“Activists Want Answers on Panel Choice”

Kristen Mack, in today’s Washington Post article, focusing on the appointment of Duecaster, has clearly connected the comments of Robert Duecaster to “Advocator.” It was interesting to me, viewing the comment section, that Advocator tried to deny he was actually Duecaster! Ummm, Robert, you already took responsibility for your comments regarding “pitchforks and shovels,” it’s a little too late for back tracking. My hope is that we can start moving away from immigration status, and really focus on the underlying issue in this debate: the demographic changes in the county. We don’t know who is documented or not, legal resident or not, but we can focus on how to help our neighbors without vilifying an entire segment of our population, the Latino community. Certainly, our country is facing an economic crisis of a magnitude that will effect us all, and I believe our collective energy is better focused on the issues that REALLY will effect our everyday lives, like a bailout of a trillion dollars! When our personal property taxes come in next year, that will be a sobering moment for all us.

We Deserve to Know

Please sign this online petition by clicking here. Your address and email will be not published. You have the option of signing your name without it being publicly displayed. It will get sent to all the supervisors. I know it is intimidating to sign a petition or even write a letter to your supervisor knowing that it may get FOIAed by Help Save Manassas and end up on Greg’s blog. We must all stand together to confront their bullying tactics. We can’t give up our rights to representation out of fear. Once you are done signing, please forward to your neighbors, friends and family in Prince William County. Thank you.

To Chairman Stewart and Supervisors Stirrup, May, Nohe, Caddigan, Jenkins, Principi and Covington:

We, the people of Prince William County, express deep disappointment at your appointment of Robert Duecaster to the county’s Strategic Goals Task Force, Human Resources Committee confirmed on September 16, 2008 with a 5-3 vote.

We commend Supervisors Jenkins, Principi and Caddigan for voting against it.

You have the right to vote however you wish as a supervisor, and we respect that is part of the process. However, it light the of fact that Mr. Duecaster has made anti-Hispanic, xenophobic, and anti-Catholic statements both addressing the Board during Citizens’ Time and writing on blogs,

And, in light of the fact that the appointment was confirmed on the inaugural day of Hispanic Heritage Month, we ask you for the following,

1. Please make a statement as individuals, not as the Board, explaining why you voted the way you did. Tell us how you feel about Mr. Duecaster’s anti-Hispanic, xenophobic and anti-Catholic comments. For example:

This really is not about immigration, it’s not about legality or illegality, it’s not about economics, I’m going to tell right what it’s about; it’s about and invasion of this country. This country is being invaded no less than if hordes of armed people came across its borders. This invasion is not armed, but they’ve got weapons. The weapons that they use are their anchor babies…This invasion is being funded by foreign governments…We’re going to repel this invasion, one way or another, it will be repelled. You can either be part of the repulsion or you can be part of the other side. (Robert Duecaster during Citizens’ Time, October 16, 2007)

What’s even more ironic is the fact that el Pape will be here bemoaning how some jurisdictions have ‘treated’ the illegals. He’ll disregard the facts that we’ve educated their anchor babies, provided social services, indulged their vulgarities, cleaned up their trash, and provided them with a higher standard of living and more freedoms than their own countries used to give them. He’ll berate us for not embracing them wholeheartedly, for not allowing them access to our universities at the expense of our own children, and for not rewarding them for violating the sanctity of our borders. He’ll be pandering to them to gather members to replace those who left the Church due to the institutionalized approval of his priests’ penchant for little boys’ behinds. (Robert Duecaster comment written as “Advocator” on bvbl.net, April 14, 2008. He admitted to being “Advocator” to the DC Examiner. Click here for the article.)

Please click here and review this collection of his written comments.

Please click here to review a video documenting his statements to the Board or ask Channel 23 to assemble the county’s own video documentation of his statements.

2. To mark the occasion of Prince William County’s declaration of Hispanic Heritage Month, please make a statement, and take meaningful action as an individual citizen and as a District Supervisor to express your appreciation of people of Hispanic heritage in this community.

We recognize that you have not always voted in accordance with your moral beliefs or your best judgment. We ask that you take this occasion to come forward and make a statement based on your personal beliefs instead of obscuring them behind such protocols as courtesy votes and unanimous votes.

You are our elected representatives in government. We need and deserve to hear you express how you really feel and what you believe.

