

It concerns Mike Huckabee's strong support for illegal immigration. In 2003, on a visit to Mexico, he asked Vicente Fox to establish a consulate in Arkansas. Huckabee even arranged discount office space in a state office: just $1 per year.

Since the consulate opened earlier this year, it's passed out countless "Matricula Consular" ID cards to illegal aliens. Those cards help illegal aliens send billions of dollars back home, helping to prop up the corrupt Mexican government. And, their consul even encouraged civic leaders to advocate for illegal immigration.

Even the New York Times has alluded to Mexico overstepping its bounds, and the FBI has called those ID cards a security risk.

Did I mention that Arkansas is home to major poultry processing and other firms that are widely believed to employ large numbers of illegal workers?

Please send CNN's Political Director Sam Feist an email urging him to only select the easiest, lightest-weight questions possible, so we can be entertained: sam.feist *at* cnn.com. More snowmen, please!

Posted to Politics at 11:09 PM

"Tancredo Blasts Dems for Funding Illegal Alien Healthcare" (SCHIP)

I've been woefully remiss in discussing the attempts involving the "SCHIP"/"S-CHIP" plan, partly because I don't understand all the details. However:

U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO) today criticized Congressional Democrats for eliminating a requirement that anyone applying for Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) services provide proof of U.S. citizenship. The new Democrat plan would raise taxes and make it easier for illegal aliens to obtain taxpayer-funded medical benefits.

"Again, the Democrats have proven their loyalty to illegal aliens over American citizens," Tancredo said referring to the failed Senate Amnesty plan. "Rather than help middle class families as they promised, Congressional Democrats are squeezing tax dollars out of Americans in order to benefit those who have violated our laws."

Also see "A new entitlement for illegals":

Unsatisfied with thwarting a Republican effort to authorize $3 billion for a border fence, congressional Democrats are trying to enhance the incentive for illegal aliens to enter the United States by removing the citizenship requirement from the popular State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The Republican Congress in 1996 passed legislation blocking people who are in the country illegally from claiming benefits from the federal government, and when SCHIP was created in 1997, states were required to verify citizenship. But Democrats want to take that sensible requirement for Medicaid and SCHIP and leave it to the discretion of each state...

...Recall that SCHIP was born out of a failed attempt at government-run universal health coverage. Indeed, the Democratic expansion of SCHIP will actually allow children who currently have private health insurance to switch to the federally subsidized program, saddling taxpayers with yet another entitlement burden. In the wake of the defeat of the immigration amnesty bill last month, open-borders advocates are attempting to implement their agenda using a piecemeal approach.

8/3/07 UPDATE: Apparently the vote on SCHIP or something similar resulted in a parliamentary crisis on the House floor. From this:

Details remain fuzzy, but numerous Republicans argued afterward that they had secured a 215-213 win on their motion to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving any federal funds apportioned in the agricultural spending bill for employment or rental assistance. Democrats, however, argued the measure was deadlocked at 214-214 and failed, members and aides on both sides of the aisle said afterward...

...When Democrats finally moved to consider the spending bill as the last vote of the night, furious Republicans left the chamber en masse to protest the maneuver. The House eventually recessed at 11:18 p.m. But Republicans quickly discovered that there was no longer any record of the controversial vote and immediately charged Democrats with erasing the bad result...

Posted to Immigration2007a at 08:33 PM

Hard a-flip-flop: McCain changes course on immigration "reform"

From this:

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain on Thursday backed a scaled-down proposal that imposes strict rules to end illegal immigration but doesn't include a path to citizenship.

The move away from a comprehensive measure is an about-face for the Arizona senator, who had been a leading GOP champion of a bill that included a guest worker program and would have legalized many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. It failed earlier this year.

"We can still show the American people that we are serious about securing our nation's border," McCain said in a statement, adding that the new bill would "provide an essential step toward achieving comprehensive reform in the future."

...Immigrants' rights advocates jumped to condemn their decision. "It is fairly stunning they have gone from leaders on comprehensive reform legislation to lemmings running over the cliff" with the Republican opponents of the bill, said Angela Kelley, deputy director of the National Immigration Forum.

Note thee well that McCain is still supporting amnesty, he just wants to do border security in order to get his real goal. It says that he's supporting a plan from Jon Kyl and Lindsey Graham, but I'm not entirely sure of the name or number of the plan, if it has one yet. Note that Graham's $3 billion amendment for border security apparently passed, and Arlen Specter has floated a plan. The last link describes a plan Kyl was preparing for this month.

