MEXICO INCONSISTENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Jurist Legal News & Research
PAPER CHASE NEWSBURST
Brett Murphy
Wednesday, August 08, 2007

[JURIST] Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan [AI profile] said Tuesday that although Mexico has played a large role in advocating for human rights in the international arena, the country has failed to adequately address rights abuses at home.

Amnesty International [advocacy website] completed its High Level Mission to Mexico [press release] Tuesday, finding that "flaws in the public security and criminal justice system in Mexico currently allow for arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment, denial of due process, unfair trials, political interference in the administration of justice, and widespread impunity." Khan said that the purpose of the mission was to ensure Mexico's commitment to upholding human rights. Following the meetings, Amnesty said that:

Amnesty International's meetings with the Mexican government were open and constructive. President Calderon acknowledged Amnesty International's contribution to the development of human rights in Mexico and expressed his own commitment to upholding human rights. He was open to receiving recommendations from Amnesty International on his reform initiatives. The real test will be how the President reflects and implements human rights in his forthcoming legislative and policy reforms. Amnesty International calls on the President to show clear and visible leadership.

One area in which Amnesty believes Mexico could take such leadership is a universal moratorium on the death penalty, where "Mexico should play a prominent role."

Last week, Amnesty urged the Mexican government to initiate a probe into alleged abuses by government authorities during the 2006 uprising in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. In May, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) [official website] issued a report criticizing the federal government's response [JURIST report] to the Oaxaca uprising, saying that the government's intervention was "unjustifiably delayed for more than a month and half," which allowed protesters to occupy the state capital for five months after state authorities overwhelmed. The CNDH received 1,352 separate human rights complaints and found hundreds to be credible, including complaints that police officers tortured at least 13 protesters while they were being transported to detention facilities. Last October, a UN human rights expert expressed concerns over rights violations in Oaxaca [JURIST report].

INVISIBLE WORKERS' LABOR HELPS YOU
YOUR LIFE WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT WITHOUT THEM

Chicago suntimes.com
September 3, 2007
Editorial

They're America's invisible workers. They bus the tables in restaurants and clean bathrooms in people's homes. They patch roofs and sweep superstore floors in the early a.m. hours. If you notice them, much less exchange words with them, it tends to be on a superficial level. You don't know, and may not care, whether they're undocumented or what country they come from.
However much attention you pay to these background workers, your life would be very different -- and more expensive -- if they weren't here to fill such low-paying jobs. You think things cost a lot now? Take a moment to consider how much more you would pay to dine out, to shop, to stay in nice hotels, to keep that lawn green without America's invisible work force performing these labor-intensive tasks.

Consider the impact on businesses if they weren't able to rely on minimum wage earners to do jobs that other members of the American work force are unwilling to perform -- or at least unwilling to perform at such low wages.

In this year of seismic emotion on the immigration issue, Labor Day no doubt will spark some heated discussions about undocumented workers and their positive and negative impact on the economy. People will argue over their char-grilled burgers and hot dogs whether illegals should be deported or given some kind of amnesty.

In Chicago, Elvira Arellano may re-enter the conversation, now that the deported former queen of sanctuary is petitioning the president of Mexico to make her "peace and justice" ambassador so she can return to the United States. We opposed Arellano using a church as her shield to avoid deportation, and we would oppose her re-entering this country unless it was sanctioned by the United States. Arellano's case was just one among an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, and we think there are better cases to rally behind than hers.

But on this most relaxing of holidays, which unofficially marks the end of summer, we'd rather take a break from those nuts-and-bolts issues and focus on human interest more than politics. Labor Day, the Department of Labor tells us, was established as "a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country." The department's emphasis is on "the American worker," which is to say the worker born and raised in the U.S.A.

But 115 years after the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated, our strength, prosperity and well-being also owe a great deal to millions of workers who may aspire to U.S. citizenship but face obstacles in trying to attain it. Some are here on visas and green cards while others are here illegally. They are not only from Mexico, but also places such as Poland and Russia and Central America and Asia. Some speak English well and others speak it hardly at all.

Whatever their status or origins, they work hard for their money. A sizable chunk of their earnings goes into the American economy -- an estimated $30 billion annually. Don't feel bad if you haven't sorted out your feelings about the legal status of undocumented workers. Congress hasn't been able to after all these months, either. You should feel bad, though, if you so take America's invisible workers for granted that you look right by them. Their labor benefits you far more than you may realize.

