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Illegal Immigration Problem #1
September 2nd, 2010
Immigration is down. Why? Simply put, the United States economy is in the tank. For the most part, if you can’t get a job, there is no reason for the undocumented to come to the US. Just as sure as the sun will set today, as soon as the economy gets better and businesses start hiring again, the undocumented will flood across our southern border to get a piece of the pie.
Which brings us to E-Verify? We know that the system’s error rate for those AUTHORIZED to work in the US is down to below 0.8% and drop to almost ZERO when the results are contested. A very good system unless you look at those NOT authorized to work in the US. Then the error rate is over 50%. This is due mainly to Identity fraud.
Ever try to stop ants from getting to a piece of candy 
on the ground? Remove the candy, and the ants go away. The same is true for immigration. If one CAN’T get a job, they won’t try to come to the US.
Unless we improve (starting this month, E-Verify will increase the use of photo’s in the process) the work authorization process so as to be fool proof, our immigration problem will not be solved regardless of how secure we think our border is
Both sides of the immigration debate agree that employers should only hire those legally authorized to work in the US. It’s time they forget comprehensive immigration reform, join hands, and put all resources toward fixing the number one problem with illegal immigration, the hiring of undocumented workers. Fix this problem, and 90% of the immigration problem vanishes.
Buz Mills Raising Funds for Sheriffs’ SB 1070 Defense
August 29th, 2010
Former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate and millionaire businessman Buz Mills is taking on a new challenge.
He’s focusing his fundraising efforts on helping two Arizona sheriffs defend themselves against lawsuits challenging Arizona’s controversial immigration law.
Mills is chairing the Border Sheriffs, a new non-profit organization set up to raise private funds to cover the legal fees of Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever and Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, two of the state’s 15 county sheriffs named in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil-rights groups.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio also is named as a defendant in a separate lawsuit filed by the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, but he is not part of the Border Sheriffs group. None of the other four Senate Bill 1070 lawsuits name any sheriffs as defendants.
Mills said the goal of the Border Sheriffs is not to defend SB 1070, which he supports as a tool for law enforcement, but to help the sheriffs on the front lines. Cochise County shares about 80 miles of border with Mexico, and Pinal County is a major corridor of travel for illegal immigrants and drug smugglers.
“Helping them raise funds lets them focus on their main job: protecting Arizonans against this international violence,” Mills said.
EXCLUSIVE: Sheriff Babeu: It’s ‘An Outrage’ Obama Stopped Building Border Fence
August 26th, 2010
Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Ariz., says it is “an outrage” the Obama administration has stopped building the double-fencing needed to assist the Border Patrol in securing the U.S.-Mexico border and says it is time for the United States to begin fighting illegal immigration and drug smuggling directly at the border instead of within the country where it harms American citizens and communities.
By the time Obama was inaugurated in January 2009, according to the Justice Department, only 108 miles of the 262-mile-long Arizona portion of the 2,000-mile-long U.S.-Mexico border had been fenced.
“We shouldn’t be fighting this battle in the interior. We should be fighting it directly on our international border,” Babeu said in an “Online With Terry Jeffrey” interview. “And it’s an outrage that our own federal government stopped building the fence.”
Babeu, whose southern Arizona county sits astride major drug-and-alien-smuggling routes running north from Mexico, has joined with Sheriff Larry Dever of Cochise County, Ariz., and Arizona’s two U.S. senators, John McCain and Jon Kyl, to push a 10-point plan for securing the border. The plan includes, among other provisions, completing the necessary border fencing, deploying 3,000 National Guard troops to cover just the Arizona stretch of the border, and deploying significantly more surveillance aircraft than are currently used to patrol the border.
72 Bodies Found in Rural Mexico
August 25th, 2010
Mexico’s increasingly violent war on organized crime hit a new low on Wednesday after the discovery of 72 bodies at a remote ranch near the U.S. border.
The gruesome discovery of 58 men and 14 women came after a firefight between presumed gunmen from a drug cartel and Mexican Navy marines. One marine and three drug gang members were killed in the two-hour battle, the Navy said in a statement late on Tuesday.
The bodies were all discovered in a warehouse on a ranch in Tamaulipas state, 90 miles from the Texas border, the Navy said.
A federal official said the victims may have been migrants from Central and South America making their way to the United States and killed by the drug gang, according to the Associated Press.