People of Prince William County, Virginia

National Survey Mirrors Results of Low Satisfaction Survey Results Among Latinos/African Americans in PWC

This is a new survey, conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center. Clearly, the results reflect the feelings of the minority communities in Prince William County. How should we react to improve the negative perception of the people in our community? The amendment to the resolution on April 29th was a critical change, but more must be done. The split vote approval of the appointment of Robert Duecaster, although not necessarily a “win”, at least demonstrated that there are four Supervisors who find his language and mission offensive. This is progress.

Hispanics See Their Situation in U.S. Deteriorating; Oppose Key Immigration Enforcement Measures. WASHINGTON – Half (50%) of all Latinos say that the situation of Latinos in this country is worse now than it was a year ago, according to a new nationwide survey of 2,015 Hispanic adults conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center. These increasingly downbeat assessments come at a time when the Hispanic community in this country has been hit hard by rising unemployment and stepped-up immigration enforcement.

In the survey, nearly one-in-ten Hispanic adults report that in the past year the police or other authorities have stopped them and asked them about their immigration status. Latinos say they are experiencing other difficulties because of their ethnicity. One-in-seven (15%) say that they have had trouble in the past year finding or keeping a job because they are Latino. One-in-ten (10%) report the same about finding or keeping housing. On the question of immigration enforcement, Latinos disapprove of five key enforcement measures asked about in this survey–and generally do so by lopsided margins.

The report also explores how Latinos rate the political parties and their presidential candidates on immigration and Hispanic concerns. The report, 2008 National Survey of Latinos: Hispanics See Their Situation in U.S. Deteriorating; Oppose Key Immigration Enforcement Measures, is available on the Center’s website, www.pewhispanic.org.Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is anon-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington,D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts

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“What I Believe”

This is a first draft to which I hope others in the community will contribute. I reserve the right to amend my beliefs as new ideas and new information are presented. I invite everyone to share what they “believe” regarding immigration, and /or, the rising tide of extremism.

* I believe in the words of John Locke:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights”.

* I believe, that immigration, has throughout our history, and will remain, a very contentious issue

* I believe, that we have a broken immigration system that needs modern reform

* I believe, our government has a responsibility to mandate that the people who live or work here, acquire proper legal status

* I believe, the solutions must stem from fiscal responsibility (not analysis based on fear but on solid objective sources), they must be humane, and they must be reasonably enforceable, and above all, they must exemplify the true meaning of a nation built upon immigrants

* I believe, that how we frame the debate, with the words we choose, is as important as the solutions themselves

* I believe, that we are experiencing, as a nation, a time when division has once again reared its ugly head

* I believe, that certain localities, more than others in this nation, are struggling under a rapid changing demographic and that the local, state, and federal government could do more to address the concerns of those citizens

* I believe, that I do not know all the answers to immigration, but I do know, that framing the debate with fear and hate, will bring us no productive solutions

Duecaster Appointment Approved 5 to 3 After Closed Session Debate

NotGregLetiecq, 16. September 2008, 18:33:

Okay. So. Is anyone else watching this? The Supervisors voted 5 to 3 in favor of a motion by Frank Principi to add a discussion of Stirrup’s Duecaster appointment to the topics to discuss for closed session.

Those in favor: Principi, Caddigan, May, Jenkens, and Nohe.

Those opposed: Greg Letiecq’s Errand Boys, Covington

There had been a discussion about a DVD submitted into the record by Eric Byler, of the 9500Liberty You Tube channel, but I am unclear about whether or not they agreed at the time to watch it in closed session.

When the Board reconvened about 90 minutes later, the other appointments all passed unanimously except for Supervisor Nohe abstaining on the vote to confirm Supervisor May’s appointment, Kris Nohe (his wife) to the same Human Services committee for which Robert Duecaster was about to see a vote. When Chairman Stewart introduced the Duecaster appointment, there was a long discussion. Jenkins said he hadn’t had the opportunity to view the video embedded above.

So, he asked that the vote be delayed until the Board could see it privately.

Supervisor Stirrup responded that there was prejudice in the video (I believe he meant prejudice AGAINST Duecaster, ironically enough).

Supervisor Principi said, “I’m in the same boat” with Supervisor Jenkins, and that he was torn between following the usual procedure (my phrasing) and using his vote to express his concern about a man whose “reputation precedes him.”