Your life would be very different without them

Consider how much more you would pay to dine out, to shop without America's invisible work force.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPPONENTS DENOUNCE KKK

ABC 7 News
www.wjla.com
September 06, 2007 - Manassas, VA

The Ku Klux Klan has added a new twist to an already rancorous debate over illegal immigration in northern Virginia, distributing anti-immigrant fliers that have drawn condemnation from people on both sides of the issue.

The Compton, Ark.-based Ku Klux Klan, one of many groups that uses the name, left the leaflets in front of homes in one Manassas neighborhood over the weekend.

The fliers, which were wrapped around an old issue of a Klan newspaper, warned of "gangs, drugs and ****ography" brought by immigrants, said Travis Pierce, the group's national membership director.

The literature arrived two months after Prince William County, which surrounds Manassas, passed a resolution that seeks to deny many public services to undocumented immigrants and boost the immigration enforcement powers of county police.

Pro-immigrant activists say the Klan leaflets show that local efforts to curb illegal immigration had created a "hostile environment" toward immigrants and minorities.

Greg Letiecq, the head of the anti-illegal immigration group Help Save Manassas, says the action is over the top and something that citizens will universally condemn.


They also are planning a work stoppage next month.

The group that has been leading the protests, Mexicans Without Borders, said the leaflets showed that the resolution had created "an environment that is hostile to people of color."

"Over the last few months anti-immigrant rhetoric has been spewing from the mouths of citizens and politicians alike, and has opened the door to racist organizations that share their goals," the group said in a statement.

But Greg Letiecq, leader of the group Help Save Manassas, which pushed for the Prince William resolution, said the Klan occasionally showed up in the area long before his group was formed.

He called the group's message "goofy."

"When news reports go out there that groups on the far left are making a lot of noise, it's invariably going to draw the kooks on the far right to come out," Letiecq said.

"People in Prince William County don't want to have anything to do with the Klan," he added.

Letiecq said he found it odd that the fliers were distributed on Weems Road, which he called "a culturally and ethnically diverse street."

"A number of African Americans ended up getting those fliers," he said.

Tim Neumann, a spokesman for the Manassas Police Department, said one complaint was filed about the fliers, but police could not do anything because no laws were broken.

Pierce, the Klan official, said the fliers were distributed in many parts of Virginia and in West Virginia by members who live in the region.

The text of the flier, as provided by Pierce, warned: "Mexico is invading the United States and soon will demand we cede the southwestern states to their control, they already wave the flag of Mexico in our faces!

They are not here to assimilate, they are here to form their own nation. And unless we get busy right NOW they will succeed!"

The flier instructed people to send a $10 check to the Klan for more information.

"We didn't want to offend anyone," Pierce said.

"We just wanted to get the message out there."

VIRGINIA, MARTINSVILLE

MCDONNELL URGES FEDS TO ACT ON IMMIGRATION

Friday, September 7, 2007
By PAUL COLLINS - Bulletin Staff Writer

Virginia Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell on Thursday discussed the need for better federal enforcement of existing laws on illegal immigration, the need for additional federal laws or rules, and the need for the federal government to give Virginia more authority and resources to help deal with the problem.

He said it is a major public safety issue that needs to be a top priority for Congress.

McDonnell, who said he is concerned mostly with illegal immigrants who commit crimes, attended a reception in Martinsville for himself and fellow Republican Don Merricks, who is running for the House of Delegates in the Nov. 6 election.

On Wednesday, McDonnell sent a letter to President Bush and the Democratic leaders of Congress on the issues he discussed.

He wrote that the Virginia Crime Commission reported last week: “The percentage of likely illegal aliens in Virginia jails alone ranges from 6 percent to 10 percent, with approximately 39 percent of those aliens being charged with a felony. This is costing Virginia taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in prosecution and incarceration expenses, in addition to avoidable victimization.”

McDonnell also wrote: “Congress has enacted laws which are not properly enforced due to the understaffing of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At the same time, Congress has pre-empted enactment of state laws regulating employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, and largely precluded states from enforcing federal immigration violations.”

McDonnell said he has asked Gov. Tim Kaine repeatedly to allow limited state enforcement of federal laws concerning illegal aliens who commit serious crimes, but the governor has declined to do so, saying, among other things, it is a federal duty and citing a lack of state funds.