Mexican newspaper El Universal, quoting a federal official, said the migrants may have been captured by a drug gang and were killed after refusing to work for the cartel, either as gunmen or in other areas of organized crime like prostitution.
Excelsior newspaper said investigators believed the victims had all been killed at roughly the same time—raising the possibility that they were killed in one, single massacre.
The incident began when an unidentified man approached a nearby Navy checkpoint and asked for help, saying he had been shot in a nearby ranch. The man is being treated at a hospital and is cooperating with authorities, the Navy said in its statement.
When marines went to check out the ranch, they came under heavy fire, the statement said.
Feds moving to dismiss some deportation cases
August 25th, 2010
Critics assail the plan as a bid to create a kind of backdoor ‘amnesty’
The Department of Homeland Security is systematically reviewing thousands of pending immigration cases and moving to dismiss those filed against suspected illegal immigrants who have no serious criminal records, according to several sources familiar with the efforts.
Culling the immigration court system dockets of noncriminals started in earnest in Houston about a month ago and has stunned local immigration attorneys, who have reported coming to court anticipating clients’ deportations only to learn that the government was dismissing their cases.
Richard Rocha, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman, said Tuesday that the review is part of the agency’s broader, nationwide strategy to prioritize the deportations of illegal immigrants who pose a threat to national security and public safety. Rocha declined to provide further details.
Critics assailed the plan as another sign that the Obama administration is trying to create a kind of backdoor “amnesty” program.
Raed Gonzalez, an immigration attorney who was briefed on the effort by Homeland Security’s deputy chief counsel in Houston, said DHS confirmed that it’s reviewing cases nationwide, though not yet to the pace of the local office. He said the others are expected to follow suit soon.
MONTGOMERY, the Real Immigration fighter wins!
August 25th, 2010
The Pro-Illegal Alien, Open Borders Arizona Republic showed its true colors again in a piece about last night’s Republican Election for Maricopa County Attorney. Bill Montgomery, who solidly beat the Republic’s Rick Romley is the true fighter of illegal immigration, not Rick Romley who stated he was against SB1070.
First the Republic used Romley’s name in the title (GOP voters back Romley opponent) as a means to NOT put Montgomery’s name on the front page of their rag. Simply put, name recognition works and the Republic does not want illegal immigration laws enforced, thus; don’t put Montgomery’s name in front of the public.
Second, and we quote, “The spoiler was Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn, who dropped out of the race in July, but whose name remained on the ballot. Tens of thousands of East Valley residents cast their votes for him, and it may have taken votes from Romley.” Here are the facts. With 99% of the precincts reporting, Boyd – 32,996 Romley - 101,386 and Montgomery – 133,508. The difference is 32,122 votes Romley would have had to have every single ‘Boyd’ vote to beat Montgomery assuming the remaining 5 precincts voted 50/50 for Montgomery and Romley. Everyone knows this would not have happened.
Simply put, the voters know that Bill Montgomery will be tough on immigration and voted accordingly.
Gaming the Border: a Report from Cochise County, Arizona
August 12th, 2010
Story …
Man kills friend, drinks his blood
August 7th, 2010
Updated: Friday, 06 Aug 2010, 8:35 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 05 Aug 2010, 5:26 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 05 Aug 2010, 5:26 AM EDT
BARTOW, Fla. (AP) - Bail has been denied for a 42-year-old central Florida man accused of stabbing a friend to death and then drinking his blood.
A judge denied bail for Mauricio Mendez Lopez who made his first court appearance Thursday. In court Lopez said he had been drinking and had no memory of the incident which happened Sunday.
Lopez was picked up Wednesday after he was spotted by a citizen. He is accused of killing Macario Cruz in a house they shared in Bartow.
A third resident, Cruz’s sister-in-law Mariella Mendez, told police that Lopez fatally stabbed Cruz because he was having an affair with her. Lopez is the uncle of Mendez and Cruz’s wife, who lives in Mexico.
A police report shows the men had an argument in which Lopez struck Cruz in the face with a 15-pound dumb bell. He then allegedly threatened to kill them both unless the relationship ended.
Authorities say Lopez returned later and stabbed Cruz to death. Mendez told police Lopez left with a plastic cup in his hand that appeared to hold blood. She said he drank from the cup in a strange ritual from their native Mexico.
Several reports said all of the adults in the home are illegal immigrants.
Lopez is being held in a Polk County Jail. It was not immediately known if he has an attorney.
