Immigration and Green Cards

Deported for No License - True or False

2008-05-13T22:43:00.008-04:00

Why do illegal aliens come to the U.S. in the first place? We've been to their countries, no? And it didn't seem that bad. But we're only seeing the tourist areas, for the most part.

One illegal said a good wage in Mexico is $50 a week versus $50 to $70 a day he can earn working in the Kansas City area. But what about Americans that have lost their jobs because of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS? Instead, you have the Mexican President making speeches that erase our southern border by stating wherever Mexican nationals reside, there is Mexico. It is to the Mexican government's benefit to keep illegals invading our country due to the incredible amount of money they send back via Western Union. It is not only American corporations that contribute to the problems in Mexico. The bulk of the poverty problem is related to the vast difference between the rich and poor.

So what about driving on a stolen license, or a fake drivers license or with no license at all. What exactly happens to someone caught in this situation from another country in the United States illegally?

If they are caught, they simply return to Mexico and get a new identity and the process starts over again. Prior to the program, illegal immigrants from Mexico who did not have a criminal history were returned to their home country almost immediately, without jail time or a formal deportation order. Apprehended illegal immigrants identified as "other than Mexican," or OTMs, were given notices to appear at a future deportation hearing.

We did Mexico and the rest of Latin America a favor once, by establishing the 1986 amnesty, and what did these people do twenty years later? They aided and abetted their fellow countrymen to cross the border and again demanded amnesty for their friends and families. Just because Mexico is on our border does not give their poor the right to circumvent our laws. Now the illegals have more rights than the American citizen that pays the taxes to feed, house and keep them healthy.

And would it cause destabilization in Mexico and elsewhere that would make Iraq seem like a picnic? Some have lived right on the border with Mexico all their life and those sneaking across the border were monitored but never caught. Common consensus is we should charge Mexico and other "countries of origin" for the deportation costs associated with their soon-to-be repatriated citizens.

If you go to another country and work for an extended period of time you have a temporary license right? Illegals shouldn't be here and we shouldn't give them things for being here. I think it difficult to design legislation keeping a horde of Muslims from demonstrating outside of a courtroom today which will not be applied tomorrow to keep a group of Americans from performing the same activity. The illegitimacy is not in the act, but in the purveyors.

Absolut Vodka Boycott

2008-04-08T22:27:00.003-04:00

This is too crazy to be true, but it is true - that an anti-illegal alien group sent the word to their troops to boycott a prominent Swedish vodka brand.

Americans for Legal Immigration PAC President William Gheen went berserk over Absolut vodka - they ran an advertisement in Mexico. And it's not on anymore, he says it shows the alcohol manufacturer is "peddling products to a group of people actively seeking to claim U.S. territory in the name of Mexico".

No way!

Here's what happened. An 1830s map of Mexico was shown and the United States where most of what we have here in the USA was still part of Mexico. The ad headline was "In an Absolut World."

Right away, Absolut officials said they had no intent to make any immigration-related message with the ad; they said they're sorry.

But that's not enough for Gheen.

"On the one hand, we are boycotting Absolut. On the other hand, we want to thank them for getting caught" placing such an outrageous ad, Gheen said.

"We have a growing uprising here in America," Gheen said, warning that Mexicans and other illegal immigrants are trying to take over the southern U.S. — an area Gheen said is not too different from the map used in the Absolut ad.

But Absolut Spirits Co. spokesman Jeffrey Moran said the company does not plan to fire any advertising agencies or employees in the matter.

"Where we stand now is we are firm in our apology. The situation is not one that is positive for us as a company who has been so active in our marking over the years. And we issued a sincere apology," Moran said, speaking to FOXNews.com by phone from France. He added: "We are truly sorry. ... There was no ulterior motive behind that ad."

What do you think?

Fake Marriage for Citizenship

2008-04-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

We've heard some are looking for volunteers to help with a thing called the Immigration Marriage Fraud, and seems like the group is taking root. From time-to-time, they have meetings, and protests. As international marriages have become a social issue, the state tries to cope with these new issues through changing the laws and policies. Utilizing several government statistics, a nationwide questionnaire survey of nearly 1000 foreign brides with various nationalities, which was conducted in May and June 2005, and some interviewed data of foreign wives and government personnel, this paper analyzes (1) patterns and trends of marriage migration to Korea; (2) the issues and problems of foreign brides, such as their status and citizenship, economic situation, access to social security and 'fake marriages' issues; and (3) recent changes in governmental policies towards them.

If these people live around other people from Polish community - they may eventually find somebody like them and form a "pseudo-marriage" which gives some stability in their lives and help cope with the lack of real family. Sometimes these fake marriages lead to the a complete loss of even a weak bound with their real families at home in Poland and to the divorce. The laws regarding dual citizenship by birth can get quite filigreed, depending on whether both parents are Americans, if they are married, and which parent is the foreign national. I don't condone fake marriages, but could a 'real' wife really get her ex deported if she got pissed enough and just claim a fake- even though it wasn't?

In marriages of convenience that aren't discovered, the couple divorces when the spouse receives permanent residency. Sometimes they marry someone else back home to sponsor them. There are illegal aliens who sneaked across the border and got into fake marriages, and are still getting naturalized. An exception ought to be made for cases like this. On the other hand, what if you meet 'the one' or perhaps something else occurs and because you're married, you aren't able to deal with the situation? This is VERY serious and needs lots of thought put into it.