Chairman Stewart said they should not watch the video before voting because 9500Liberty was “against the Board’s Resolution” (not exactly true but okay).

Supervisor Principi said we don’t need to watch someone else’s interpretation, we have our own footage from Channel 23’s coverage of Citizens’ Time. He said we can ask our communications department to edit the same three speeches together from their own footage. He repeated the request that the vote be delayed until such time as a Channel 23 version of the same events could be produced for the Board’s edification.

Supervisor Caddigan said she planned to vote against the appointment. She said she had not heard about any of this beforehand, and felt uncomfortable voting in the affirmative if she was being denied the opportunity to see the video. She said she was disturbed by some of the Duecaster quotes that were read to her at Citizens’ Time.

Supervisor Nohe said that while he was disturbed by the comments of Mr. Duecaster, which he called “deeply offensive to me,” he was going to vote yes out of respect to Supervisor Stirrup, not out of respect toward his appointment.

Chairman Stewart said that he doubted whether the Duecaster quotes were accurate. It seemed to me that it was in Stewart’s power to deny the Board an opportunity to see the DVD, and it was in his power to force a vote.

They then voted, as RobbPearson reported on the previous thread:

FOR Duecaster’s appointment:
Stewart
Nohe
Stirrup
Covington
May

AGAINST Duecaster’s appointment:
Principi
Jenkins
Caddigan

After the vote, Supervisor Jenkins said this is the first time he had ever been denied the opportunity to see information pertinent to a vote. Because he had been contacted by so many concerned citizens, he asked County Attorney Horton if, now that the DVD was in the public record, would it be made available to citizens. The answer was yes.

The Real Scandal

Nativist Republican Operative Greg Letiecq Continues His Witch-Hunt in a Desperate Attempt to Distract the Public from the Reality of the Immigration Resolution’s Disastrous Failure.

As national economic news worsens, Prince William County residents are coping with the an $11 Million Dollar “Immigration” policy that is hampering our local economy at a time when we can least afford it. Add to this the fact that last Tuesday’s highly anticipated Immigration Report from Chief Deane revealed some shocking indicators of how poorly our local “Immigration” policy is serving us. Trust and confidence in our county government and our police force are at all time lows according to our Citizen Satisfaction Survey. And, only 1.6% of the crime committed in Prince William County is committed by undocumented individuals. And, as shown in an earlier thread, in return for our $11 Million Dollar “Immigration” policy, we are seeing many of those we do apprehend return to the county after a brief trip through our federal system.

Perhaps this is the reason Greg Letiecq is pretending to be outraged about Liz Barnes and Craig Gerhart receiving a salary, and Eric Byler, an award-winning filmmaker, not receiving a salary as a VOLUNTEER for the Obama campaign (one among millions of Obama volunteers across the country).

His whining about Byler’s weekend volunteer activities is truly laughable.  Long before he earned himself a place in the halls of nativist fame, Greg was known in the county as a conservative Republican operative.  On his blog, he is trying to create a faux scandal over the entirely appropriate actions of some of the best civil servants in our county to try to distract us from the real scandal.

Here’s the real scandal: an extremist, nativist, hate group — led by Republican operatives — posing as a grassroots “issue advocacy” organization used insidious tactics to ram through our county an economically disastrous and racist policy with “help” from FAIR, a national organization classified as a hate group by Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center.  Surveys and reports about the Prince William experiment — more are forthcoming from think tanks and universities — are confronting us with that reality.  And Greg is waving his arms in desperation “don’t look there…look over here!” It’s a pitiful sight.

Witch-Hunt in Prince William

Nativist Letiecq Attempts to Intimidate Numerous Members of PWC Community

Just days after Help Save Manassas was classified as “an extremist organization that employs hateful rhetoric” by the Anti-Defamation League, the man responsible for earning this classification for his followers has sunk to a new low.

A private email I wrote eleven days ago found its way to Greg Letiecq, who has posted a new thread on his blog intending to intimidate and persecute, not only me, but everyone who was on the email list.

