ILLEGAL ALIENS, RICHMOND ROAD: An officer on patrol at 8 p.m. Friday, saw a trailer being pulled by a truck. The trailer had no lights and the truck was stopped. The truck's driver had only a Mexican driver's license. When asked, he admitted he was in the country illegally. The passenger had an Ohio ID, but also admitted to be in the country illegally. The truck is owned by a Richmond Heights man. Police contacted immigration officials who spoke to the men via telephone, then arranged to pick them up at the police station.
Dozens of Miami Dade College students and some of their professors staged a rally Thursday demanding that federal immigration authorities free two Venezuelan brothers facing deportation. The Kendall Campus rally launched a campaign aimed at putting pressure on the federal government to release Jesús and Guillermo Reyes and delay or cancel their deportations and those of their parents and brother Marcos, who are in hiding. Jesús, 21, was taking criminal justice courses at Miami Dade College and was the 2007-08 Kendall Campus Student Government Association president. Guillermo, 25, recently received a computer-animation degree at the same college.
Another public opinion polls shows sentiment against providing government services and welfare to illegal immigrants and opposition to sanctuary cities where undocumented immigrants are not arrested just for being in the country illegally. The city of Phoenix is considered a sanctuary city by those who favor tougher border and immigration controls. A Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 Americans found 68 percent oppose sanctuary cities where illegal immigrants are not arrested unless they commit serious crimes. Only 13 percent favor the sanctuary city idea. Nineteen percent weren't sure, according to Rasmussen.
We guess immigration is never not an issue, even in putting terrorists on trial. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee today are demanding to know the immigration status of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and other 9/11 plotters, should they be brought to the United States to stand trial. Their fear is that KSM and his henchmen might seek asylum under immigration laws, setting all kinds of worrisome precedents. "As you can imagine, even if they are not ultimately eligible for relief, terrorist detainees may seek legal rights under our immigration laws or assert such rights in federal court, thereby setting a precedent that could have grave consequences for the American public," they write in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. "These consequences should weigh heavily in any decision President Obama and the administration make about transfer of these detainees to the United States."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday began reviewing the hiring records at 1,000 employers nationwide that deal with critical infrastructure -- including 52 in Arizona. The campaign is designed to determine if the companies -- chosen based on investigative leads and their connection to public safety and national security -- have any employees who do not have permission to work in the U.S., according to a press release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Agents will review each company's I-9 forms, which include an employee's personal information and work authorization documents. Employers are required to complete and retain the forms for each person hired.
Overhearing an ABC Nightline Show a couple of years ago, I listened about a state that was encouraging illegal immigration to fill a need for cheap and reliable dairy labor. What I heard caught my attention, so I took a seat in front of the tube to watch "A Different Side of the Illegal Immigration Debate" a story about Wisconsin and its dairy industry. My interest in the news story was its relation to growing incidences of identity theft. In 2008, identity theft increased nearly 30% in Wisconsin compared to 2007. Nationally, id theft grew 21% in the same period. Identity theft involving employment fraud increased 25% in Wisconsin, and more startling government benefits and document fraud increased over 100% in the same period. A current investigative news article, " Immigrants change face of Wisconsin dairy industry," describes the opportunities for both legal and illegal immigrants given the plight of Wisconsin's dairy industry.
SEATTLE (AP) - New federal data shows that deportations of illegal immigrants with criminal records from Alaska, Oregon, and Washington this past year spiked by nearly 40 percent, while overall removals dropped slightly. The data released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency shows that for fiscal year 2009 - which spans from October, 2008 to September of this year - 10,793 people were deported from the Pacific Northwest, a drop of 117 compared to the previous year. That marks the first time in the last five years deportations from the Northwest have dropped. But removals of people with criminal records went from more than 3,100 to nearly 4,500 - a jump of 39.7 percent.