UPDATED: ACLU warns police not to act on Cuccinelli’s immigration opinion
August 5th, 2010
The ACLU of Virginia warned the state’s police chiefs and sheriffs not to follow Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s legal opinion, issued this week, that says law enforcement can ask the immigration status of anyone stopped by police officers for any reason.
The group’s legal director, Rebecca Glenberg, wrote to the chiefs and sheriffs yesterday to tell them that Cuccinelli’s opinion cites no Virginia law, and that he simply asserts that such authority exists.
Her letter also says that Cuccinelli ignores the recent judgment of a federal district court in Arizona that blocked that state’s new law mandating that police inquire about immigration status. Read the full letter.
Update, 5:15 p.m. Del. Bob Marshall, who requested the opinion from Cuccinelli, sent a subsequent letter to the police and sheriffs.
“I cannot understand why the ACLU would encourage law enforcement officers to ignore the attorney general’s opinion,” he said. “The attorney general is the highest ranking law enforcement official in Virginia The ACLU’s position essentially allows alien terrorists and gang members to be untouchable in this country. We cannot allow this to continue.”
Back to the orginal post:
Tea Party Seeks to Spotlight the ‘Horrors’ of Illegal Immigration
August 4th, 2010
The Tea Party is pushing back against what it sees as a campaign by Obama supporters and the media to grant amnesty to the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. by highlighting the “horrors” of illegal immigration.
The Tea Party Nation sent an e-mail to about 35,000 members Tuesday morning asking them to post stories in a new forum about illegal immigrants victimizing Americans either by taking their jobs, committing crimes or undermining businesses by providing cheap labor to their competitors.
“The drum beat for Amnesty is here,” the e-mail read. “The Obama Regime and the drive-by media are pushing Amnesty with stories about illegals who are just here ‘to make a better life’ for themselves. The media is ignoring stories of the horrors of illegal immigration.”
The group also asks members to share photos or videos of “illegals or their supporters doing outrageous things (like burning the American flag or putting the Mexican flag above ours, or showing racist posters.)”
“We sent this out because there are two sides to this story,” Judson Phillips, president of the Tea Party Nation, told FoxNews.com. “Illegal immigration has a huge and horrible cost.”
The e-mail comes in the wake of a media firestorm over an internal memo in the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services that suggested large-scale plans were being considered to provide a so-called non-legislative version of amnesty. The Obama administration has denied supporting any plans for amnesty.
About 160 comments have been posted on the forum, Phillips said, including stories about illegals causing car accidents, raping the wives of Americans and committing murder. Phillips said he’s still deliberating on what to do with the stories. But he added that he’s certain he wants to use them somehow to counterbalance the stories focusing on the struggle of illegal immigrants.
“We want to change this story,” he said. “This is not about people who have broken the law to come here but Americans who are being victimized by illegal immigrants and the federal government which doesn’t care.” Story.
Arizona economy booming despite controversy
August 4th, 2010
Race-Baiters Gone Wild
August 3rd, 2010
Desecration of a U.S. flag at the Arizona Capitol
August 2nd, 2010
Obama Would Be Wrong to Turn His Back on Immigration
August 2nd, 2010
The immigration issue can’t be left in limbo because its policy consequences are huge. We have some 11 million illegal aliens in the United States who, because of their low levels of education, represent a significant burden on taxpayers. The majority of families headed by illegal aliens live in or near poverty and are uninsured, which is why fully 40 percent of them use at least one major welfare program. And it’s their presence here, not mainly their legal status, which creates these costs; for instance, if they were to be legalized, an estimated 3.1 million would qualify for Medicaid, costing more than $8 billion each year.
What’s more, the 7 million or so illegal aliens who have jobs are competing directly with less-educated and young American workers, whose unemployment rate is twice the national average.
For teenage workers, less-skilled immigration (much, though not all, of it illegal) has caused a significant decline in the percentage of American teenagers able to find summer jobs. And there’s no surprise here – in the top ten summer occupations for U.S. teenagers, immigrants make up one out of five workers, fully developed adults competing with kids for work.
And don’t forget the security threat posed by illegal immigration. Any system that a Mexican busboy can sneak through is one that an al Qaeda terrorist can also sneak through. Just last month, a Hezbollah official was arrested in Mexico seeking to use Lebanese immigrants communities there as a base to set up operations in Latin America. Mahmoud Kourani, a “member, fighter, recruiter and fund-raiser for Hezbollah” according to his federal indictment, was smuggled across the Mexican border. And these are a few of the ones we know about; what about those we don’t know about – yet? In an age of terrorism combined with cheap transportation and communications, immigration security is national security. Story.