In all cases, they were already pretty committed and likely to get married anyway, and then visa problems would just force the issue. I don't think any of them have gone looking for a divorce yet. They never lived with the men nor consummated the marriages. They forged their husbands' names on immigration documents and vouched for each other to get citizenship and jobs. But if a person says they are married and they come here to the country, and you find out they are not married, they should be able to depart without having a big trial. You can try them, as I did, and convict them and send them to jail, or give them a probationary sentence for filing a false claim to the Government or false document to the Government or false claim for entry into the United States.

Security Guards Were Illegal Immigrants

2008-03-31T09:03:00.002-04:00

This story has to fly in the face of anyone trying to show how secure the U.S. is. Sure, these security guards weren't watching a border or guarding an airport, but they were credentialed guards.

The Associated Press reported today, "A task force led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50 illegal immigrants in weekend raids of mostly Latino night clubs in Dallas, officials said Sunday."

Included were 26 businesses, so they were planning the raid for a while. But overall, two security companies were implicated which had hired these folks.

The AP said, "Law enforcement teams of local, state and federal officials simultaneously hit the 26 businesses around 11 p.m. Saturday and arrested 49 people. They recovered four pistols."

So what happens next? They face charges of being here in the U.S. illegally, and illegal immigrants cannot possess weapons - so that, too. What about working?! That's not right.

Four of the 49 arrested were from El Salvador, the rest from Mexico.

Dallas officials hopes this "sends a message" to others working with false documents.

Pennsylvania Needs Illegal Immigrants

2008-03-24T21:06:00.003-04:00

Well, we knew the impact would be great if somehow the U.S. could send all the illegal immigrants back home. I mean think of it - they send them all home and who will work the hard landscaping, the cleaning, the jobs Americans won't do.

Until now.

There's a company in Pennsylvania that has been growing tomatoes for a long time is giving up. There aren't any workers to pick them.

The farm is called Fred W Eckel Sons and on the 2000 acre site, Keith Eckel, owner, says Congress' failure to approve a comprehensive immigration reform hurt his ability to get enough workers to get tomatoes to market. The majority of Eckel's workers came from Mexico.

Eckel has lost around 175 jobs. He won't say that most were illegal immigrants. He won't plant tomatoes or pumpkins and about half as much sweet corn. Eckel was counting on Congress to pass a guest-worker program.

Carl Shaffer, who is president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said we all need to wake up because it's not just an immigration issue - it's an issue that's going to affect everyone's food supply.

This farm doesn't participate in the government's H-2A guest worker program - because Eckel feels it's too cumbersome. He says his farm wouldn't qualify anyway - the season is too short. The Labor Department said it was going to reform H-2A, but reform isn't what it needs. Eckel said it needs to be rebuilt.

Believe it or not, Eckel's tomato pickers earned $16.59 an hour last year.

Still - not enough takers.

Where Does My Candidate Stand on Immigration?

2008-01-22T09:07:00.000-05:00

Here's a peek at where the current presidential candidates stand on immigration.

The Democrats

—Hillary Clinton: Supports border fence and voted for 2006 bill that would have provided conditional path to citizenship.

—John Edwards: Supports path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who speak English and meet other conditions.

—Barack Obama: Voted for the fence. Voted for the 2006 bill.

And the Republicans

—Rudy Giuliani: Urges use of tamperproof ID cards for immigrants. Says most of U.S.-Mexico border should be policed with high-tech monitoring, supplemented by a fence in some parts. Open to conferring legal status if proficiency in English and payment of back taxes and penalties are among conditions, and if applicants in the legal system are not disadvantaged.

—John McCain: Supports border fence. Sponsored 2006 bill that would have allowed illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S., work and apply to become legal residents after learning English, paying fines and back taxes and clearing a background check. Now says he would secure the border first.

—Mitt Romney: Supports building a border fence with Mexico and stationing National Guard troops there. Opposed McCain’s immigration bill, although he called it reasonable in 2005. Opposes policy allowing legal immigrants to host extended families in U.S. Calls for tamper proof ID card so only legal immigrants can work.

—Mike Huckabee: As governor, opposed banning state services for illegal immigrants. But has favored allowing illegal immigrants who are in the country to apply for legal status if they pay penalties, get guest worker permits, register with authorities and aren’t allowed to jump in line ahead of other applicants.

New Jersey Illegal Immigration Deported

2008-01-02T08:13:00.000-05:00

Our federal government seems to be deceiving unsuspecting illegal immigrants by granting entry to their homes, a large number of lawyers and civil rights groups state.

They explain that in an huge effort to deport illegal aliens, federal immigration agents bypass necessary search warrants, but use ruses and intimidation to gain permission to enter and search private homes. In a growing number of lawsuits, immigrants and those against of the raids say that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going against the U.S. Constitution.

"They're armed agents showing up at 5 a.m., banging on doors, kicking them in, going into people's bedrooms, ripping covers off people in their beds, asking them questions when they're half asleep, and seizing them and taking them away," said Patrick Gennardo of Englewood, New Jersey, and one of several area lawyers who have filed suits of late asking that such ICE tactics be shown unconstitutional. "These aren't fine lines between consent and storming in; these are scary, major violations of the Constitution."

But Scott Weber, the field director for ICE's office in Newark, New Jersey, has a different opinion.

