AJC

Senate bill sets to reward municipalities who seek out criminal illegal immigrants
February 8, 2010,
Ernie Suggs

Local governments that use established governmental programs to find and identify criminal illegal immigrants would be given monetary incentives under a newly-proposed senate bill.

Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw) today introduced SB 385, which would reward governments for using U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Section 287(g) and Secured Communities programs so that criminal illegal aliens are identified and turned over to the proper authorities.

“Many people from other nations move to the U.S. and Georgia and become law-abiding American citizens to find a better life for their families. Unfortunately, there are some that choose to circumvent our laws,” said Wiles. “There is a growing concern that many criminal illegal aliens are not being identified because local governments do not participate in these important programs. I want to help the local jail systems participate in these federal programs so that criminals are transferred to the federal government for

…HERE

Georgia Senate Press Office

Wiles Proposes Incentives to Local Governments Utilizing U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Programs

ATLANTA (Feb. 8, 2010) – State Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw) today introduced legislation that would provide monetary incentives for local governments to utilize U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Section 287(g) and Secured Communities programs so that criminal illegal aliens are identified and turned over to the proper authorities.

“Many people from other nations move to the U.S. and Georgia and become law-abiding American citizens to find a better life for their families. Unfortunately, there are some that choose to circumvent our laws,” said Wiles. “We must incentivize local governments to use Section 287(g) and Secured Communities so we can quickly identify criminal illegal aliens, get them out of local jails and to the ICE. There is a growing concern that many criminal illegal aliens are not being identified because local governments do not participate in these important programs. I want to help the local jail systems participate in these federal programs so that criminals are transferred to the federal government for detention.”

Wiles’ bill (SB 385) would provide a 20 percent bonus from the state to local governments that utilize the ICE 287(g) program and a 10 percent bonus from the state for those that utilize the Secured Communities program. ICE ACCESS (Agreements of Cooperation in Communities to Enhance Safety and Security) provides local law enforcement agencies an opportunity to team with ICE to combat specific challenges in their communities.

“As Sheriff of Cobb County, I support any legislation that requires the State to financially meet their custodial responsibilities for state-sentenced inmates. Today we have 309 convicted inmates, of which 14 currently have ICE Holds, awaiting transfer to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Since we are receiving less than 50% of the actual cost to house these inmates, any efforts to reduce this burden would be a bonus to the taxpayers of Cobb County,” said Sheriff Neil Warren.

The Section 287(g) program is only one component under the ICE ACCESS umbrella of services and programs offered for assistance to local law enforcement officers. ICE developed the ACCESS program in response to the widespread interest from local law enforcement agencies who have requested ICE assistance through the Section 287(g) program, which trains local officers to enforce immigration law as authorized through Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Secured Communities is a Department of Homeland Security initiative that improves public safety by implementing a comprehensive, integrated approach to identify and remove criminal aliens from the United States. The Secure Communities Program Management Office coordinates all ICE planning, operational, technical, and fiscal activities devoted to transforming, modernizing, and optimizing the criminal alien enforcement process.

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“When I was a boy I was told anyone could become president; I’m beginning to believe it.”

-Clarence Darrow

San Diego News Network

Car involved in crash had 15 illegals

At least 15 suspected illegal [aliens] escaped injury Saturday when their driver failed to pull over for a sheriff’s deputy and struck a tree on the Sunrise Highway in the Laguna Mountains, authorities said. — The deputy tried to stop the van for a traffic violation about 1 p.m., sheriff’s Lt. Hope Andrews said…

PHOTOS HERE

The crimes of illegal immigration and illegal employment are not separate issues from…

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS FOR GEORGIANS AND THE BUDGET CRUNCH!

The official estimate from the federal government is that there are about 450,000 illegal aliens living in Georgia. Demographers tell us the real number is twice that census estimate. Former state Senator Sam Zamarripa, who is also Chairman of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) put the number at “about a million” in 2006.

As reported by NPR, the Pew Hispanic Center estimates the illegal workforce nationwide to be 5%…most authorities recognize that figure to be higher in Georgia. In 2007, there were more than 8 million cases of employees with Social Security Numbers that did not match their names or official records. (“No-match”)

February, 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics stats put unemployment at just under 10% for the nation as a whole, with 16% for African Americans, 13 percent for Latinos. The actual nationwide unemployment rate is estimated to be 17%.

In the most polite terms, to not consider illegal immigration and enforcement aimed at curtailing this crime while searching for solutions to the Georgia unemployment and budget crisis is quite unproductive. One job lost to lack of enforcement is too many.

