Immigration Archives - StandUnited NewsStand

April 18, 2018 Posted in Immigration

Sanctuary Cities Hide Gang Members

The Department of Homeland Security released a report indicating several city and county governments have ignored federal “detainer” requests. They released 142 suspected members of MS-13 and other gangs between November 2016 to June 2017.

Many of the suspects were members of the street gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. It originated in Los Angelos neighborhoods heavily concentrated with immigrants. These immigrants fled civil wars from a variety of countries including El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua during the 1980s. MS-13 members have been convicted of everything from murder to drug trafficking while living in the US.

California, the biggest offender

A majority of the cities and counties ignoring the detainer requests were from California. They include:

• Santa Clara County, who released 22
• Los Angeles, who released 16
• and Orange County, who released 12.

Texas, Washington, and Maryland also released possible gang members. Several cities provide ongoing sanctuary to illegal immigrants, despite the potential threat to their communities.

Maryland and California have both recently passed sanctuary state laws. Several of California’s cities have been fighting against their state law. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan vetoed the sanctuary state bill, yet it has been retintroduced in the House again this year.

Immigration reform was a focal point of President Trump’s campaign. Since the election, his administration has taken action by ordering enhanced border enforcement, banning nationals of eight countries from entering the United States, and even reversing the decline in arrests of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S.

During Trump’s State of the Union address, he stated,

“Many gang members have taken advantage of “glaring loopholes and our laws to enter the country as illegal, unaccompanied, alien minors.”

April 9, 2018 Posted in Immigration

Newport Beach Fights Back Against California ‘Sanctuary State’ Law

A California city is considering a resolution that defies the state’s new sanctuary state law.

Newport Beach, a city of 85,000 in Orange County, is considering a resolution that would exempt the city from compliance with a new law. This state law bars police from reporting to federal immigration authorities detainees who are subject to deportation.

A Safe Haven for Illegal Immigration

SB 54 was signed into law in October 2017 by Governor Jerry Brown. It prohibits law enforcement from asking the immigration status of people they arrest. This controversial law made California a true sanctuary state. Illegal immigrants can live without being held accountable for breaking U.S. immigration law.

Newport Beach’s resolution states the city “respects and supports the United States Constitution” and is “committed to protecting the city of Newport Beach’s residents through the enforcement of local, state, and federal laws.”

The council also calls the state law a “conflict between state and federal law.” They say it is now difficult for California residents to be protected by local law enforcement.

This is not the first time Newport Beach has fought this law. In August 2017, before Governor Brown signed SB 54 into law, Newport Beach sent a letter to the state legislature strongly opposing the bill.

However, some cities do support the new law. Santa Ana voted in favor of SB 54, and Fullerton is staying neutral.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against California under the Supremacy Clause. A sanctuary state law obstructs standing immigration law, thus violating the Constitution.

Newport Beach is not the only city fighting this sanctuary state law. Several cities, including Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach, have either joined the federal lawsuit or filed a suit of their own. San Juan Capistrano, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo and Yorba Linda are also opposed to the law.

Newport Beach’s council will hear the matter on Tuesday.

March 12, 2018 Posted in Immigration

Arizona Border Officer An Illegal Immigrant Who Lied About Citizenship

An officer with the United States Border Patrol in Arizona was recently exposedto be an illegal immigrant.

Marco Antonio De La Garza, Jr. was hired to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency in April of 2012. At that time, he told the hiring officials he had been born in Brownsville, Texas. This was not true. De la Garza was born in Matamoros, Mexico, across the Rio Grande from Brownsville.

NFL Player Killed by Twice-Deported Illegal Immigrant

The drunk driver who killed former Indianapolis Colts player Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver Jeffrey Monroe was living in the United States illegally. The suspect, Manuel Orrego-Savala, did not hold a drivers license when he drunkenly killed two innocent men.

Criminal History

Orrego-Savala illegally immigrated to the United States three times. Authorities first deported him in 2007, and then again in 2009. Police do not know when Orrego-Savala crossed the border the third time. A breath test shows that Orrego-Savala’s blood alcohol level was at 0.239 – nearly triple the legal limit in Indiana. He tried to run away from the scene of the crime. When confronted by police, Orrego-Savala claimed that his name was Alex Cabrera Gonsales.

A Miserable Car Crash

Jeffrey Monroe was driving Edwin Jackson down Interstate 70 early on Sunday morning. Jackson, 26, fell ill, and Monroe, 54, pulled over onto the shoulder to help him get his bearings. The two men were standing outside the parked car on the shoulderwhen Orrego-Savala plowed his Ford F-150 straight into them. The only survivor – Orrego-Savala – failed to call 9-1-1. A state trooper saw the wreckage while driving and attended to the scene. As the state trooper pulled over at the scene of the crime, he saw the body of one of the victims, which had been thrown into one of the highway lanes.

