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  1. #1
    Senior Member Brian503a's Avatar
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    Illegal immigrants 'scared' of crackdown in Massachusetts

    http://enterprise.southofboston.com/art ... news01.txt

    Illegal immigrants 'scared' of crackdown

    By Elaine Allegrini, Enterprise staff writer
    “Gustavo” knows he is at the eye of a geo-political storm.

    “I take a chance coming here,” said Gustavo, 25, who risked his life walking across the border from Mexico to the United States two years ago and knows that a misstep could put immigration officials on his trail.

    He is among some 200,000 illegal immigrants living in the state, many in southeastern Massachusetts, who are in the spotlight as Gov. Mitt Romney proposes to equip state police with federal immigration law enforcement powers.

    “A lot of people are scared. The people who work with me are scared,” said Gustavo, who agreed to speak in exchange for anonymity.

    But he does not spend his days looking over his shoulder for immigration officers, preferring instead to enjoy the life he chose when he left his parents, six older siblings and extended family in Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil, two years ago.

    He was also unaware of Romney's recent bid for local immigration enforcement, but labeled it “unfair” when advised of it. However, he does not fault the enforcement of immigration laws and even supports regulation.

    “Government is doing what it's supposed to do,” Gustavo said. “If you open the doors to everybody, what's going to happen ...?

    Congenial and engaging, he has a quick smile and expresses an appreciation of his life in the United States, the living accommodations he shares with two other immigrants in a Plymouth apartment and the two jobs that keep him working from 7 a.m. to nearly 11 p.m., seven days a week.

    With limited command of English, Gustavo spoke largely through an interpreter.

    The journey from Brazil is not only dangerous for the “undocumented,” as illegal immigrants are sometimes called, but it is long and expensive, according to Gustavo.

    He left his hometown knowing he was heading to the Boston area where a friend was waiting. His family had bankrolled the $10,000 cost of illegal entry, but he had to endure the 30-day trip. Fortunately, he said, he only had to walk four hours to reach U.S. soil — many others walk for several days, often through rivers in search of the American dream. That is why far more men than women take the risk, according to Brazilian immigrants.

    It is common for Brazilian families to guarantee the price of illegal immigration, the immigrants themselves paying the bill from their earnings in jobs that are usually waiting for them when they arrive at their destination.

    Gustavo in some ways represents the typical Brazilian immigrant — he came here through Mexico, is undocumented and works two jobs, said Mari Gillis of Plymouth, who came to the United States on a tourist visa in 1989 and became a citizen in 2000.

    However, Gustavo's single status sets him apart from many Brazilians, who left wives and children at home, she said.

    Still, Gustavo works 95 to 100 hours a week for $10 an hour, his weekly earnings more than his monthly pay as a driving instructor in Brazil.

    “I work hard here, make money,” Gustavo said. “In Brazil, I work hard but don't make money. I like it (here), want to stay.”

    But Gustavo also wants to visit his family. He speaks to them every day by telephone and e-mails friends and family in Brazil, but knows that he could never return to the United States if he went back home for a visit.

    Asked if he would accept U.S. citizenship if offered, he said, “For sure,” without hesitation.

    It is the dream of most Brazilians to become citizens, primarily to enjoy the freedom of travel and the ability to earn a good living — working here in the summer and spending winters in their homeland, Gillis said.

    As she spoke, several Brazilians stopped by her shop — Casa Brazil on Main Street in Kingston — to wire money to their families back home.

    Gustavo sends some money to his parents, but said he mostly saves it, hoping some day to find a girlfriend and work less, relax more. Right now, he does little more than work — except on Monday evenings when he attends a Catholic Mass for Brazilians at St. Mary's Church in Plymouth.

    He has a car registered in his name and operates it on a Brazilian driver's license. He also has a bank account that grows weekly.

    Though undocumented immigrants cannot get legal Social Security numbers, the federal government does issue taxpayer identification numbers to them, allowing them to open bank accounts and do other business, according to Gillis.

    Immigrants may give false Social Security numbers to their employers or use someone else's Social Security number to get jobs that put them on the payroll. In other cases, they may be paid under the table.

    “That's the way it was 100 years ago when the Irish were coming in,” she said. “Brazilians are not the ones to introduce it.”

    Immigrant workers are important to the U.S. economy, Gustavo said: “Because we're very hard workers, help business grow.”

    Yet, he knows it could end tomorrow if immigration officials catch up with him.

    Most undocumented immigrants are running scared right now, according to those who work closely within the communities that have grown in Brockton, Stoughton, Abington, Kingston, Plymouth and other south of Boston cities and towns. Immigration officers were reportedly in the Route 18 area of Abington recently.

    “I tell them, 'If you don't want to live in fear, you have to go home.' People get mad at me when I say that,” she said.
    Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at http://eepurl.com/cktGTn

  2. #2
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    “I tell them, 'If you don't want to live in fear, you have to go home.' People get mad at me when I say that,” she said.
    Don't feel bad.
    I've said the same thing.
    They don't listen to me either.
    http://www.alipac.us Enforce immigration laws!

  3. #3
    Senior Member lsmith1338's Avatar
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    They should live in fear they have broken the law and they are criminals. Utilizing state troopers to check status when pulling over drivers is a good thing and will catch alot of illegal aliens in MA. Their numbers are growing everyday in MA and all around the country. We are tired of paying for them and their blatant attitude that they belong here. They belong where ever they came from that is where their citizenship is. I am looking forward to seeing the sob stories I am sure will be published when they start catching these illegal aliens as many of them do come into contact with law enforcement and so far no one has done anything about it.
    Freedom isn't free... Don't forget the men who died and gave that right to all of us....
    Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at http://eepurl.com/cktGTn

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