Not only is the black-market labor taking jobs from Georgians, it is lowering wages for the poorest among us while the illegal workers and their dependents use an abundance of taxpayer services and benefits which are rapidly shrinking.

Much of the illegally earned wages are paid “under the table” by unscrupulous criminal employers and much of the wages paid to illegal aliens is sent out of the country. Illegal immigration is having a terrible effect on our quality of life.

Last year the Border Patrol was able to apprehend more than 550,000 illegal border crossers and hundreds of thousands of visa holders refused to leave the U.S. when their visas expired. Official estimates are that 1 in 3 are caught. Our borders are not secure.

In 1986, we tried to solve the illegal immigration problem with a legalization program for about 3 million illegals. We now have 12-20 million illegals who escaped capture at our borders clamoring for legalization, citizenship and the right to vote. Amnesty does not stop illegal immigration.

Where American immigration laws are enforced, illegals leave for more friendly areas in which to live. This creates jobs and reduces the drain on our budget.

Americans looking for a better life should be asking our elected officials and candidates what they are doing to protect the American worker by reducing the illegal alien population in the nation and in Georgia. If not now…when?

www.TheDustinInmanSociety.org

Business and Labor on Immigration

Zogby Poll: DC Lobbyists Often Out of Step with Constituencies

WASHINGTON (February 3, 2010) - A new Zogby poll of senior executives, business owners, and members of union households finds that each of these groups thinks the best way to deal with illegal immigrants in the country is to enforce the law and cause them to return home. This is in stark contrast to lobbyists for large companies, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which argue for legalization. The findings of the survey are consistent with surveys done by the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small enterprises, showing strong opposition to legalization. Among unions, the leadership strongly supports legalizing illegal immigrants, but this survey shows enforcement — not legalization — is by far the option favored by union members and their families. This survey of likely voters uses neutral language and includes 7,046 members of union households, 2,490 executives (e.g., CEOs, CFOs, VPs or department heads), and 9,990 small business owners.

Among the findings:

When asked to choose between enforcement that would cause illegal immigrants in the country to go home or offering them a pathway to citizenship with conditions, most members of the business community and unions chose enforcement.

Executives (e.g. CEOs, CFOs, VPs etc.): 59 percent support enforcement to encourage illegals to go home; 30 percent support conditional legalization.
Small Business Owners: 67 percent support enforcement; 22 percent support conditional legalization.
Union Households: 58 percent support enforcement; 28 percent support conditional legalization.

One of the most interesting findings of the survey is that members of the business community think there are plenty of Americans available to fill unskilled jobs.

Executives: 16 percent said legal immigration should be increased to fill unskilled jobs; 61 percent said there are plenty of Americans available to do unskilled jobs, employers just need to pay more.
Small Business Owners: 13 percent said increase immigration; 65 percent said plenty of Americans are available.
Union Households: 10 percent said increase immigration; 72 percent said plenty of Americans are available.

Most members of the business community and union households do not feel that illegal immigration is caused by limits on legal immigration, as many of their lobbyists argue; instead, members feel it is due to a lack of enforcement.

Executives: Just 13 percent said illegal immigration is caused by not letting in enough legal immigrants; 75 percent said inadequate enforcement.
Small Business Owners: 10 percent said not enough legal immigration; 79 percent said inadequate enforcement.
Union Households: 13 percent said not enough legal immigration; 74 percent said inadequate enforcement efforts.

In contrast to many businesses group and union leaders, most executives and union members think immigration is too high.

Executives: 63 percent said it is too high; 5 percent said too low; 16 percent said just right.
Small Business Owners: 70 percent said it is too high; 4 percent said too low; 13 percent said just right.
Union Households: 63 percent said immigration is too high; 5 percent said too low; 14 percent said just right.

Discussion: The large divide between union members and their leadership on the immigration issue is not really surprising. Union members and their families want higher wages and better working conditions that would likely come from lower levels of immigration. While union leaders also want improved conditions for workers, they see legalized immigrants as potential new members, giving them a different point of view. The divide between some business lobbying groups and their members of the business community on immigration is perhaps more surprising.

The largest business association representing big companies is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber supports ‘earned legal status leading to legal permanent residency’ for illegal immigrants. But when given the options of a conditional legalization or enforcement and illegal immigrants going home, executives and small business owners choose enforcement over legalization two and three to one. As for future levels of immigration the Chamber has made clear that, ‘We face a larger and larger shortage’ of low-skilled workers. The Chamber’s president argues that more immigrant workers are needed, ‘to fill jobs Americans don’t want.’ While the idea of improving wages and working conditions to attract American workers does not seem to have occurred to the Chamber, small business owners and executives consider this the best option. Four to one, executives said if employers can’t find enough workers they should pay more rather than increase immigration levels. For small business owners it was five to one.