Russell Pearce speaks at Pro sb 1070 Rally July 31 Arizona Capitol
August 2nd, 2010
Arizona Sheriff: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’
August 2nd, 2010
Sheriff Paul Babeu is hopping mad at the federal government. Babeu told CNSNews.com that rather than help law enforcement in Arizona stop the hundreds of thousands of people who come into the United States illegally, the federal government is targeting the state and its law enforcement personnel.
“What’s very troubling is the fact that at a time when we in law enforcement and our state need help from the federal government, instead of sending help they put up billboard-size signs warning our citizens to stay out of the desert in my county because of dangerous drug and human smuggling and weapons and bandits and all these other things and then, behind that, they drag us into court with the ACLU,” Babeu said.
The sheriff was referring to the law suits filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the state’s new immigration law. “So who has partnered with the ACLU?” Babeu said in a telephone interview with CNSNews.com. “It’s the president and (Attorney General) Eric Holder himself. And that’s simply outrageous.”
Last week, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton placed a temporary injunction on portions of the bill that allowed law enforcement personnel during the course of a criminal investigation who have probable cause to think an individual is in the country illegally to check immigration status. The state of Arizona filed an appeal on Thursday with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Our own government has become our enemy and is taking us to court at a time when we need help,” Babeu said.
Babeu and Sheriff Larry Dever of Cochise County Ariz., spoke by phone with CNSNews.com last week about the May 17 ACLU class-action lawsuit, which charges the law uses racial profiling and named the county attorneys and sheriffs in all 15 Arizona counties as defendants. The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on July 6, charging the Arizona law preempted the federal government’s sole right to enforce immigration law.
“If the president would do his job and secure the border; send 3,000 armed soldiers to the Arizona border and stop the illegal immigration and the drug smuggling and the violence, we wouldn’t even be in this position and where we’re forced to take matters into our own hands,” Babeu said.
Dever said the federal government’s failure to secure the border and its current thwarting of Arizona’s effort to control illegal immigration within its borders has implications for the entire country.
“The bigger picture is while what’s going on in Arizona is critically important, what comes out of this and happens here will affect our entire nation in terms of our ability to protect our citizenry from a very serious homeland security threat,” Dever said. “People who are coming across the border in my county aren’t staying there. They’re going everywhere USA and a lot of them are bad, bad people.”
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), about 250,000 people were detained in Arizona in the last 12 months for being in the country illegally. Babeu said that that number only reflects the number of people detained and that thousands more enter the country illegally each year.
The CBP also reports that 17 percent of those detained already have a criminal record in the United States.
Both Babeu and Dever said they want to remain involved in the legal battle over the law, which many experts predict will end up being decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Dever has hired an independent attorney to represent him in the ACLU case and his attorney has already filed a motion of intervention in the DOJ lawsuit so the “(Dever) will have a seat at the table.”
A Web site also has been launched by the non-profit, Iowa-based Legacy Foundation to raise money for the Babeu’s and Dever’s legal defense.
Both men said they believe the outcome of the case has national significance.“For us, this is a public safety matter and a national security threat,” Babeu said. Story.
Kyl: SB 1070 should prevail
August 2nd, 2010
Activist Judge Overrules the People in Arizona
August 2nd, 2010
Just hours before S.B. 1070 was set to take effect, federal judge Susan Bolton dealt a serious blow to Arizona’s ability to finally put an end to illegal immigration. In issuing a temporary injunction against the most important elements of the law, this Clinton-appointed judge has allowed the federal government to continue trampling over Arizona.
Fortunately, the state of Arizona will appeal this outrageous ruling all the way to the Supreme Court. But it does not change the awful fact that an activist judge has chosen to overrule the will of the people in our state.
Bolton’s decision to order an injunction displays an absolute disregard for the serious problems that Arizona has been grappling with for years. Her lack of concern for the well being of our citizens is matched only by the Obama administration that chose to take legal action against S.B. 1070 in the first place.
As a result of Judge Bolton’s decision:
1.Immigrants will not be required to carry their identification documents
2.Illegal immigrants will continue to solicit employment in public places
3.Law enforcement will not be allowed to check the immigration status of individuals that are suspected to be here illegally
S.B. 1070 would have been completely unnecessary if the federal government had actually fulfilled their obligations and secured the southern border. Of course, they failed miserably in this responsibility, and our state was left with no other recourse than to fix the problem on our own.