"We all operate under the same Constitution," Weber said. "My officers are not involved in sweeps or random searches. We're looking for specific individuals that we have specific information for and active and valid warrants for their removal [from the U.S.] Our officers have extensive training in which they're taught constitutional law, statutory law and immigration law."

Immigration arrests made in NJ as part of the National Fugitive Operations Program, established in March 2003.

2007: 2,079

2006: 1,094

2005: 657

2004: 557

2003: 76

Note: These statistics are for fiscal years, which run from October to September. But because the program was begun in March 2003, the figure for that year does not cover a full fiscal year.

In a scene commonly told in interviews and court papers, immigrants claimed they have awakened to loud, continuous knocks on their doors, the shout of "Police," flashlights right in their faces and guns hanging from holsters.

At those times, immigrants allowed them in, expecting the local police and wondered if were news about a tragedy, or some criminal afoot in the neighborhood.

Surprisingly, they found themselves faced by immigration agents, many times asking about someone whose picture or name they did not know. Then, the agents interrogated them, they claim, handcuffing, holding them and getting them ready for deportation those who could not lawfully show U.S. residence.

"I don't see it as storming a home," Weber said. "We see it as trying to locate someone."

After 9/11, the U.S. government beamed on finding immigrants with outstanding deportation orders. ICE teams in New Jersey did arrest more than 2,000 like this in 2007, compared with 1,094 in 2006. And nationally, the arrests also doubled -- 30,408 in 2007, up from 15,462 in 2006. Some 500,000 illegal immigrants are estimated to be residing in New Jersey; with at least 12 million in the United States.

Electronic Immigration Checkpoints

2007-12-27T18:42:00.000-05:00

Checkpoints between Ras Al Khaimah and Oman were finally linked via electronics to speed up the process - but it's just an experiment.

This whole thing, an "electronic immigration connection" was put into action yesterday - between Oman and the UAE. The Ras Al Darah entry way was made the base of this operation, then a signal runs to Tebat in Oman.

As one might expect, thousands of people cross this border daily and this procedure will speed that up allowing more people to cross, safer.

But only Emiratis and GCC nationals can be admitted electronically - and the first phase of testing will only last two to three weeks according to General Saif Al Shafer, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior.

Can My Employer Turn Me In?

2007-10-22T13:48:00.000-04:00

The Fed's now have a web tool that can check the legal status of new hires at any business. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services tells they have made bigger their current web based system. This system allows an employer to check legal status of newly hired people. Already 23,000 employers have signed on to use the system with more coming on every day.

The system uses E-Verify, USCIS Director Emilio Gonzalez says. It allows employers to compare the Green Card photo or their Employment Authorization Document, against the photo's database.

And they're expanding. The E-Verify system by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service will include comparison photos from other legal documents like drivers licenses and passports.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the system is inaccurate and rejects some that are legally authorized to work in the United States. We say no system is perfect and they shouldn't throw the baby out with the proverbial bathwater.

Prince William County Illegal Immigration Measure

2007-10-17T16:45:00.000-04:00

If you remember, it wasn't so long ago that the officials in Prince William County, Virginia had their hands slapped for taking immigration law into their own hands. But today one of the nation's toughest local crackdowns was unanimously approved to control illegal immigration by lawmakers there. A 12-hour hearing included testimony and a few shouting matches.

What Can the Police Do to Illegal Immigrants?

What will happen is the county now has the authority to deny some services to illegal aliens, like business licenses, assistance for housing and services for older people. It was the Board of Supervisors that sent money to the police department in Prince William County so they would have the manpower to check if a person was here legally, or not.

Can I Sue the Police for Questioning an Illegal Immigrant?

Already twenty-two plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit in federal court trying to block the new law. They say these measures simply violate equal protection laws - and since the Feds aren't doing much in the way of immigration - immigration enforcement, according to them, should be a federal matter.

The reason the meeting took so long is because there were over 400 residents, many who spoke for and against the new measure - this went past 2 AM Wednesday morning. And there was turmoil in the streets as opposing sides clashed before the Tuesday meeting. Some 1200 people crowded near the government complex. Many were children of immigrants asking board members as they passed by not to hurt their parents. One woman ran out of the meeting in tears saying this measure would cause the separation of her and her daughter.

So that racial profiling doesn't start to take place in Prince William County, supervisors added a resolution addressing the cost, fairness and public confusion. There will be a public education campaign for the immigrant communities that will allow them to learn more in their own language locally. Still, discrimination may ensue.

Supporters of the new measure claim illegal aliens are breaking the law. Some ask how they can demand services, rights and mandatory citizenship? Who invited them, they ask. They have no rights - none, cried another.

Deporting Innocent People

2007-10-17T09:03:00.000-04:00

We want the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to nab the criminals and gang members and send them packing to their own countries, but what happens when this becomes indiscriminate and some undocumented immigrants who some deem good get caught up in the chaos?

Many feel that the Bush administration has to do something now about these raids which as we've reported, separate families, and it creates a great fear in the neighborhood - this by Federal Agents (ICE) - local polices efforts are undermined as they trust parts of the illegal immigrant community.

In Mountain View, California, the arrest of Catholic youth pastor, Lucio Caciano Miranda, has started a controversy. He was handcuffed and detained in a raid last week at his home in nearby Sunnyvale. He was release but pending further hearings which might lead to his deportation. ICE officials probably had a warrant for a previous resident at Miranda's address - and he was caught up because he is undocumented.

