The White House Blog Response to “Immigration”

(I have taken the liberty to add in my comments in Yellow)

What You Told Us About Immigration Reform

Posted by Cecilia Muñoz on May 23, 2011 at 12:00 PM EDT on the Whitehouse Blog!

Following the President Obama's speech on immigration reform in El Paso, Texas, I asked for your feedback on this issue through our Advise the Advisor program. We received thousands of responses from across the country to the following questions:

• Immigration and American Competitiveness:How can immigration reform support America’s competitiveness in a 21st century economy?
• Biggest Challenges to Reform: What do you think are the biggest challenges to reforming America's immigration system?
• Encouraging Bipartisan Debate:What are some ways you can get a discussion going in your communities to encourage a bipartisan debate and move this issue forward?

A team at the White House reviewed all of your comments and ideas and below we’ve summarized and responded to some of what we heard from you. (a select few who know little if anything about the real borders! and probably never have been to one!)

Enforcement of Current Laws

We heard from many people who disagreed with the premise that we needed immigration reform or changes to our immigration laws.  They argued that we need better enforcement of our current laws and more accountability for undocumented immigrants and the employers that hire them.

For example, Robert from Torrance, California said:

First we need to honor the immigration laws that already exists.  The problem stems from a lack of enforcement, not a lack of new regulations.  Simply, immigrants have always been welcome and have always contributed. (I agree totally, enforce the current laws, see how many return back home and then deal with the rest!)

It’s absolutely worth focusing on the best ways to enforce the laws that we have; that’s why the President traveled to El Paso, Texas, which is on the border with Mexico. (Really, El Paso is an example of what the actual border looks like? hello what reality are you people living in? El Paso Texas is totally controlled, there are fences all along that area!  Go to some of the areas in Arizona or Texas where we don’t have any fences! Then give that same darn speech!)  This Administration takes its enforcement role very seriously, and is working to do the smartest and most strategic job that we can at the border and in the interior, and we are measuring our impact and making adjustments as the data comes in to make sure we are getting it right. (sure you are, by NOT reporting actual facts about people crossing into the USA, by not putting those people into JAILs, and by not punishing those who commit crimes by these people!)  On the Department of Homeland Security website you’ll find information to show how we’re doing on the border and information on our interior enforcement strategy.  But in the end, we will not be able to fix what’s broken about our immigration system by enforcement alone. (IT IS NOT BROKEN, QUIT TRYING TO SPIN THE FACTS YOU JUST DON’T WANT TO ENFORCE THE LAWS) There are more than ten million unauthorized immigrants living and working in the United States, and a strategy aimed at removing them all cannot be successful.  (And if you don’t try you will never know how easy it really is)  Nor will enforcement fix the deficiencies in our legal immigration system, which separates families, undercuts us economically, and contributes to illegal immigration. To fix those problems, we need to reform the law. (No, you need to enforce it!)

Competing in the 21^st Century Economy

Many respondents agreed that we need to reform our immigration system to make it easier for highly skilled workers to join the workforce in the United States. Duraikumar from Morrisville, North Carolina said:

To compete in the 21st century, the century of knowledge, America needs more skilled people. The available skilled force is not enough to remain competitive….Everybody knows that the current immigration system is broken. We need to reform the immigration system to bring more skilled immigrants to support America's competitiveness in a 21st century economy.

Our immigration system was last reformed in the mid- 1990s, when cellphones and the internet were emerging technologies. Those reforms were based on the premise that allowing even a limited number of immigrants to the country might mean fewer jobs for Americans.  As the President and his team work with CEOs and other business leaders around the country on a range of economic issues, the immigration issue comes up over and over again because it is essential to our ability to create jobs in the sectors of the economy that are ripe for economic growth. CEO after CEO tells us about foreign-born employees on their teams without whom we would lose hundreds of jobs, and about people they would like to hire – who have been trained at our finest universities, but who cannot get permission to stay and work in the U.S., so they instead become our competition. If they are lucky and get a visa, our laws are often too restrictive to allow their spouses to live and work here, so other countries can lure them away.  As the President said in El Paso, we don’t want the next Google or Facebook to be started in India or China, we want it started here in the United States.  And we need laws that make this possible. (Let them build the next Google in India & Mexico! Please then those countries could employ more people there and leave some of these jobs for us Americans who have the skills but won’t work for slave labor like they want)

Undocumented Immigrants (God I am sick of these words, there is no such thing! When on earth will these crazies get it right?)

