Arizona Democratic Party, Russell Pearce, and "Operation Wetback"

Posted Fri, Sep 29, 2006 at 10:18 am

The sleazy Arizona Democratic Party is up to its old tricks again, this time trying to smear Rep. Russell Pearce (R-AZ) over his reference to Eisenhower's "Operation Wetback" on a radio program. From their press release titled Pearce Resurrects "Operation Wetback" and subtitled Russell Pearce Longs for Pre-Civil Rights Era Immigration Program:

In an interview on KJZZ Wednesday, Republican legislator Russell Pearce called for the reinstatement of Eisenhower's 1953 immigration plan, "Operation Wetback." The program, which was abolished a year later, sought to round up and deport all undocumented workers.

That paragraph probably contains a lie. Establishing a new program that's similar to an old program is not the same as "reinstating" the old program: things can be similar without being the same in every respect. And, only a fool would believe that Pearce would want to name the new program "Operation Wetback." So, it's almost certain that Pearce does not want to "reinstate" OW, and it's almost certain that - once again - the AZ Dems are trying to mislead.

Here's the only quote of his that they provide:

"We know what we need to do. In 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower, put together a task force called 'Operation Wetback.' He removed, in less than a year, 1.3 million illegal aliens. They must be deported."

Further, we're informed that "Hispanic leaders in Phoenix are outraged", which is only followed by one example from "former legislator and activist Alfredo Gutierrez". He's a member of the "Somos America" group that organized at least one Phoenix illegal immigration march.

Needless to say, the press has taken the Dem smear and run with it.

Sarah N. Lynch of the East Valley Tribune offers "Pearce calls on 'Operation Wetback' for illegals", informing us that he's "angered the Hispanic community this week when he called for the reinstatement of a pre-civil rights era program that called for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants", language that's highly similar to that used by the AZDems.

The Arizona Daily Star offers a rewrite of an AP report in the falsely-titled story "Phoenix legislator supports deportations through 'Operation Wetback'".

The apparently original AP report is in "Rep. Pearce calls for mass deportations":

A state lawmaker has drawn a firestorm of criticism from the Hispanic community this week by calling for the renewal of a 1950s-era federal deportation program known as "Operation Wetback." Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, a fiery proponent of new border security laws and a crackdown on illegal immigration, talked about the possibility of mass deportations in a radio interview.

The word "renewal" may be somewhat more accurate than the word "reinstatement" used in the AZDem press release. The only evidence of a "firestorm" the AP presents is the press release and quotes from Roberto Reveles, the president of Somos America.

Tags: 
democratic party
associated press
arizona
arizona daily star
somos america
east valley tribune
russell pearce
sarah lynch

Comments

Dusty (not verified)

Sun, 11/26/2006 - 18:32

I beleive we do need to deport anyone who is in this country illeagally. If they are criminals, definately deport them immediatly. They have no rights in this country as far as I am concerned. If they are violent criminals, the death penalty should be utilized in every case especailly crimes (any crime) against the children of this country. Start killing off these trashy people and I'll bet you'll see a real decrease in the stream of illigeals coming across the border! Once they know we aren't messing around with them, that will put a damper on it. Oh and in America, we speak english and it's called a Christmas tree. Get over it and get out!

Anna (not verified)

Sun, 11/26/2006 - 18:26

Damn right.....I say deport every single one of them. Let them go back to wherever they came from and stay there!!! I am an angry american! I'm sick of paying for illigeal mexicans who want to come to MY country and live off my hard earned money and try to tell me what I can and cannot say or do because it "offends" them. Good, I hope I do offend them. If enough of them get offended maybe they'll get the message. WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE AND WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE! Screw the polititians. We already know they don't have the guts or back bone to get the job done. Bring back the old policy and get rid of the damn good for nothing wetbacks!

Michael Taylor (not verified)

Thu, 10/05/2006 - 18:09

I support the deportation or execution of all illegal alien criminals in the United States. I think illegal aliens who molest citizens should be executed. I support calling it Operation Wetback, but I think Americans are creative enough to find a more fitting title for the necessary reassertion of our non-hispanic identity.

John S Bolton (not verified)

Fri, 09/29/2006 - 23:25

There is also an equivocation on 'mass deportations'.
Operation Wetback removed 1.3 million, current policy deports over 1 million annually;
so what would mass deportation mean in today's context, millions per year?

levotb (not verified)

Sun, 07/05/2009 - 21:05

Equivocation? You mean, fear of the Nazi boxcars? No one one on the law and order side of this issue (other than a few nutcases the movement wants nothing to do with) wants this as 1) it would behumiliating and physically dangerous for the illegals being trained back to Mexico and 2) the left-wing MSM would have a field day comparing what happened in Occupied France and elsewhere during WWII with this. Boxcars aren't needed or wanted. "Attrition thru enforcement" will do a big portion of the job. Along with Governors of the Invasion states holding press conferences telling illegals to "Go home!", a true crackdown across the board on American employers for hiring illegals, the reinstitution by Congress of E-verify (with no sunset provisions) and the expansion of E-verify to include current employees, all this along with a crackdown at the local level by local police by refusing to continue the illegal Special Order 40 which has hampered local police for 30 years. With the self-deportation by many millions of illegal aliens as they see the U.S. becoming a very unfriendly and expensive place for them to live, there will of course be the 300,000 to 700,000 gang banging illegals who will have to be searched out, rounded up and (if not tried and convicted for outstanding crimes they've committed) deported. This will no doubt be a bloody round-up, because these gang bangers are dangerous, armed individuals. Citizen watchdog community groups can assist law enforcement greatly with this roundup. The 2007 CAPS Study reported the number of illegal aliens to be 38 million. That was 2 years ago. The break ins continue as a rate of 1.5 to 3 million per year. Can anyone say "40 million"?