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News items and timely commentary: Note: If you're looking for information and commentary on the new comprehensive immigration/amnesty bill that is being cooked up in the Senate, under the name of Senate Bill 1348, see this page. The One Job Americans Just Won't Do. I kept hearing about all those jobs Americans just won't do. We're never really told what they are, but I guess we should be happy they're getting done and stop complaining about all the negative aspects of having twenty million illegal aliens in our midst. Perhaps we should just accept the idea that 25 American citizens are going to continue to be killed every day by illegals — half of them by drunk drivers — because it's a small price to pay to get all those jobs done. Selling out black Americans. It's both libel and lie, but it's repeated again and again by immigration lobbyists. Be they liberals, libertarians or plain la Raza racists, they all say the same: illegal aliens only take the jobs Americans refuse to do. The nation's elites are forever singing hymns to illegal aliens for allegedly rescuing Americans from sloth. Terry Anderson does not. His testimony in 1999 to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims ought to have made Congress sing a different tune. Sadly, it didn't. Forgotten "A". The fact is: We are not a "nation of immigrants." This is both a factual error and a warm-and-fuzzy non sequitur. Eighty-five percent of the residents currently in the United States were born here. Sure, we are almost all descendants of immigrants. But we are not a "nation of immigrants." … Even if we were a "nation of immigrants," it does not explain why we should be against sensible immigration control. SC Bans Illegals from Attending State Schools. South Carolina Act 280 bans illegal immigrants from attending state universities, colleges and technical schools. Now, in the first week of college for many, a certain group will not be walking campuses like that of the University of South Carolina. South Carolina Representative Tedd Pitts of Lexington said, "We wanted to make sure people here illegally were not going to our institutions." The unmentionable population boom. What's really driving the population growth is significantly higher birth rates among immigrants and the continued influx of foreigners. That's where political correctness kicks in and politicians go mum, including the presidential candidates. Anchors Away. The [Democrat Party] Platform Committee just concluded a heated but respectful debate over an amendment to add language to the platform in support of a law denying citizenship to so-called anchor babies (babies born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants). The amendment failed. The amendment was offered by Kendal Unruh of Colorado. Anchor Babies: About every six months the population of the U.S. increases about as much as the population of Tallahassee. Who are these hundreds of thousands of new citizens? They are newborns, children of illegal aliens born in the United States — birthright citizens, "anchor babies" — not illegal aliens. This quirky legal right then allows the mother's parents and siblings to remain, and later a whole bunch of their relatives to immigrate legally. This why they are also known as "Jackpot babies." They are here illegally, and not necessarily to work. Illegal Immigrants or Undocumented Workers? Recently, various activists, certain members of the Hollywood Elite, various politicians and others like Mexico's President Fox, have been saying that the term "illegal immigrant" is improper and that to be politically correct, one must use the term "undocumented worker." They claim that, the term "illegal immigrant" is racist and derogatory. Radical Ties and Hate Speech in the Immigration Debate. Among the network of organizations that have not only been promoting amnesty for illegal aliens, but actively working to thwart enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, few have been as effective as CASA de Maryland. CASA not only lobbies on behalf of complete amnesty for immigration law violators, it operates day labor hiring centers around Maryland specifically geared toward helping illegal aliens find jobs that federal law prohibits them from holding. Hartford Bars Police from Asking Status of Illegal Aliens. The city council of Hartford, Conn., has unanimously approved an ordinance that prohibits police and city employees from asking people about their immigration status. The ordinance would bar police from arresting or detaining any person on the sole grounds that immigration authorities had issued an administrative warrant for them. Many Officials are Reluctant to Help Arrest Immigrants. Although law enforcement agencies in Prince William and Frederick counties have agreed to help federal authorities enforce immigration laws, officials in many other parts of the country remain reluctant to do so, saying they fear losing the trust of immigrant communities and worry about being accused of racial profiling. Despite a nationwide clamor against illegal immigration, only 55 of more than 18,000 police and law enforcement agencies across the country have signed agreements to coordinate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration Enforcement? Yes, We Can! Can illegal immigrants be induced to pack up and go back? The evidence is in and the answer is "yes." The Bush Administration began with a deep hostility toward immigration enforcement and a commitment to amnesty. But as the drive for amnesty was stopped by public outrage, the Department of Homeland Security has been given the green light to actually do its job. Mexico imploding. Mexico is of paramount concern because Mexican problems become American problems at our porous border. While immigrants pour from the Mexican border for economic reasons now, those numbers will multiply exponentially if Mexicans are fleeing for safety. The sovereignty of the Mexican government is slipping into the hands of drug lords and corrupted officials. Keep the Immigrants, Deport the Multiculturalists. So, whatever happened to immigration as a presidential campaign issue? In the early caucus and primary states — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina — the media assured us that immigration was foremost on the minds of voters. You couldn't watch a Republican debate without the issue dominating a good chunk of the discussion. National security = border security. The open borders of the United States amount to a national security exposure. This is a fact that cannot be debated. One has only to look at the number of foreign nationals attempting to illegally enter the U.S. through Mexico over the last several years. Since 2005, the Department of Homeland Security reports that more than 331,000 people from countries other than Mexico have been apprehended trying to cross the Southern land border. Refugee Program Halted As DNA Tests Show Fraud. The State Department has suspended a humanitarian program to reunite thousands of African refugees with relatives in the U.S. after unprecedented DNA testing by the government revealed widespread fraud. … Tests found some applicants lied about belonging to the same family to gain a better chance at legal entry. PETA wants to advertise vegan message on border fence. "We think that Mexicans and other immigrants should be warned if they cross into the U.S. they are putting their health at risk by leaving behind a healthier, staple diet of corn tortillas, beans, rice, fruits and vegetables," said Lindsay Rajt, assistant manager of PETA's vegan campaigns. The Editor says... If the PETA people think life is so bad here, maybe they should all go to Mexico. Illegal workers get help from fund. When federal immigration agents raided a Houston rag factory and took 166 suspected illegal immigrants into custody, a Boston philanthropist and multimillionaire was ready to chip in bond money to help the workers. Robert J. Hildreth, 57, is the public face of the National Immigrant Bond Fund, a fledgling organization that helps immigrants swept up in Immigration and Customs Enforcement workplace raids post bonds. Mexican soldiers enter U.S., hold agent briefly. Four Mexican soldiers crossed into a remote area of Arizona and briefly held a U.S. Border Patrol agent at gunpoint before realizing where they were and returning to Mexico, U.S. authorities said. Border patrol agent held at gunpoint. A U.S. Border Patrol agent was held at gunpoint Sunday night [8/3/2008] by members of the Mexican military who had crossed the border into Arizona, but the soldiers returned to Mexico without incident when backup agents responded to assist. Agents assigned to the Border Patrol station at Ajo, Ariz., said the Mexican soldiers crossed the international border in an isolated area about 100 miles southwest of Tucson and pointed rifles at the agent, who was not identified. Checking citizenship made mandatory. Federal contractors now must check the citizenship and legal status of their employees by using a free service that's been in existence since 1996. … President Bush's executive order directs federal contractors to finally do what federal agencies already do — use the E-Verify Internet system to confirm a worker's legal status within seconds, reports The Washington Times. Tucson chief revises illegal immigrant policy. Officers to follow new illegal-immigrant rules Tucson's police chief is revising his department's policy outlining how officers deal with the illegal immigrants they encounter. … Victims, witnesses and people stopped for minor driving offenses will never be asked about their immigration status. Pacheco says the old policy allowed that and some victims ended up being deported. Man wanted in death of border agent apparently set free in Mexico. The head of the union representing U.S. Border Patrol agents says a man imprisoned in Mexico in connection with a Yuma-based agent's death has been released by a Mexican judge. National Border Patrol Council president T.J. Bonner says an unidentified Mexican judge released Jesus Navarro for time served. Immigration arrest raises concerns. Alamance County has been identifying and deporting illegal immigrants from its jails for more than a year, but now a [library employee]'s arrest has some worried that county officials may be using another tool — public health department medical records. The concerns stem from a State Bureau of Investigation probe of the county health department. Some county officials, who called in the agency, think department employees were helping illegal immigrants work under false names. Border Patrol agents combat rock-throwers with paintball guns. Some U.S. Border Patrol agents along the Mexican border are packing paintball rifles, but they're not being used for games. Agents in the patrol's Tucson, San Diego and Yuma sectors have been armed with guns that launch pepper spray and paintball projectiles and are trained to fire paintballs when they come