We also heard from many of you about how we should deal with the ten million undocumented immigrants in the United States. (So now it is 10 million! What the hell happened to the other 20 Million?)  Some respondents were concerned that allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in the country rewards illegal activity while others recognized the contributions that undocumented workers make to our economy. (YA THINK!) Jeff from Colorado told us:

While I am in favor of giving all current illegals citizenship for the benefit of actually collecting taxes, it would look like we are rewarding illegal behavior.  We need their tax dollars and manpower to stay competitive. (BS JEFF, JUST PLAIN BS)

This is a fair point; and it’s reasonable to say that we shouldn’t reward people who are here in violation of the law. But it’s also true that we are unlikely to succeed in removing all ten million of them, and it’s not in our interest for them to remain in the U.S. working in the underground economy, where they can undercut U.S. workers because they fear standing up to employers who offer substandard wages and working conditions.  President Obama believes that the right way to address this problem is to require accountability all across the board. Those of us in the federal government are accountable for enforcing the law wisely and well.  Businesses should be accountable for the people that they hire, and those here illegally should be held accountable for getting on the right side of the law, paying a fine, learning English, paying taxes, and getting in line behind those who are waiting to become immigrants and citizens.  (AND GO HOME TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY!)

DREAM ACT

The DREAM Act was also a popular topic in your responses, with many respondents expressing support for this legislation.  Sandra from Wisconsin said:

Undocumented immigrants are already contributing to our economy. Immigration reform allows them to live openly as legal residents and make a greater investment as consumers. The DREAM Act prepares immigrant youth to take on future leadership roles by providing them with the necessary education. (Liar Liar, pants on fire)

One of our biggest disappointments in the last Congress is that, though the DREAM Act passed the House for the first time ever and it got 55 votes in the Senate which, though a majority, was not enough to break the filibuster raised against it. (ALIPAC & those members stopped it dead in it’s tracks, and we will do it every time it is brought up!) The thing about the DREAM Act is that the students that it would affect never chose to come to this country illegally; they were brought by their parents when they were too young to make the choice for themselves. They have grown up here, have succeeded in school, and are eager to continue their studies or serve their country – this country – in the military. We can’t afford to waste that kind of talent and commitment, which is why we were glad to see the DREAM Act reintroduced in the Senate in mid-May. We will keep working on this until we get it done.

Lack of Public Understanding (Lies again, the American public understands perfectly! We told you years ago we won’t take it any longer and we voted most of your sorry asses out and we will do it again and again!)

When it comes to the biggest challenges facing immigration reform, many people cited a lack of understanding by the general public and politicians in Washington about the importance of immigration reform. Robert from Athens, Georgia said:

The average U. S. citizen has no idea of the complexities involved in the U. S. work visa and permanent residency systems. They don't understand how the system separates families, creates uncertainties and day-to-day difficulties in living and working in the U. S.  Educating U. S. citizens as to WHY the system is broken and how that is affecting human lives is critical.

Immigration is a complicated issue and because it gets to the heart of who we are, as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants, the debate can get emotional very quickly, which means there is often a lot of heat and not a lot of light. This is why we value your input, (No you don’t, you are a hard headed ruling class who does not listen to Americans any longer) and why the President asked people around the country to help him lift up the issue, by engaging their communities in a civil debate about the best way to move this issue forward. There are a lot of people with good stories to tell and strong cases to make about the impact of immigrants in their communities.  We have developed a toolkit and a place for you to give us feedback so that you can host conversations in your communities and tell us what you learned and what we need to know. We believe that Americans are interested in informed dialogue instead of shouting matches, and we hope that many of you take up the President’s call to action.