Miranda has been in the U.S. for 15 years as a gardener. And he also works with the youth at church. He has a GED diploma that he worked for here. And he trained three years at the San Jose Diocese to become a lay minister. Trying to become part of the community, yet at the same time we have no word on whether he was trying to become legal here.

ICE has recently stepped up their mission after Congress failed to pass the comprehensive immigration reform bill. ICE does a great job with felons and gang members, but at times people simply without documents yet trying to do good get caught in the snare. Many officials in cities throughout the country have called on ICE to calm down their raids.

Can Illegal Immigrants Get Loans?

2007-10-12T09:55:00.000-04:00

While you're suffering from the stress of a subprime mortgage, hoping that you never slide into foreclosure, there is a group that is doing surprisingly well in the mortgage market.

We're talking about home loans to illegal immigrants. Who knows whether these loans will continue to hang in there; many things could snowball - government crackdown on illegal workers, and with an already tight job market, a squeeze on jobs for undocumented workers. No work - these illegals will likely default. We already see some signs of a "slow down" - mainly, creditors raising rates because of the recent problems in the credit world.

These mortgages are known as ITIN mortgages. If you work in the business, you know what we're talking about: people filing for a mortgage must have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, and they have to prove they can somehow pay the loan back, naturally - plus pay taxes even though they don't have a U.S. address (well, until they get the house - but even then, not a legal address, no?)

These loans are only a small percentage of the $2.8 trillion mortgage market. Yet, come to think of it, they are one of the bright spots in this dark and mysterious industry.

ITIN loans 90 days behind are rare; only 0.5 percent. Compare that to 1 percent of prime mortgages and 9.3 percent with those subprime mortgages. Indeed, lenders who go after this type of mortgage want them to last forever. Since the default level is almost zero, what do they have to lose?

Illegal aliens normally use an fake Social Security number so they can get a job. We've seen several workers who clean local restaurants at night, such as Calistoga Bakery in Naples, Florida, knowingly use false documents. These same people can pay taxes with a nine digit number the IRS has been issuing since 1997 just so foreigners who are not legal to get a Social Security number can pay taxes.

Of course, the IRS wants everyone possible to pay taxes, file an income tax return, regardless of who they are. Banks began accepting the ITIN number for mortgages around 2000. Why they are a better risk is because initially, the illegal immigrants are required to produce more paperwork, undergo more scrutiny than normal workers. Some banks even check checking accounts to see where the money is going.

Yes, it is possible for illegal aliens to get mortgages. And it turns out, they are a better risk than most legals. What do you think?

What is the Canada Mexican Refugee Program?

2007-09-22T22:12:00.000-04:00

Mexicans and Haitians have asked, "How can I find information about the refugee program in Canada?" And if they've been served by an East Naples nonprofit called the Jerusalem Haitian Community Center, the authorities in Canada say it's all a scam.

It's bad enough illegal aliens are slaves in America until granted a Green Card, but to travel to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with the hopes of fast, easy freedom and legality - well, that's just not right. The Canadian Council for Refugees, a nonprofit group in Montreal say the process happening in Naples, Florida, is a scam.

Jacques Sinjuste of the Jerusalem Haitian Community Center has been accepting $300 to $400 so-called "donations" for adults, and $100 for children to fill out fake Canadian refugee applications. Sinjuste then sends them to Detroit, to cross the border there over to Windsor - a small town of about 350,000.

Canadian authorities are up in arms not knowing what to do with the masses of people arriving from the U.S. Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis said Friday that this is totally unexpected and resources are stretched to the max. Just this last week, 225 Mexican illegal immigrants, mainly from Southwest Florida, arrived in Windsor. Once there, they learn that lodging is temporary - and becoming legal takes over a year.

It's the residents of Windsor now that are footing over $40,000 of the $200,000 bill it's costing the community to house these "applicants" in local hotels. In Ontario, 80 percent is paid by the province, 20 percent by the city. But Francis fears the influx won't stop. While interviewing the illegal immigrants, they found they were given false information.

Almost all claimed there was some kind of Mexican refugee program and all they had to do was ask for asylum. Authorities then told them that there is no such program and the yearlong process for legality doesn't guarantee them anything. Less than 13 percent of Mexican applicants get accepted each year. Francis said he will do what he can to speed up the process.

Canadian authorities say the scheme preys on those who will do anything to become legal. Yet Sinjuste of the Jerusalem Haitian Community Center says he is simply providing a service. He claims they fill out the paperwork for the Mexicans, and that they are not experts in Canadian law. Canadian law does allow for Mexicans and Haitians.

Sinjuste claims he is working with an organization in Detroit called the Freedom House. He claims he's had a long-standing relationship with them, but they act as if there is no relationship. In fact, Pegg Roberts of Freedom House wants Sinjuste to stop using their name. She claims Sinjuste has brought nothing but pain and frustration to many.

Are there jobs in Canada for Mexicans?

Maybe. But many who go there will have to wait out the year and hope they are part of the 13 percent that get to stay. Some will take the chance anyway because they fear living in the U.S. they will get caught and sent back to Mexico. Their feeling is if caught in Canada, the Canadians will allow them to stay and work toward their legal status. There isn't much else they feel they can do.

