Illegal immigrants / aliens are worried. Word is getting out that the feds are raiding employers and rounding up illegals around the country. There is so much talk going on, that illegal aliens are not able to separate fact from fiction.
One hindrance to catching illegal aliens has been politicians who have gotten in the way of efforts to catch them. Take for instance the Mexican IDs issued to illegal aliens, the “Matricular Consular” by their consulates in the US. It is illegal to accept them in the US as a form of identification, but congress has prevented this law from being put into action. These identity documents are used as an excuse to permit service to illegal aliens, such as opening bank accounts, even though it is well known that these documents are
completely unreliable according to the
FBI, and Congress.
Regulation in the federal budget prohibited U.S. businesses from accepting these cards, but an amendment passed September 14, 2004, which Congressman Miller opposed, that pulls this requirement. - Congressman Gary Miller
So if ICE was being hindered by politicians in the past and now it is not politically-savvy to get in the way of ICE, the agents are now probably doing what they want to do, catch illegal aliens. After all, who becomes a customs and Immigration Enforcement Officer to not catch illegals. With nobody restraining them, they are bound to become more active, increasing their catch.
Take the case of Fischer Homes in Kentucky. ICE arrested 80 in an illegal alien raid. Four that were arrested were company supervisors. The other 76 were illegal aliens. Even if they are released, you can bet that they are now unemployed. At the moment, it appears that they have not been released.
All the men were held without bond. Each is charged with a misdemeanor of entering the United States "without inspection and at a time and place other than a designated port of entry." Each man faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison and deportation. - Cincinnati.com
It might not be a good idea to be caught outside of the US States that are already flooded with illegals such as Texas or California. Other states just might be able to hold you until the Government can deport you. Just wait until that news starts spreading. You might see a redistribution of illegals back to illegal-friendly states.
The investigation into Fischer Homes took two years. Why do the raid now? Did they finally get a green light? Did someone step out of the way? (See more examples below)
The interesting fact in this case is that the supervisors are being arrested even though the illegal aliens were employees of a sub-contractor and not the Fischer Homes itself.
More local authorities are taking action to go after those aiding illegal aliens. Take the city of San Bernadino, California:
LOS ANGELES — Landlords who rent to illegal immigrants could face $1,000 fines, and homeowners who hire undocumented workers could have their cars impounded under a measure being voted on today by the San Bernardino City Council.
A group opposed to illegal immigration in the city of 200,000, located 70 miles east of Los Angeles, collected more than 2,200 signatures to force the council to consider the tough proposal. If the council doesn't approve the measure today, the issue will go to voters on a citywide ballot. - USA Today
The Council did not approve the measure but voters will decide either at a special election or in the mid-term elections in November.
The measure does force you to think; Do you really want to risk losing your car just to save a couple bucks getting your lawn mowed so that your kids don't not have to? According to the article, San Bernadino is not the only city getting tough:
As Congress considers legislation on the issue, some cities are getting tough on illegal immigrants while others are offering refuge.
Costa Mesa, Calif., recently ordered police to check suspected felons' immigration status. Cambridge, Mass., and California's Maywood and Coachella have declared themselves "sanctuaries" where police don't check papers.
States are wading into the controversy, too. Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a Republican, signed into law May 1 a bill prohibiting sanctuary cities. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, a Republican, last month signed a measure requiring officials to verify the legal status of people seeking many state benefits. - USA Today
I had not heard of 'sanctuary' cities before. No matter, this will be a short-lived aid to illegal aliens. Can they all really find work in a couple small safe-havens that make this declaration? Anyway, the sanctuary declaration will probably increase the presence of illegals there resulting in a change of opinion in the local population. Finally, Nothing will stop the State and Federal authorities from conducting Immigration operations in those cities and these declarations themselves will probably attract Federal attention.
Herndon, VA held town elections on 2 May and voted out the Mayor and two council members specifically as a result of their actions that helped establish a day laborer center used by illegal aliens. The center has been very controversial from the start, and despite massive resistance from the local community, the elected leaders pushed ahead anyway and now have been shown their walking papers. Even worse, the organization that was awarded the contract to manage the center, has suspected (just wait) terrorist connections:
This month's defeat of local politicians who built the equivalent of a day-care center for illegal Hispanic immigrants in a leafy Washington, D.C., suburb was a victory not just for immigration reformers but also anti-terror watchdogs.
Angry voters in Herndon, Va., swept out their bleeding-heart mayor and two of his allies on the town council and replaced them with candidates who are not expected to renew the lease of a controversial hiring site set up to help illegal aliens find work.
Lost in all the controversy, however, is the more disturbing fact that the site -- a covered building featuring picnic tables and bathrooms -- was founded by a Muslim charity with ties to suspected Saudi-backed terror front groups. Its town operating permit won't expire until the fall of 2007, allowing the group not only time to aid and abet hundreds more illegal immigrants, but possibly recruit them.