Challenges to Immigration Reform (Who on earth wants to change it!)

Reforming our immigration system will not be an easy task, and we asked you to tell us what you see as the biggest challenges to reform.  Jaques from Secaucus, New Jersey made an excellent point:

Our biggest challenge is to take the politics out of the discussion. If our representatives can forget their party affiliation and begin to think of what is really best for our country progress can be made.  Fences and ditches alone will not stop the flow of the illegal. Investing in employment reforms and development in those underdeveloped countries will be the less costly and more effective solution in the long run. (Obviously this guy never has been to a actual border and seen a real fence in action)

We couldn’t agree with you more. Immigration reform laws going back throughout our history have always been bipartisan approaches to challenging problems, and that’s what we need to have here.  What we hope to achieve with the President’s call to action is a civil conversation on how to fix this problem that shows the Congress that there is room for bipartisanship and a sense of urgency toward finding a solution. America is at its best when we find ways to work together, and while this issue can be difficult, we think there is a real answer within our reach if we’re willing to work together.  

Nora from South Plains, New Jersey said:

There is no system that will please everyone nor be the end-all solution. However, to do nothing and ignore the plight of so many is short-sighted. We cannot compare recent and current trends to those of previous generations.

President Obama has said on many occasions that we can’t afford to just kick the can down the road because an issue is difficult. (Americans cannot afford to keep liberals in office any longer) Immigration reform is difficult, and it will take hard work and compromise to get the job done. But this is something that we have to do, not only to honor our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants, but because it is an economic necessity. The Administration will do everything it can to bring Congressional partners to the table from both sides of the aisle to figure out where we can make progress; but as the President said in El Paso, we can’t do it alone. Your input is important, and so is your engagement in the debate. We need every possible pair of hands and every voice in order to get the job done. 

Cecilia Muñoz is Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs ( And a federal LEFT WING NUT CASE)

$4 million in cocaine found in car trunk

By Pauline Repard
Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 2:10 p.m.
EAST COUNTY — The driver of a Ford Mustang was arrested with more than $4 million worth of cocaine in the trunk at the Pine Valley Border Patrol checkpoint Wednesday, authorities said.
The driver came to the checkpoint on Interstate 8 about 3:20 p.m. and appeared nervous when agents contacted him, said Agent Scott Simon.
A drug-sniffing dog reacted to the trunk of the 1998 Mustang. Simon said agents found 62 bundles of cocaine weighing a total of 436 pounds, with an estimated street value of $4.3 million.
The driver, a 19-year-old United States citizen, was arrested and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
pauline.repard@uniontrib.com • (619) 293-1865

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/may/19/4-million-cocaine-found-car-trunk/

Drugs in CAMPO, CA

Campo, Calif. — U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested seven men in two separate incidents in Campo and seized nearly 600 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $349,000.

The most recent incident occurred yesterday morning when Border Patrol agents detected several individuals with backpacks walking north from the U.S./ Mexico border through the brush. Agents responded, intercepting six individuals and discovered six backpacks hidden in the surrounding areas. The backpacks contained 27 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 337 pounds with an estimated street value of $202,000. The men, later identified as Mexican nationals illegally in the country, were taken into Border Patrol custody.

An earlier incident occurred Friday morning when Border Patrol agents working near the international border in Campo observed four individuals carrying large backpacks. Agents observed the subjects attempting to conceal the backpacks in the surrounding brush. Agents arrived in the area and conducted a search and encountered one male Mexican national and found four large backpacks. The three additional suspects absconded from the area and returned to Mexico. The backpacks contained 20 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 245 pounds with an estimated street value of $147,000.