In it, I questioned the judgment of Gainesville District Supervisor John Stirrup, who tomorrow will ask his fellow Supervisors to vote to approve his appointment of Robert Duecaster to the Prince William County Strategic Goals Task Force. I have made no secret of my feelings about Duecaster’s racist writings, or his infamous outbursts before our Board of Supervisors (see previous thread). But now Letiecq is trying to intimidate and defame those who received the email (many of whom did not respond).

Supervisor Stirrup’s apparent trust in Duecaster — the only man in this county who has personally threatened the Board of Supervisors with more hatred and rage than Letiecq himself — is just one symptom of the toxicification of Prince William County at the hands of Letiecq, his blog, and his extremist organization. The Center for American Progress has documented how intimidation and incitement of racial conflict are common methods of attack for anti-immigrant organizations.

The persecution began last year, targeting the Hispanic community, though often worded to focus on “illegal” immigrants rather than the Hispanic community in general. But it did not stop when many members of the Hispanic community left the county. It did not stop when our county’s Citizen Satisfaction Survey revealed that both the Hispanic and the African American communities have lost trust in county government and the police force.

For more than a year, Letiecq has been targeting anyone who dares to oppose his relentless attempts to dominate our county government by exploiting his influence over Supervisor Stirrup and Chairman Corey Stewart. Now, he is not only targeting those who criticize him, he is targeting anyone who associates with his critics, or thinks about joining them.

Letiecq has made a habit of attacking me. But he knows I am not intimidated. He knows I will stand up to him.

Many of the those who received my personal email have not criticized Letiecq or taken any action to challenge his greed for power. By publishing their names without permission and “identifying” them, he has violated their privacy in a despicable attempt to make them appear guilty of some infraction, and bully them into silence.

I for one am not afraid of Greg Letiecq’s Neo-McCarthyism. And I am not afraid to say I oppose the appointment of Robert Duecaster to our county’s Strategic Goals Task Force. But more importantly, I oppose the persecution tactics Letiecq has employed to unduly influence this county government, its leaders, and its citizens.

P.S. Question for Greg Letiecq: Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?

Corey Stewart questions legal status of “spanish speakers” to deflect the negative results of the satisfaction survey

There is so much to comment on this video! Besides the dobermans and machine guns as your companions for a night time stroll in the neighborhood, besides the disclosure that ICE is actually NOT detaining all illegal immigrants just because we turn them over, what caught my attention was Corey’s outright ethnic profiling! Why would Corey ask if only the “Spanish speakers were asked if they were legal or illegal immigrants?” I thought that illegal immigration was not about Hispanics, but about ALL immigrants ? What does this say about our chairman that insinuates the satisfaction survey was not valid because “Spanish speakers” who may be “illegal immigrants” nullify the results. At least that was my impression.

Please, I invite everyone to comment on what stood out to them in this video.

Stirrup Appointment Could Mean Another Year of Extremist Duecaster Shaping County Policy

John Stirrup has nominated Robert Duecaster, one of the authors of the Immigration Resolution, as an appointee to the Strategic Task Force for PWC. He will sit on the Health and Human Services Committee if approved. Let me quote from Mr. Duecaster as best I can:

“This issue is not really about immigration or illegality or legality, it’s not about economics, I’m going to tell you right now what it’s about. It’s about an invasion of this country. This county is being invaded no less than if hordes of armed people were coming across its border. This invasion is not armed, but they’ve got weapons. The weapons they use are their anchor babies.”

“Mark these words, we are going to repel this invasion, one way or another. You can part of that repulsion or be on the other side.”

Mr. Duecaster is the secretary for Help Save Manassas, which is recognized by The Southern Poverty Law Center as a “Nativist” group. In addition to this label, the Anti-Defamation League has now added Save the Old Dominion AND Help Save Manassas to their list of “Extremist” anti immigrant organizations. You will see that Mr. Duecaster uses many of the code words that ADL lists as tools to move extremist rhetoric into the mainstream. I find this nomination unaccpetable! What is John Stirrup thinking?

A closer look at the public record reveals that some of these supposedly mainstream organizations have disturbing links to, or relationships with, extremists in the anti-immigration movement. Often identified in the media or their mission statements as “anti-illegal immigration advocacy groups,” they attempt to distort the debate over immigration by fomenting fear and spreading unfounded propaganda through the use of several key tactics:
Describing immigrants as “third world invaders,” who come to America to destroy our heritage, “colonize” the country and attack our “way of life.” This charge is used against Latinos, Asians and other people of color.