The law was intended to control illegal immigration, address problems with crime, and most importantly, crack down on the trafficking of humans, drugs, guns and money.
Since Governor Jan Brewer signed S.B. 1070 into law, police officers have been receiving regular training on how to properly carry out the new procedures. Arizona law enforcement was ready and prepared. The law would have been, and still can be, carried out properly.
Numerous polls have showed that the majority of Americans agree with our law. It has even inspired other states to draft similar legislation. In fact, even without being implemented, the law did make a significant impact, as flocks of illegal immigrants left Arizona in anticipation of S.B. 1070 going into effect.
Arizona has carried the burden for educating, jailing and providing health care for illegal immigrants for far too long. Our state is the busiest gateway into the country for illegal immigrants. The border is flooded with drugs and smugglers.
Arizonans should no longer have to suffer because the federal government refuses to fix America’s broken immigration system. Support the AZ GOP so we can continue doing everything in our power to improve public safety in our state. An activist ruling will not deter us.
Sincerely,
Randy Pullen
Chairman
Arizona Republican Party
3501 North 24th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85016
P.S. It is more important now than ever before for the people of Arizona to stand up and shout, “We believe in SB 1070.” Arizonans deserve to be heard, and with your support, we can show the Obama administration that we’re not giving up! Please consider a generous donation of $5, $10, $20, $50 or more.
Palin: Obama lacks ‘the cojones’ to tackle immigration
August 2nd, 2010
Haha Gaga, sb 1070 is the law
August 1st, 2010
Activists rally for Arizona immigration law
August 1st, 2010
Around 200 to 300 activists from several states, some with placards that read “No amnesty” and “Secure our borders now,” gathered outside the state capitol to support the law, a weakened version of which came into effect Thursday.
“We are here to fully support Arizona, support the Arizona citizens and support the United States citizens who would benefit from a similar law across the nation,” said Katrina Pierson, 34, a conservative Tea Party activist who traveled from Texas to attend the event.
Arizona’s Republican-controlled legislature passed the measure three months ago to try to drive nearly half a million illegal aliens from the state and stem the flow of human and drug smugglers over the border from Mexico.
It drew wide popular support in Arizona and across the United States but was opposed by President Barack Obama and human rights groups. A federal judge blocked the most intrusive elements hours before it came into effect.
Tensions over the law have inflamed a decades-long debate over immigration, which is playing into elections in November as Obama’s Democrats fight to retain control of Congress.
A few dozen Hispanic and rights activists staged a counter protest Saturday. Supporters and opponents of the Arizona law shouted at one another across a police line but there were no arrests.
Wednesday, U.S. District Court judge Susan Bolton blocked the law’s most controversial elements, arguing that immigration matters are the federal government’s responsibility. The ruling handed a victory to Obama, who is trying to take control of the issue.
Lawyers for Arizona and Republican Governor Jan Brewer asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to lift an injunction on the law and grant a swift appeal. The court denied the request for an expedited hearing Friday and set a November court date.
“I think the governor should take this appeal right the way to the Supreme Court,” said Anita Hynds, a retiree who traveled from Orange County, California, for the rally.
Saturday, Obama warned U.S. leaders not to use the divisive issue of illegal immigration as a way to gain power and name recognition, in an interview with CBS television. Story.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio on CNN
August 1st, 2010
Thomas More Law Center to File Brief Supporting Arizona’s Immigration Law
August 1st, 2010
Following an American military adage to “ride to the sound of the guns,” the Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it plans to file a brief in support of Arizona’s immigration law.
The Law Center’s announcement came just hours after Federal District Court Judge Susan Bolton, a Clinton–appointee, blocked the most important provisions of the law from taking effect. Mexico and the ACLU intervened in the case in support of the federal government’s position. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has vowed 
a swift appeal to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, commented, “This is a matter of America’s sovereignty and security, and every patriotic American must get involved. If we can’t defend our borders from attack by illegal immigrants, in time we will lose our country. What confidence should we have in an Attorney General who, without even reading the law, accused Arizona of racial profiling? Patriotic American must show they stand with Arizona in this matter.”