The seven suspected smugglers and the marijuana were taken into custody and were turned over to a multi-agency drug task force.

Marijuana bales seized in cove on Catalina Island

Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 3:54 p.m.
LOS ANGELES — A beachcomber in a lonely Santa Catalina Island cove wasn't looking for shells. Authorities said he was guarding 1,500 pounds of marijuana.
Deputies seized 31 bales of pot on Tuesday and arrested a Mexican citizen on suspicion of possessing and transporting marijuana, Capt. Jeff Donahue said Wednesday.
"This guy's looking at least 10 years" in prison if he is convicted, Donahue said. The man was not immediately identified.
A sheriff's deputy and a park ranger who were "just hanging out" spotted the man at remote Little Harbor, Donahue said.
The man went back to a cove where there were blue tarpaulins and "bales of something," but when the authorities approached he tried to hide, the captain said.
A helicopter was called in to help deputies spot the fugitive. He was finally found hiding in crevasses in a rocky area.
The plastic-wrapped bales turned out to be Mexican marijuana with an estimated street value of $1.5 million.
A boat that apparently was used to land the pot was found on the north side of the island. It likely was forced there by bad weather.
"Obviously, we had a lot of rain and storms in the past few days," he said. "He was just waiting to be picked up."
Catalina draws ferry-loads of tourists, boaters, scuba divers and hikers from around the world. The quaint city of Avalon features scenic harbors, surging kelp gardens and back-country wilderness.
But when the weather's bad, it also attracts smugglers forced to seek shelter, Donahue said.
In April 2010, authorities seized 4,000 pounds of marijuana and arrested three men who claimed they were abandoned after paying a smuggler to bring them to the U.S.
They were later sentenced to about 10 years in prison.
As the United States has strengthened security at the border, Mexican smugglers have turned to the sea, outfitting so-called panga boats to run up the coast from Baja California with cargoes of dope or illegal immigrants.
"It used to be San Diego. Now, they're working their way up higher," Donahue said.
---
Information from: Press-Telegram, http://www.presstelegram.com
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/may/18/marijuana-bales-seized-in-cove-on-catalina-island/

Mexico deputy prison governor decapitated in Durango

 

The headless bodies were found on the same day as more corpses were discovered at a junkyard Continue reading the main story
Police in Mexico have found eight decapitated bodies in the northern state of Durango.
Among the dead was the deputy governor of Durango's prison, who had been abducted on Monday.
Gerardo Galindo's head was found next to a wall bearing a threatening message by a local drug gang.
Prison officials are increasingly being targeted by drug gangs, whose jailed members often continue to run their businesses from behind bars.
In February, the security chief of a prison in the northern city of Monterrey was murdered.
His dismembered body was found in a plastic box inside a car abandoned near the prison he worked at.
Officials have not yet identified the remaining seven bodies found in Durango.
Forensic experts also uncovered another eight bodies in mass graves in Durango city, the state's capital, bringing the total discovered over the past month to 196.
Durango state governor Jorge Herrera Calderas said on Wednesday that he thought most of those buried in the mass graves had fallen victim to a "settling of scores" between drug gangs.
The state's murder rate has risen steeply in recent years as rival gangs battle for control of the drugs trade in the area.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13383662

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WordPress Tags: Mexico,prison,governor,Durango,junkyard,Continue,Police,Among,Gerardo,Galindo,message,drug,gang,February,Monterrey,Forensic,mass,capital,Jorge,Herrera,Calderas,victim,area,news,world,corpses,gangs,members,northern