The survey reported here might be surprising to some, but the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) states clearly on its website that, based on its survey of members, 79 percent ‘believe undocumented workers should return to their country and seek admis¬sion legally.’ Their website goes on to state that ‘NFIB will not support legislation that contains amnesty for undocumented workers.’ Although the Zogby poll discussed here never uses the word ‘amnesty,’ when asked about conditional legalization, versus enforcement, small business owners and executives are clear - immigration laws should be enforced and illegal immigrants should go home.

Methodology: Zogby International was commissioned by the Center for Immigration Studies to conduct an online survey of 42,026 adults. A sampling of Zogby International’s online panel, which is representative of the adult population of the United States, was invited to participate. For small business owners, Zogby asked respondents if they owned a small business. Executives are those who indicated they were either a C-level executive, managing partner, managing director, or served on the board of directors. Persons in union households are either a member of a union themselves or live with someone who is a union member. The survey was conducted by Zogby from November 13 to 30, 2009. The margin of error for all likely voters is +/- 0.5 percent. The margin of error for executives is 2 percent, for small business owners 1 percent, and for those in union households 1.2 percent.

The survey is available online at http://www.cis.org/Business-Union-Poll .

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The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institution that examines the impact of immigration on the United States.

“Americans need border security now — not 10 years down the road”

United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, in a statement concerning the failure of the Bush era “virtual fence” on the nation’s southern border. February 3, 2010 . HERE

WQAD — Moline, Ill.

Former Agriprocessors employee gets probation for hiring illegals

Cedar Rapids, Ia. — A federal judge in Cedar Rapids has sentenced a former Agriprocessors, Inc., employee to one year of probation for helping to hire illegal aliens at the kosher slaughterhouse in Postville. — U.S. Magistrate Judge Jon Stuart Scoles imposed the sentence Friday on 31-year-old Karina Freund of Fayette…

HERE

Wall Street Journal

Tom Tancredo to Tea Partiers: ‘Thank God John McCain lost…”

If Tea Party activists are unhappy with President Barack Obama, it would have been a lot worse under President John McCain, Tom Tancredo declared Thursday in opening remarks at the convention in Nashville, Tenn. — “Thank God John McCain lost the election,” the former GOP congressman from Colorado… HERE

Mexican Senate reproaches the U.S.

05 Feb 2010

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Foreign News Report

The National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers (NAFBPO) extracts and condenses the material that follows from Mexican and Central and South American on-line media sources on a daily basis. You are free to disseminate this information, but we request that you credit NAFBPO as being the provider.
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Friday, 2/5/10

El Sol de Mexico (Mexico City) 2/4/10

“Mexican Senate reproaches U.S. for measures against migrants”

[Full transl. of article titled as above. The link below this story takes you to the Spanish language original.]

The Senate of the Republic approved sending a message to President Felipe Calderon so that he may ask the Government of the United States to reconsider the anti-immigrant measures intended to be taken in the neighboring country’s budget for 2011. All political parties of the Senate reproached the policy change of direction of the American President, Barack Obama, who has decided to go back on the promise he made to all the Hispanic groups that supported him, and now he insists on closing the border. The government of Barack Obama seeks to increase the funds to reinforce border security with 4.6 billion dollars to support 20 thousand agents of the Border Patrol, as well as to finish the first portion of the “virtual fence.”

The parliamentary majority at Xicotencatl (the street where the Senate Chamber is located,) also supported asking the government of Felipe Calderon to manifest an “estrangement” because of the anti-immigrant measures that would eventually be carried out, considering them contrary to human rights. The PRI (pol. party) Senator Rosario Green Macias, president of the Foreign Relations Commission (read: committee chairwoman), criticized President Obama severely for going back on the promise he made to the Hispanic groups, who supported him at all times, and for insisting on closing up the border. Besides announcing that he will build the missing portion of the “virtual fence” by means of which everyone who crosses, undocumented or illegally, will be detected and can be immediately jailed and later expelled, (and also) reinforcing the number of agents, for customs as well as for the border. She expressed her worry, “because from now on we Mexicans will not know what to believe when we speak with the President of all the Americans, because he is a President who fails to keep his word.”