An Outpouring of Support

The Indianapolis Colts organization offered their deepest condolences to both of the victims’ loved ones. In a tweet to the team’s fans, the Colts wrote “Edwin Jackson always brought a smile to our locker room and the community. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. We will miss him greatly.”

Jackson’s teammates have shared their fond memories of the young athlete taken from this life far too soon. Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper Matt Overton said, “Your love for life, passion for the game & heart to serve was contagious. Continue to shine your light from above brother! We love & will miss you.”

January 22, 2018 Posted in Immigration

Democrats Cave on Government Shutdown, but DACA Isn’t Going Away

On Monday morning, Senate Democrats voted to end debate and schedule a vote to terminate the government shutdown, after the GOP promised to address immigration reform soon.

The federal shutdown started Friday night at midnight after Democrats refused to support a funding bill. They refused to vote in favor of any funding unless they got a guarantee from the Republicans that Dreamers, or illegal immigrants who came here as children, won’t be deported.

Democrats tied immigration to the appropriations bill to force discussion. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reassured them that the debate “will have a level playing field at the outset and an amendment process that’s fair to all sides.”

The Fight Over Immigration Continues…

The vote passed by a wide margin of 81-18, with only two GOP senators voting no: Rand Paul (R-KY) and Mike Lee (R-UT). Other senators voting no were Democrats looking at a possible presidential run, such as pro-sanctuary city advocate Kamala Harris (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Tonight’s vote will fund the government for the next month and end the current shutdown. However, the greater issue of the Obama-era protections for illegal immigrants shows no sign of a resolution anytime soon.

A memo recently revealed that Democrats view illegal immigrants are “critical” to the left’s “future electoral success.” Some Republicans have also defended DACA, asking for amnesty for those who are already here.

This resolution also funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a program that protects families who earn too much to apply for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance plans. CHIP is funded for the next six years.

January 18, 2018 Posted in Criminal Justice, Immigration

Illegal Alien Wishes He’d Killed More Cops, Threatens Escape

Luis Bracamontes, a 37-year old illegal immigrant from Mexico, is on trial for killing two Sacramento-based cops in October 2014. Bracamontes confessed to the murders during court hearings.

Jeffrey Barbour, a public defender representing Bracamontes, stated during the trial, “Mr. Bracamontes is responsible for the deaths of Deputy Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis. He shot them both.”

“I will kill more…”

A video of the proceedings depicts the suspect laughing and grinning in a Sacramento County Superior Courtroom, as the prosecutor outlined the case for jurors. At one point Bracamontes loudly declared, “I will break out soon, and I will kill more.”

His defense team believes that the outbursts and laughter are all the result of some form of mental illness. They asked the judge if they could enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. The request was quickly denied by the judge.

Bracamontes will receive either the death penalty or life in prison if he is convicted. He was deported from the US several times prior to the murders but was allowed reentry due to the broken immigration system and sanctuary policies.

January 8, 2018 Posted in Immigration

Trump Looks for $18 Billion to Build the Wall

President Donald Trump asked Congress for $18 billion over the next ten years in order to keep his campaign promise to build a wall on the southern U.S. border.

The request accompanied the most detailed listing to date of what it would truly cost to build the hotly debated wall.

According to the funding request, designed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, 316 miles of additional fencing is required by September 2027. That fencing would bring the total barrier to 907 miles – less than half the U.S.-Mexico border.

Also contained in the CBP plan is a request for 407 miles of replacement fencing, to shore up existing barriers that have been damaged or need reinforcement.

One of the hallmarks of Trump’s campaign was a promise to build a “big, beautiful wall” on the border, and in an effort to keep that promise, the administration requested $1.6 billion this year to start work on 74 miles of fence located in Texas and California.

The administration plans to ask for $1.6 billion next year as well.

Trump’s request comes on the heels of several questions from the Senate, who asked exactly how much it would take to make the border secure. According to a USA Today investigation in the summer of 2017, much of the border has no barrier at all – even though previous administrations have spent more than $2 billion that was ostensibly for wall construction.

The CBO proposal requests funding for towers, fencing, surveillance equipment, and other gear to secure the border from a variety of threats, including drug and human trafficking, violent gang activity, and even Mexican troops.

December 12, 2017 Posted in Immigration

New York City Pipe Bomber Fails to Harm Anyone But Himself in Subway Attack

An ISIS-inspired attacker attempted to detonate a pipe bomb in the New York City subway system on Monday morning. The suspect, Akayed Ullah, failed to cause serious injury to anyone but himself.

Ullah, a 27 year old former taxi driver, is an immigrant from Bangladesh who settled in Brooklyn. Ullah attached a low-tech explosive device to himself with “velcro and plastic ties,” investigators told Fox News. It also included Christmas lights, matches, and a 9-volt battery, used to detonate the device. Surveillance cameras captured images of Ullah as he completed the circuits and detonated the pipe bomb.