Cocaine seized near Temecula; 2 arrested

 
By Susan Shroder
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 5:59 p.m.
Bundles of cocaine were found in a Mitsubishi Galant.
Two Mexican citizens were arrested Tuesday off Interstate 15 near Temecula after U.S. Border Patrol agents found nearly 30 pounds of cocaine in their car.
Agents pulled over the 2000 Mitsubishi Galant near the Rainbow Valley Road exit on north I-15 about 10 a.m. The 26 year-old driver and 37-year-old passenger were both found to be in the country illegally.
A Border Patrol K-9 team alerted to the car. Agents found 12 cellophane-wrapped bundles under the rear seat containing 29.6 pounds of cocaine. The estimated street value of the drug is $296,500, said Border Patrol Agent Scott E. Simon.
The men were arrested and turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Cocaine seized near Temecula; 2 arrested

 
By Susan Shroder
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 5:59 p.m.
Bundles of cocaine were found in a Mitsubishi Galant.
Two Mexican citizens were arrested Tuesday off Interstate 15 near Temecula after U.S. Border Patrol agents found nearly 30 pounds of cocaine in their car.
Agents pulled over the 2000 Mitsubishi Galant near the Rainbow Valley Road exit on north I-15 about 10 a.m. The 26 year-old driver and 37-year-old passenger were both found to be in the country illegally.
A Border Patrol K-9 team alerted to the car. Agents found 12 cellophane-wrapped bundles under the rear seat containing 29.6 pounds of cocaine. The estimated street value of the drug is $296,500, said Border Patrol Agent Scott E. Simon.
The men were arrested and turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

[tweetmeme only_single="false"]

Defunding LaRaza

 

WARNING: Your Tax Dollars are being spent to promote illegal immigration, racially divisive education and ANTI-American activities!
WHY are American citizens being forced to contribute to organizations LIKE "LA RAZA," that are threatening the overthrow of the American Southwest?
"La Raza" is made up of many immigrant groups that aim to abolish all immigration laws and teach "La Reconquista" in schools to Latino students. In essence, students are taught that Europe STOLE southwest America from Mexico and that this region must be "conquered."
…and YOUR TAX DOLLARS are paying for their activities!
"La Raza" opposes any kind of immigration enforcement, opposes border security, and efforts to stop illegal aliens from voting. They also believe that illegal aliens deserve licenses and welfare.
They believe in racially divisive education that teaches Hispanic students that everything about American laws and culture are racist.
The "La Raza" movement teaches that California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Oregon and parts of Washington State rightfully belong to Hispanics. They urge legal and illegal immigrants to claim these lands and thus destroy the current U.S. borders.
This is what they call "Reconquista," or reconquest.
Remember the hundreds of thousands of illegals who marched on our cities and demanded their "rights", claiming we are on their territory, claiming loyalty to Mexico, and ignoring, even mocking, our rule of law? La Raza considers these protestors an "Army of Invaders" that is helping to achieve a takeover of the American Southwest through immigration…even force, if necessary.
Mexican American Legal Defense Fund founder Mario Obledo stated, "California is going to be a Hispanic state. Anyone who doesn't like it should leave. People who don't like such demographic changes should go back to Europe."
The most radical of the organizations that make up "La Raza" is Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA). This organization HATES AMERICA. Since the 1960's, this racist group has been indoctrinating students on college campuses. MEChA OPPOSES the assimilation of immigrants into the American way of life.
In 2006, MEChA posted the following statement on the University of Orgeon's website:
"In the spirit of a new people that is conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal gringo invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants and civilizers of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers, reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our people of the sun, declare that the call of our blood is our power, our responsibility, and our inevitable destiny."
THIS IS WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING!
AmeriPAC believes that American tax dollars should NOT be used to fund radical organizations that HATE AMERICA. Is this a new form of the "Fairness Doctrine" … funding the advocacy of those who want to overthrow us and "conquer" our country?
After the American southwest is flooded with immigrants, "La Raza" plans to ethnically cleanse the area. Miguel Perez of the Cal State-Northridge MEChA chapter has said,
"The ultimate ideology is the liberation of Aztlan. Communism would be closest [to it]. Once Aztlan is established, ethnic cleansing would commence: Non-Chicanos would have to be expelled-opposition groups would be quashed because you have to keep power."
"La Raza" uses its non-profit status to take money for American taxpayers and use that money to push its racially-divisive agenda. They use OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS to lobby Congress for MORE money.
Americans are sick of the out-of-control spending in Washington, and giving taxpayer dollars to radical, racist, Anti-American organizations that support a "RECONQUEST" of part of the United States of America. No budget cut has been so frighteningly obvious as the need to stop giving money to organizations that HATE US.
We cannot let the "La Raza" movement indoctrinate our children with false history or lobby Congress for our income any further. Please Fax every Member of Congress now and stop this movement from spreading hate…don't let America lose our national identity and our sovereignty by not confronting these cultural terrorists before it's too late!
Sincerely,
Alan Gottlieb
Chairman, AmeriPAC