“I don’t know how we can afford not to do it,” McDonnell said.

As a result, the attorney general said, he has issued an attorney general’s ruling that local law enforcement agencies have the authority to enter into an agreement with ICE to address illegal aliens who commit crimes, and that a number of local law enforcement agencies have done so.

Among the other immigration issues McDonnell expressed concern about were confusion over exactly which crimes always trigger detention and deportation, and that the United States cannot deport illegal immigrants to a number of countries that receive U.S. foreign aid but that will not accept the deported immigrants.

He said the latter issue is costing this country tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of dollars. He added that he thinks those countries should not get a dollar of foreign aid until illegal aliens can be deported there.

“Nationally, ICE has reported there are more than 632,000 illegal immigrants convicted of deportable offenses that have not been located, triple the number of just three years ago. ... A 2005 federal study of 55,000 incarcerated illegal immigrants showed most had multiple arrests and convictions. ... Enacting more effective detention and deportation proceedings will help shut this revolving door of injustice,” he wrote in his letter.

McDonnell asked Congress to promptly pass legislation to deal with the illegal immigration problems, even if it means having a special session.

Merricks said he supported McDonnell’s comments, and he thinks a statewide approach is needed to help address illegal immigration, particularly concerning those who commit crimes.

Although McDonnell said he is focusing now on his duties as attorney general and on campaigning with candidates such as Merricks, he said he does plan to run for governor in 2009.

ELVIRA ARELLANO WITH CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER JAQUELINE JACKSON

BUENAS NOCHES, AMERICA

Yahoo! News
Opinion, Pat Buchanan
Thu Sep 6, 3:00 AM ET


"Mexico does not end at its borders. ... Where there is a Mexican, there is Mexico."

That astonishing claim, by Mexican President Felipe Calderon, in his state of the nation address at the National Palace Sunday, brought his audience wildly cheering to its feet.

Were the United States a serious nation, Calderon's claim that Mexico extends into the United States would have produced an instant demand from the U.S. ambassador for clarification. Failing to receive it, he would have packed his bags, and the United States would be on the verge of severing diplomatic relations.

In an earlier time, U.S. troops would be rolling to the border.

For this is not the first time an arrogant Mexican ruler has made a claim to extra-territorial rights inside the United States and, indeed, to U.S. territory. Mexico's presidents have gotten into a habit of suborning treason against the United States

In 1995, President Ernesto Zedillo told a Dallas audience of U.S. citizens of Mexican descent, "You are Mexicans, Mexicans who live north of the border." I.e., you owe loyalty to Mexico, not Uncle Sam.

In 1997, Zedillo brought a Chicago gathering of La Raza to its feet by exclaiming, "I have proudly affirmed that the Mexican nation extends beyond the territory enclosed by its borders."

In 1998, Mexico changed its constitution to restore citizenship to Mexican-Americans who have taken an oath of allegiance to the United States and renounced loyalty to any other country.

Purpose: loosen their ties of loyalty to the United States, re-knit their ties of loyalty to Mexico, and persuade Mexican-Americans to vote Mexico's interests in the U.S.A. Put Mexico first, even if you have taken an oath of allegiance to the United States.

In June 2004, President Vicente Fox took the Zedillo road to the Mexican-American community in Chicago. There, he, too, declared: "We are Mexicans that live in our territories, and we are Mexicans that live in other territories. In reality, there are 120 million that live together and are working together to construct a nation."

President Fox was saying that the construction of his nation is taking place — inside our nation. Is that not sedition?

In 2005, the head of the Institute of Mexicans Abroad, Carlos Gutierrez, asserted, "The Mexican nation goes beyond the borders that contain Mexico."

What these Mexicans politicians are saying is that Mexico extends into the United States, and the first loyalty of all men and women of Mexican ancestry is, no matter where they live, to Mexico.

Mexico's rulers believe in a nation of history, blood and soil that pre-existed, and supersedes, any pledge of allegiance any Mexican may make to another country, especially to the United States.

Is George W. Bush vaguely aware of any of this?

At the Quebec summit, Bush mocked the idea of a merger of a North American Union as a fantasy of conspiracy theorists. "It's quite comical actually, to realize the difference between reality and what some people on TV are talking about."

Calderon laughed it off, too. "I'd be happy with one foot in Mexicali and one in Tijuana." But in his state of the nation, Felipe is talking about one foot in Mexico and one in Los Angeles.

