ICE terrorists?

According to Townhall commentator, Carol Plat Liebau, Barack Obama recently told the Hispanic group "LaRaza":

The system isn't working . . . when communities are terrorized by (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) immigration raids, when nursing mothers are torn from their babies, when children come home from school to find their parents missing. Ms. Liebau then asked, "Really? So what this means is that ICE officials, enforcing this country's immigration laws, are terrorists?" Please read her entire article on Townhall.

I find it interesting that many on the Left who are so opposed to enforcing our immigration laws, often seem to be the same ones who are so critical of Europeans who immigrated to America over 300 years ago.

Driver's licenses for illegals

In the news tonight: While there is a big controversy in America about whether to provide drivers licenses to illegal aliens, there is no such controversy in Mexico. All of the states in Mexico require proof of legal residency in order to obtain a driver's license.

So while the Mexican government is pressuring the U.S. to provide drivers licenses to illegal Mexican immigrants, Mexico does not provide driver's licenses to illegals in their country.

Do you suppose there will be protests by the American Left over Mexico's policy? Don't count on it. The Left only seems to be interested in bashing America.

Deport them now!

Read Michelle Malkin's outstanding article at Townhall and then sign up for for "Deport Them Now!" by clicking on the link at the end of her article.

Fred Thompson on immigration bill

According to former Senator, Fred Thompson,

I’d tell you what was in the legislation, but 24 hours after the
politicians agreed the bill looked good, the Senate lawyers were still writing
what may turn out to be a one thousand page document. In fact, a final version
of the bill most likely will not be made available to the public until after the
legislation is passed. That may come five days from now. That’s like trying to
digest an eight-course meal on a fifteen-minute lunch break.

Please take time to read the rest of this short article at Townhall.

Tax support for polygamy

Recliner Commentaries has previously posted on the increasing phenomena of polygamy in New York among Muslim immigrants. So, got an extra wife or two? Is America being intolerant toward you and your wives? You can now move to England and receive “income support, jobseeker's allowance and housing and council tax benefits” for your “extra' spouses.” This only works if you are an immigrant, however, since bigamy is otherwise illegal in Britain (Dhimmi Watch).

It must be nice to live in a kinder, gentler, more socialist country like England where tax payers apparently don’t mind giving up their hard-earned dollars to support two, three, or four wives for unemployed immigrants. But never fear! If Hillary or Obama become president they will surely move us much farther down that tolerant, utopian road toward socialism.

Border security and national security

After a discussion between the relation of terrorism and border security Michael Cutler on the Counterterrorism Blog comes to the following conclusion:

It is time that our nation's leaders start to deal with the reality that our
nation's security begins at its borders and ports of entry and extends into the
interior of the United States where the effective enforcement and administration
of the immigration laws must be a priority if our nation is to protect itself
and our citizens from criminals and especially terrorists who seek to carry out
terrorist attacks in our country that would lead to massive carnage. It is
therefore essential that "We the People" spare no effort to contact those
politicians who want to ignore this reality because they are so fixated on
erasing our nation's borders thereby allowing in massive numbers of aliens to
satisfy corporate interests and other special interest groups. Nothing less than
the future of our nation and the survival of our citizens hang in the
balance!

I agree completely. While I think we need to do much more to facilitate legal immigration, the Bush administration has failed miserably when it comes to border security and this is a national security issue.

Impeaching the President

On January 17, Recliner Commentaries commented on the two border patrol agents who were sentenced to prison (this post sparked some excellent discussion by readers). The issue is not going away. Republican representative Dana Rohrabacher criticized President Bush for declining to pardon the agents saying, “This is the worst betrayal of American defenders I have ever seen.” He added that Bush "obviously thinks more about his agreements with Mexico than the lives of American people and backing up his defenders."

Last weekend, one of the agents, Ignacio Ramos, was attacked by inmates in his Mississippi prison. This resulted in an angry warning by Rep. Rohrabacher who said,

"I tell you, Mr. President, if these men -- especially after this assault -- are
murdered in prison, if one of them lose their lives, there's going to be some
sort of impeachment talk in Capitol Hill," he told
a press conference in Washington D.C.” (CNSNews)

I certainly think there needs to be an investigation of this attack. Prison officials know that a border patrol agent will be in particular danger and heads should roll if they failed to take adequate precautions to protect the agents.