Continued Thompson, “Arizona has the right to protect the safety of its citizens and prevent the massive economic damage being done to its institutions by illegal immigrants who have no right to be in our country in the first place. It’s clear that the federal government is shirking its responsibilities to enforce the law for political reasons. So the legal issue becomes whether Arizona can step in and do the job with state laws consistent with federal law, or whether federal law has totally preempted the ability of Arizona to act.” Story.
Linda Bentley: Judge assigned to SB 1070 no stranger to illegal alien criminals
August 1st, 2010
No stranger to illegal alien criminals, who pass through her court on a regular basis, U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton has taken the complaints filed against Senate Bill 1070 under advisement. Last week, Bolton sentenced Rigoberto Bonilla, 57, to 30 months in prison and ordered $345,000 in restitution.
An illegal alien from Honduras, Bonilla entered into a plea agreement in March for 10 counts of theft of government funds and one count of false statement to federal agents. Bonilla was initially indicted for multiple counts related to his theft of approximately $78,000 in Social Security benefits, which he had been collecting since 1998 under the alias Ernesto Molina-Rojas. Additionally, Bonilla fraudulently obtained nearly $267,000 in benefits from AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System), Arizona’s Medicaid Agency. The sentencing memorandum filed on behalf of Bonilla by Assistant Federal Public Defender Douglas Passon stated Bonilla did not assume the identity of Molina in order to perpetrate fraud on the Social Security Administration (SSA), but did so decades ago in order to “obtain gainful employment in the fields of California.”
It goes on to state Bonilla was in a severe car accident in 1995 and suffered a stroke. He subsequently applied for SSA disability benefits as he was unable to work and was later diagnosed with “cerebrovascular disease and diabetes mellitus.” Court records indicate Bonilla has multiple health issues, including diabetes, paralysis on the left side of his body, high blood pressure and possible prostate and liver issues.
While Bonilla accepted full responsibility for using deception to obtain “needed benefits,” he also believed he was somewhat entitled to those benefits, despite using an alias, because he had worked approximately 20 years under that alias and had paid into the system. In seeking a downward departure in sentencing for his client, Passon stated, “A person’s motive for committing an offense is an important consideration,” citing Bonilla’s case was “different from the heartland fraud/theft cases that come before this court …”
Unlike most cases where defendants steal because of greed, he said Bonilla’s crimes were based upon necessity and that Bonilla misrepresented his identity in order to obtain benefits he desperately needed with a belief he was somewhat entitled to them.
Passon stated, “This is not like the run-of-the-mill cases where, for example, a son continues to collect his deceased mother’s benefit check, or the schemer who opens a false bank account to obtain fraudulent credit, a fiduciary who misappropriates funds, or a huckster running a mail fraud operation or Ponzi scheme. This is a case where a man originally created a false identity without any intent to defraud the victims.”
He said the $267,000 in medical care Bonilla obtained under false pretenses was “more akin to stealing a loaf of bread to feed one’s family, than to fleecing an unsuspecting person or entity.” Bonilla said he came to use Molina’s identity when he applied to work in the fields in California and his prospective employer instructed him on how to obtain an assumed identity.
He stated he did so with the consent of Molina, whom he said sold him a copy of his birth certificate. However, Bonilla stated he did not use Molina’s Social Security number (SSN) until after applying for benefits in 1997. Prior to that time he said he was using a “made-up number.” And, he said he only began using Molina’s SSN “after a social worker assisting him in obtaining benefits informed him that his stated SSN was wrong, and provided him with the correct number.”
Passon tried to diminish Bonilla’s “lengthy criminal history” by arguing many of the points assessed were for minor offenses and/or offenses that were more than 20 years old. Bonilla agreed with the prosecution’s argument that his “substantial medical issues will make any stay in prison extremely onerous,” with the Bureau of Prisons being “forced to assume the cost and responsibility for his ongoing medical care,” which, Passon said was “ironic given the nature of this offense.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bonilla was previously convicted on a felony charge for smuggling wildlife, for which the statute provides for a maximum imprisonment of up to 20 years, and since 1998, he had fraudulently obtained benefits in the approximate amount of $345,000 from the SSA and AHCCCS, by assuming a false identity.
“Moreover,” wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rapp, “defendant frustrated the attempt of the real Ernest Molina from receiving benefits when Molina recently applied for disability from SSA.” According to Rapp, Bonilla, who had been using Molina’s identity since 1987, lied and mislead law enforcement and the courts about his true identity during each subsequent criminal conviction.