Is Bush oblivious to what his friend Vicente Fox laid down in Madrid in 2002 as the long-term strategy of Mexico?

"Eventually, our long-range objective is to establish with the United States ... an ensemble of connections and institutions similar to those created by the European Union, with the goal of attending to future themes as important as ... the freedom of movement of capital, goods, services and persons. The new framework we wish to construct is inspired in the example of the European Union."

Fox is talking about the erasure of borders.

Whether Bush is aware of this really makes no difference. For the real issue is not what the Mexican regime has in mind, but whether we can stop it, or whether we have passed a point of no return.

Today, already, there are 45 million Hispanics in the United States, perhaps half from Mexico, and 37 million immigrants.

Now, Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies projects — using official Census Bureau figures of 1.25 million legal and illegal immigrants entering and staying in the United States every year — a U.S. population of 468 million by 2060.

We will add as many people — 167 million — in the next half-century as the entire population of the United States when JFK was elected.

Some 105 million of these folks will be immigrants and their children. That 105 million is equal to the entire population of Mexico, whence most of these folks will be coming.

No wonder Mexican presidents are coming out of the closet about what is up. They know the gringos can't stop it, for they have the American establishment on their side.

Buenas noches, America.

To find out more about Patrick Buchanan, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

US RAIDS OFFICES OF UNRECOGNIZED AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBE

The Associated PressPublished: September 6, 2007

WICHITA, Kansas: The self-proclaimed leader of an American Indian tribe not recognized by the U.S. government was arrested by federal agents Thursday during a multistate investigation into the sale of tribal memberships to immigrants.

The Kaweah Indian Nation, which was denied U.S. recognition in 1984, is suspected of selling tribal memberships to illegal immigrants with the promise the documents would protect them from deportation.

On Aug. 15, the tribe's secretary, a woman from El Salvador, and her Guatemalan husband were charged with federal immigration violations that prosecutors said were related to the case.

Days later, the Texas attorney general's office sued tribal leader Malcolm L. Webber, the Kaweah Indian Nation Inc. and two other tribal members, accusing them of fraudulently selling memberships by claiming that tribal members could get a Social Security number and then U.S. citizenship once the tribe is federally recognized.

No charges had been filed against Webber, also known as Chief Grand Chief Thunderbird IV, by Thursday afternoon, though a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office said he expects federal charges will be filed.

Today in Americas
DNA overturns a conviction, but prosecutors press for new trialFugitive democratic fund-raiser held in ColoradoU.S. general, seeing gains as fragile, is wary of cutsTribal spokesman Manuel Urbina could not be reached on his cell phone. No tribal members could be found at their headquarters, where U.S. agents were seen going through cardboard boxes of records. Webber has declined repeated requests for comment since reports of the federal investigation first surfaced.

In the past, Urbina has denied the tribe, which claims to have 10,000 members across the United States, was doing anything illegal. He claimed others who were not part of the tribe were selling tribal documents.

The Kaweah's pitch to immigrants became public when the Nebraska Mexican-American Commission posted a warning on its Web site.

"I'm just impressed that the arrest took place so quickly," said Angel Freytez, spokesman for the Nebraska Mexican-American Commission. "Regardless of (immigrants') status in the U.S., we cannot allow other people to profit from the drama and tragedy of others."

Marilu Cabrera, spokeswoman for U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, said illegal immigrants should be cautious.

"Even though you consider yourself a victim, if you're here unlawfully you potentially put yourself at risk," Cabrera said. "So that's why it's very important to be very vigilant."
___

Associated Press Writer Oskar Garcia in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this story.

TIMES WRITERS GROUP: BILL MAY HELP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

St. Cloud MN Times, Opinion
Published: September 06. 2007 12:30AM - Last updated: September 06. 2007 12:40AM

In another instance of our own government turning its collective back on "We The People," Senate bill 1923 was placed on the calendar Aug. 1.

This bill is called The Housing Assistance Authorization Act of 2007 and includes the Housing Assistance Council, the Housing Partnership Network and its members and the Raza Development Fund.

The fund's Web site defines it as "a support corporation of the National Council of La Raza, established in 1998 as the community development lending arm of NCLR." The NCLR is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States.