In fact, if Rep. Rohrabacher led an attempt to impeach President Bush over failure to protect our borders, I would not be opposed. I think future presidents need to understand clearly that if they are neglegent in their efforts to protect America, they will lose their job.

Border patrol agents going to jail

Although hundreds-of-thousands of Americans asked the President to pardon U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, the White House announced today that the President would not do so.

I am so thoroughly disgusted with the Bush administration over this I wish failing to protect our borders was an impeachable offence!

UPDATE: Please read the response by "bode miller jokes" which provides another perspective on this post. See: U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton.

National Guard on the run

There was an incident recently in which armed men illegally entered America from Mexico and came within 100 years of our National Guard. The National Guard had to retreat because they are apparently under orders not to defend themselves! (AZStarNet, WND, KVOA).

To put our men and women in harm’s way and not allow them to defend themselves against armed smugglers, gang members or drug runners is truly outrageous! Although I’ve been a strong supporter of President Bush I have to say that this is one issue in which he has completely failed America. In fact, if his negligence in defending America’s borders was an impeachable offense, I would be likely to support impeachment for this offence.

In my view, we need about 100,000 more National Guard on the border who are "authorized to use deadly force" against any armed intruders who, when confronted, do not immediately lay down their arms and surrender.

On the other hand, why would any of the National Guard or Border Patrol want to confront any illegal aliens given the way our [in]justice system has treated Ramos and Compean (see last post).

Border Patrol agents going to jail

The following are excerpts of an e-mail alert I received yesterday from the Center for Individual Freedom via NewsMax:

Two brave U.S. Border Patrol agents -- Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean --
are headed to prison for a combined 23 YEARS! Their sentences begin on
January 17 -- less than two weeks from today!

Their crime? Defending our nation's southern border against illegal alien
drug smugglers.Here are the facts:

Border Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean spotted a suspicious van on
U.S. soil near the U.S.-Mexico border. The van was being driven by an
illegal alien -- Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila -- who was smuggling 743 pounds of
marijuana into the United States.

When the illegal alien and drug smuggler saw Agents Ramos and Compean, he
ran for the border. The agents heard gun shots while pursuing Davila on
foot. According to media reports, Davila at one point turned toward the pursuing
agents and pointed what appeared to be a gun.

The border agents fired their weapons at the fleeing illegal alien drug
smuggler.Davila was hit in his buttocks -- although Compean and Ramos apparently
did not know it at the time -- and Davila didn't even slow down. He jumped
into a waiting van and sped off in the night.

Apparently outraged that a foreign illegal drug smuggler was shot in the
buttocks, Johnny Sutton -- U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas --
ordered a full-scale, no stone un-turned, investigation of COMPEAN AND RAMOS!The
illegal alien drug smuggler Davila received full immunity for his testimony
against Agents Ramos and Compean. Not only that, he was given full medical
care at an Army medical center in El Paso courtesy of U.S. taxpayers.

What about the illegal alien drug smuggler you ask? Davila was again caught
smuggling drugs into the United States! And Sutton gave him immunity from
prosecution from those crimes as well.

At the trial, the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Kanov,
dismissed Agent Ramos's testimony that he saw "something shiny" in Davila's
hand. She said Ramos "couldn't be sure it was a gun he had seen."

In other words, if it's dark and you can't be absolutely certain that the
shiny thing you see pointed at you and your fellow agent is a pistol, don't fire
until you get a bullet between your eyes. Then you'll know for certain it's a
gun.

Also, the prosecutor said it was a violation of Border Patrol policy for
agents to pursue dope dealers on the run. As she explained it: "Agents are not
allowed to pursue. In order to exceed the speed limit, you have to get
supervisor approval, and they did not."

Ramos, who had a stellar 10-year record and who had been nominated for the
Agent of the Year award, said in reply: "How are we supposed to follow the
Border patrol strategy of apprehending terrorists or drug smugglers if we aren't
supposed to pursue fleeing people? Everybody who's breaking the law flees from
us. What are we supposed to do? Do they want us to catch them or not?"

The answer to Officer Ramos's question is: OBVIOUSLY NOT!

55 Members of Congress are demanding that President Bush pardon these brave
border agents and 12 of these Members sent a letter to President Bush, which
reads in part: "We ask that a full investigation of this case be ordered
immediately. We are confident that during such an investigation you will find
that these Border Patrol agents were acting within the scope of their duty and
were unjustly prosecuted. Also, we ask that you use your power of presidential
pardon, as granted by the United States Constitution in Article II, Section 2,
to pardon these two Border Patrol agents."