under attack along border fences. New option for illegals: Self-deportation. Federal immigration officials in Chicago and four other cities launched a self-deportation program on Tuesday [8/5/2008] for immigrants who have evaded federal deportation orders and want to turn themselves in. Illegal Immigrants Returning to Mexico in Record Numbers. The Mexican Consulate's office in Dallas is seeing increasing numbers of Mexican nationals requesting paperwork to go home for good, especially parents who want to know what documentation they'll need to enroll their children in Mexican schools. "Those numbers have increased percentage-wise tremendously," said Enrique Hubbard, the Mexican consul general in Dallas. "In fact, it's almost 100 percent more this year than it was the previous two years." SAVE Act Enforces Immigration Laws. Six years after 9-11, and after nearly a year of wrangling over President Bush's disastrous plan for "comprehensive immigration reform" the federal government still hasn't done what most Americans want: secure our borders from the continuing flood of illegal aliens. Americans are frustrated and distrustful. Phoenix Mayor Asks FBI to Check Sheriff. The mayor wants the FBI to investigate whether the local county sheriff has violated any civil rights laws with his recent high-profile crackdowns on illegal immigrants. The "saturation patrols" have drawn protests from civil rights and immigrant-rights advocates, but they have drawn support from backers of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and from people who believe the government hasn't done enough against illegal immigration. Mass deportations coming for jailed illegal immigrants. The U.S. Homeland Security department has launched an ambitious nationwide effort that would cost $2 billion to $3 billion a year to identify and deport the estimated 300,000 to 450,000 illegal immigrants locked up each year in jails and prisons. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation was denounced by immigrant rights groups and received cautiously by those favoring tighter enforcement. National Guard Will Be Withdrawn From Unsecured Border. Members of Congress are split on whether the National Guard should end its deployment along the U.S.-Mexico border in July, as planned. On Monday [6/9/2008], Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff predicted the border would not be secured until 2011. Language scofflaws: In an action that can only be construed as pandering to Hispanics, Sen. John McCain unveiled a Spanish version of his campaign Web site -- and he did it on Cinco de Mayo day (May 5), the Mexican holiday. Such obvious attempts by politicians to ingratiate with non-English-speaking ethnic groups have made many Americans wonder why such pandering is necessary since a person needs to be a U.S. citizen before he can vote…. McCain Proves Amnesty is Political Suicide for the GOP. [Scroll down] The Democrats clearly believe that they're going to be the ones to benefit politically from turning illegals into American citizens. That's the driving force behind their push for an amnesty and their desire to keep the floodgates on our southern borders open. That brings us to John McCain's presidential campaign. No Republican is more closely associated with amnesty than John McCain. When Obama, Clinton and McCain Decisively Agreed. One thing Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain all have in common is that they voted to give retroactive Social Security benefits to illegal aliens who committed document fraud. Border crossings cut by Texas crackdown. A strict policy to arrest, prosecute and jail illegal aliens who cross into the U.S. has shown significant success in reducing crossings and crime along the Texas border, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials said this month. Illegals begin leaving Arizona as new law approaches. For the first time, Mexican officials in Arizona admit there is hard evidence illegal immigrants are preparing to leave the state because a new employer sanctions law is making it difficult, if not impossible, for them to keep a job. Arizona slams door on illegal immigrants. As it has become the favorite entry point for undocumented migrants trying to sneak into the United States, Arizona has become a laboratory for whether a state can single-handedly combat illegal immigration. In recent years it has barred illegal immigrants from receiving government services, from winning punitive damages in lawsuits and from posting bail for serious crimes. Metal wire trap set for Border Patrol agents in San Diego. The Border Patrol says it found a metal wire strung between two border fences in San Diego — an apparent effort to inflict serious injury or even death to its agents. Border Patrol agent dies, struck by fleeing vehicle in California. A U.S. Border Patrol agent was killed Saturday [1/19/2008] when he was struck by a fleeing vehicle along the border in southeastern California, agency officials said. The agent was trying to stop a vehicle that had illegally entered the country from Mexico when he was hit, said agent Eric Anderson, a spokesman for the agency's Yuma sector. A trafficker's vehicle of choice: Houston entrepreneur Bill Christmann was shocked when thieves stole his souped-up black Ford F-250 pickup from his west Houston driveway one night last July. But shock turned to concern the next day after Christmann learned thieves had driven the 2001, heavy-duty, four-wheel drive truck to Laredo, loaded it with illegal immigrants and drove it back from the border, roaring off-road through fenced ranch pastures. Police chased the truck south of San Antonio before the smugglers crashed the vehicle into a tree. Van Driver Arrested for Role in Minnesota School Bus Crash. Authorities have confirmed that the the driver of the van that struck the school bus that killed 4 students on Tuesday [2/19/2008] is in the country illegally. Multiple sources tell FOX 9 that Morales is in the country illegally, but immigration officials will only confirm they are investigating her status. Woman: Morales Didn't Know How to Drive. The Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles confirms Alianiss Morales has a valid Minnesota I.D. card, but does not have a driver's license. She's been in trouble before for driving without a license. Alianiss Morales received a ticket in May 2006 for driving without a license. The Editor asks... Why wasn't she deported in 2006? Illegal Immigration Problems Continue to Snowball. The last time I checked, most individuals who were victims of illegal aliens and wanted to report such violations could not get through to an officer at DHS-ICE to even lodge a complaint. This is simply unacceptable. There should be an 800 number where citizens can report illegal aliens to a person at the end of the line who will deal with it responsibly. The Messy Politics of Illegal Immigration. With the war in Iraq politically on the back burner, illegal immigration is heating up as a campaign issue. The public wants action, and the candidates are scrambling to react. New third rail of politics: Immigration is the new "third rail" of U.S. politics. I know, because I remember the old third rail. The old third rail, of course, was Social Security. Touch it, and die politically. Back in the 1980s the Republican Party would routinely come up with plans in Congress to "reform" Social Security. Like clockwork — when the next congressional election came around — the Democratic Party led by then Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neil would demagogue the issue and pronounce with TV ads that Republicans wanted to privatize Social Security and, by the way, cut or eliminate grandma's benefit check. On the other hand... Immigration: Not Really A Third Rail. Outside of a Republican primary, how much does the issue really matter? A new poll from Zogby International suggests illegal immigration is unlikely to move a significant number of votes in the 2008 presidential race. But, say political strategists, the issue is fraught with danger for both parties. The United States Needs More Conservative Opinion in Spanish. In recent years, the conservative media clout within the United States has risen markedly, at least in the English language. … However, there is a vacuum when it comes to Spanish language conservative media. The Hispanic market is predominantly ruled by a liberal agenda and sometimes an anti-American one. With a Hispanic population in the United States close to 40 million people, there is an urgent need to debunk the continuous spin of the left-wing media in Spanish within the United States. A Diverse Opinion About Diversity. For a couple of hundred years, foreigners have been flocking to the shores of this most welcoming of nations. They would bring along their art and music along with their cuisine, but they adapted their ways in order that their children and their children's children would acclimate and be full-fledged Americans. There was a reason, after all, that America was nicknamed the Great Melting Pot. But somewhere along the way, there was a sea change. Now we have that oddest of strange creatures known as the dual citizen and we have millions of people living here who apparently have no particular loyalty to this country and are being encouraged to retain their own language and their old ways. Stop the Illegal Sanctuaries. A Government Accountability Office study found that 55,322 criminal aliens were arrested a total of at least 459,614 times, averaging over eight arrests per alien. The Department of Justice expressed its surprise at the "extremely high" rate of re-arrests for criminal aliens when it found that that 73 criminal aliens in a study group were arrested a total of 429 times. Localities that adopt "sanctuary" policies, in an effort to be welcoming to both legal and illegal immigrants, need to consider whether such policies have the effect of attracting and incubating crime. 