My question is this: Why should Congress pursue legislation that is based upon a person's race? Shouldn't Congress be using our tax dollars to help any and all working-class Americans?

Section 4 of this bill is titled, "Assistance for Raza Development Fund." The stated purposes are to provide technical and financial assistance to local nonprofit organizations to undertake community development and affordable housing projects and programs serving low-moderate income households ... particularly through organizations located in neighborhoods with substantial populations of income disadvantaged households of Hispanic origin.

Grants for these housing developments are authorized in Section C of 1923 totaling $25 million the next three years and are targeted to Hispanic communities.

One amendment to this bill, called the Bunning Amendment, addresses the underlying concern that this is actually housing for illegal immigrants. The amendment says simply that anyone not here legally cannot get direct access to this fund.

It doesn't say, though, they can't get access indirectly. In other words, if RDF money is used to buy housing that La Raza manages, could illegal immigrants become tenants?

La Raza also receives grants and funding in the form of discretionary spending included in labor, education and health and human services bills.

Again, I ask: How is it fair that working-class Americans have to pay via taxes to fund groups such as La Raza, especially if it is — even indirectly — putting those tax dollars toward helping illegal immigrants live here and ultimately push Americans out of the job market, out of their homes and toward becoming "income disadvantaged" themselves?

When we lose our jobs, the government loses revenues. Why is there no special development fund for us?

The House is no better.

House bill 1999, the Hope Fund Act, was introduced April 23 and authorizes appropriations for assistance for the National Council of La Raza and the Raza Development fund. It passed the House and awaits Senate action.

House bill 1980, the Housing Assistance Council Authorization Act, passed with 216 Democrats and 134 Republicans voting "aye" July 1. It includes the Raza Development Fund.

It, too, awaits Senate action, which is frightening. After all, this is the Congress that can't secure our border, enforce our immigration laws, build a fence, deport illegal immigrants or in any other way act to defend the sovereign United States from an invasion of illegal immigrants from anywhere!

This is the same Congress, like the one before it, expecting American taxpayers to house, feed, educate and provide health care to individuals who broke our laws entering the country and who are represented by openly racist groups such as La Raza.

I will give La Raza its dues. A check of its Web site page shows its leaders have effectively learned how to use the government to their advantage.

Far from being a collection of individuals who simply wanted a better life, La Raza is well funded and politically connected.

This is the opinion of Marti Oakley, an artist from Watkins whose column is published the first Thursday of the month. She welcomes constructive comments at martijoakley@gmail.com.

UNIVISION POSTPONES DEBATE AFTER GOP CANDIDATES IGNORE INVITES

By Ruth Morris | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 7, 2007

The debate was to be broadcast from coast to coast, with questions in Spanish and simultaneous translations piped into candidates' ears. Analysts touted the invitation as a landmark opportunity for Republican presidential hopefuls to woo a huge Hispanic audience and collect their contributions.

But prominent Spanish-language network Univision conceded last week that it would postpone a Sept. 16 forum among Republican presidential contenders after only one candidate — Arizona Sen. John McCain — announced he would attend. Now, as a full house of Democratic hopefuls gear up for their Spanish-language debate on Sunday, political observers question whether the GOP is turning a cold shoulder to a crucial voting bloc.

Univision spokeswoman Brook Morganstein said the broadcaster had not canceled the Republican forum and hoped to host the event sometime in the fall.

Do you think a Spanish-language presidential debate is a good idea? Vote
When to watch

"We're working with the candidates now to reschedule," she said. "There were scheduling issues."

That most GOP candidates didn't clear their calendars raised eyebrows, particularly in Florida, a swing state where Republicans have strong support from Cuban-Americans and an edge among Puerto Ricans.

Univision will host Sunday's debate among Democrats at the University of Miami, in Coral Gables.

"That's like turning away a gift. It's a bad mistake," said Jorge Mursuli, national director of the Miami-based Democracia USA, a nonpartisan Hispanic civic engagement group, of the Republicans' slow response. "I suspect they have a conflict with the base of the party that has been so vitriolic and anti-immigrant. I'm guessing they feel that taking the step toward reaching out to Hispanics may make some of the folks in the Republican base uncomfortable."

Hispanic voters place a premium on the personal touch, Mursuli said, pointing to Republican candidates who used that to their advantage. President Bush, for example, used the slogan "Nos conocemos" or "We know one another," to win Latino voters in his 2004 campaign for the White House.