This miscarriage of justice is so flagrant... so egregious... that many
people have written us and asked if we are telling the whole story.Actually, for
the sake of full disclosure, Ramos and Compean did disregard two departmental
procedures, which we will point out just to illustrate the absurdity of this
entire prosecution.

First, Compean and Ramos should have NEVER pursued Davila in the first
place. Departmental procedures require that agents obtain the approval of
a supervisor before pursuing a suspect.In other words -- per departmental
procedures -- when Davila started to run for the Mexican border, Compean and
Ramos should have STOPPED... radioed a superior and asked for permission to
pursue him.

Secondly, Compean and Ramos neglected to mention in their report that shots
had been fired. There is no dispute of that fact. Compean and Ramos
were wrong...But... Is it fair and just to send two law enforcement officers to
prison for a combined 23 years for pursuing a dangerous drug smuggler and
neglecting to report that shots were fired?Hardly... in most cases, such actions
warrant a few days of suspension without pay!

Retired Border Patrol Supervisor David Stoddard -- a Border Patrol
veteran of 27 years -- said of Ramos and Compean's situation, "This is
outrageous. This whole incident tells the Border Patrol agents all over
the country it's better to go out to their areas of responsibility and bring a
portable DVD player and watch a movie, because that way you won't get into
trouble."

If you’d like to join the 55 members of congress in asking the President for a pardon for Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, the White House e-mail is comments@whitehouse.gov

UPDATE: Please read the response by "bode miller jokes" to my January 17, 2007 post on this issue. It provides an entirely different perspective

Is ICE FUBAR?

The military loves acronyms. When I was in the Air Force one common acronym was FUBAR (Fouled up beyond all recognition--except that Air Force people used another word instead of "fouled" and this is a family blog :-)

According to an article in PhonenixNewTimes FUBAR sounds like a good acronym for ICE (the Imigration and Customs Enforcement bureau). The article is long but amazingly eye-0pening!

(I learned of this article from DebbieSchlussel.Com where you can find her brief analysis).

Muslim Immigration

There was an interesting debate on “The Cost of Freedom” TV program Saturday morning about whether the U.S. should establish tougher rules for Muslim immigration.

Any country has the right to determine who should be able to immigrate. Unless we are going to open our borders to legal immigration for absolutely everyone, choices must be made. Out of every ten slots available for legal immigration, why should slots be allocated to people who would chose to undermine freedom and democracy in favor, for example, of Shari’a law, rather than giving those slots to people who really want freedom?

Sex and the illegal immigrant

Deborah Schurman-Kauflin, Ph.D. from the Violent Crimes Institute conducted “a 12 month in-depth study of illegal immigrants who committed sex crimes and murders for the time period of January 1999 through April 2006….” 1,500 cases were analyzed including rapes, murders and child molestations. These 1,500 offenders had violated a total of 5,999 victims. Dr. Schurman-Kauflin found that approximately 2% of illegal aliens were sex offenders. Based on that figure, she estimated that of the 12 million illegal immigrants in America, 240,000 are sex offenders who have violated about 960,000 victims (drdsk.com).

Think of it—nearly one million innocent American victims, primarily women and children, molested, raped or murdered because our country has, for all these years, refused to address the border security problem! If a private company had been in charge of border security, wouldn't some CEO be facing some serious prison time for criminal negligence?

Get out the illegal vote

Check out Michelle Malkin's blog for June 2. She charges that a Democratic candidate has been caught on tape telling a Spanish speaking audience that they "don't need papers for voting." Why do I suspect that for many Democrats, the illegial immigrant issue is not about compassion, it is about their own political power.

The President on immigration

For those who didn’t catch the President’s speech on immigration last night, below are excerpts from the CNN transcript:

“Good evening. I have asked for a few minutes of your time to discuss a matter of national importance -- the reform of America's immigration system.”

“We are a nation of laws, and we must enforce our laws. We are also a nation of immigrants, and we must uphold that tradition, which has strengthened our country in so many ways. These are not contradictory goals -- America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time…. So I support comprehensive immigration reform that will accomplish five clear objectives.”

“First, the United States must secure its borders. This is a basic responsibility of a sovereign nation. It is also an urgent requirement of our national security.”