Rapp stated, “Since 1982 defendant has had substantial and continuous contact with the criminal justice system, including theft and violent crime offenses,” most of which appeared to have been “motivated by his excessive use of alcohol.
Although he was provided numerous opportunities at probation and alcohol abuse treatment, Bonilla instead consistently violated probation and was returned to prison.
“Consequently,” wrote Rapp, “defendant inspires no confidence, based on his record, that he would remain compliant once released from custody on supervised release. In the final analysis, there is little in defendant’s personal history that would serve as mitigation or as a basis for a downward variance with the exception to his multiple health issues …”
The government’s sentencing recommendation noted Bonilla has resided illegally in the United States since 1977 and in Arizona since 1989, he’s had substantial and chronic contact with the criminal justice system, served several prison sentences exceeding a year, has serious alcohol abuse issues and, following his prison sentences, he has repeatedly failed to comply with community supervision.
Rapp also pointed out Bonilla has not worked in 10 years due to a disability. And, due to a combination of his age, deteriorating health and lack of education, he would be unable to secure employment in a meaningful occupation without substantial vocational training and physical rehabilitation.
After completing his incarceration, Bonilla will be deported to Honduras, where he has not lived in over 30 years, with no assets, no employment possibilities and where his health concerns “will likely go unaddressed.” While Bonilla was not charged with fraudulently obtaining AHCCCS benefits, he agreed to pay restitution. Bonilla’s case is only one of many that pass through Bolton’s court on a regular basis.
Memorial Held for Those Slain by Illegal Aliens
July 31st, 2010
Backdoor Large-Scale Defacto Amnesty Plan
July 31st, 2010
U.S. immigration officials are exploring ways to allow certain illegal aliens to stay in the country legally through administrative actions rather than the logjammed legislative process, including potentially tens of thousands of students. The memo explicitly states that deferring removal actions against an unrestricted number of illegal aliens, allowing them to stay here legally, “would likely be controversial, not to mention expensive.” It suggested limiting that option to certain groups, such as youth who were illegally brought to the United States by their parents and now want to attend college or join the U.S. military.
Republicans denounced the memo as proof that the Obama administration is aiming to bypass Congress to legalize millions of illegal aliens. Since June, Grassley and other Republican senators have sent two letters to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asking for a response to reports of plans for a “large-scale, de facto amnesty.” “The document provides an additional basis for our concerns that the administration will go to great lengths to circumvent Congress and unilaterally execute a backdoor amnesty plan,” Grassley told the Associated Press. Story.
Bonehead Sal Reza Arrested in Aztlan Two Days In A Row
July 31st, 2010
Arpaio said Reza was arrested for violating the terms of his release. Reza had been arrested a day prior during Thursday’s SB 1070 demonstrations in front of the Fourth Avenue Jail. Protestors remained planted across from the sheriff’s training facility Friday afternoon and evening, calling Reza’s arrest a blatant violation of civil rights. “Standing on the sidewalk across the street is not a violation of the law,” said Alfredo Gutierrez, an activist. “Exercising first amendment rights is not a violation of the law.” “We are demanding his immediate release,” said Chris Newman, legal counsel for the National Day Laborers’ Organizing Network.CBS 5 News put in several calls to the sheriff’s office, asking for specifics about why Reza was arrested. A spokesperson Friday night said he was still working to get those answers. MCSO reported making 64 arrests the past two days in this latest crime sweep. Six of those arrested were in the country illegally, according to a spokesperson. Story.
What’s Left of Immigration Law May Be Enough to Aid Cause
July 30th, 2010
Supporters of Arizona’s immigration law, who were dealt a blow this week when a federal judge blocked major parts of the law before it took effect Thursday, are still heartened by what’s left of the legislation that may bolster the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
For example, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the poster boy for local authorities enforcing federal law, says he doesn’t know what the big deal is about the Arizona illegal immigration law since his partnership with federal immigration authorities has resulted in the deportation of 26,000 illegals from Maricopa County since 2007.
In fact, though Judge Susan Bolton struck down portions of the law Wednesday, arguing pre-emption, the rest of the law may help local and state law enforcement to use a stronger hand to enforce existing federal programs like Secure Communities and the 287(g) program.