Using terminology that describes immigrants as part of “hordes” that “swarm” over the border. This dehumanizing language has become common.

Portraying immigrants as carriers of diseases like leprosy, tuberculosis, Chagas disease (a potentially fatal parasitic disease), dengue fever, polio, malaria.

Depicting immigrants as criminals, murderers, rapists, terrorists, and a danger to children and families.

Propagating conspiracy theories about an alleged secret “reconquista” plot by Mexican immigrants to create a “greater Mexico” by seizing seven states in the American Southwest that once belonged to Mexico.

Blaming immigrants for eroding American culture, institutions and quality of life and impacting our environment and natural resources.

This anti-immigrant propaganda and rhetoric, once the domain of hate groups, is now part of the lexicon used by anti-immigration advocacy organizations, politicians and media figures considered mainstream.

In this report, part of a series of reports on immigration and extremism, ADL exposes those individuals and groups who are playing a key a role in mainstreaming extremist rhetoric in the immigration debate in various aspects of American life.

Immigration, reduced to its most basic form, the soul of a Nation

This comment was written by Marie, one of our regular posters. For me, this post cut to the heart and common sense analysis of a complicated issue. Thank you Marie!

Someday the true cost of the war on illegal immigration will be realized. I do not mean in dollars and cents. The true cost is to the national identity: the sense of who we are and what we value. It will hit us once the enforcement fever stops.

It is my belief that we are a nation of immigrants and one nation of immigrants is holding another nation of immigrants in bondage, exploiting its labor while ignoring its suffering, condemning its lawlessness while sealing off a path to living lawfully. The evidence is all around that the WELCOMING spirit at the American core is slipping away.

The campaigns to raid homes and workplaces has spread indiscriminate terror among millions of people who pose no threat. After one of the largest raids in Postville, hundreds were swiftly force-fed through the legal system and sent to prison. Their civil-rights violated. Lawyers complained that workers had been steamrolled into giving up their rights, treated more as a presumptive criminal gang than as potentially exploited workers who deserved a fair hearing. Immigrants in detention suffer without lawyers and decent medical care even when they are mortally ill. Counties with spare jail cells are lining up for federal contracts as prosecutions fill the system to bursting. Police all over are checking papers, empowered by politicians who are itching to enlist in a federal campaign.

Legal paths are clogged or do not exist. Some backlogs are so long that they are measured in decades or generations. A bill to fix the system died a year ago and there is a strategy is to force millions into fear.

There are few national figures standing firm against restrictionism. Senator Edward Kennedy has done so, but his Senate colleagues who are running for president seem by comparison to be in hiding. John McCain supported sensible reform, but whenever he mentions it, his party starts braying. It is unknown at this point how Sarah Palin stands on the issue. Hillary Rodham Clinton has lost her voice on this issue more than once. Barack Obama might someday test his vision of a new politics against restrictionist hatred, but he has not yet done so. The American public’s moderation on immigration reform, confirmed in poll after poll, begs the candidates to confront the issue with courage and a plan. But they have been vague and have not risen to the challenge. I write letter after letter to them. I feel fortunate if any reply.

The restrictionist message is simple — illegal immigrants deserve no rights, mercy or hope. It refuses to recognize that illegality is NOT an identity. Unless the nation reduces its pressure to enforcement, illegal immigrants will remain forever THEM and never US, subject to whatever abusive regimes the powers of the moment may devise.

I have said many times before the Federal Gov’t needs to do more to beef up security at our borders and ports but in the interim there are over 12 million undocumented people here and we need to do something. The restrictionist approach is not and will not work. There needs to be a path for all the hard working, tax paying immigrants to become documented. You see for me it has always been about the God given rights of ALL HUMAN BEINGS and for me It is about being treated with dignity and respect.

Every time this country has singled out a group of newly arrived immigrants for unjust punishment, the shame has echoed through history. Think of the Chinese and Irish, the Italians and Jews, Catholics and Americans of Japanese ancestry. Our grand children will study the immigration panic of the 2000s, which harmed countless lives, and mocked the nation’s most deeply held values

CNN cameras catch John Stirrup emphatically cheering on John McCain

Sitting on the floor in my room, folding clothes while I watch John McCain give his speech, the CNN camera pans the audience, lo and behold, I see John Stirrup cheering and waving his sign around. Within several mintues I see him again, only this a much closer shot! Now, what I am wondering, does he react with such demonstrative support when John McCain addresses the plight of immigrants or the story of hispanic migrant workers and their families, and ultimately the bond that ties us all together, our common bond of humanity.