Coming Over the Border, Mexicans Don't See

2007-09-03T22:34:00.001-04:00

Mexican president Felipe Calderon wouldn't have it any other way. A true politician, to please his people of Mexico he claimed that the Mexican border doesn't end at the U.S. border.

Calderon said he feels Mexicans should be able to work in America, pay no taxes, and then send that money gained in the U.S. to Mexico. The fact the illegal immigrants from Mexico use the sidewalks and roads, schools and public safety, without payment, means nothing.

Calderon called for the U.S. Congress to wake up; that they are persecuting and exacerbating the mistreatment of "undocumented" Mexican workers. Mexico's president called it "insensitive". In this his first state of the union address, Calderon said that Mexico needs to be strong and sure of itself. Yet he did not mention the improvement of Mexico so his own people wouldn't have to leave the country to find work elsewhere.

Popular with the people, Calderon got a standing ovation.

What Happened at Koch Foods

2007-08-30T19:57:00.000-04:00

Koch Foods processes chickens for fast food restaurants across the Southeast. Koch Foods was being investigated for federal crimes including encouraging, inducing or harboring illegal aliens. Federal agents pulled 161 suspected illegal aliens from Koch Foods Tuesday, but did not find all of them. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents seized documents and other materials at the Koch Foods plant in southwest Ohio and at Koch Foods Inc.

Immigration agents raided a poultry packaging facility in Fairfield, Ohio, yesterday morning and arrested scores of illegal immigrants at the Koch Foods. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Immigration spokesman Richard Rocha said the operation was the end result of a two-year investigation. Immigration agents surrounded the chicken processing plant where Danny Alvarez-Reyes works, he did the only thing he could think of: he gave his coat to a scared friend determined to hide in the walk-in freezer. The attorney for Koch Foods has issued a statement regarding the immigration actions at the Fairfield plant on Tuesday. The statement says that the company is fully cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and furthermore that the company is complying with all immigration laws and looking to resolve the current matter quickly.

Moskowitz said employees faced a range of charges including illegal reentry to the United States, identity theft, document fraud, social security fraud and forgery. The raid was the latest targeting businesses employing illegal workers. "Unlawful employment is one of the key magnets drawing illegal aliens across our borders," said Julie L. They knew those were illegal criminal aliens they were hiring. There are 12-20 million illegal aliens presently in the country. Lawsuits and Department of Labor enforcement actions aimed at illegal pay practices in the meat and poultry processing industries are quite common.

The 700 poultry workers here, most of them Mexicans, might seem ripe for organizing, but labor's efforts at resurgence face daunting obstacles. That pace means that many workers make 18,000 cuts during their eight-hour shifts as they prepare breasts, wings, tenders and cutlets for restaurants and consumers. Smith said she and the two other workers in her unit often could not go to the bathroom for hours at a time because the pace was so demanding and there was nobody to replace them. Back in Morristown, the Koch poultry workers are so united behind a union and have generated so much community support that they persuaded Koch to pledge not to mount an anti-union campaign. 'While rumors flew among Hispanics that some had been hurt or even frozen to death during the raid, ICE spokesman Greg Palmore said there were no significant injuries and that workers who hid in freezers had quickly been found. Palmore said everything possible had been done to ensure children would not be left unattended if parents had been arrested, and ICE officials said some workers may be released for humanitarian reasons if caregivers could not be found. Interviews with the owner of the plant that is now complaining that there are no workers to do the jobs (left unsaid, at the wages he is willing to pay).

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones has been one of the country's most outspoken opponents of illegal immigrants and employers who use them, and has lobbied Washington for better enforcement and deportation of undocumented workers. "THESE RAIDS ARE AN OUTRAGE," advocates for immigrants said the raid was an arbitrary and unfair action that hurts immigrant families and does nothing to solve fundamental flaws in American immigration law. "Deportation is a revolving door," said Elias Bermudez, the founder of Immigrants Without Borders, an advocacy group which works with thousands of illegal immigrants in the border state of Arizona. Some town leaders say such immigrants account for most of those seeking work. Nearly 2 million jobs that are important to [California] are held by illegal immigrants. All but four of the 29 illegal immigrants arrested last week in a raid targeting workers at the world’s largest hog processing plant had stolen the identities of American citizens, federal prosecutors said Tuesday as they announced identity theft charges. Twenty of the 161 suspected illegal immigrants that federal agents detained after raiding a poultry packaging plant in Fairfield are in jail today on charges of falsifying identities.

Koch Foods will face federal charges for crimes of inducing, encouraging and harboring illegal aliens, among others. Koch Foods said it was cooperating with Federal agents in the investigation. The actions come after a two-year ICE investigation yielding evidence suggesting Koch Foods may have knowingly hired illegal workers at its poultry processing and packaging plant, according to an ICE statement.

Police, Immigration Status, and Jose Carranza

2007-08-24T21:55:00.000-04:00

A day ago, attorney general of New Jersey, Anne Milgram, told police that when they arrest someone, they must ask them what their status is - as far as being in the United States legally. But some police and others aren't happy doing that.

Local Jersey officials and advocates of immigrants started thinking today about how this questioning of peoples arrested would all play out. They wanted to know if the police would be doing something wrong.