The Secure Communities program, created in 2008, allows authorizes to check the immigration status of individuals they arrest through fingerprinting. The program is operational in 481 jurisdictions in 27 states with plans. The agency’s most popular and successful initiative, the 287 (g) program, which was established in 1996, gives local police authority to initiate deportation proceedings against illegal immigrants linked to serious crimes. Immigration authorities say they have agreements with 71 law enforcement agencies in 26 states for the 287 (g) and have identified more than 160,000 illegals since 2006 – mostly at local jails.
One of the remaining parts of the new immigration law allows Arizona to block state officials from so-called “sanctuary city” policies limiting enforcement of federal law and require that state officials work with federal officials on illegal immigration.
“Striking down these sanctuary city policies has always been the No. 1 priority,” said State Sen. Russell Pearce, the law’s chief author.
He said that part of Bolton’s ruling removes what he calls “political handcuffs” from law enforcement officers whose superiors put restraints on their enforcement of immigration laws.
But an official with Homeland Security told FoxNews.com that there is no link between Arizona’s law and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) programs, which he emphasized were “voluntary.”
“Linking SB1070 to 287(g) is sort of a nonstarter,” the official said, explaining that the programs require local authorities to enforce the law within the parameters set by federal immigration authorities and they must be “willing to adhere to ICE policy as well as oversight.”
Critics say the Secure Communities and 287(g) programs promote racial profiling, claims similar to those lobbed at the blocked portions of Arizona’s law.
The federal General Accountability Office has blasted the Secure Communities program for failure to supervise participating agencies. But ICE boasts that, since Secure Communities was established in October 2008, 21,736 matches have identified illegal immigrants charged with or convicted of serious crimes, such as murder, rape and kidnapping. And the agency says the program has not received any complaints of racial profiling.
Sheriff Arpaio of Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, has made a national name for himself by pushing the bounds of local immigration enforcement through the 287(g) program, leading a dozen crime and immigration sweeps, some in heavily Latino areas. Story.
Arizona sheriff launches 17th immigration sweep
July 30th, 2010
With most of Arizona’s new immigration law blocked by a judge, controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio launched his 17th “crime suppression” sweep in Maricopa County, pledging late Thursday afternoon to have his deputies and volunteers check the immigration status of those arrested. “We’re looking for anybody who violates the law,” he said. “If we find any illegal aliens, they are going to be arrested.” The operation began about 4 p.m. after being delayed for several hours while his deputies responded to demonstrations outside the county jail in Phoenix. Teams of Arpaio’s deputies, followed by media vans, spread out across the city and elsewhere in Maricopa County. By Thursday evening, officials said they had not yet counted the number of arrests.
Arpaio predicted that the publicity would cut down on the total. Since beginning the sweeps in 2008, deputies have made nearly 1,000 arrests — nearly 70% of them illegal immigrants — according to the Sheriff’s Department. Most have been for minor offenses.
Arpaio said Thursday that he doesn’t go looking for illegal immigrants but finds them because they are out breaking the law. Arpaio said he timed the operation for the day SB 1070 took effect to send a message — that nothing is changing despite U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton’s ruling. “I want the people of Maricopa County to know, ‘Hey if you are here illegally and you commit a crime — go somewhere else,’” he said. Story.
Ted Nugent on SB 1070
July 30th, 2010
Q: You’re the only national musician of note that I’ve seen come forward and say you support the Arizona immigration law, SB 1070. What do you like about it? A: Maybe I’m the only national musician whose brain isn’t fried on mind-altering chemicals. I like laws that support enforcing existing laws. Call me weird. Q: Do you think there are drawbacks to the law? A: The only drawback is that its clear intent isn’t enforced nationwide. Q: I know you’ve also been an outspoken supporter of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. What do you like about him? A: What’s not to like? He has a job description and lives up to it. I salute anybody who defies the soulless political correctness of the status quo. Sheriff Joe is a great American and my hero. Q: Why did you think musicians tend to come down on the liberal side of an issue like SB 1070? A: Why do you think they call it dope? If they aren’t currently stoned, they live in a cloud of denial due to their self imposed insulation from discomforting reality. Pathetic, really. Q: When we publish articles about musicians speaking out against things like SB 1070, a common response from the right is that musicians should shut and play guitar and leave the political discourse to the non-musicians of the world. As an outspoken musician, how do you feel about that view of how the Bill of Rights applies to rock musicians? A: Freedom of speech is imperative. It allows everyone to speak out so we know where they stand. I cannot be silenced. My common sense logic resonates with good people everywhere. Story.