8 crack dealers shielded by S.F. walk away. An effort by San Francisco to shield eight young Honduran crack dealers from federal immigration officials backfired when the youths escaped from Southern California group homes within days of their arrival, officials said Monday [6/30/2008]. The walkaways are the latest in a string of embarrassments for city officials who are protecting illegal-immigrant drug dealers from federal authorities and possible deportation because of San Francisco's 1989 declaration that the city is a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. Slaying suspect once found sanctuary in San Francisco. The man charged with killing a father and two sons on a San Francisco street last month was one of the youths who benefited from the city's long-standing practice of shielding illegal immigrant juveniles who committed felonies from possible deportation, The Chronicle has learned. Bush Should Strip Sanctuary Cities of Federal Funds. Three good men are dead thanks largely to San Francisco's outrageous sanctuary-city policy, which forbids city authorities from notifying federal immigration authorities when they arrest illegal aliens for crimes they commit, and it's time for President Bush to crack down on all the cities in the United States that follow this absurd policy. McCain under glass: This nation's 12 million illegal aliens need to be urged homeward in part because, if we don't do it, we are in effect inviting tens of millions more to come. Mr. McCain is willing to let most stay put forever if they pay a penalty and bristles when it's suggested this is a reward, a kind of amnesty. But it is. U.S. catching illegals in record numbers. The Department of Homeland Security, continuing to enforce what it calls a "strict policy of arresting, prosecuting and jailing" illegal immigrants, deported a record number of those caught on the nation's borders last year — more than 280,000 in fiscal year 2007 compared to 186,000 a year earlier. It was the largest number of illegals ever removed from the country in a single year. Illegal immigrants "self deport" as woes mount. The toughening environment has been coupled with a turndown in the U.S. economy, which has tipped the balance toward self deportation for many illegal immigrants left struggling to find work. U.S. tries to shut revolving door of illegal reentry. Federal authorities are cracking down on immigrants who were previously deported and then reentered the country illegally — a crime that now makes up more than one-third of all prosecutions in Los Angeles and surrounding counties, a Times review of U.S. attorney's statistics shows. Worksite enforcement debate flares. The high-profile harboring case against a landscaping company owner who employed an illegal immigrant charged with murder in the slaying of a Houston police officer has heated up the debate over worksite enforcement. Plant workers indicted in alleged immigrant hiring scheme. Three former Pilgrim's Pride Corp. employees and another man accused of running an identity theft ring to help get jobs for illegal immigrants at two poultry plants have been indicted, prosecutors said. A former human resources employee alleged to have hired workers even though she knew about the scheme was indicted on charges related to her citizenship application. Illegal Alien Sues, Saying NYPD Called in Feds. An unlicensed cab driver will seek to show a federal jury this week that the police department is failing to abide by Mayor Bloomberg's pledge that the city won't alert immigration authorities to illegal aliens who otherwise obey the law. Scottsdale Arizona cops ask citizenship proof. Police in suburban Scottsdale have begun routinely asking for proof of citizenship from every suspect they arrest and turning those who are in this country illegally over to federal immigration officials. The procedure was started Oct. 15, a result of the September killing of Phoenix police officer Nick Erfle by an illegal immigrant, Erik Jovani Martinez. Is Houston a sanctuary for illegal immigrants? So what is a sanctuary city? Experts said there is no single, universally accepted definition. The phrase is often misused in the news media and by politicians to describe cities with a wide range of policies on treatment of suspected illegal immigrants, critics said. It ain't over 'til the alien wins. Immigration lawyers and ethnic activists run a massive, lucrative industry whose sole objective is to help illegal aliens and convicted criminal visa holders evade deportation for as long as possible. Entry into this country should be a privilege, not a right. The open-borders lobby has turned that principle on its head. More being forced out of U.S. The federal government says it has steadily increased the number of illegal immigrants it removes from the country annually, but critics say the effort is still shackled by a critical lack of personnel and detention facilities. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently released its latest data on the number of illegal immigrants deported. In fiscal year 2007, which ended Sept. 30, ICE deported 221,600 illegal immigrants, including 84,700 who were convicted of criminal offenses. The dirty little secret of immigration reform: During the fractious, months-long immigration debate, Big Business hid in the corridors of Congress or ducked behind closed doors, afraid to say in public what it whispered in private: We need illegal workers. Border fence delay challenged. A California congressman yesterday called on Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to override a ruling by a federal judge ordering the delay of construction of security fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. Importing mayhem: According to statistics released by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) in May 2006, 12 Americans were murdered every day by illegal aliens last year. In addition, 13 were killed daily by drunk illegal aliens. Between the conventional murderers and the drunk — and in a great many cases unlicensed — homicidal drivers, illegal aliens, overwhelmingly Mestizos from Mexico and Central America, killed 9,125 Americans in 2006. Enough with the obfuscation, already. In April 2005 the Government Accountability Office released a study of 55,322 illegal aliens incarcerated during 2003. These are its main findings: • The 55,322 illegal aliens studied had been arrested a total of 459,614 times, over eight arrests per person; • These 459,614 arrests represented about 700,000 criminal offenses, some 13 offenses per person. These figures were available in June '07, when half the U.S. Senate, President Bush, top Federal Government officials, a vast business lobby, and the entire apparatus of the Democratic Party pulled out all the stops to ram through a legalization of an estimated 12-20 million illegal aliens. Importing poverty: The argument that illegal aliens have been needed to fill a labor shortage in the U.S. economy is not supported by the facts. According to the Census Bureau, 14.3 percent of illegals work in manufacturing. Yet, manufacturing has lost more than 2 million jobs since 2000, with more jobs lost every month. Hordes of American citizens would love to regain factory employment, as they have not been able to find comparably rewarding jobs elsewhere; but illegals have been hired in their place. DMV's fraud busts hit Latinos. Workers at Oregon's Driver and Motor Vehicle Services have turned in nearly 200 people to police for suspicious documentation, an effort that overwhelmingly singled out Latinos. This summer, the DMV changed a long-standing policy: Rather than simply refuse service to customers suspected of presenting phony or altered documents to obtain licenses or identification, employees began to alert police. The Editor says... They're not necessarily "singling out" Latinos — if the Latinos are the ones committing fraud, they're the ones who will be caught. By and large, Latinos are the cause of the illegal immigration problem — not the victims of it. Illegal Aliens' Impact on American Jobs: Illegal immigration distorts the law of supply and demand in a capitalistic society. In fact, regarding wages, it is hypocritical to want to raise the minimum wage on one hand while the other hand wink at illegal immigrants working at far below prevailing wages. The victim, then, is the American worker and taxpayer. Immigration's Racist Canard: Often I've heard the accusation wielded by my opponents that I must be a racist if I want our nation to secure its borders and create an immigration system that possesses meaningful integrity. Hillary Clinton raised this issue in the most recent debate. A country wrecked by unlimited immigration. The truth is that we have no idea how many people are in this country. That is a scandal. We have no idea because this Government decided, when it came to power in 1997, that it would be a good idea to stop proper enforcement of border controls. Jack Straw, our smug so-called Justice Secretary, was home secretary at the time, and was responsible for this. Defending American Sovereignty and Culture Is Not Racist. Contrary to the perception of editorial writers at great newspapers like the New York Tiimes, defending American sovereignty is not a expression of racist hatred. In fact, it (defending America) is essential if this republic is to survive. Acting in the best interests of America means, among other things, preventing further invasions from third world illegal aliens. It also means deporting those already here. Please save the teary sob stories and lamentations for the poor Mexican migrants who come to America only for a better life. In fact, there are upwards of 38 million of these conniving criminals in America right now. Time to Wake Up from the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act (S. 774) is a nightmare. It is a massive amnesty that extends to the millions of illegal aliens who entered the United States before the age of 16. The illegal alien who applies for this amnesty is immediately rewarded with "conditional" lawful permanent resident (green card) status, which can be converted to a non-conditional green card in short order. The alien can then use his newly acquired status to seek green cards for the parents who brought him in illegally in the first place. In this way, it is also a backdoor amnesty for the millions of illegal aliens who brought their children with them to the United States. This DREAM could be your worst nightmare. Sen. Dick Durbin has been trying to drum up support for getting the DREAM Act passed as an amendment to the pending defense authorization bill. … The ultraliberal senator from Illinois wants to make sure there are no sad little illegal immigrant children falling through the cracks of our mean-hearted society. That's why he wrote the bill, whose full title is the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2007. … The bill is supposed to be about helping "Alien Minors," but that is a complete falsehood. 'Dream' for illegals gets a wake-up call. Sen. Richard J. Durbin [D-IL], trying to win support to pass his proposal to give legal status to illegal aliens who go to college or join the military, said yesterday [9/19/2007] he has dropped from his plan a mandate for in-state tuition rates and is promising to impose an age limit to cut the number of people who would be eligible. End the Dream. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Majority Whip Dick Durbin plans to bring to the Senate floor today [10/24/2007] the newest incarnation of the Dream Act, S. 2205, which would provide illegal alien students the ability to attend college while paying lower in-state tuition rates. Legislation affecting children of illegals fails Senate test vote. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act — DREAM Act for short — was a popular part of a broad immigration plan that would have legalized as many as 12 million unlawful immigrants and fortified the border. Giuliani: Illegal Immigration No Crime. Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani said illegal immigration is not a crime, prompting rival Mitt Romney to accuse him of not taking the problem seriously. The two have clashed for weeks over illegal immigration, an issue that inflames GOP conservatives who influence primary elections. The irony is that both candidates have in the past taken more liberal stands on the issue. Same story... Rudy: No crime being an illegal immigrant. Rudy Giuliani said Friday that being an illegal immigrant isn't a crime, and it shouldn't be one in the future either — comments likely to anger conservatives already leery about his liberal immigration policies as New York mayor. Reaction and commentary... Illegal immigration isn't a crime?. The truth is that the former mayor of the biggest sanctuary city on the planet is similar to President Bush in terms of being tone-deaf to the roar of legal citizens who have positively had it with illegal immigrants. 'Illegal' Crime: The newly-elected mayor of Dallas, Tom Leppert, has promised to open a taxpayer-funded immigration office. According to the Dallas Morning News, this office would help immigrants -- both legal and illegal -- "assimilate" into the city and North Texas region. Wow. An office funded by hard-working taxpayers which would teach illegals everything they need to know about assimilation, perhaps like obtaining free health care, snagging a job, or placing their children into Dallas-area public schools. Maybe this will start a trend all over the country. VAWA Gives More Rights to Illegals than Citizens. The U.S. Congress has granted you the Keys to Kingdom that will unlock the door to U.S. citizenship, a good-paying job, and tons of free services. Here's how it works. Betraying America Por La Raza! On June 10, the Justice Department announced that three Texas National Guard members helping to patrol the Mexican border had been charged with human smuggling. One of the three was caught, in uniform, driving a van packed with 24 illegal Mexican immigrants along Interstate 35 in Texas, some 68 miles north of the border. 15 Things You Should Know About 'The Race': Only in America could critics of a group called "The Race" be labeled racists. Such is the triumph of left-wing identity chauvinists, whose aggressive activists and supine abettors have succeeded in redefining all opposition as "hate." Both Barack Obama and John McCain will speak this week in San Diego at the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza, the Latino organization whose name is Spanish for, yes, "The Race." Can you imagine Obama and McCain paying homage to a group of white people who called themselves that? La Raza To The Bottom. In Orwellian fashion, defenders of "La Raza" deny that it means "the race." San Francisco Chronicle writer Carla Marinucci says of Obama's appearance before the group's national convention in San Diego that Obama "embraced the ideas reflected in the organization's name, La Raza, loosely translated as 'the people.'" A very loose translation it is. The mainstream media discover illegal immigration. The other evening, … my husband made a rather astute observation: "Why is it that all the news shows are suddenly doing 24/7 analysis of the immigration problem? You think they're trying to help the Democrats?" He had a point. Problems stemming from illegal immigration have provoked strong feelings among voters for years without sparking much more than an NPR/La Raza lovefest. Fed dollars proposed for La Raza. Tens of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars soon could be flowing into the National Council of La Raza, an organization that advocates for civil rights for Hispanics and has connections to groups that advocate the separation of several southwestern states from the rest of the nation. Illegals using fire to clear border. U.S. Border Patrol agents seeking to secure the nation's border in some of the country's most pristine national forests are being targeted by illegal aliens, who are using intentionally set fires to burn agents out of observation posts and patrol routes. Hypocrisy That Undermines Civilization: Mexico's policy toward illegal immigrants on its southern border is as brutal as America's is humane. Violators are often summarily deported — if they are not first robbed by Mexican officials or beaten and killed by criminal gangs. Mexicans may lecture Americans about our purported sins in trying to secure our border, but they don't seem to care what their own government does to Guatemalans. NY Times/CBS Poll Finds that 69% Believe Illegal Immigrants Should Be Prosecuted. A New York Times/CBS News poll released yesterday found that 69% of American adults believe illegal immigrants should "be prosecuted and deported for being in the U.S. illegally." Just 24% disagree and say they should not. L.A. police to stop impounding cars of unlicensed drivers. The Los Angeles Police Department has imposed a moratorium on impounding the vehicles of unlicensed drivers amid concerns that the practice may be unconstitutional, officials said Tuesday [8/28/2007]. The decision touches on what has long been a hot-button issue, because many unlicensed drivers who have their cars towed are illegal immigrants who cannot get driver's licenses. Illegal Aliens Declare War on the United States. In Prince William Country, Virginia, illegal aliens have just basically declared war on the county, law and order, and the very livelihood of innocent Americans. They have done so, and no one in Washington really seems to care. Supervisor Ammiano drafting legislation for ID card for illegals. San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano is drafting legislation to create a city identification card for immigrants unable to get traditional ID cards, a move likely to anger advocates of tougher immigration enforcement. The cards would be accepted by all city agencies and organizations that receive city funding. … He also is trying to persuade financial institutions to allow residents to use the cards to open accounts. Oppose REAL ID and "no work list" in immigration bill. The current debate on immigration reform in the U.S. Senate has been highly secretive. The text of the bill has still not been officially released, though it has been leaked, and the mainstream media reports have been largely superficial. Did you know that this bill would reinstate the REAL ID card, which has already been rejected by fifteen states? Indeed, the legislation makes it impossible for Americans to work without either a national REAL ID card or U.S. passport. Did someone mention the REAL ID (National ID) card? Giuliani: America needs high-tech fence, ID card for foreigners. Rudy Giuliani said Friday the United States needs a technological fence and tamper-proof ID cards for foreigners in the country. … A single, tamper-proof ID card would prevent forgery and reduce illegal immigration, he said. "Every single person who is here from a foreign country should be required to have one," Giuliani said. "If they don't have one, they should be thrown out of the country." The Editor says... Let's think this through — since obviously Mr. Giuliani has not. There is no such thing as an ID card that is just for foreigners. The alien can just throw away the card and immediately he will be one of the locals. Obviously Mr. Giuliani's plan will result in everybody having to carry a National ID card, or they will be "thrown out of the country." Illegal immigrants refrain: 'Leaving America is not an option'. Francisco Gimenez risked his life to get into United States. He is not planning to leave in a hurry. Like many members of Los Angeles' immigrant community, the 27-year-old butcher is skeptical about proposed legislation intended to offer illegal workers a path to citizenship. Go home, illegal immigrants. Illegal aliens who have babies in the United States should take their kids back across the border, Republican state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe said Monday. "If you have a child here illegally, you should pick that little baby up, take that child back home with you and come back the right way," said Metcalfe, of Cranberry. Why They Won't Assimilate: Assimilation is not a process magically initiated upon setting foot on American terra firma. Rather, it only occurs when one or both of two conditions are met: The foreign elements must have a desire to assimilate or the host nation must place pressure on them to do so. Unfortunately, neither is the case today because both immigrants and native-born Americans are far different than they once were. The Immigration 'Compromise': The public realizes that this inundation is going to continue unless somebody stops it, and that the upshot will be, in a few more decades, a brand-new United States, with a powerful bloc of Spanish-speaking residents and a culture to match. On the other side are two powerful groups of Americans who are benefiting from this process. They connived at its inception in the 1960s, but were forced to accept an effort at "reform" in 1986, under which the illegal tide would henceforth be stopped at the border, in return for a legal amnesty for the 3 million or so already here. Then they managed to prevent any serious border enforcement, and the tide flowed on to its present 12 million. Officers' hands tied on illegal immigrants. It began as a tip to America's Most Wanted: An anonymous caller said the No. 1 fugitive was holed up in a South Side house. With the TV show's cameras in tow, deputy U.S. marshals raided 788 Stambaugh Ave. on Jan. 7 looking for Manuel Penaloza, who was wanted in two killings and a carjacking in Pasadena, Calif. Instead, they found five undocumented immigrants in the tiny bungalow. The Amnesty Fraud: Part III. Whose problem is the immigration bill in Congress supposed to solve? The country's problem with dangerously porous borders? The illegal immigrants' problem? Or politicians' problems? It has been painfully clear for years that the country's problem with insecure borders and floods of foreigners who remain a foreign — and growing — part of the American population has the lowest priority of the three. Border Patrol Agents Under Attack. Assaults against agents in the Yuma sector have shot up to 126 in the first six months of this fiscal year. That's approaching the number of assaults all last year. Agent Ben Vick was lucky he was wearing a helmet when this brick hit his head. "I looked down and though, 'Oh, that's what hit me.' Because before that, I had no idea. It was just such a huge blow," Vick says. The Real Immigration Threat: The real problem began with a piece of legislation titled "The Immigration Reform Act of 1965" (Ted Kennedy's brainchild). It not only increased immigration levels from approximately 250,000 yearly to about one million, it also has created a situation wherein 85 percent of our immigrants hail from the Third World and Asia and half from Spanish-speaking countries. This was a departure from historical norms and guaranteed the ultimate