UPDATE: Sens. Jeff Sessions and John Cornyn are also involved in the plan, which is outlined in a press release here:

...The bill would authorize significant increases in the number of personnel to patrol the border, staff the ports of entry, prevent smuggling, and investigate immigration violations. It would also increase the amount of fencing, vehicle barriers, physical infrastructure, and technology to observe and deter illegal crossings, and the amount of detention space to hold unlawful aliens.

The bill would also mandate that DHS detain unlawful aliens crossing the border until those aliens are removed. It would require that DHS capture biometric data on all foreign nationals legally entering and departing the United States, and identify, track, detain and remove those who overstay their visas.

The bill would authorize significant increases in personnel for DHS and the Department of Justice to enforce the immigration laws in the interior of the United States. It would add new legal authorities to prevent the entry and enable the removal of suspected terrorists, aggravated felons, gang members, human smugglers, and other criminals. The bill would add new legal authorities to deter and prosecute crimes against children, to combat smuggling, and to prevent fraud. It would also enhance the ability of state and local law enforcement officers to identify unlawful aliens, and increase funding to states adversely affected by illegal immigration...

Posted to Immigration2007a at 08:29 PM

Michael Chertoff looked other way on Chiquita payments to terrorists

From this:

On April 24, 2003, a board member of Chiquita International Brands disclosed to a top official at the Justice Department that the king of the banana trade was evidently breaking the nation's anti-terrorism laws.

Roderick M. Hills, who had sought the meeting with former law firm colleague Michael Chertoff, explained that Chiquita was paying "protection money" to a Colombian paramilitary group on the U.S. government's list of terrorist organizations. Hills said he knew that such payments were illegal, according to sources and court records, but said that he needed Chertoff's advice...

Chertoff promised to get back to them, but never did. There's more from the WSJ here, and note that Hills is deeply connected: the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, he and Chertoff worked together at Latham & Watkins, and his wife, Carla Hills, was the lead negotiator of NAFTA and is involved in North American "integration" (cfr.org/bios/3373/carla_a_hills.html).

Posted to Politics at 10:13 AM

Chortle: Bush admin beginning major crackdown on employers of illegal aliens

From the AP:

Employers across the U.S. are preparing to fire workers with questionable Social Security government identification numbers to avoid getting snagged in a Bush administration crackdown on illegal immigrants.

The Department of Homeland Security is expected to make public soon new rules [involving "no match" letter] for employers notified when their worker's name or Social Security number was flagged by the Social Security Administration...

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the Homeland Security Department, "is going to be tough and aggressive in the enforcement of the law," [reknowned spokeshole Russ Knocke] said. "You are going to see more work site cases. And no more excuses."

Yeah, we're pretty used to those excuses, six year's worth of them. In past statements, Chertoff has almost come right out and threatened to conduct raids in order to inflame the left, and Bush has warned about a labor shortage if the current laws are enforced. In that light, this might be seen as an attempt to make things worse in order to get "reform". If they actually intend to do anything of course.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 11:57 PM

Nancy Pelosi is Teh Hottness

In case you're having trouble finding what exactly Drudge is refering to, I've enlarged and highlighted the affected area:

She can - she must - do better.

Posted to WackyHumor at 10:57 PM

Mexico, environmentalists oppose border fence; Argentina insulted

From this:

Mexico is calling on the United States to alter a plan to expand border fences designed to stem illegal immigration, saying the barriers would threaten migratory species accustomed to roaming freely across the frontier.

Ways to minimize environmental damage from the fences could include the creation of cross-border bridge areas so that ecosystems remain connected and "green corridors" of wilderness without roads that would be less attractive to smugglers, according to a report released yesterday and prepared for the Mexican government by experts and activists from both nations [mentioned: Mexico's Environment Department, Environment Secretary Juan Rafael Elvira, Exequiel Ezcurra, director of research at the San Diego Natural History Museum].

The report also proposed "live" fences of cactuses, removable fencing, and more permeable barriers to allow water, insects and pollen to cross the border. Ecologists say species affected include Mexican jaguars and black bears, and the endangered, antelope-like Sonora Pronghorn...

Somehow I think the only thing "green" the Mexican government cares about is the color of our money. They also say they'll file a complaint with the United Nations' International Court of Justice if necessary; they've done that before on another matter.

Meanwhile:

A U.S. plan to expand fences along the Mexican border to stem illegal immigration is an insult to all Latin Americans, Argentine President Nestor Kirchner said Tuesday during a visit to Mexico.