Englewood is a Jersey hot spot. Police here estimate there are over 26,000 illegal aliens - and the authorities here have always posed the immigration question - so to them - this new rule doesn't change things. In the city of Freehold, a lawsuit put all this on hold. A new chief of police there is still trying to make heads or tails of what Ms. Milgram meant.

Here's how all this happened.

An illegal alien named Carranza, 28 years old from Peru, was arrested for committing serious felonies. Somehow, $150,000 was put up by a bail bondsman. Carranza was released from the Essex County jail back in May of this year. Before this, Carranza put up $2,000 seven months earlier, being charged this time with assault including weapons - he was in a bar fight. This sprung him from Essex County jail.

Believe it or not, authorities didn't know he was an illegal alien. Carranza worked, illegally, and is now charged with three murders - he killed three people on August 4th. His bail - yes, there's a bail - is set at $1 million.

So attorney general Milgram said let's ask when we arrest anyone if they can prove they are in the United States legally. But already some people have wondered it this would have stopped the senseless murders in New Jersey by an illegal immigrant. They claim that other illegals wouldn't report crimes. Anne Milgram says that victims, people asking assistance of the police, or witnesses, would not be checked for immigration status.

And finally, Scott Weber of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Detention and Removal in Newark says that ICE isn't really set up to handle these notifications on a large scale. Looks like the attorney general's office will be planning more ways to work this rule out.

Driving Without a Drivers License as an Illegal Alien

2007-08-22T23:06:00.000-04:00

They're getting caught in larger numbers than you think. Illegal immigrants driving without a license. And when they are pulled over, many departments now have the authority, given by the Homeland Security people, to enforce immigration law. This means they are detained until turned over to the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) where they are processed and sometimes deported.

So how do you even think of driving without a license?

Well, it didn't start out that way. What happened was 9/11. And now the people who renew drivers licenses are demanding proof of legal residence to suspected applicants. Call it racial profiling - I was never questioned when I renewed my license a few years ago. And I live in a city where I know more than a few illegal immigrants.

They DID have valid drivers licenses when they started driving in this country. But then when the enforcement came - it says right on the renewal postcard - be prepared to show proof of legal residence - ALL who were illegal simply did not renew. So the plastic drivers license they had in their wallet was now worthless.

How do they keep on driving?

Here's where it gets interesting. Illegal aliens without drivers license simply blend in with other traffic. They do everything they can to not stand out - sometimes in crazy ways. They drive the speed limit - which does make them stand out. They try at all costs to keep their cars legal - lights working, license plate sticker up to date. If the car needs to be inspected, that is done, too. All clean - up to date. One would think that the illegal immigrants drive better, take care of their car better, and are doing more to save gas and lives than Americans.

Some question - why target these people - they aren't criminal. But they miss the point. The point is, if an American were in their country, driving around without a valid license, they'd be stopped. If in that country undocumented - they'd be deported. It should be the same here.

They may not commit murder, though some recently have, but nonetheless, they are not correct in what they are doing. It is not right to break the law, is it? Why do police target law breakers? Hmmm... I thought that's what we tax payers paid them to do. No?

Green Card Lottery - Not Guaranteed Visa

2007-08-20T19:25:00.000-04:00

Some folks think that once you've won the Green Card Lottery, you're automatically granted a visa to live in the United States. Thousands participate in the Green Card Lottery, for the countries that it is open to - and naturally, many do obtain their Green Cards.

We personally know of one person from Brazil who with his family now live happily in Orlando, Florida, as they won the Green Card Lottery about two years ago. It happens more often than you think, and it is the legal and proper way to come into the United States.

But how can I find the Green Card Lottery? You can apply for the Lottery for Green Cards, and yet, even though you win, you may not be eligible to enter permanently. So what is the catch?

Applicants must pay the now $750 US dollars that the embassy requires and go through and pass various medical exams. In addition, you have to have some schooling. The US Government says Green Card Lottery winners must have an advanced level of education or have worked two-years in a professional position within the past five years. Sounds complicated. But it gets harder.

If you win the Green Card Lottery, you will go through a through police investigation, performed by the United States. This means you must have an ultra-clean record to come to America. It is not as easy as it seems - still - there is a good chance, if you apply.

There are about 50,000 to 55,000 U.S. Visas allocated specifically for the Green Card Lottery. The proper name of the program is called the Diversity Visa Lottery Program and you can only enter online through the State Department. The application process is FREE although there are cases of fraud - people charging others a fee to fill out the application - the world over.

If you do not apply through the State Department website, your application will probably be marked as fraudulent. Get ready as the next "Diversity Visa Lottery Program" - or Green Card Lottery as most call it - will take place in October of this year.

Green Card Lottery Website: www.dvlottery.state.gov

Illegal Immigrant and Drivers License

2007-08-15T23:34:00.000-04:00

Since the federal government isn't doing much about illegal aliens and drivers license, or for that matter any element of undocumented aliens, the local governments are saying they've had enough.

Local communities are using their own local laws to target illegal immigrants who drive with no drivers license. Since now, most cities require you prove you are legal in the United States, illegal aliens don't get new licenses - or get old ones renewed. And being pulled over by a traffic cop is just a matter of time.

Another bite into illegal immigration is to the landlords who rent to known illegal aliens, and businesses that knowingly hire them. The ACLU says that there are over 40 such laws on the books, being enforced.