“Tonight I am calling on Congress to provide funding for dramatic improvements in manpower and technology at the border. By the end of 2008, we will increase the number of Border Patrol officers by an additional 6,000.”

“At the same time, we are launching the most technologically advanced border security initiative in American history. We will construct high-tech fences in urban corridors, and build new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas. We will employ motion sensors, infrared cameras, and unmanned aerial vehicles to prevent illegal crossings.”

“Training thousands of new Border Patrol agents and bringing the most advanced technology to the border will take time. Yet the need to secure our border is urgent. So I am announcing several immediate steps to strengthen border enforcement during this period of transition:”

“So in coordination with governors, up to 6,000 Guard members will be deployed to our southern border. The Border Patrol will remain in the lead. The Guard will assist the Border Patrol by operating surveillance systems, analyzing intelligence, installing fences and vehicle barriers, building patrol roads, and providing training. Guard units will not be involved in direct law enforcement activities -- that duty will be done by the Border Patrol. This initial commitment of Guard members would last for a period of one year. After that, the number of Guard forces will be reduced as new Border Patrol agents and new technologies come online.

“…we will increase federal funding for state and local authorities assisting the Border Patrol on targeted enforcement missions. And we will give state and local authorities the specialized training they need to help federal officers apprehend and detain illegal immigrants.”

“More than 85 percent of the illegal immigrants we catch crossing the southern border are Mexicans, and most are sent back home within 24 hours. But when we catch illegal immigrants from other countries, it is not as easy to send them home. For many years, the government did not have enough space in our detention facilities to hold them while the legal process unfolded. So most were released back into our society and asked to return for a court date. When the date arrived, the vast majority did not show up. This practice, called "catch and release," is unacceptable -- and we will end it.”

“We have expanded the number of beds in our detention facilities, and we will continue to add more. We have expedited the legal process to cut the average deportation time….As a result of these actions, we have ended "catch and release" for illegal immigrants for some countries. And I will ask Congress for additional funding and legal authority, so we can end "catch and release" at the southern border once and for all.”

“Second, to secure our border, we must create a temporary worker program.”

“This program would match willing foreign workers with willing American employers for jobs Americans are not doing. Every worker who applies for the program would be required to pass criminal background checks. And temporary workers must return to their home country at the conclusion of their stay.”

“Third, we need to hold employers to account for the workers they hire….. Yet businesses often cannot verify the legal status of their employees, because of the widespread problem of document fraud…. A key part of that system should be a new identification card for every legal foreign worker. This card should use biometric technology, such as digital fingerprints, to make it tamperproof.”

“Fourth, we must face the reality that millions of illegal immigrants are already here. They should not be given an automatic path to citizenship…. Amnesty would be unfair to those who are here lawfully, and it would invite further waves of illegal immigration.”

“Some in this country argue that the solution is to deport every illegal immigrant -- and that any proposal short of this amounts to amnesty. I disagree. It is neither wise nor realistic to round up millions of people, many with deep roots in the United States, and send them across the border. There is a rational middle ground….That middle ground recognizes that there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record.”

“I believe that illegal immigrants who have roots in our country and want to stay should have to pay a meaningful penalty for breaking the law, to pay their taxes, to learn English, and to work in a job for a number of years. People who meet these conditions should be able to apply for citizenship, but approval would not be automatic, and they will have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law.”

“Fifth, we must honor the great American tradition of the melting pot, which has made us one nation out of many peoples….. Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, an appreciation of our history, respect for the flag we fly, and an ability to speak and write the English language. English is also the key to unlocking the opportunity of America.”

“Our new immigrants are just what they have always been -- people willing to risk everything for the dream of freedom. And America remains what she has always been -- the great hope on the horizon, an open door to the future, a blessed and promised land. We honor the heritage of all who come here, no matter where they are from, because we trust in our country's genius for making us all Americans -- one nation under God. Thank you, and good night.”

Americans won’t take the jobs…

I wonder what would happen if congress passed legislation that imposed a one to five year prison sentence for any employer that pays employees less than minimum wage—and offered amnesty for any illegal alien (without a criminal record) who provides evidence leading to an employer’s conviction.

I suspect that the problem of illegal aliens has as much to do with greedy employers who don’t want to pay a living wage as it does American’s who won’t take the jobs. When you hear that American’s won’t take the jobs, what is always left out of that phrase is that American’s won’t take the jobs for that kind of money.