Another BP Agent Held in Prison!

Agent Jesus Diaz facing 10+ years in prison for “pulling handcuffs” during arrest in Texas.
In what appears to be yet another case of the Mexican Government orchestrating a fake crime against one of their drug smuggling criminals hauling dope into the U.S., Border Patrol Agent Jesus Diaz, a 7-year Border Patrol veteran, was convicted in Federal Court on February 24 of one count of excessive force (under color of law) and 5 counts of lying to Internal Affairs. He is facing a maximum of 35 years in prison when he is sentenced in November. Meanwhile, he’s been in jail since the verdict nearly two months ago. He’s in solitary confinement 23 hours per day for his safety. So far, the judge has refused to allow bond while Diaz awaits sentencing.
This latest prosecution against a U.S. border agent stems from an October 2008 incident near the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass, TX where Diaz and several other agents responded to illegal aliens who had crossed the river into Texas with bundles of drugs.
Agents apprehended the aliens and as Diaz was getting ready to put one of the aliens in the truck for transport, he allegedly pulled on his handcuffs, a common law enforcement technique to get suspects to cooperate. It was 1:30 in the morning and Diaz and the other agents were trying to find the drugs brought over by the suspects and determine if any other cartel smugglers were hiding in the bushes nearby. The suspect refused to answer their questions. They eventually found the drugs and all were taken to the station for processing.
Agent Diaz’ wife is also an agent, Field Operations Supervisor (FOS) Diana Diaz, and she is now speaking out about what she calls a travesty of justice. This case was brought by the infamous U.S. Attorney in West Texas, Johnny Sutton, known for his extremely aggressive and controversial prosecution of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean back in 2006. Sutton left office in 2009, but his chief deputy took over and prosecuted this case, once again at the demands of the Mexican Government.
Diaz was tried in September 2010, but the case ended in a mistrial. The DOJ tried the case again in February 2011 and this time they got their conviction, even though federal agent witnesses admitted they had lied to a grand jury. The judge did not allow the fact that they had committed perjury into the second trial.
Sources close to the case say there were numerous holes in the claims made by the illegal alien drug smuggler from the start. Photos taken at the Border Patrol station just after the incident show no bruising or injuries to the alleged “victim”, who was 16 at the time of the arrest.
Also, Agent Diaz was allowed to remain on duty with his weapon for over a year before the U.S. Attorney finally decided to bring charges.
The Mexican drug smuggler, who is now an adult, was given full immunity from all his crimes to testify against Diaz at trial. He is also now eligible for a free visa to come and go within the U.S. if he wants to.
“This case stinks in so many ways”, said Andy Ramirez, President of the Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council. "We take very few border agent cases involving prosecution, but this one stuck out. We investigated it and found it to be one of the most egregious cases of prosecutorial abuse we’ve ever seen. 10 years in prison for lifting cuffs is outrageous and established a dangerous case law precedent that can be used against all law enforcement officers”, he said.
Ramirez recently interviewed Diana Diaz about her husband’s case and the injustice she has witnessed the past 2 1/2 years. The video of the interview is on the left.
Diana Diaz gave birth last month to a baby daughter and is now raising their four young children by herself, in addition to her continued duties with the Del Rio Border Patrol Sector. Jesus Diaz has yet to meet his now 6 week old daughter. Diana is hoping Congress will investigate this case and intervene, the way they did for Ramos & Compean. Diaz is seeking immediate bond for Jesus while he awaits sentencing, and a new, fair trial, in a district away from the Del Rio border region.
Mr. Ramirez is asking the public to contact their Members of Congress and ask them to look into this latest witch hunt by the Department of Justice.
http://www.examiner.com/immigration-policy-in-san-diego/another-border-agent-convicted-for-stopping-a-mexican-drug-smuggler