I found this most recent article from Fox news on John McCains immigration plan, his new focus on securing the border and the tight rope he walks in appealing to Hispanics while not alienating his base.

ST. PAUL — For most voters, immigration reform has taken a backseat to the economy and the war in Iraq.

But the controversial issue could re-emerge in the fall as John McCain and Barack Obama court Hispanic voters, who could make the difference in battleground states such as Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Colorado, where many of Latino voters are concentrated.

McCain vowed this summer that if elected he would prioritize reforming immigration laws to include a pathway to citizenship for illegal residents.

As senator, his immigration reform efforts failed last year when Congress shot down a comprehensive bill he co-sponsored that included a guest worker program. After that, McCain narrowed his position, saying the U.S. must secure its borders before changing the system.

Immigration reform represents a political landmine for Republicans who want to appeal to Hispanics, an increasingly powerful electorate, and hold on to its base supporters, many whose position against illegal immigration is viewed by Hispanics as discriminatory.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/04/mccains-stance-on-immigration-could-help-win-hispanics/

John Tanton believes Hilter had the right idea but wrong approach?

Now this should frighten everyone, it sure did me! A new memo surfaces from John Tanton expressing his thoughts on Hilters failure of promoting the true case for eugenics.

http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/
 

In 1989, the founder of the modern day anti-immigrant movement, John Tanton, told Otis L. Graham Jr. that “I have all along seen the immigration battle as really a skirmish in a wider war . . .” Since that time critics of Tanton have worried that his “wider war” would be one steeped in racism and white nationalism. Critics had reason to worry, particularly because of Tanton’s strong commitment to the false study of eugenics. When one cuts straight to the chase eugenics can be defined as the forced sterilization of poor and brown skinned people.

Critics should worry even more. In a recently surfaced memo, The Case for Passive Eugenics, Tanton argues for a softer, gentler eugenics movement because simply “Hitler’s reign in Nazi Germany did little to advance the discussion of eugenics among sensitive persons.” Tanton still serves on the board of his most influential organization – the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
Other items to surface in these newly uncovered Tanton memos include:

“I’m sure it will give you a new understanding of the Jewish outlook on life, which explains a large part of the Jewish opposition to immigration reform.” – John Tanton promoting an article written by anti-Semite Kevin McDonald of Occidental Quarterly a vicious anti-Semitic journal [Source: Letter to Mrs. C.S. May, December 10, 1998].

“You are saying a lot of things that need to be said, but I anticipate it will be very tough sledding” – John Tanton writing to Jared Taylor of the white supremacist group Council of Conservative Citizens concerning Taylor’s draft newsletter [Source: Letter to Jared Taylor, October 10, 1990].

“I’ve been a reader of your materials for some time, and hope that we can meet some day. Is there any chance that you could come up and join us?” – John Tanton inviting Wayne Lutton of the white supremacist group Council of Conservative Citizens to a FAIR event [Source: Letter to Wayne Lutton, June 10, 1991].

“Raid’s Outcome May Signal a Retreat In Immigration Strategy, Critics Say”

The Washington Post reports another dynamic to the most recent raid in Mississippi. It appears as though the fiasco of herding people into a “cattle-call arena” after the raid in Potsville Iowa, and setting up shop to prosecute, may not have been reprensetative of a Nation who espouses the consitutution as its “rule of law” primary legal document.

“I think Postville left a bitter taste for a lot of people,” said Robert R. Rigg, director of the criminal defense program at Drake University Law School in Des Moines, who has criticized the case. “It paints a pretty bleak picture of American criminal justice, and I don’t think it’s the type of thing the judiciary or main Justice wants to replicate.”

Charles H. Kuck, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, agreed, saying he thinks the Justice Department is changing course.

“They clearly did not enjoy the press they got after Postville. . . . It may be a shift in strategy from how bad Postville made them look as they eviscerated the Constitution, doing everything in one fell swoop with the involvement of the federal court.”