Take action against the boycott

Today is the nationwide work boycott by Hispanics. Some people think this is unpatriotic. Someone on TV yesterday even called it “economic blackmail.” If you agree, don’t sit idly by, do something!

Today, if you are served in a hotel or restaurant by someone who is Hispanic, take action—give them an extra large tip for coming to work and helping you. If you are helped by a Hispanic person in a store or office, let them know that you are grateful for their help. If you have Hispanic employees who show up for work today, show your appreciation—consider buying them lunch or something. If you know of a Mexican-owned company, give them your business.

If you are opposed to the boycott, express your appreciation to those who have chosen not to participate.

Illegal immigrants: a modest proposal

Kudos to America’s illegal immigrants—in mass protest marches our illegal immigrants conducted themselves far more honorably than some of the protesters who live in France legally!

Of course, I’m being semi-cynical, but perhaps rather than punishing our illegal immigrants, we should start prosecuting all the business owners who avoid paying a living wage by hiring illegal immigrants in the first place. And then prosecute those who for years have refused to uphold or enforce the immigration laws already on the books!

We provide jobs, education, and medical care at public expense and wonder why people come across our borders illegally? We literally hold out the promise of food and medical care to needy families and then vilify them for taking it! We enjoy the slightly lower cost of food and services made available because of cheap illegal labor, and then want to prosecute the illegals for making this possible! My guess is that if all jobs and public funding dried up, the flood of illegal aliens would be headed south, not north!

My tentative proposal is this: Provide a guest worker program to virtually all illegal aliens who do not have a criminal record or terrorist ties. Give them up to one year to sign up as a guest worker, after which, all public, tax-based funding, entitlements and support for those who remain illegal would stop cold—no public education, no tax-supported medical care, no food stamps, no welfare, no drivers’ licenses—absolutely nothing at government expense except accommodations in Arizona's tent prisons for those who did not sign up.

Anyone who knowingly violated this law—all the way from mayors, police chiefs, or principals who refused to enforce the law, to business owners who hire undocumented aliens—would be subject to prison time. Then double or even triple the number of immigrants who could come the U.S. legally, and hire enough immigration officials to process them expeditiously. Finally, put the U.S. military on the boader with authorization to use deadly force against anyone headed north.

Obviously a lot of details would have to be worked out in this proposal, but in broad outline, what's wrong with it?

Illegal Immigration

In a TV interview Sunday morning, Chris Simcox of the Arizona Minuteman Project alleged that there were dozens of tunnels from Mexico into the United States and that the Mexican military, or rogue elements of the Mexican military are now actively involved in assisting drug cartels in smuggling anyone and anything if the money is right.

As long as this issue is framed in terms of poor Mexican immigrants seeking a better life, Americans and our politicians will continue to be complacent. After all, who wants to oppose poor families seeking a better life. According to Mr. Simcox (and others on the front lines of this issue), those coming across our boarders are not just poor families, but criminals, extremely violent gangs, and literally millions of people from all over the world—often bringing drugs, weapons and explosives.

I’m not against immigration and I’m certainly in favor of helping poor families, but the United States simply must have a way of separating poor families who want to work, from drug pushers, criminals, gangs and terrorists. The only way to do that is to get a handle on illegal immigration at all costs. It is an issue of national security. It is also one of the greatest failures of the Bush administration. I hope he addresses this issue in his State of the Union address.

Illegal Immigration

The governors of New Mexico and Arizona (both Democrats) recently declared a state of emergency in their states over illegal immigration. On CNN recently, Lou Dobbs condemned President Bush for not doing enough about illegal immigration. I must say that I agree with Dobbs and the governors on this one. I do not think the President is taking illegal immigration anywhere near as seriously as he needs to. For example, President Bush provided funding for about 200 new immigration officers. Is he kidding? 2000 wouldn’t even make a dent! Don’t misunderstand. I’m not against immigration, I’m against illegal immigration.

A recent survey showed that roughly 40% of Mexicans would like to move to the United States, and you can’t blame them—with all the poverty, corruption, drugs and kidnapping going on (a news show last night called Mexico City the kidnapping capital of the world)! So let’s help more honest and law-abiding Mexicans move to the United States—but legally! We have to take more action to slam the boarder shut for illegal immigration. I agree with Arizona congressman J.D. Hayworth, it’s a matter of national security.