Some see the drivers license ordinance with illegal immigrants as racial profiling. Ramon Becerra, at the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement says almost all the cars that are towed belong to Hispanics. The mayor of Waukegan, Illinois, Richard Hyde, says that now the illegal aliens stopped with no drivers license are mostly white people. He notes that traffic accidents have gone down.

How You Will Get Caught

If you are an illegal immigrant, the chances are you will be caught as you go to and from work. If your car is not in good shape, there is a chance that something will break, and you will have to stop at the side of the road. A police will likely pull up to check out what is happening.

As an illegal alien, your best chance of not getting caught driving without a drivers license is by taking public transportation - the bus, or a taxi. However, you must be aware that you are still working illegally and that there is probably an ordinance against your employer for hiring you without documentation.

Sooner or later, if you don't gain legal entrance to the United States, and proceed in the proper and legal manner, you will be caught.

Will Giuliani Deport Illegal Immigrants?

2007-08-14T23:16:00.000-04:00

Clearly a political move, but also frustrated with the way illegal immigrants are taking over certain sectors of the country, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani shot back at former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney who claimed a week ago that Giuliani was weak on illegal aliens.

Presidential hopefuls have more than a plateful with the economy, the war in Iraq, and a country overrun by illegal immigrants seeking Green Cards. But what can illegal aliens expect?

Should a Republican win, an illegal immigrant can expect a hard road ahead. Giuliani told an audience in Aiken, South Carolina, Tuesday morning, "We can end illegal immigration. I promise you, we can end illegal immigration." So how's he going to do that?

Giuliani said he's going to secure the borders and identify every non citizen in the USA. It's one of his "12 commitments" to the American people. He knows there are now more than 12 million illegal aliens walking within the borders.

Giuliani said if he'll catch the illegal immigrants by deporting them when they commit a felony. But that's not all. Giulini claims he will build a high-tech invisible and a physical fence. He'll deploy a bigger and better-trained border patrol. There will be a tamperproof ID card for ALL foreign workers, and students, and a single national database to track non citizens.

BorderStat is the new system Giuliani proposes based on his CompStat program from New York City. BorderStat, like CompStat should reduce illegal aliens as it did crime in New York. So, BorderStat will weigh which things are working in the system, and which are not.

With the election in 2008, the illegal immigration issue is one of the Republican voter hot-buttons. They opposed the Immigration Bill that President Bush and Senator John McCain, R. Ariz., so vigorously supported. Because of this, McCain is having a tough run on the campaign trail. Not good - but we know how Republicans feel.

Now, with Giuliani's immigration policy coming a week after Romney told the country that New York City was "at the top of the list" of cities that offer services like public schools and hospitals to illegal immigrants. Romney said that New York City did little to have a police force enforce current Immigration Laws.

But wasn't it in 1996, when he was mayor, that Giuliani sued the federal government for provisions in the federal immigration laws that would encourage government employees to turn in illegal aliens seeking benefits from New York City? Now, he's changed his position.

Sanctuary Cities they are called; those cities that provide public services for illegal immigrants. While Romney was governor of Massachusetts, three cities declared that they were Sanctuary Cities. So you see, there is inconsistency on both sides.

Need to Speak English for Green Card

2007-08-14T10:53:00.000-04:00

It was a Saturday night in Naples, an upscale coastal town in Southwest Florida. As the clock neared 10 PM, Brazilian born Flavia asked the checkout people in English at the Super Wal-Mart she was in, if they were closing. There answer was Yes!

Flavia phoned her husband, waiting in their car with a new miniature schnauzer, and told him she could no longer buy the dog crate they so needed because the store was closing now. Her husband suggested asking a manager if she could slip in and rush to buy the crate. Flavia did - and the American worker wondered why she was in such a rush?

Turns out Super Wal-Mart, Naples, does not close at 10 PM in this town. It's open 24/7.

The fact is that the majority of the check-out clerks don't speak English - at least enough to let someone know if the store is closing.

It gets worse.

Flavia bought the wrong size crate, so her husband returned to the Super Wal-Mart, now knowing they were open all night, and at midnight found their Customer Service office closed. However, a checkout clerk motioned for him to talk to workers that were sorting through 20 or 30 shopping carts. A supervisor came to the husband and told him he'd have to get in the very long check out line because Customer Service was closed. That was fine.

The husband went to the pet area down near the Garden Center and got the correct size dog crate. On the way back to the check out area, he stopped a Wal-Mart employee in cosmetics and asked where the toilet paper was. They needed some at home. To his amusement, the employee at first looked puzzled, at the English, and then asked in broken English, "what for?"

Ok, off to find someone who speaks English at the Super Wal-Mart in Naples, Florida.

Finally in the check out lane, the husband explains - look - the big one, I am returning, ok? Yes, the clerk says with a Spanish accent. She proceeds to scan the large return. Then, the husband hands her the receipt so she can process the return.

Have you seen those Visa commercials on TV where everything is flowing nicely until someone tries to use cash? That's the exact scene here. Very puzzled, the clerk asks what the receipt is for. The clerk did not speak any English at all - except the "ok". She then called the same manager as before and out the store the husband went.

Do you need to be able to speak English in order to have a Green Card in America? Apparently not. Should you have to? Americans say YES!

Here's the thing - take most populations and when they come to America, only the wise seek out how to speak English properly. Then those who learn English, like Flavia, are tagged by the majority who don't, to help. For example, Flavia was telling us, a group of Brazilians in the Dallas/Fort Worth area have only a handful that actually speak English. The rest, some here for as long as 15 years - DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH!