Critics suggest Republicans aren't sure how to play to Latino voters after the contentious immigration debate. Many Hispanic voters were disillusioned after conservative lawmakers blocked a bill this summer that would have legalized millions of undocumented workers while bolstering border security.

Political analyst Alvaro Fernandez, regional director for the William C. Velasquez Institute that traces Latino voting trends, said a Univision debate would surely include hard questions on immigration. But the GOP's loss is not necessarily the Democrats' gain, he said. Key democrats may have supported legalization, but they still failed to pass it.

"On appealing to Latino voters, I would give the Republicans an F, and the Democrats I would give a C-," Fernandez said, referring specifically to the immigration bill defeat. "The question of immigration will be tough to answer for either party."

Univision is the largest Spanish-language network in the United States, and has vigorously encouraged eligible viewers to apply for citizenship and vote. Hispanics represent the fastest growing segment of the U.S. electorate, growing by 50 percent over the last decade.

South Florida Republican supporters defended their candidates' sluggish response, saying the GOP was likely to reach out to Hispanics much more aggressively after primary elections, when it counts most. Hispanic voters care about complex issues, said Fabio Andrade, the Republican head of the Americas Community Center in Weston, and a few words translated poorly into Spanish could mean a gross political blunder.

Republicans may also be counting on overlapping sympathies with Latino voters to see them through. Many Hispanic voters oppose abortion and support family values, positions Republican candidates have long embraced.

In the minefield of presidential politics, candidates from both parties have selected venues carefully. Political science researcher Susan MacManus, of the University of South Florida in Tampa, said voters rely on evermore segmented news outlets for their news, and candidates are well tuned to the trend.

In August, the Fox network canceled a Democratic presidential debate co-sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute, after the leading candidates in that field said they would skip it. Like Univision, organizers cited "scheduling challenges."

Still, MacManus said the GOP should not take the Univision debate lightly.

One Republican lawmaker who speaks Spanish fluently, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, said she hoped other GOP candidates would join McCain and make time for a Univision debate. She dismissed the notion that immigration is the only issue candidates need to address.

"We are not a monolithic community," Ros-Lehtinen said. "The Hispanic family members care about quality schools, crime-free communities, good health care, job opportunities, and all the wonderful quality of life issues that all American families want."

Ruth Morris can be reached at rmorris@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5012.

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Ice officers document a vehicle at cloudburst lawn and sprinkler during a raid that arrested 19 individuals.

ICE ARRESTS 19 CLOUDBURST EMPLOYEES

By Harold Reutter
The Grand Island Independent
harold.reutter@theindependent.com

Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday arrested 19 people who work for Cloudburst Lawn and Sprinkler.

ICE spokesman Tim Counts said all 19 people were arrested on "administrative immigrations violations." That means they are accused of being in the country illegally.

Counts said there were no criminal arrests.

He said the 19 people who were arrested were being processed in Grand Island and would be detained in the Phelps County Jail.

He said preliminary indications are that 11 of the people arrested are from Mexico, six are from El Salvador and two are from Guatemala.

He said some people may decide to waive their right to a hearing and agree to be deported.

"Others may say they've got a right to be in the country and want a hearing," Counts said.

He said the hearing would be in the administrative immigration court in Omaha. Although the court is in Omaha, the judge in Chicago may hear the case through a video teleconference.

Counts said the administrative immigration hearing would be in "several weeks or one or two months."

He said he has no way of predicting hearing dates because the administrative immigration court resides in a different part of the federal government and sets its own schedule.

"ICE is part of the Department of Homeland Security and the administrative immigration court is part of the Department of Justice," Counts said.

He said the ICE arrests were part of an investigation, but he declined to say why Cloudburst Lawn and Sprinkler was chosen as the site for an immigration enforcement action.

The Independent was unable to contact the owner of Cloudburst on Thursday.

In December 2006, ICE conducted a raid at the Swift plant in Grand Island, arresting 261 people who it believed were in the country illegal. Only one of those arrests was criminal, with the remaining 260 arrests administrative violations.

ICE arrested four more Swift employees this past July.

NEW LICENSES INCITE FEARS OF NORTH AMERICAN UNION

NewsMax.com
September 6, 2007

Pro-border security advocates are warning that the new North Carolina driver's license is a dangerous first step toward a "North American Union" driving permit.