Teen suspect detained with big arsenal

Commander credits operations for weakening cartels

TIJUANA – The drug-trafficking problem ends the day weapons are no longer sold because criminals will no longer feel safe, said Gilberto Landeros, commander of the Second Military Zone.
“Weapons revitalize criminal groups,” he said, speaking at Morelos barracks after presenting for the media a young man allegedly associated with the Sinaloa drug cartel who was detained Saturday morning, the result of an anonymous tip.
The commander identified the suspect as 18-year-old Héctor Manuel Muñoz Solís. He was allegedly transporting an arsenal in his SUV that included a .50 caliber Barrett rifle and a U.S.-made anti-tank weapon, still in its case along with the manual.
It’s the second rifle of this type confiscated by the Mexican army in less than 15 days in the Tijuana area.
The military also seized three hand grenades, a CN Romarm 7.62 x 39 caliber assault rifle, 79 clips for AK-47 and R-15 assault rifles, 2,205 cartridges of various calibers, one uniform with the logo of the PGJE (state police agency) and fake guns.
According to Landeros, the weapons were inside an olive green, 2002 Ford Expedition with Baja California plates. The vehicle was parked in the Ramón López Velarde neighborhood of the La Mesa district.
Landeros said that authorities are worried that these types of weapons are circulating in the city. He said military operations against traffickers have led to major weapons seizures.
“We’re continuing to push to dismantle organized crime,” Landeros said.
The commander said that these operations had hit organized crime hard because not only were large quantities of drugs and weapons confiscated but many people presumably linked to the drug cartels were captured.
Just in April, authorities seized in various operations a total of 7.71 tons of marijuana, 19 rifles, 7,679 cartridges and 212 clips for various weapons, and 25 pounds of explosives.
Nearly all of these operations were the result of anonymous tips. The military continues to invite the community to report any suspicious activity on a special phone line that’s available 24 hours a day, (664) 685.02.97. Or people can send a an e-mail to: nosotrossivamos2zm@yahoo.com.mx, altoaladelincuencia2zm@hotmail.com, dinoaladelincuencia2zm@gmail.com o denuncia.2zm@gmail.sedena.gob.mx

CBP U.S. Border Patrol Uncovers Deceptive Human Smuggling Scheme In Southern California

 

(Thursday, May 05, 2011)

Jacumba, Calif. — U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested two male United States citizens in Jacumba on Tuesday for smuggling four undocumented Mexican nationals in a uniquely constructed compartment in the bed of a 1997 black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
 

At approximately 2 p.m., agents on patrol stopped the 43-year-old driver and 39-year-old passenger in a pickup truck on Old Highway 80. During questioning, agents became suspicious of the men’s nervous demeanor. A search of the vehicle revealed an opening cut into the metal wall between the passenger compartment and the bed of the truck. Subsequently, agents observed an individual attempting to conceal himself in a modified compartment. The compartment consisted of a hidden cavity built inside hollowed-out wooden construction materials lying in the bed of the truck. Agents discovered four undocumented male Mexican nationals hidden inside the compartment. 
 

The suspected human smugglers and illegal aliens were taken into custody and transported to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation. The two suspected smugglers are being held in Department of Homeland Security custody on alien smuggling charges. The vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.

