Thread: Ariz. Governor's Comments Draw Fierce Criticism

Ariz. Governor's Comments Draw Fierce Criticism
Updated: 1 hour 18 minutes ago

Hugh Collins Contributor

(June 26) -- Comments by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer that most illegal immigrants enter the United States to smuggle drugs rather than seek work have prompted a wave of criticism.

But Brewer is standing by her comments.

Speaking Friday, Brewer said that "the majority of illegal trespassers" entering Arizona "are bringing drugs in," Fox News reported.

Now, representatives of the National Border Patrol, Mexican politicians and human rights groups are attacking her claim and calling on her to provide hard evidence to back it up.

"That governor is racist," Francisco Loureiro, who runs an immigrant shelter in the Mexican city of Nogales, told Fox. "She has to look for a way to harm the image of migrants before American society."

T.J. Bonner, president of the union that represents Border Patrol agents, told CNN that Brewer's comments, don't "comport with reality -- that's the nicest way to put it."

In April, Brewer enacted a controversial law that grants the local police greater authority to check the legal status of people they stop. Brewer has seen her popularity soar since the bill and has traveled to the White House to discuss the law with President Barack Obama.

The White House plans to mount a legal challenge to the law, which Obama described as "misguided."

Late on Friday, Brewer issued a statement defending her comments. The statement cited a report by the Los Angeles Times that highlighted the increasing roles of Mexican drug cartels in the business of smuggling people into the United States. Brewer added that "many federal government reports have drawn the same conclusions."

The statement did not quell the criticism.

Jaime Farrant of the Tucson-based Border Action Network told Fox News that he has "no evidence" that most people are entering to smuggle drugs, while Mexican Senator Jesus Ramon Valdes, who represents the Mexican border state of Coahuila, said the comments were racist and ignorant.

"Traditionally, migrants have always been needy, humble people who in good faith go looking for a way to better the lives of their families," Ramon Valdes told Fox News.

Still, some are in agreement with Brewer's comments. On the Governor's Facebook page, commenters described her as "gutsy", and one called for her to run for president in 2012.

Jimmy Cuneo left a comment describing Brewer as "the only politician in the USA doing their job!"

Larry Birns, Director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs in Washington, D.C., called Brewer's comments "an exaggeration, but not by much," as Mexican drug cartels become more and more influential in illegal immigration.

The people-smuggling industry "has gone from a sort of do-it-yourself, small guy operation, to big business," Birns said. "There's going to be a lot more violence on the border."

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/a ... m/19532318

Why does it always happen that the first card they pull out is the racist card? It's getting so old and so tired! Immediately leaping to an ad hominem argument is usually tactic #2 used by these folk.

Originally Posted by keekee

Why does it always happen that the first card they pull out is the racist card? It's getting so old and so tired! Immediately leaping to an ad hominem argument is usually tactic #2 used by these folk.

i wish i could speak publicly to the mexicn sentator and tell him to come collect his people ..

"That governor is racist," Francisco Loureiro, who runs an immigrant shelter in the Mexican city of Nogales, told Fox. "She has to look for a way to harm the image of migrants before American society."

Francisco Loureiro is the raza racist! Pay attention Francisco , the image of illegal invaders already SUCKS before the American people. There's nothing this governor could say to make it any worse, especially when she speaks the truth about your beloved invaders!

Traditionally it has been a way for the "needy" to supplement their income. We know they work for low wages. We know they send lots of money home - so much so that remittances from the U.S. are the 2nd national source of income for Mexico. We know that they travel back and forth lots to visit their families. Usually, carrying contraband in body cavities or wherever allows enough monies to pay for the trip. Now that financial option is being taken from many of the travelers - unless they wish to do so in the pay of a cartel. Governor Brewer is not wrong and it is not racist to tell the truth. Simple logic can lead you to understand that she is correct.

Look, if the wages are so low and they get deported and manage to be back within days to their job - how did they get the money to come back so quickly?

Then again, I have seen plenty of U.S. businessmen reward those who are good at it over the years. I am sure Governor Brewer is well aware of that.

Meanwhile the citizen teens do not even bother to apply for jobs. Some have been able to migrate to other states where they have gotten summer employment pronto! We are about to receive a bunch of household goods from some people who cannot afford to stay here because of no work and can't afford to take their things with them either. They also are citizens.

Also regarding the organization of it. Before it became illegal my husband went to hire some day laborers. They are now organized. There is a boss who will tell you who you can hire and how much you can pay them. The pay part was no problem for my husband but he wished to hire those he chose, not those who he was given. So he never hired day labor again. So the Mexicans are becoming organized in everything and making money from everything. It could be that these day laborers are now actually prisoners being allowed to work by their keepers and having to give all their earnings to the keepers. It sure looked, smelled and felt like it.

Actually I am not even sure of the legality of hiring day laborers anymore. I thought it was illegal now but we have day labor centers and there are plenty of areas they still hang out looking for work, including near my local grocery store. The Home Depot has shoved them off their property so they now hang out near there instead of at Home Depot. I am afraid of these men and often when I go to the store they leer at me and act openly sexual in a way as if to offer any service they can that they think might be wanted - and sometimes I am afraid to walk the distance from the car to the store entrance when they are there.

Originally Posted by NoBueno

"That governor is racist," Francisco Loureiro, who runs an immigrant shelter in the Mexican city of Nogales, told Fox. "She has to look for a way to harm the image of migrants before American society."

Francisco Loureiro is the raza racist! Pay attention Francisco , the image of illegal invaders already SUCKS before the American people. There's nothing this governor could say to make it any worse, especially when she speaks the truth about your beloved invaders!

Right on NoBueno!!

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer errored in making a broad blanket statement like that without having statistical facts to back up such claims. Even though in the grand scheme of things it is rather a moot issue. Since she's in the national spotlight, everything she says will come under extreme scrutiny from the OBL and the liberal media.

People? Drugs?


What on earth does it matter

They are both crossing illegally

Originally Posted by Reciprocity

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer errored in making a broad blanket statement like that without having statistical facts to back up such claims. Even though in the grand scheme of things it is rather a moot issue. Since she's in the national spotlight, everything she says will come under extreme scrutiny from the OBL and the liberal media.

Lets break this down and throw it in Janet nappys face

Lets take the poundage of pot and other drugs smuggled in that the border patrol has caught and then divide it by the amount of alleged illegal invaders

Lets see how much each of them is carrying