The Tar Heel State recently introduced a license that includes a hologram on its reverse side.

The problem: Critics object that the hologram portrays the entire North American continent, not just the United States. Moreover, they say it looks just like the map of North American used as the logo on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America Web site (www.spp.gov).

The SPP supports enhanced regulatory cooperation and the promotion of cross-border trade among the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Those who object to the North American Union and related projects like the NAFTA Super Highway say it will compromise American sovereignty, exacerbate border-security concerns, and ultimately lead to economic hardships for U.S. citizens.

Groups opposed to illegal immigration worry that a North American driver's license could ultimately enable a citizen of Mexico, Canada, or the United States to travel freely anywhere on the Continent.

William Gheen, who heads the Raleigh, N.C.-based Americans for Legal Immigration political action committee, says the new license is “‘North American Union' ready.”

Gheen says he’ll protest the new license by refusing to apply for a license, even though it will prevent him from driving a car and make it difficult to travel on a commercial airline.

The hologram is a foil-based security patch that carries design features both visible and invisible to the human eye, including a variety of codes, numbers, and 3-D and fluorescent images. North Carolina DMV officials say the new licenses will eventually be used all over North America, and will take several years to roll out.

North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Marge Howell says the new licenses will increase security, protect against document fraud, and aid law enforcement officials in identifying crime suspects.

The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators that designed the hologram represents state and provincial officials in the United States and Canada who administer and enforce motor vehicle laws. The government of Mexico is also a member, though individual Mexican states have yet to join.

"The goal is of the North American hologram is to get one common element that law enforcement throughout the continent can look at on all driver's licenses and tell that the driver's license is an official document," Howell says.

Because the hologram is almost impossible to duplicate, Howell says it will be much more difficult for illegal immigrants to get a bogus license.

But the new licenses have prompted an online opposition effort by FaxDC.com. Missouri state Rep. Jim Guest also is opposed.

"I was astonished when I saw that North American hologram on the North Carolina driver's license," Guest said, according to FaxDC. "I thought right then that this was going to be the prototype for the driver's license of the North American Union.”

The driver’s license flap comes in the midst of a joint U.S.-Mexico pilot program that allows Mexican truckers to make long-haul trips into the United States. Currently, trucks from Mexico are allowed to venture only within the 20- to 25-mile commercial zone in place along the U.S. border.

Under the year-long experiment, though, a select group of about 100 Mexican trucking companies will be allowed to make deliveries beyond the 20- to 25-mile commercial zone.

To participate, Mexican drivers must have a commercial driver's license, must pass a criminal check, show proof that they are medically fit, comply with U.S. hours-of-service rules, and be able to answer questions in English and understand directions from inspectors.

© 2007 NewsMax. All rights reserved.

SPP MYTHS VS FACTS
SECURITY AND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP OF NORTH AMERICA (SPP)

The SPP is a White House-led initiative among the United States and the two nations it borders – Canada and Mexico – to increase security and to enhance prosperity among the three countries through greater cooperation.

The SPP is based on the principle that our prosperity is dependent on our security and recognizes that our three great nations share a belief in freedom, economic opportunity, and strong democratic institutions. The SPP outlines a comprehensive agenda for cooperation among our three countries while respecting the sovereignty and unique cultural heritage of each nation. The SPP provides a vehicle by which the United States, Canada, and Mexico can identify and resolve unnecessary obstacles to trade and it provides a means to improve our response to emergencies and increase security, thus benefiting and protecting Americans.

The SPP is meant to:
Coordinate our security efforts to better protect U.S. citizens from terrorist threats and transnational crime and promote the safe and efficient movement of legitimate people and goods;
Expand economic opportunity for all our people by making our businesses more competitive in the global marketplace, cutting red tape, and providing consumers with safe, less expensive, and innovative products; and
Enhance our common efforts to combat infectious diseases, develop responses to man-made or natural disasters to enhance our citizens’ quality of life, protect our people and our environment, and improve consumer safety.
The SPP benefits the American people in many ways, and much progress has already been made. For example (see www.spp.gov for more information):