Stepping in last year to run the government-sanctioned site was an obscure group by the name, Project Hope and Harmony, which landed (in partnership with nonprofit Reston Interfaith) the $200,000 contract. The man behind the project is Muslim activist Mukit Hossain. But he's not just any activist. Born in Bangladesh, Hossain also runs a shadowy Muslim charity in Herndon which recently had its accounts closed by Wachovia bank due to suspicious activity related to possible money-laundering. The Foundation for Appropriate and Immediate Temporary Help, or FAITH, received a $150,000 donation last year from a front group run by Saudi bagman M. Yacub Mirza, whose home and offices were raided by federal agents after 9/11. FAITH helped establish the Project Hope and Harmony.- Frontpage Mag (Click the link to read the whole story)
So it appears that not only are businesses taking advantage of illegal aliens as cheap labor, but Islamic terrorists are also taking advantage of illegal aliens as potential terrorist recruits. Remember a while back when it was learned that Al-quida was attempting to recruit non-arabic volunteers? More to follow on this issue later.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, keeps up the pressure in going after illegal aliens currently in the US.
SAN ANTONIO -- The end of April marked a near record 9,544 removals for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office here for the first four months of 2006.
More than 1,500 of those deported during this period were criminal aliens, and the remaining were non-criminal status violators. Under the Department of Homeland Security’s new Secure Border Initiative (SBI), ICE is able to expedite their removal in an administrative process allowing them to spend significantly less time in the United States, and in detention. Before SBI, the average removal process was 90 days; now it's down to 14 days. - 4 May 2006
By the way, it is not a good idea to attempt to go onto a military base if your an illegal alien.
PANAMA CITY (Florida) -- Three men were arrested here earlier this week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents following the discovery of their illegal presence in the country by military personnel working at the base’s main gate. The men, all citizens of Mexico, were employed by a sub-contractor to do scaffolding work at the military base.
Military personnel immediately contacted ICE to verify the status of those seeking entry into the facility. ICE special agents from the Office of the Resident Agent-in-Charge in Pensacola responded to the scene and confirmed that the men were illegally present in the country and did not possess employment authorizations.
The three men were taken into custody for administrative immigration violations. One of the subjects was in possession of a fraudulent resident alien card. His case was presented to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida and criminal prosecution was accepted. The other two individuals were placed into administrative removal proceedings for the immigration violations. They were served Notices to Appear before an immigration judge at a later date. - 5 May 2006
O.K. so two of the three were released. But the third is facing serious charges. No word yet on the employer, but you can bet that he is probably now inder investigation. You also don't want to work for any Government entity.
LOS ANGELES – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested five unauthorized workers employed by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) today, capping a year-long joint review of the utility’s hiring records by ICE and LADWP that resulted in the arrest of eight unauthorized workers overall.
Today’s arrests took place at the utility’s headquarters downtown in coordination with the LADWP’s human resources department. The illegal workers identified during ICE’s investigation held both professional and blue collar positions, ranging from a management analyst and customer service representative to a water sampling technician and a maintenance worker. One of the unauthorized employees was an electrical engineering associate. (Do these sound like jobs Americans won't do?)
The unauthorized workers identified during the review of the LADWP’s nearly 7,000 employee records included foreign nationals from five countries - Ethiopia, Nigeria, El Salvador, Mexico, and the Philippines. All of the unauthorized workers were processed for administrative immigration violations and will be placed in deportation proceedings. ICE may seek to criminally prosecute one of the workers for making a false claim to United States citizenship.
All but one of the workers identified during ICE’s investigation had initially been legally admitted to the United States, but several are here on visas that did not authorize them to work and have since expired. Three of the employees are lawful permanent residents, or “green card” holders, who have criminal convictions that render them deportable.
“In many cases, companies such as DWP seek to hire legal workers, only to have their efforts undermined by employees who present counterfeit documents or knowingly violate the conditions of their admission,” said Julie L. Myers, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE. “When a person uses fraud or false documents to obtain a job, they mask not only their true identities, but also their motives and, in some cases, their criminal history.” - 16 May 2006
As technology gets better and it becomes easier to check the legal status of workers, more and more companies will catch and fire any illegal aliens that they find that they have employed.
There is currently a voluntary system setup to check the status of applicants for employment against a federal database. (
Story here)
They also appear to be going after those providing documents to illegal aliens. It's about time.
Providence, RI - Special Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Investigations in Providence yesterday arrested 41 year old Julia Pensoy-Calel on a federal criminal complaint alleging that she sold counterfeit immigration and Social Security identification cards. - 12 May 2006
OGDEN, Utah -- A Mexican national appeared in federal court this morning charged with operating a counterfeit document mill suspected of supplying fraudulent immigration and identity documents throughout the United States.