Almost 600 people were arrested in Howard Industries in Mississippi, but unlike Potsville, where an overwhelming majority were charged with felony crimes, all but eight at Howard Industries were charged criminally. The remaining several hundred were turned over for civil deporation hearings, a far cry from being charged criminally.

The federal government’s handling of a massive immigration raid at a Mississippi manufacturing plant last week has led critics to suggest that the Bush administration is backpedaling from its aggressive use of criminal charges and fast-tracked trials against illegal immigrants caught at workplaces.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency “continues to target egregious employers . . . to identify individuals engaging in identity theft, and we seek criminal charges where appropriate,” spokeswoman Kelly A. Nantel said.

Nonetheless, it was a stark departure from the way authorities conducted the previous record-setting sweep 15 weeks earlier.

“I don’t think it’s a shift away from what they ultimately want to do, which is to punish and deter people from using fraudulent identities to obtain work. It’s a different path to the same goal,” Kuck said.

But he added: “They could do one of these raids a day for the next six years and still not deter people from doing it.”

So, the question remains, WHY are we continuing a strategy that we KNOW will NOT create any long term solutions to immigration?

Seriously, this is our immigration quota system? OY VAY

So, as usual, I am wondering, how inadequate is our immigration system? I find this very interesting summary, it clarifies, fairly succinctly, how incredibly broken our system is in America, especially for unskilled workers. I won’t spoil the ending, but remember this number, 147, it will astound you when you realize what it represents.

But even if Congress were willing to expend the necessary funds to upgrade systems and supply the manpower needed to expedite the millions of applications already in the queue and awaiting processing, the major flaws in immigration policy would still exist.

Flaws codified into law that almost ensure that for the vast majority of would-be immigrants there is simply no legal path to take.

Here is where that number – 147 – comes into play, and why I asked that it be kept in the back of the mind.

I few weeks ago the annual Yearbook of immigration statistics from the Department of Homeland security came out listing every green card, work visa, tourist visa etc. issued for the past year. It’s about as dry and boring a report as one could managed to muddle through …but it supplies invaluable insight into what is really going on with the dysfunctional immigration system.

In 2006 the government issued a little over 1.2 million green cards to new immigrants to live in the US legally. Additionally, 1.7 million more non-immigrant visas were issued to temporary workers and their family members to work in the US (1/2 million more than the number of green cards issued to new permanent residents, a troubling statistic unto itself).

So at face value it appears that there is amble opportunity for those wishing to enter the country permanently to do so legally. But as Mark Twain said there are three kinds of lies “lies, damn lies, and statistics” ..and in this case one must delve into the numbers to see what story they really tell.

Of the 1.2 million green cards issued last year, 581,106 of those went to wives, children and parents of current US citizens. And additional 222,225 went to various other family members of citizens and legal residents, for a total of 2/3 of all green cards going to someone who already had a US citizen or resident relative.

The next largest category of immigrants after the “family based” status were those who entered as “employment based immigrants”. 159,081 immigrants were awarded green cards last year to legally work in the US. ( 12.6% of all immigrants). The vast majority of them being immigrants with high skills, “specialty skills” “extraordinary skills” or “advanced degrees”.

This is codified into the system.

The yearly cap on unskilled workers is placed at a 5000 maximum. This despite the fact that according to the Dept. of Labor, the US economy produces between 400,000 and 500,000 new low-skilled jobs a year and the vast majority of the nearly ½ mil unauthorized workers who enter the country each year find work in these unskilled sectors.

But as unrealistic as the 5000 cap appears, the situation is actually far worse.

Last year the total number of unskilled workers allowed into the US legally was roughly half the official cap: 2513. Out of nearly 3 million people allowed to enter the country either as temporary workers or stay as legal residents, only 2513 were unskilled workers.

But here comes that number I asked you to keep in the back of your mind ….remember it 147?…

Of the 2513 unskilled workers allotted green cards last year, 2366 were already here living and working in the US. They simply “readjusted” their status to permanent residents (most likely from some temporary worker status) …that leaves 147

147 new un-skilled workers without US citizen or legal resident family already here were allowed to enter the US last year legally and receive green cards.

147 out of 1,266,264.

147 …so tell me again how there is a legal path for all who are willing to work and wait patiently.

How long is one expected to wait… because if the ½ a million who enter each year through improper channels were to go home and wait patiently for their turn, it would take over 3000 years before they would get that chance when only 147 are allowed in each a year.