To save lives, prevent injuries, and make consumer goods safer, the United States, Canada and Mexico signed separate agreements for advance notifications when consumer goods violate one country's safety standards or pose a danger to consumers.
To strengthen border security, Mexican and U.S. agencies are exchanging information and establishing protocols to detect fraud and smuggling, and address border violence.
To speed up response times when managing infectious disease outbreaks, the United States and Canada signed an agreement to enable simultaneous exchange of information between virtual national laboratory networks.
To speed cargo shipping, the three countries are developing uniform in-advance electronic exchange of cargo manifest data for maritime, railroad and motor carriers.
To develop a coordinated strategy aimed at combating counterfeiting and piracy, a task force of senior officials from the three North American countries has been established
To reduce the cost of trade, the United States and Canada decreased transit times at the Detroit/Windsor gateway, our largest border crossing point, by 50 percent.
To reduce market distortions, facilitate trade, and promote overall competitiveness, the North American Steel Trade Committee developed a new strategy that focuses on improving innovation and market development.
Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP):
Myth vs. Fact
Myth: The SPP was an agreement signed by Presidents Bush and his Mexican and Canadian counterparts in Waco, TX, on March 23, 2005.

Fact: The SPP is a dialogue to increase security and enhance prosperity among the three countries. The SPP is not an agreement nor is it a treaty. In fact, no agreement was ever signed.

Myth: The SPP is a movement to merge the United States, Mexico, and Canada into a North American Union and establish a common currency.

Fact: The cooperative efforts under the SPP, which can be found in detail at www.spp.gov, seek to make the United States, Canada and Mexico open to legitimate trade and closed to terrorism and crime. It does not change our courts or legislative processes and respects the sovereignty of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The SPP in no way, shape or form considers the creation of a European Union-like structure or a common currency. The SPP does not attempt to modify our sovereignty or currency or change the American system of government designed by our Founding Fathers.

Myth: The SPP is being undertaken without the knowledge of the U.S. Congress.

Fact: U.S. agencies involved with SPP regularly update and consult with members of Congress on our efforts and plans.

Myth: The SPP infringes on the sovereignty of the United States.

Fact: The SPP respects and leaves the unique cultural and legal framework of each of the three countries intact. Nothing in the SPP undermines the U.S. Constitution. In no way does the SPP infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States.

Myth: The SPP is illegal and violates the Constitution.

Fact: The SPP is legal and in no way violates the Constitution or affects the legal authorities of the participating executive agencies. Indeed, the SPP is an opportunity for the governments of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to discuss common goals and identify ways to enhance each nation’s security and prosperity. If an action is identified, U.S. federal agencies can only operate within U.S. law to address these issues. The Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security coordinate the efforts of the agencies responsible for the various initiatives under the prosperity and security pillars of the SPP. If an agency were to decide a regulatory change is desirable through the cooperative efforts of SPP, that agency is required to conform to all existing U.S. laws and administrative procedures, including an opportunity to comment.

Myth: The U.S section of the SPP is headed by the Department of Commerce.

Fact: The SPP is a White House-driven initiative. In the United States, the Department of Commerce coordinates the ‘Prosperity’ component, while the Department of Homeland Security coordinates the ‘Security’ component. The Department of State ensures the two components are coordinated and are consistent with U.S. foreign policy.

Myth: The U.S. Government, working though the SPP, has a secret plan to build a "NAFTA Super Highway."

Fact: The U.S. government is not planning a NAFTA Super Highway. The U.S. government does not have the authority to designate any highway as a NAFTA Super Highway, nor has it sought such authority, nor is it planning to seek such authority. There are private and state level interests planning highway projects which they themselves describe as "NAFTA Corridors," but these are not Federally-driven initiatives, and they are not a part of the SPP.

Myth: The U.S. Government, through the Department of Transportation, is funding secretive highway projects to become part of a “NAFTA Super Highway”.

Fact: Many States in the American Midwest are proposing or undertaking highway projects to improve or build roads as Federal-aid and State or private sector revenue becomes available. All projects involving Federal-aid funds or approvals are subject to normal Federal-aid requirements, such as review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including public involvement. This public involvement, the common thread among all these activities, makes them anything but “secret.” In addition, Congress directs Department of Transportation funding for specific highway projects.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will continue to cooperate with the State transportation departments as they build and upgrade highways to meet the needs of the 21st century. Rather than evidence of a secret plan to create a NAFTA Super Highway that would undermine our national sovereignty, the FHWA’s efforts are a routine part of cooperation with all the State transportation departments to improve the Nation’s highways.

Myth: U.S. Government officials sponsored a secret SPP planning meeting in Banff, Alberta in September 2006.