Thread: Authorities Detain 30 Illegals in Roundup of Hispanics

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledg ... 189749.htm

Posted on Thu, Jul. 21, 2005

Authorities detain 30 people in roundup of Hispanics
Associated Press

HOOVER, Ala. - Federal immigration officers arrested at least 30 Hispanic people in three suburban cities near Birmingham in what authorities said Thursday was a crackdown aimed at fighting gangs.

The U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement would not say, however, whether any of the people who were detained were suspected of committing crimes aside from being in the country illegally.

Officers from the agency swept through apartment complexes and trailer parks in Hoover, Pelham and Alabaster arresting Spanish-speaking people.

Jail records in Hoover, the largest of the three cities, showed 30 people were booked within a 75-minute period Tuesday. They were transferred to the Etowah County Jail, where the federal government processes and holds suspected illegal immigrants.

Temple Black, a spokesman for the federal immigration agency in New Orleans, said the arrests "are part of an ongoing anti-gang enforcement effort." He declined comment on details including any possible charges.

Another agency spokesman, Marc Raimondi, said officers are out daily arresting "known criminal gang members that terrorize neighborhoods," but he said he didn't know anything about the arrests around Birmingham.

Cristina Arreola, a 17-year-old from Mexico living in a mobile home park in Alabaster, said seven federal agents raided the trailer where she lives early Tuesday.

They woke her and her 17-year-old fiance, Pedro Flores Jr., and made them, his parents and two older brothers go outside. All were handcuffed and taken to the Alabaster Police Department, where they were questioned by federal agents, Arreola said.

They then were taken to the Hoover jail where they were fingerprinted, photographed and questioned again, she said. The juveniles then were taken to the U.S. Customs office at the Birmingham International Airport.

Arreola, who was released to a relative, said she and her family were never told why they were being arrested.

Sabrina Bourgeois, who lives next door to Arreola, said federal agents asked some of the young men if they were involved in gangs and took picture of their tattoos. Arreola said none of the family are affiliated with gangs.

Bourgeois, who has lived next door to the Flores family for five or six years, agreed. "They've been wonderful neighbors. They've never gotten into any trouble at all," she said.

Bourgeois said immigration officials have "got people scared."

"A lot of people around here are packing up and leaving," she said.

In April 2004, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 27 day laborers in Hoover, describing them as illegal immigrants. A federal official said three of the 27 may have been suspects in crimes.

"A lot of people around here are packing up and leaving," she said.

"A lot of people around here are packing up and leaving," she said.

No doubt they are headed to NC...... with certain members of the NC General Assembly welcoming them here.

I'm sure they will have NO trouble getting their illegal licenses here in NC!

This is such an illegal 'friendly' state.......

A word of advice to 'would be' visitors to the state, make sure you have uninsured drivers insurance before you drive in this state. Illegals don't carry motorists insurance. Blame the NC General Assembly for that......

Originally Posted by StraightShooter

"A lot of people around here are packing up and leaving," she said.

No doubt they are headed to NC...... with certain members of the NC General Assembly welcoming them here.
I'm sure they will have NO trouble getting their illegal licenses here in NC!
This is such an illegal 'friendly' state.......
A word of advice to 'would be' visitors to the state, make sure you have uninsured drivers insurance before you drive in this state. Illegals don't carry motorists insurance. Blame the NC General Assembly for that......

POOR NORTH CAROLINA. THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING MORE THAN THEIR SHARE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS. THEY DON'T DERSERVE THIS UNLAWFUL INVASION. MY SON WENT TO COLLEGE THERE, AND I LOVED THE STATE SO MUCH THAT I WANTED TO BUY SOME PROPERTY AND RETIRE THERE. BUT NO MORE! SO MY LITTLE OASIS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK 'A HOME IN MITFORD' BY JAN KARON, WILL BE SOMEWHERE ELSE. I MAY AS WELL RETIRE IN MEXICO!

Originally Posted by butterbean

Originally Posted by StraightShooter

"A lot of people around here are packing up and leaving," she said.

No doubt they are headed to NC...... with certain members of the NC General Assembly welcoming them here.
I'm sure they will have NO trouble getting their illegal licenses here in NC!
This is such an illegal 'friendly' state.......
A word of advice to 'would be' visitors to the state, make sure you have uninsured drivers insurance before you drive in this state. Illegals don't carry motorists insurance. Blame the NC General Assembly for that......

POOR NORTH CAROLINA. THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING MORE THAN THEIR SHARE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS. THEY DON'T DERSERVE THIS UNLAWFUL INVASION. MY SON WENT TO COLLEGE THERE, AND I LOVED THE STATE SO MUCH THAT I WANTED TO BUY SOME PROPERTY AND RETIRE THERE. BUT NO MORE! SO MY LITTLE OASIS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK 'A HOME IN MITFORD' BY JAN KARON, WILL BE SOMEWHERE ELSE. I MAY AS WELL RETIRE IN MEXICO!

You're right about that BB. Food for thought for you - I'm surprised the NC Tourism Council has not thought of a new theme for the state like "Retire to Mexico in North Carolina".

I'd laugh about it if this wasn't so serious.......