Following a search at his Ogden residence last Thursday, Sergio Aguilar 35, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in an undercover sting that revealed Aguilar creating and selling phony identification documents -- even as agents entered his home. In addition to Aguilar, three other Mexican nationals with prior criminal convictions were taken into custody at the residence. One of three arrived at the residence as a potential customer, money and photos in hand, as the search was nearing completion. - 8 May 2006
DETROIT -- Three members of a driver's license fraud ring were sentenced here today after pleading guilty to transporting illegal aliens for the sole purpose of fraudulently obtaining Michigan driver's licenses, announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Moskowitz.
Fabiano Caneva, 27; Nelson Domingues, 41; and Fabiano Cesilla, 26, all Brazilian citizens, were sentenced here today before U.S. District Judge Victoria A. Roberts. Caneva was sentenced to 37 months in prison; Domingues will serve 33 months in prison; and Cesilla was sentenced to 27 months in prison. In addition, Hugo De Souza Faria had already been sentenced in December to 16 months in prison. Faria has since been deported to Brazil. ICE will deport all the defendants after they serve their prison sentences. - 1 May 2006
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --A Dubuque man who sold hundreds of false identity documents to illegal aliens pleaded guilty here today to seven counts involving counterfeit identity documents. This guilty plea resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Jorge Antonio Dominguez-Cervantes, 46, a citizen of Mexico, was convicted of one count of producing false identification cards; one count of producing false immigration documents; two counts of possessing false identification of another person; one count of possessing a document-making implement; one count of conspiracy to produce or falsify documents; and one count of money laundering. In the plea agreement, Dominguez-Cervantes admitted that he produced fraudulent identification documents, including permanent resident alien cards ("green cards"), Social Security cards and driver's licenses, which were sold to illegal aliens during 2005 and early 2006. He admitted that ICE agents seized the evidence of his involvement in producing hundreds of false documents.
Sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a pre-sentence report is prepared. Dominguez-Cervantes remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. He faces up to 69 years in prison, a $2 million fine, and $700 in special assessments. After he completes his sentence, Dominguez-Cervantes will be turned over to ICE and placed into removal proceedings. - 1 May 2006
I have heard the President's speech concerning the illegal immigration and I have to say that it was pretty good. I am not too excited about the guest worker option. I think instead that the US should greatly increase the number of legal immigrants. There are a number of problems with a guest worker problem, starting with there will never be enough slots for all who will want to work here. At the least, what he wants is a great start. We are not going to solve illegal immigration during one session of Congress. Another thing, there was no mention of how to deal with those who are granted a way of becoming legal but decide not to go through the process. There will still be a need to 'round up' million(s) of illegal aliens. Also, by becoming legal, they will want more money, since their salary will then have tax deductions taken out. Higher salaries will reduce the demand for this labor, and very well might cause high unemployment in this working group. Then what do we do?
Much more needs to be done in the countries where the illegal aliens are coming from as there is the real problem. I can't think of a more effective force for change than a large group of returned illegal aliens. They have shown that they can mobilize and protest. They can do it at home.
P.S.Counterfeit Mexican “Matricular Consular” ID cards are such a problem that they are not currently accepted as a valid ID IN MEXICO or even valid for entry into Mexico.
Here is a story (in Spanish) concerning the push to legalize the use of the documents in Mexico. the ID card image in the story is in the name of "Al Qaida Gonzalez" and while issued by a consulate in the US, is issued to a person with a fraudulent name.
Here is the blogger who obtained that card, and two others. Each one with a different name. He has a translation of the story linked above in the post.
Before you call me a racist for wanting to secure our border and catch and deport illegal aliens, keep in mind, that I believe that the US should seriously consider annexing Mexico. With 10-20% of all Mexicans living in the US already (Half of them legally) I think the only way to truly stop the desire for Mexicans to come to the US is to bring Mexico under US jurisdiction and law. Then we can address the issues that create the poor conditions in the country. I know firsthand how screwed up the US immigration system is as I am married to a foreign national.
Matricular Consular Myths and Facts - Congressman Gary Miller
Database at Center of Immigration Reform - Breitbart.com
Rumors fly as feds deny immig raids - Daily News
80 arrested after probe - Cincinnati.com
California city votes on immigration issue - USA Today
Kingdom of the Illegals - Frontpage Mag.com
FBI Testimony to Congress concerning Mexican IDs
Fighting Illegal Immigration is Easy: Update III - Fred Fry International
Fighting Illegal Immigration: Part II - Fred Fry International
Fighting Illegal Immigration is easier than anyone is willing to admit - FFI
Can you see a link between the two last charts? It looks like the Yuan-Euro rate is directly linked to the Dollar-Euro rate. This might have serious consequences for Euro Countries, especially if the value of the Dollar drops and the Yuan follows it down. This would mean that Americans would still be able to afford cheap Chinese products, while at the same time, American-Made products would become cheaper t foreigners, increasing exports. That's great, because we will need the increased income to afford $5 a gallon gas as the price of oil will go through the roof.