Three commuters had headaches and ringing ears from the blast, but there were no other injuries except to Ullah himself, who failed to end his own life or anyone else’s. He did, however, suffer severe burns and other shrapnel-type wounds. He is currently at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.

Diversity Visa Lottery and Chain Migration

According to CBS News, Ullah came to the United States at the age of 11, on an immigrant visa with the rest of his family. He came to the United States through chain migration. The BBC explains that Ullah had an F43 visa, meaning he was the child of someone holding an F41 visa. The government grants F41 visas to the siblings of naturalized American citizens over the age of 21. Ullah came to America through either an aunt or an uncle who won the diversity visa lottery.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pointed out that under President Trump’s desired immigration policy, Ullah would not have been able to enter the United States. Ullah reportedly was “inspired by the Islamic State,” but authorities do not believe he had any direct contact with the group.

Security experts say that heightened protocols – such as searching or scanning each passenger – would be nearly impossible to implement. Many also worry that long lines and crowding would be a huge soft target for terrorist attacks. Security analyst Max Leitschuh says that dealing with lone wolf attacks such as Ullah’s is “much more difficult” than trying to prevent organized group attacks such as 9/11.

The attack delayed some New York commuters by two hours.

November 17, 2017 Posted in Grassroots Success Story, Immigration

ICE Agents Use Digital Advocacy to Secure the Border

Border patrol agents are banding together as part of a grassroots campaign to reform their agency. U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees want swift and decisive action from the President, and they’re using digital media to accomplish their objectives.

The National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, made up of ICE employees and supporters of tight border security, claims that ICE is mismanaging employees and risking our national security. The group’s president, Chris Crane, called on the administration to “take measures to ensure the safety of our law enforcement officers” and “drain the swamp at ICE.”

Government Bias at the Border

Obama-era officials still hold jobs at ICE, and border agents expressed frustration at these bureaucrats who hinder the agency’s important work. “ICE has become so politicized that it no longer operates as an effective law enforcement agency,” Crane said.

Crane also cited instances of managers directing agents not to wear bullet-proof vests on the job, leaving them vulnerable to criminals with guns. Additionally, local officials sometimes give illegal immigrants advance warning of ICE activities, effectively encouraging them to hide.

This group of agents also alleges that ICE’s internal policies are biased against field agents. If these accusations are true, they indicate great unwillingness by career bureaucrats to properly secure America’s borders.

Advocates Taking Action

America’s border patrol agents are not, however, sitting on the sidelines and waiting for things to improve on their own. They have started their own website – jicreport.com – to allow whistleblowers to report wrongdoing in their offices. The site aims to expose the abuses of power and hold bureaucrats accountable.

On the website, these ICE employees declared their support for President Trump and their respect for standard reporting procedures. The group notes that it is acting outside the normal chain of command because the normal process yielded no results. “Unable to penetrate your staff and communicate with you, we were left with no choice but communicate publicly,” Crane wrote. These agents are taking matters into their own hands, and draining their own swamp.

November 14, 2017 Posted in Immigration

Diversity Visa Lottery Brings in People from Terror States

The Diversity Visa Lottery has granted nearly 30,000 visas to immigrants from terror states since 2007. Under the program, the government distributes visas to applicants at random. This means that if a heart surgeon and an unskilled person both apply for a visa, they each have the same odds of winning.

Millions of people meet the eligibility requirements for diversity visas. An applicant needs only a high school education and two years of work experience to qualify. These visas function like green cards, so people around the world call such a visa a “golden ticket.” Would-be migrants seek these visas in droves: In 2015, over 9.4 million eligible people applied for diversity visas.

Proponents of merit-based immigration argue that the diversity visa lottery leaves too much to chance. President Trump has argued for a merit-based immigration system, similar to the one used in Canada.

Visas for Citizens of Terror States

When the United States grants a diversity visa, the recipient can live in America permanently. After 5 years, the green card holder may apply for U.S. citizenship. The State Department hands out 50,000 of these visas each year.

Syria, Sudan, and Iran all deliberately fund terrorist groups. They encourage their own citizens to commit political violence. Because of this, distributing visas without intense vetting poses a unique danger to America. Dangers lurk beyond the terror states, too. Last month, a terrorist killed 8 people in New York City by ramming a truck on a busy sidewalk. That man came to America from his native Uzbekistan on a diversity visa.

In 1990, Senator Chuck Schumer helped build the diversity visa lottery program. However, he also joined the “Gang of 8” bill that would have eliminated the program. Members of Congress noted the dangers of the program back in 2004. A report from the House Judiciary Committee stated, “Any potential terrorist who did win the diversity visa lottery could live here freely, and come and go with little scrutiny.”

What You Can Do

Do you want to save, or slash, the diversity visa lottery program? Head to StandUnited to start the petition. When you do, we’ll feature it on this post!

Category: Immigration