destruction of our western, Anglo-American culture. Mexico to honor Sen. Kennedy. The Mexican government is honoring U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy for his defense of immigrant rights. Helping the undocumented afford college. For Francisco Alvarado, a 22-year-old undocumented immigrant enrolled at Cal State Dominguez Hills, a college education would be impossible without some financial assistance. In his two years at the school, Alvarado has received about $4,000 from the student organization Espiritu de Nuestro Futuro, which raises scholarship money for undocumented students. Coffee chain drops names over concerns it's an ethnic slur. A small but growing coffeehouse chain is changing its name amid concern that the moniker meant to celebrate the seed of its main product also is a disparaging term for Hispanics. Beaner's Coffee, based in East Lansing, on Friday [9/14/2007] informed franchisees and employees at its 77 stores in Michigan and eight other states that it would become Biggby Coffee, effective Jan. 31. The Editor says... I've lived and worked around Hispanics all my life and have never heard that term. And now I wonder: is there shame in eating beans? Are the Hispanic people really so easily offended, or was this controversy generated by a third party troublemaker? Thousands attend immigration rally in downtown Dallas. Many in the crowd authorities estimated at more than 5,000 held signs that read "No to 2903," referring to an ordinance in the Dallas suburb of Farmer's Branch that would make it illegal for landlords to rent apartments to illegal immigrants. Inaction on Immigration: When it comes to illegal immigration, Washington has provided plenty of talk but very little action. For example, I have a correspondent in southern California who's been part of a private effort to catch illegals. I asked him recently how things were going at the border. "What border?" he wrote. "Day after day, we have both in-person sightings, and remotely recorded videos of groups crossing." Memo: Illegal immigrants in Texas need 6 arrests to be charged. Guidelines issued by U.S. attorneys in Texas showed that most illegal immigrants crossing into the state had to be arrested at least six times before federal authorities would prosecute them, according to an internal Justice Department memo. The disclosure provides a rare view of how federal authorities attempt to curb illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants allowed at least five strikes. Documents released in the controversy about eight fired U.S. attorneys show that federal prosecutors in Texas generally have declined to bring criminal charges against illegal immigrants caught crossing the border — until at least their sixth arrest. Illegal Mexican alien sentenced after six prior deportations. A 29-year-old Mexican farm worker who has been deported at least six times for illegally entering the United States will spend 15 months in federal prison. Vincente Santiago-Castro then will be sent back to Mexico once again. Guide coaches illegals on raids. A Maryland-based immigrant-advocacy group is distributing guidebooks instructing those targeted by federal immigration agents during job-site raids not to cooperate with authorities if they are arrested or detained. The eight-page, two-color illustrated book lists what rights "people who are not United States citizens" have if detained by immigration agents, details what to do if served with a warrant or charged with a crime, and urges them to remain silent if they are arrested. They want your job, your property, and your country. I am speaking, of course, of illegal immigrants, aka undocumented immigrants, aka undocumented workers, aka unauthorized migrants, aka Mexican nationals, whose number may be as high as 30 million — 22 million adults who have invaded this country since the previous mass amnesty in 1986, and as many as eight million children whom female illegal aliens have borne in this country during that time, and which have been improperly defined by the federal courts, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, as "American citizens." Can Congress repeal birthright citizenship? Many Americans are angry about illegal immigration and believe birthright citizenship encourages it. Unsurprisingly, then, the idea of eliminating automatic citizenship for the children of lawful and unlawful aliens has gained remarkable traction around the country. U.S. Can't Account for 600,000 Fugitives. Teams assigned to make sure foreigners ordered out of the United States actually leave are grappling with a backlog of more than 600,000 cases and can't accurately account for the fugitives' whereabouts, the government reported Monday [3/26/2007]. Newsom pledges to make SF a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. Mayor Gavin Newsom vowed Sunday [4/22/2007] to maintain San Francisco as a sanctuary for immigrants and do everything he can to discourage federal authorities from conducting immigration raids. Activists Rally Against Illegal Immigration. Several hundred protesters gathered outside the White House on Sunday [4/22/2007] to complain about President Bush's handling of the immigration issue, including his push for "comprehensive" reform. The protesters demanded tighter border security. Fed-Sponsored Program Allows Immigrants Without Social Security Numbers to Wire Money Home Cheap. A federal program designed to help legal immigrant Mexican workers wire their earnings back to families in Mexico also is providing a "fast, safe, and low-cost way" for illegal workers without Social Security cards to funnel money out of the U.S. Bill would mandate nicer term for illegals. A state legislator whose district is home to thousands of Caribbean immigrants wants to ban the term "illegal alien" from the state's official documents. "I personally find the word 'alien' offensive when applied to individuals, especially to children," said Sen. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami. "An alien to me is someone from out of space." The Editor says... Surely a State Senator is a person who has spent enough time in school to notice that English words often have multiple definitions. Alien is one of those words. If the dictionary is sanitized to remove all offensive words, just because some politician objects to the connotations, soon all that's left will be Orwellian Newspeak. Report: Bank of America's New Credit Card Targets Illegal Immigrants. Bank of America Corp. has begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers, typically illegal immigrants, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday [2/13/2007]. [Okay, if an illegal alien can open an account without a Social Security number, why can't I?] Bunk Of America: By creating a new incentive to illegal immigration — credit cards for those lacking Social Security numbers — is Bank of America breaking law? And will terrorists find it easier now to finance their activities? This writer seems to think it's just a shrewd business decision. Credit Where Credit Is Due. The Bank of America ... has been ahead of the game in offering services to immigrants. In 2005, it eliminated fees for transfers to Mexico for account holders. And last week, the bank expanded a tiny pilot program offering credit cards to people without credit history or Security numbers. In other words: illegal immigrants. Bill would block credit cards for illegals. U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., introduced legislation Monday [3/5/2007] that would prevent illegal immigrants from receiving credit cards from American financial institutions. The Photo Identification Security Act would require banks to use what Blackburn calls "secure forms of identification" to obtain credit. In a statement put out by her office, she says that Bank of America "has come under fire in response to reports that it allows illegal immigrants access to credit cards without proper documentation." Dallas-based food chain to accept Mexican Pesos. Starting Monday, patrons of the Dallas-based Pizza Patrón chain, which caters heavily to Latinos, will be able to purchase American pizzas with Mexican pesos. Restaurant experts and economists said they knew of no other food chain with locations so far from the Mexican border offering such a service. "We're trying to reach out to our core customer," Antonio Swad, president of Pizza Patrón Inc., said Friday [1/5/2007]. Texas-Based Pizza Chain Accepts Pesos. A pizza chain has been hit with death threats and hate mail after offering to accept Mexican pesos, becoming another flashpoint in the nation's debate over immigrants. … Wal-Mart, H-E-B supermarkets and other American businesses in towns along the Mexican border accept pesos. And some busineses in New York and Minnesota communities along the northern border accept Canadian dollars. The difference here is that many of the pizza joints are far from the border, in places like Dallas, more than 400 miles away, and Denver, more than 700 miles. New Orleans Police Creates Illegal Alien Sanctuary. A five-year-old Louisiana law ordering local police to arrest illegal immigrants during routine traffic stops will no longer be enforced by the New Orleans Police Department, which issued a directive this week prohibiting officers from arresting people in the country illegally. Deportation cases soar as L.A. jails screen more. The number of Los Angeles County jail inmates identified as suspected illegal immigrants nearly doubled in the year since the Sheriff's Department started investigating their legal status. … "The benefit is these people who are committing crimes aren't being released onto our streets to commit more crimes. They are being removed from the United States," said Jim Hayes, director of the Los Angeles field office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Mexican Truck Deal Draws Angry Reaction. The news that Mexican trucks will be allowed to haul freight deeper into the United States drew an angry reaction Friday from labor leaders, safety advocates and members of Congress. They said Mexico has substandard trucks and low-paid drivers that will threaten national security, cost thousands of jobs and endanger motorists on the northern side of the border. President Hillary Clinton? Question: When you apply for welfare in Mexico what does the government give you? Answer: A map to the United States. How can President Bush (with a straight face) assure us that he is dedicated to stopping terrorism in America — while putting out the welcome mat for millions of foreigners to cross our porous borders breaking our laws? This type of ill-prepared approach to stopping potential terrorists entering through our borders is just plain insanity. What's Worse Than Open Borders? Look around you... When the U.S. is trespassed upon at will by 15 million to 30 million illegal aliens, our border troops are under orders to flee from their posts if attacked, and the only thing upon which President Bush and Speaker Nancy Pelosi agree is the need for amnesty for brazen masses of immigration criminals, it would be easy to say that America has a de facto policy of open borders. The New Slavery: Illegal workers. Every American knows that one of the biggest blights upon America's legacy of freedom and economic opportunity was slavery. … Like a man returning to smoking, our generation has once again gotten hooked on cheap labor. Unfortunately, we are forgetting that this kind of labor may be dangerous to our national health. What am I referring to? The cheap labor of illegal aliens. They are victims of what I would like to call "the new slavery." Although the problem can be solved, it is important to remember that the situation is complex both morally and economically. Illegal immigrants caught in jails. Juan Martinez was looking forward to returning to his construction job after finishing a month-long sentence for violating probation on drug charges. When he was finally released from the Orange County jail, he was met by immigration agents, not his mother. Agents remove 2,300 illegal aliens in two weeks. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents removed more than 2,300 illegal aliens from the country in the past two weeks on 35 flights to the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia and Africa — one of the busiest periods of the year for ICE's Office of Detention and Removal Operations. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers, who heads ICE, said 852 of those removed had criminal records, and that another 21 flights this week will take 2,087 aliens to Central America and the Caribbean, including 515 who are criminal aliens. U.S. fights against ID sales to illegals. Asked by a federal judge why she sold her birth certificate, Rosie Medellin said she needed a few bucks and didn't really think it through. Bobby Joe Flores said he sold his ID documents to buy drugs. Margarita Moya and her son did it to raise money for medicine for a loved one. Their documents were destined for illegal immigrants. Measure classifies protesting illegals as terrorists. A group of conservative Republican state lawmakers want to classify as domestic terrorists protesting illegal immigrants who "intimidate" or "threaten" U.S. citizens. The GOP bill would also classify members of Mexican or other foreign criminal gangs or drug cartels as domestic terrorists and classify violations as felonies. A Chain of Corruption: The Bush propaganda that illegal aliens only take jobs Americans won't do is patently false. There is probably no industry in which illegal aliens are more heavily concentrated than meatpacking. Yet even at Swift, we are told, 60 percent to 70 percent of the workers are neither illegal aliens nor do they have phony IDs. Illegal Immigration and Low Wage Labor. Leprechauns, unicorns, and the assertion that illegal immigrants take jobs Americans won't do — they're all myths. Some myths are harmless, while others, like the medical benefits of bleeding, cause harm. The assertion about illegal immigrants taking unwanted jobs is not harmless. Low wage Americans bear a considerable burden. A new entitlement for illegals: Never say Ken Boehm didn't warn you. … As absurd as this story line surely must seem to rational people, Mr. Boehm worries that someday taxpayers actually could be forced to pay for lawyers representing illegal aliens in the U.S. who want amnesty and citizenship. Boehm is co-founder and chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center, a Virginia nonpartisan foundation promoting ethics in public life. He also is not delusional. Note: The subsection about the two railroaded Border Patrol agents has now moved here. Why Is it "Impossible" to Deport Illegal Aliens, Mr. Bush? [President Bush] turns downright squeamish when it comes to defending America's own borders and enforcing our immigration laws. Most distressing is Bush's assertion that deportation of millions of illegal aliens is "impossible." How in the world can it be "impossible" for the most powerful and technologically advanced nation in the world to remove criminals who have invaded our nation at time of war? The race to the bottom: In the race to the bottom for votes to win office, or to preserve themselves in office, it would be difficult to out-run Republicans as they pander to the Hispanic vote by refusing to control our southern border against an invasion by millions of illegal aliens. Democrats are trying and they may soon pass Republicans in their cynical pursuit of political power. How will illegal immigration end? We hear all sorts of solutions for ending illegal immigration. Build a wall! Beef up border security! Fine employers, and create a massive guest-worker program. Or America could insist on tamper-proof identification cards, or detention, deportation or even amnesty for some illegal aliens — or all of these measures somehow combined. Americans cheated by 'virtual' laws. On Dec. 14 [2006], the Government Accountability Office lowered the boom on the Bush administration by releasing a report stating that the government has given up on plans to implement a system to track the entry and exit of foreign visitors. Congress ordered the creation of an entry-exit system called US-VISIT (excluding Canadians and Mexicans) back in 1996, and the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, made this system imperative. Some of the Sept. 11 hijackers entered the United States legally on visas but never departed when their visas expired. It's now 2006, and we are told that an entry-exit system doesn't exist and the government has abandoned plans to create it. Liberals' sudden new respect for a Christian holiday. Recently US agents raided Swift meat packing plants in many states to round up illegal aliens. The liberal press was outraged that this was done on a major Mexican religious holiday/festival, the Virgin of Guadeloupe Day, celebrated December 12. Extremist Latino rhetoric flares in the background. Some of the most stridently racial rhetoric these days is not being heard from blacks or whites but rather from Latinos. From street activists to students to professionals, Latinos are stoking ethnic anger as they pander to crowds with blatant stereotypes and use racially charged language to motivate their supporters — and they are doing so with virtual impunity. Our Town — Or Is It Theirs? There has been discord enough in the shady streets of this rice-growing city [Williams, California] north of San Francisco, where the population has shifted from three-quarters white to nearly three-quarters Latino in just two decades. Anyone wanting some heated conversation need only mention the time six years ago when the board of education extended the Christmas break to three weeks to give Mexican families more time to go home for the holidays. Hazelton: The people vs. the ACLU. Louis Barletta, mayor of Hazleton, Pa., has thrown down the gauntlet to those who think America belongs to anyone who can walk across the border. The American Civil Liberties Union and a Puerto Rican group have taken up the challenge. And the mayor has upped the ante by hiring as defense counsel the former head of immigration in the Justice Department. Why Illegal Immigration Is About to Get Worse: A voter trying to affect the course of government is a little like a pilot trying to affect the course of hand-to-hand combat with a 500-pound bomb. Just as there is simply no place in the battle that the pilot can strike without inflicting casualties on his own side, there is no candidate in a two-party election that any given voter can support without voting against some of his own beliefs at the same time. Low-paid illegal work force has little impact on prices. You might assume that the plentiful supply of low-wage illegal workers would translate into significantly lower prices for the goods and services they produce. In fact, their impact on consumer prices — call it the "illegal-worker discount" — is surprisingly small. … Eliminating illegal farmworkers, by shrinking the pool of available labor, likely would raise wages for those who remain. City sued over day-labor site. City officials are violating federal law by collecting fees from workers at a day-labor site in Laguna Canyon without checking immigration status, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday [10/03/2006]. Town bars foreign flags in swipe at immigrants. A Nevada town passed a law this week making it illegal to fly a foreign nation's flag by itself, the latest swipe by a U.S. community at illegal immigrants. It's About Drugs, Idiota. Since 1984, the ruling governments of Mexico have been operating under a pact signed during the reign of President Miguel de la Madrid and the drug lords. The deal required the cartels to keep their billions of narco-dollars in Mexico's nationalized banks in exchange for quiet cooperation from the government. In other words, the drug lords could expect to carry out their business unmolested. Why was such a deal necessary for the Mexican government? Because its economy was sinking — and, because drugs are the biggest of all businesses in the country. Is immigration bad for blacks? Perhaps the most tragic American paradox of the last half century is that as the legal and social restrictions hindering black economic advancement diminished and a sizable black middle class emerged, a large fraction of black men dropped out of the workforce and/or went to prison. … About one quarter of black male high school dropouts are locked up at any point in time. Was immigration's depressing effect on wages responsible for this by dissuading less skilled blacks from honest labor? There's Still Time To Block Immigration-Induced Leftism — If We Act Now. In the long run, of course, California is in for ever more trouble as its huge reserve of leftist nonvoters trickles into the electorate. And as the recently unveiled mini-Census of 2005 reveals, California has been raked over so hard by illegal immigration that the illegals themselves are now fleeing for greener pastures in the other 49 states — bringing California-style problems with them. … Hispanic voting is still so weak that it's not yet too late politically to shut off the influx from abroad… if we act now. Immigration tipping point? Feeling the heat of the midterm elections, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says it's time to authorize a 700-mile fence to stem "uncontrolled" immigration from Mexico. It now looks like the Senate will follow the House in approving the fence. Homeland Security Committee Chairman, Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican, said he has "never seen such a disconnect between the American voter and many elite lawmakers," adding that "securing the border this year is a cornerstone to national security." Experts say tough border laws are likely illegal. Lawmakers around the country are passing state laws to get tough on illegal immigration, but legal experts say many of those laws will turn out to be unconstitutional. Cornyn amendment on border security funding dies. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, used a procedural move late Wednesday [8/2/2006] to toss out an amendment proposed by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., providing the money for border security projects already authorized by Congress but not funded. House Panel: Senate Bill Would 'Cede Control' of Border. [House Judiciary Committee] Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) warns that the Senate is trying to "cede control" of the country's southern border security to the Mexican government. Suit over illegals OK'd for workers at Tyson Foods. A federal judge has ruled that workers can file a class-action suit against Tyson Foods Inc. for depressing wages by hiring illegal aliens. The Great Divide Over Illegal Immigration: Those of us who support Rule of Law have asked this question about President George W. Bush and about so many of our officials. Why would anyone want to take a country such as the United States that has worked remarkably well as a democratic society and change it into something that resembles a third world country with few property rights and no middle class? Why change the United States into Mexico? The religious worker visa scam. It's not just back-door illegal immigration that remains a big problem. Front-door exploitation and lax enforcement of visa requirements greased the skids for the 9/11 hijackers — and with DHS still facing understaffing, mismanagement, and massive backlogs, those avenues are still open. U.S. White Population Will Be Minority by 2042, Government Says. The white majority in the U.S. will be outnumbered by Americans of other races by 2042, eight years sooner than previously projected by the Census Bureau. Minorities, defined by the agency as everyone except non-Hispanic, single-race whites, will make up 54 percent of the U.S. population in 2050, compared with 34 percent of the population today, the Census Bureau said in a statement. The Editor says... To see what America will look like in 2042, visit Dallas this year. No, not the suburbs to the north, the city of Dallas itself. I like my neighborhood well enough, just a hundred yards outside the Dallas city limits, but it's obvious there's "white flight" underway here. Speaking of the suburbs ... What's going on in Farmers Branch, Texas? One Dallas suburb has taken bold action and has picked up the slack left by the federal government. The latest: Judge: Farmers Branch illegal immigrant rule unconstitutional. A federal judge found Wednesday that a Dallas suburb's rule prohibiting apartment rentals to illegal immigrants was unconstitutional and could not be enforced. Texas town's immigrant-renting rule is struck down. A Dallas suburb's ban on apartment rentals to illegal immigrants, an ordinance passed by city leaders and later endorsed in a vote by its residents, is unconstitutional, a federal judge found Wednesday. Only the federal government can regulate immigration, U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay concluded in his decision. [As usual, when activists on the political left lose at the ballot box, they head straight to the courtroom.] Farmers Branch proposes new ban for illegal immigrants. The Dallas suburb that jumped into the nationwide debate over immigration plans to take up another law to force out undocumented immigrants. The Farmers Branch City Council plans to consider a new ordinance Tuesday banning landlords from renting apartments and houses to illegal immigrants. It would require the city and federal government, not the landlords, to determine who is in the country legally, The Dallas Morning News reported on its Web site Thursday [1/17/2008]. Groups: Block Texas town's immigrant ban. Latino activists and civil liberties advocates asked a federal judge Tuesday [5/15/2007] to block a voter-approved ordinance that prohibits landlords from renting apartments to most illegal immigrants in the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch. The Editor says... This tactic can be found somewhere around page two of the Democrats' playbook — If you can't win at the ballot box, shop around for a sympathetic federal judge. Anti-Illegal-Immigrant Law OK'd in [Farmers Branch] Texas. Voters in this Dallas suburb became the first in the nation Saturday [5/12/2007] to prohibit landlords from renting to most illegal immigrants. The ban was approved by a vote of 68 percent to 32 percent in final, unofficial returns. The balloting marked the first public vote on a local government measure to crack down on illegal immigration. Texas Immigration Proposal Draws Protest. Clutching American flags and signs that read "America was formed by immigrants," more than 300 protesters on Saturday [8/26/2006] denounced a [Farmers Branch, Texas] city proposal that would prohibit landlords from leasing to illegal immigrants. About two dozen counter-protesters staged a demonstration nearby. The proposal by City Councilman Tim O'Hare would also make it tougher for illegal immigrants to work in the Dallas suburb, penalize businesses that employ undocumented workers and make English the city's official language. The Editor says... Over the last 1000 years or so, there may never have been a time when immigrants outnumbered those who were born in North America. But that's ancient history, and in any event, the suburbs of Dallas were not "formed by immigrants." If immigrants are unwelcome in Farmers Branch, there are plenty of other places to live and work. And you don't need to know much about English if you live in East Dallas, West Dallas, or most of South Dallas. Texas town considers anti-illegals bill. This Dallas suburb could become the first city in Texas to adopt a sweeping ordinance intended to keep out illegal immigrants, a cause for concern among its large minority population. Dallas suburb discusses illegal immigrant crackdown. City Council members were meeting this evening to consider a controversial proposal intended to crack down on illegal immigration, the first local measure of its kind in Texas. This near-Dallas suburb is considering whether to make English the city's official language, enroll police officers in a federal training program that will make them de facto immigration officials and prohibit landlords from renting to illegal immigrants. Update: ACLU Sues Texas Town for Not Renting to Illegals. Two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday [12/26/2006] challenging a suburb's new law that outlaws renting to illegal immigrants, alleging the ordinance violates federal law and forces landlords to act as immigration officers. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund filed the suit on behalf of Farmers Branch residents and landlords. Texas Town OKs Anti-Immigration Measures. Leaders of this Dallas suburb unanimously approved tough new anti-immigration measures Monday evening [11/13/2006], including one that makes English the official language. Leave Racism Charges Out of Immigration Debate. Farmers Branch has become the latest epicenter for the type of shrill protest that arises whenever anyone suggests getting serious about our immigration laws. First came Hazleton, Pa., where Mayor Lou Barletta pushed the Illegal Immigration Relief Act, punishing landlords who rent to illegal aliens and businesses who hire them. English became the town's official language, eliminating polylingual legal documents and signs. Texas town cracks down on illegal aliens, expects suit. City Council members Monday night unanimously passed ordinances they hope will curtail illegal aliens, but said they expected the new laws to be fought in court. Hundreds were turned away from City Hall, and the council chamber itself was filled to legal occupancy as the city leaders passed the strictest set of ordinances against illegal entry in any Texas city. Small towns clamping down. In small towns and sleepy suburbs across America, growing numbers of local politicians are sending a message to the federal government: If you won't solve the illegal immigration problem, we will. … In the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch, where the City Council passed its own anti-illegal-immigrant ordinance Monday [11/13/2006], Latino and Christian activists already are planning to sue. Two Towns Adopt English as the Official Language. Less than one week after Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved making English the official language of the state, two towns — Farmers Branch, Texas and Taneytown, Md. — declared English as their official language Monday evening. Both measures call for the town government to do official business overwhelmingly in English, with common sense exemptions consistent with federal and state law, such as emergency services. What's going on in Irving, Texas? Attention all illegal immigrants: If you aren't smart enough to stay away from Irving, or Farmers Branch, you should at least avoid attracting the attention of the police! Illegal immigrants make up 11% of Irving's arrest total. Eleven percent of people arrested in Irving in the past 13 months were illegal immigrants, and the overwhelming majority of them were arrested on misdemeanor charges, according to Irving police data. The city's Criminal Alien Program, which identifies illegal immigrants who have been arrested and hands them over to federal authorities, has turned Irving into the latest hot spot in the nation's immigration debate. Renters no more: Undocumented immigrants are able to buy homes. Despite being in the U.S. illegally, undocumented immigrants can legally buy a house. Certain lenders don't ask for immigration papers. And buyers using a special tax ID often don't need a lengthy credit history. A Harsher Border Crossing. America's vast frontier with Mexico remains a highly porous landscape, where migrants by the hundreds of thousands cross annually. But stepped-up patrols, more barriers and high-tech monitoring have made the boundary impenetrable for many. Man says he illegally crossed border 4 times in 10 days. Aurelio Solorzano-Ovando, 35, told officials that three of those crossings resulted in arrests by Border Patrol agents, who released him in Mexico. Deputies arrested Solorzano-Ovando and 11 other undocumented immigrants Thursday in the far-west Valley on suspicion of conspiring to smuggle themselves into the country. States try to block illegal workers. At least 30 states have passed laws or taken other steps this year to crack down on illegal immigrants, often making it harder for undocumented workers to find jobs or receive public services. Colorado congressman calls Miami a 'Third World country'. [Rep. Tom Tancredo], whose district includes suburbs of Denver, pointed to Miami as an example of how "the nature of America can be changed by uncontrolled immigration," the story says. "Look at what has happened to Miami," the WorldNetDaily quotes Tancredo as saying in an interview. "It has become a Third World country. … You would never