For decades, the eastern half of Long Island swam in a sea of red sauce. Italian restaurants dotted nearly every strip mall. Now, the mozzarella has some competition. A recent TV spot that aired in Long Island shows three men sitting around a deli table. The first says in a thick Long Island accent, "Are you kidding? Mi Ranchito has the best pupusas!" The second man indignantly shoots back, "Whadda you know? You think Carleone's has the best empanadas!" That public service announcement lightheartedly calls for harmony between whites and Hispanics in a community where a flood of immigrants from Latin America has created tension and sometimes violence.
SAN DIEGO -- Authorities said a desolate corner of San Diego County may be its most violent area. It is so dangerous 10News crews had to put on bulletproof vests before entering the area near Boulevard. "The violence in this area is so bad that a 12-year-old was raped to death," said Estela De Los Rios of the Center for Social Advocacy. In the area, authorities said there are pieces of evidence left behind that serve as a grim reminder of the violence happening near the U.S.-Mexico border. "They're ruthless; they'll come over here, they'll pick one out that they want, they drag her off onto the rocks, they'll rape her and they just leave them here," said Carl Braun, founder of the Border Patrol Auxiliary, a group that assists U.S. Border Patrol agents.
GENESEO, NY -- An illegal immigrant was involved in a three car accident in Geneseo Monday around 5 p.m. Victor M. Roque, 19, of Bliss failed to stop for two vehicles waiting in traffic at the intersection of Routes 20A and 63. He struck a car driven by Kimberly Frost-Mark, 40, of Rochester, who was pushed into the rear of the car driven by Lynn A. Kunz, 26, of Cuba. Frost-Mark suffered contusions on her left side and was taken to Strong Memorial hospital by Geneseo Ambulance. Both her and Roque's vehicles were demolished.
PHOENIX -- Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) found an approximately 1-month-old baby at a suspected human smuggling drop house Monday night. While searching the home near 12th Street and Dunlap Avenue, agents found a mother and her juvenile daughter, both Mexican citizens. They also found the infant, who had apparently been smuggled into the country and was not related to the mother or daughter. The suspected human smuggler believed to be operating the drop house refused to identify the infant's family. CPS took custody of the child while ICE agents worked with the Mexican Consulate to find the baby's relatives.
Presidio, Texas -- United States Border Patrol says the program to transfer illegal aliens from Arizona to the border crossing in Presidio is going well. According to border patrol officials, there have been no illegals returning to Presidio from Ojinaga as a result of the transfer. They say Mexican officials report most are returning to their points of origin throughout Mexico once they are dropped off in Ojinaga.
NORTHGLENN, Colo. - Thousands across Colorado came together for 22 parties Wednesday night where the focus was on a single phone call. Families, activists and politicians gathered to show support for comprehensive immigration reform. It was part of a national effort to hear plans from congressional leaders about passing legislation affecting 12-million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., including about 265,000 in Colorado. One 27-year-old undocumented immigrant who didn't want to be identified visited a gathering in Longmont. She's lived illegally in Colorado since she was seven.
JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - It was the nation's largest single site raid on undocumented workers. And when nearly 600 workers were rounded up at Howard Industries in Laurel, it was clear that illegal immigration is no longer just an issue for border states. "Really, we're people looking for opportunity," said Roberto, an unauthorized immigrant who works at a Jackson construction site. But others say, unauthorized workers are a drain on the state's budget. ... And although schools and hospitals can't ask for citizenship status, a spokesperson for the University of Mississippi Medical Center tell WLBT that nearly 1300 uninsured patients didn't have an ID, social security card, or visa in the fiscal year 2008, costing UMC $1.2 million dollars.
Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies busted three U.S. Army soldiers with almost 700 pounds of marijuana and $10,000 in cash during a two-day sweep for human smugglers. The three men were wearing military clothing and identified themselves with military ID cards when they were stopped in north Phoenix Tuesday, said Lt. Brian Lee, sheriff's office spokesman. In all, deputies made 51 arrests, 37 of whom were suspected illegal immigrants.