Americans, for the most part, learn the language of the country they are going to live. They seek out to learn the customs of these countries. All they are asking is that immigrants do the same to preserve the American Heritage.

For that reason, it will become harder and harder for immigrants to gain Green Cards. Speaking English will certainly help. Americans want you to speak their language if you are going to live in their country. You'd expect the same in your home country, no?

No, you don't need to speak English to get a Green Card, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Fake or False Social Security Numbers

2007-08-08T23:26:00.000-04:00

When interviewed, Juan said that he would not stoop to using a fake Social Security number, because false Social Security numbers would only make it more difficult to land a Green Card and permanent residence later on. Juan was smart and came to this country with enough money to keep him independent, and pay for an Immigration Lawyer so he can get his Permanent Visa.

But we're hearing from Washington, that even this week, federal authorities are going to make life miserable for those with fake Social Security numbers and those who hire people who have false Social Security numbers. The new rule would force employers to automatically fire those employees, illegal immigrants who got the job using a fake Social Security number. The new rules will be enforced by raids across the United States on suspect businesses.

The Department of Homeland Security proposed these rules last year, but as we all know what happened with the debate in Congress regarding the immigration bill, the rules were put on hold. But now, the Department of Homeland Security says they will enforce the new rules, and they don't need the bill.

What this means is that if you are employed, but have a fake Social Security number - chances are - you eventually will be caught. The days of waiting for amnesty are gone for now. There won't be another vote on something that will allow you to stay in America until after the elections. And the raids are praised by the conservatives.

Republicans have demanded that the administration do more regarding illegal immigration. They say if only they would enforce the laws, everything would be fine. But what will happen next?

We think that millions of businesses that employ illegal aliens will protest these raids. We feel they will petition Congress to do something about the 6 million illegal aliens that work in the United States. Congress will discuss the measure and force the administration to ease off the raids on businesses with illegal aliens. But Congress will not address the immigration bill until after the election in 2008.

Russ Knocke of the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday, "We are tough and we are going to be even tougher. There are not going to be any more excuses for employers, and there will be serious consequences for those that choose to blatantly disregard the law."

Employers receive letters from the Social Security Administration saying that the number they have provided from the employee does not match. Employers have been for the most part, disregarding these letters. But now employers, especially those who harvest crops, say they are concerned.

Over 70 percent of workers on farms here in the United States are illegal immigrants. Experts believe that the government will visit these places first as an easy target. We agree.

It's only a matter of time.

Military Service for Green Card

2007-08-07T10:53:00.000-04:00

There was an hour and a half phone conversation from Brazil to a Brazilian working at a law firm in Miami. Then, once here in the U.S., the family called the same person, but got conflicting information. In search of truth, they drove four hours to another Brazilian lawyer in Pembroke Pines to hear how to become legal.

One of the single men in the group posts entries on dating websites, looking for a potential Green Card marriage.

They would do almost anything for that blessed Green Card. But the question of military service scares them more than the fear of being caught here in the United States.

How many illegal immigrants have died in Iraq? Nobody really knows, but Flavia Jimenez, an immigration policy analyst at the National Council of La Raza states that "we know recruiters may not be up to speed on everybody's legal status. We know that a significant number of illegals have died in Iraq."

We pinpoint Los Angeles where the recruiting is done mainly in high schools, 75 percent Latino. And it's common knowledge that recruiters there offer Green Cards. We found the practice as widespread as Texas. And some recruiters actually tell the kids that if they don't enlist, and they are illegal, they will soon be deported - them and their family. This happened in a case in Chicago.

The Pentagon denies that illegal immigrants are in the military at all. And if they are, they committed fraud. One private was discovered illegal while in Iraq. Army Pvt Juan Escalante was discharged and shipped home. Immigration and Customs Enforcement started a proceeding against his parents to deport them - but they were saved when Escalante's unit leader wrote a letter saying he had served with distinction.

Jose Gutierrez wasn't so lucky. He came illegally from Guatemala in 1996 to escape the death squads there. Enlisted, Gutierrez was killed by friendly fire. He was awarded citizenship posthumously. When recruiters find illegals willing to sign up, they write the word "pending" for their Social Security number. Gutierrez finally got his.

President Bush signed an Executive Order on July 3, 2002, providing for the "expedited naturalization for aliens and noncitizen nationals serving in an active-duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States during the period of the war against terrorists of of global reach." What does this mean? Well, any noncitizen can be granted citizenship on their first day of active duty. But it doesn't specify illegals.

In many American wars, citizenship was granted solely on the basis of three years of honorable service or discharge, whether or not the person ever lived in the United States. And the people recruiting need to tell their prospects more - they are hiding a few facts.

For one, the military doesn't have the authority to grant citizenship. All it does is forward their application to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement which then scrutinizes them - and their families - for up to a year. Citizenship can be denied for past criminal offenses, dishonorable discharge - meaning refusing to fight in combat.

Military recruiters will exploit the desire for citizenship of illegal aliens as long as they can. And a bill, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill (S 1639) failed to pass in the Senate last June. It was to give permanent residency to any "alien who has served in the uniformed services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, has received an honorable discharge."

This means the government knew illegals were there all along.

But with the defeat of this bill - those illegals who died for the United States will go unknown.