know you're in the United States of America." Immigration raids make a ghost town in Georgia. Trailer parks lie abandoned. The poultry plant is scrambling to replace more than half its workforce. Business has dried up at stores where Mexican laborers once lined up to buy food, beer and cigarettes just weeks ago. This Georgia community of about 1,000 people has become little more than a ghost town since September 1, when federal agents began rounding up illegal immigrants. In Exchange for Records, Fewer Immigration Raids. Over the past seven months, Bush administration officials have quietly toured the country, trying to persuade businesses that rely heavily on immigrant labor to join a little-known program that would spare them from embarrassing federal raids if they voluntarily handed over their workers' documents so the government can scan them for fraudulent information. What Is It About "Illegal" That No One Understands? A woman crossed the border of the United States illegally. Twice. After her second incursion, she had a baby, which, under the 14th Amendment, is an automatic American citizen. She, however, remains a criminal alien. (Did I mention that she was convicted of working under a false social security number at O'Hare Airport? Yeah. That, too.) Immigrant Criminals Going Free Instead Of Facing Deportation. Federal officials said [Manuel] Pardo was deported, but three weeks ago he was back in the county jail, charged with driving without a valid license. Although it is a felony to return to the United States after deportation, he was released on $500 bail. He walked out nine hours after he was picked up. Employers held on charges of harboring illegal aliens. Employers in three states targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as part of an enhanced effort to combat illegal-alien employment schemes have been arrested for, or pleaded guilty to, charges of harboring illegal aliens. Nine Killed in Crash Fleeing Border Patrol. A sport utility vehicle crammed with suspected illegal immigrants rolled over in an attempt to outrun Border Patrol agents, killing nine people and injuring at least 12 others, officials said. … The large SUV was carrying up to 22 people when the driver had tried to circumvent a checkpoint on the highway, Border Patrol spokesman Lloyd Frers said. Immigrant Smugglers Bring Violence To U.S. Highways. Two separate illegal immigrant smuggling rings caused deadly incidents on U.S. highways this week, illustrating how the lucrative business is spreading its violence north of the border and threatening innocent Americans. In the first event a sports utility vehicle loaded with illegal immigrants rolled over in Utah's Four Corners area, killing eight people and injuring six others. Mexico aims to maintain easy flow over the border. Mexican President Vicente Fox's multistate tour of the western United States last week came while his government is in the midst of a massive, well-financed campaign to influence congressional efforts at stricter immigration enforcement and shape public opinion to allow more Mexican nationals into this country. 55 Guardsmen Decrease Mexican Border Infiltration 21% in 10 Days. That pretty much summarizes what was undoubtedly the most important news story of the last week, a report that was all but buried by the mainstream media. … The shocking drop-off in human smuggling is attributed to one factor: the arrival of the National Guard on the border. More examples of suppressed news stories. Social Security uncovers illegal workers. Privacy concerns prevent the Social Security Administration from notifying an employer that a hired foreign national is not authorized to work in this country, including someone who may be a potential national security risk, says a government audit. Identity theft linked to illegal immigration. Nobody likes getting a letter from the IRS. So imagine Amanda Bien's reaction last Valentine's Day when the agency wrote to demand $3,300 in back taxes. For jobs she never worked. Five of them. In multiple states. … Someone, somewhere, got Bien's name and Social Security number and gave it a workout. Illegal Dirty Little Secrets about Social Security. There are two dirty little secrets behind the debate over the illegal alien issue that even the advocates of securing the borders first have failed to discuss. The first secret is that the estimated twelve to twenty million aliens living and working illegally in the United States have to commit identity theft to secure employment. The second secret is that without illegals' payroll tax contributions, filed under stolen or fraudulent Social Security numbers, the Social Security system would collapse years earlier than estimated. More information about Social Security. Illegal immigration? Eisenhower had an answer. George W. Bush isn't the first Republican president to face a full-blown immigration crisis on the U.S.-Mexican border. Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected President Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, America's southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. A Latin conservative tidal wave is not coming. The myth of the redemptive Hispanic is finally cracking. For years, conservative open-borders advocates have touted Hispanic "family values" as a prime reason to increase immigration. … The truth is now supplanting the fiction. Last Friday [7/21/2006], the New York Times ran an editorial, "Young Latinas and a Cry for Help," that laid out the real state of the Hispanic family. … [The Hispanic] out-of-wedlock teen-birth rate is three times that of white teens, and significantly more than that of blacks as well. The Hispanic dropout rate is also the highest in the country — the Manhattan Institute's Jay Greene puts it at 47 percent. Bribery at the Border Worries Officials. Federal law enforcement officials are investigating a series of bribery and smuggling cases in what they fear is a sign of increased corruption among officers who patrol the Mexican border. "Aztlan" spurs pride in Latinos, fears among immigration foes. "Up until recently I dismissed the idea as a kooky fringe element, but if you look at the demonstrations and see the flags and hear people chanting that this is stolen land and 'we are reclaiming our lost land' it sounds more serious," said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supports tough enforcement of immigration laws. Who Is The U.S. Senate Working For? Recent legislative actions in Washington, D.C., raise the question of just who the U.S. Senate is working for. … The Senate Immigration bill is straight out of the United Nations' Agenda 21 plan for ruling the world. There is Amnesty for all the Illegal Aliens lawbreakers who are here in violation of our Immigration laws. The Senate is trying hard to convince voters that it's not Amnesty, but that is what the Senate bill provides. City to crackdown on illegal immigration. With tensions rising and its police department and municipal budget stretched thin, this small northeastern Pennsylvania city is about to begin what the mayor calls one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal immigrants in the United States. "Illegal immigrants are destroying the city," said Mayor Lou Barletta, a Republican. "I don't want them here, period." Same story: Pennsylvania city to target illegals via employers, landlords. With tensions rising and the police department and municipal budget stretched thin, Hazleton is about to embark on one of the toughest crackdowns on illegal aliens anywhere in the United States. Last week, the mayor of this former coal town introduced — and the City Council tentatively approved — a measure that would revoke the business licenses of companies that employ illegal aliens, impose $1,000 fines on landlords who rent to illegal aliens and make English the official language of the city. A break, maybe, for the illegals. A letter urging the president to abandon the Senate legislation and take up the House immigration bill instead was delivered yesterday [6/19/2006] to the White House with 39 prominent conservative names on it.  Illegal Immigration Factsheet. Illegal immigrants to the US cost the country at least $10 billion more than they contribute to the economy. Illegals' tax deal could kill bill. A key feature of the Senate bill is that it would make illegals pay back taxes before applying for citizenship, a requirement that supporters say will raise billions of dollars in the next decade. There's just one problem: The U.S. Constitution specifically prohibits revenue-raising legislation from originating in the Senate. Free ride for illegals on way to Manassas. A sheriff's deputy in Belmont County, Ohio, detained the aliens for about two hours early Tuesday [6/20/2006] after stopping the van on Interstate 470 for a traffic violation. A passenger in the van told deputies that they were illegal aliens and heading to Manassas to find work. The deputies released the group after federal immigration authorities said via telephone they could not interview the aliens. Only 483 Guard Working on Mexican Border. On the deadline to have 2,500 troops along the Mexican border, the National Guard said Friday [6/30/2006] that only 483 were in position and working with the U.S. Border Patrol as the Bush administration had directed. Use and Abuse of Euphemism: Before we decide what to do about illegal immigration, we might first decide what to call it. … If you consider these alternatives carefully and dispassionately, it becomes obvious that the term considered most verboten here, "illegal alien," is actually the most accurate one. "Undocumented worker" is absurd — not all immigrants are workers, obviously, and most who are working do not lack for documents, albeit of a counterfeit variety. Bush declines to meet with border officials. President Bush has refused to meet with border law enforcement officials from Texas for a second time. His response to their request came in the form of a letter Monday, angering both lawmakers and sheriffs. Senate Amnesty: Can't Fire Illegals, Just Citizens. Foreign guest farm workers, admitted under the bill, cannot be "terminated from employment by any employer … except for just cause." Please note that American agricultural workers can be fired for any reason. In fact, many American workers can be fired for any reason. But it gets better. It extends the Davis-Bacon Act's requirement for the payment of "prevailing wage" to all temporary guest workers. That puts them ahead of Americans, who have this protection only on federal job sites. Birthright sale: This is one of the most reckless gambles with the future of this nation ever taken by supposedly responsible members of Congress. The idea we must consult with Mexico before controlling our own borders is staggering — and revealing. The Mexican government has already shown its utter contempt for our laws by publishing booklets advising its citizens how to enter the U.S. illegally and how to take advantage of Ameri |