To prevent illicit smuggling of humans, drugs and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on major corridors of egress away from our nation’s borders. To report suspicious activity related to border security, please call (619) 498-9900.

Costs to house Illegal Alien Criminals

The government of the United States spends in excess of $1.5 billion annually to incarcerate hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens.
Figures published in a report issued this week by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicate that over the past five fiscal years the number of foreign nationals jailed in federal prisons has increased by 4,000 to a total of 55,000.
A corresponding increase in the illegal alien population in state prisons was revealed, as well. The number increased by 75,000 to an astounding total of nearly 300,000.
How much does it cost states to house these criminals? Says the GAO,
We estimated that selected operating costs (i.e., correctional officer salaries, medical care, food service, and utilities) associated with incarcerating criminal aliens in our nation’s state prison systems totaled $7 billion from fiscal year 2003 through fiscal year 2009. These costs ranged from about $736 million in 2003 to $1.1 billion in 2009, about a 56 percent increase.
The GAO report summarizes the findings:
The number of criminal aliens in federal prisons in fiscal year 2010 was about 55,000, and the number of SCAAP criminal alien incarcerations in state prison systems and local jails was about 296,000 in fiscal year 2009 (the most recent data available), and the majority were from Mexico. The number of criminal aliens in federal prisons increased about 7 percent from about 51,000 in fiscal year 2005 while the number of SCAAP criminal alien incarcerations in state prison systems and local jails increased about 35 percent from about 220,000 in fiscal year 2003. The time period covered by these data vary because they reflect updates since GAO last reported on these issues in 2005. Specifically, in 2005, GAO reported that the percentage of criminal aliens in federal prisons was about 27 percent of the total inmate population from 2001 through 2004.
The study indicates that almost 25 percent of prisoners housed in federal facilities are illegal aliens.
The breakdown of the data includes the following statistical information:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimated that as of fiscal year 2009 the total alien — non-U.S.-citizen — population was about 25.3 million, including about 10.8 million aliens without lawful immigration status. Some aliens have been convicted and incarcerated (criminal aliens).
A story in The Hill described the political impact of the GAO’s findings:
The study comes as the immigration debate heats up on Capitol Hill and the White House. President Obama ramped up efforts this week, hosting meetings with key business, faith and political officials on the issue. And Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), the head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's immigration task force, is trumpeting the need for immigration reform in speeches across the country.
Meanwhile, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) used the study to back his push for a fence and a wall that runs along the U.S.-Mexico border as a way to stop people from coming into the country illegally.
Information on the provenance of the criminals highlights how easily lawbreakers pass through the porous southern border. According to the report, about 68 percent of the approximately 51,000 criminal aliens incarcerated in federal prison at the end of December 2010 were citizens of Mexico, and almost 90 percent were citizens of one of eight countries, including Mexico.
Congressman King proposes a familiar solution to the problem:
We have to secure our southern border with a fence, a wall and a fence. That would drastically reduce the ability of criminal aliens to enter the United States, providing needed relief to overburdened state prison systems and to taxpayers. We also have to do a better job of removing criminal aliens who are apprehended.
The anecdotal reports of runaway recidivism among illegal aliens are supported by the figures published in the GAO report.
The data supplied by the GAO reveal that “about 249,000 criminal aliens were arrested about 1.7 million times, averaging about 7 arrests per criminal alien.”
The types of crime being committed over and over by these illegals are serious, says the GAO:
About 50 percent of the criminal aliens in our study population were arrested at least once for either assault, homicide, robbery, a sex offense, or kidnapping. About half of the criminal aliens were arrested at least once for a drug violation.
Despite the rising costs, the federal government continues to subsidize the cost of incarcerating the massive illegal alien criminal population through the program known as the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP).
The federal government bears these incarceration costs for federal prisons and reimburses states and localities for portions of their costs through the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
To compile the data published in the report, the GAO analyzed a random sample of 1,000 criminal aliens.