"It's not just an insult to our sister nation of Mexico, but to all the nations of Latin America and all the nations of the world," the leftist president said to the applause of Mexican lawmakers...

Related:
Houston Chronicle does part against border fence
NYT: Border fence to be built, jaguars hardest hit
Will far-left "environmentalists" block the border fence?

Posted to Immigration2007a at 10:35 AM

Marc Brenman/WSHRC goes round bend in support of illegal activity

Marc Brenman - executive director of the Washington State Human Rights Commission - offers "Reject messages of hate and fear". Ironically, the one offering the hate and fear is Brenman himself; getting out his Big Book of Bad Historical Things, he says:

Unfortunately, it seems like the Minutemen have made progress in some of our communities, including in Everett. The Minutemen rely on the use of hateful speech, the Big Lie, and fear of people who are different to corrupt and coarsen political dialogue, just as their Nazi forebears did. The so-called Minutemen, like their former fellow traveler Tim McVey, are precursors to domestic terrorism and vigilantism. The federal government is charged with enforcing the immigration laws of the United States. Let the federal government do its job, without "assistance" from gun-toting, self-appointed know-nothings.

I'll leave it to the Minutemen to decide whether he's crossed over the line into libel, but these are shocking words coming from the executive director of a state agency. As far as I know, that Minuteman chapter will only assist in enforcing our laws in a legal fashion, yet he's comparing them not just to the Nazis but to Timothy McVeigh (and he can't even get his name right to boot).

What if the rights of any of the Minuteman chapter members are violated by far-left illegal immigration supporters? Does anyone have any doubt about which side of the issue Brenman would be on? If someone made similar claims about groups that Brenman supports, wouldn't it consider it close to a hate crime?

Elsewhere in the article he switches between discussing immigrants in general and "undocumented immigrants" and promotes the economic benefits of the latter. He's thus trying to sell his readers on the benefits of illegal activity. At their site, they even have a prominent page listing what to do in the case of an immigration raid (hum.wa.gov/InCaseofRaids.html)

Washington governor Chris Gregoire appoints the members of the WSHRC council, so please send her your thoughts: governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp

These state HRCs seem to be dumping grounds for far-left loons; for another example read up on Stephen Glassman of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

Posted to Immigration2007a at 09:59 AM

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All Posts(links to each post by title)

• Donate to the ACLU! (BTW: plaintiff attys want $2.4 million from Hazleton)
• Waukegan: "immigrant rights groups" protest arrests of gang members
• Ana Marie Cox: Mitt Romney not a Christian
• Mitt Romney: Strong Man, for a Strong Country
• Pamela Constable/WaPo promotes CASA de Maryland, illegal activity
• AFL-CIO, ACLU, NILC sue DHS over no-match letters; EWIC
• Over 20% of those without health insurance are not citizens
• Mexico: the U.S. demands you make Elvira Arellano a "peace and justice" ambassador!
• Number of ICE agents doing worksite/interior enforcement drops 1000 to 4000
• What's beyond stunning?
• Neo-nazis protest illegal immigration in Omaha... FBI involved?
• Texas governor Rick Perry opposes border fence, in Mexico
• Would a 42 foot ladder industry be such a bad thing? (border fence, Napolitano, Richardson, Perry)
• Thanks, Huckabee: Arkansas Mexican consul opposing immigration laws
• Virginia: Gov. Tim Kaine opposes state troopers enforcing immigration laws (287g)
• A response to a critic, re: switchback
• Sen. Larry Craig in "he said/he said misunderstanding"
• California dentists welcome new mandatory dental exams for kindergarteners
• "Mexico's new robber barons" (Carlos Slim)
• Sacramento County whistleblower fired: non-emergency healthcare to illegal aliens

My trip to Alpine County What not to do, again (September 1-2, 2002)

Boston Market Cornbread Temperatures Please help contribute to this important study (August 28, 2002)

Did The Gap Put Celebrities at Risk? An Open Web Letter to The Gap (May 20, 2002)

Humphreys Peak Arizona's highest point (May 19, 2001)

Go Heavy, Go Slow, Get Lost Bay Area highpoints (December 14, 2000)

Hubris in New England The highpoints of RI, CT, and MA (October 8, 2000)

Let's go to Utah Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyon (August 14, 2000)

Your host, climbing Monkey Face (5.14d)

Your host's arm (circled)

Your host's hopelessly outdated conditioning progress

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