But the rhetoric will most likely continue, despite all factual evidence to the contrary. Lou Dobbs will nightly inform his minion that only the shiftless and slovenly disregard the law. O’Rielly will bluster away how he “respects and supports” those who “do it the right way” and Rush will whine that reform isn’t fair to all those “waiting in line”…But disingenuous blowhards and misleading experts cannot change the truth, or hide the facts. The current immigration laws, and the systems in place to enforce them, are woefully inadequate and all the wall building, workplace raids, deporting and incarcerating will not change that fact…and until they are addressed rationally and reasonably the “immigration crisis” will never end.

Undocumented Teenager Commits Suicide After Arrest

LEAGUE CITY — The 17-year-old’s lifeless body was frozen in a sitting position in solitary-confinement at the Galveston County Jail.

Arturo Chavez’s back was flush against a 7-foot partition for the cell’s shower. A blue blanket was twisted into a noose, with one end wrapped around his neck, the other tied to a shower head.

He apparently hanged himself about 48 hours after being arrested for what started as an illegal left turn.

I have a son, he is almost seven, I can’t imagine him risking his life, crossing the Rio Grande, at the tender age of 13, hoping to attain the American dream. This is a story that exemplifies a crisis with our Southern neighbors and with our broken immigration system. Yes, its true, albiet he did it without proper papers, this boy risked his life to come here to create a better life for himself and for his family, imagine the inner strength it must have taken to make such a journey.

Arturo Chavez, 17, after being arrested for making an illegal left hand turn, reportedly panicked, attempting to flee from his jail cell. According to jail officers he was tasered and clubbed while attempting to escape over a fence.

From all accounts, he was a model immigrant, taking classes to learn English, proud of his Mayan heritage but also proud to be here in America, his ankle braclet displaying the red, white, and blue colors. He worked hard as a bus boy, hoping to move up to waiter.  People will point out that he came here “illegally”, that he should not have been driving without a valid drivers license, and insurance.  I agree with all that, but what I am wondering, is where is our soul as a nation, that we don’t raise this child up, praise him for risking so much, for being so brave to strive for the American dream as a mere child.  How many teenagers do you know that exhibit such desire to better themselves and better their loved ones?

Those who knew Chavez said, like many undocumented immigrants, he feared any run-in with authorities as it would likely mean he would be deported.

He left Central America when he was 13 and wanted more out of life than he could get with tips loading baggage at a bus station.

Relatives say it took him nearly 15 days to get to Houston, including sneaking into Mexico and riding a passenger bus north.

He crossed the Rio Grande and hiked through South Texas.

Human smugglers demanded $3,500 to guide him, a hefty sum met with help from family and friends.

In Houston, he was known for his hustle and held out hope his improving English skills would get him promoted from busboy to waiter.

Chavez’s death was a mystery as much as a shock, said Mario Garcia, who owns the restaurant where Chavez worked.

“I don’t understand how you can go from making a mistake to losing your life, I’m dumbfounded by it,” Garcia said. “There are two sides to every story, and the truth is probably somewhere right in the middle.”

$100 sent home weekly
The kid known by his family as niño, Spanish for boy, had come a long way since leaving his indigenous village. He was sending home at least $100 a week to help his mother, father and sister.

He was not only working full time, but attending Clear Creek High School’s program to help newly arrived international students.

He wore woven bracelets made of blue and white yarn — the colors of Guatemala’s flag — as well as an anklet with the U.S.A.’s red, white and blue.

“He was very proud of his Mayan heritage,” said Elizabeth Laurence, one of his teachers. “He was a feisty young fellow, popular and wanted to learn English very much. He wasn’t timid; he tried to use it.”

Things were going well with his girlfriend, Jhoseline Martell, whom he met at school.

As the police cruiser’s lights flashed behind him near Louisiana Street and League City Parkway, Chavez dialed Martell on his cell phone and stuffed it in his pocket.

“He said the police have stopped me, just listen,” recalled Martell, 15.

He normally rode a bicycle to avoid such trouble, but he had recently bought a used green Honda sedan.

He had no driver’s license, no insurance and what turned out later to be a fake identification card.

He was arrested and taken to jail. His mugshot was taken while he wore the red shirt from his job as a busboy.