Thread: O.C., CA. illegal immigrant freed in D.C.

Published: July 21, 2010
Updated: 10:11 a.m.

O.C., CA. illegal immigrant freed in D.C.

By BRIAN ROSENTHAL and DENA BUNIS
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

WASHINGTON – Police Wednesday freed Antonia Rivera, the Santa Ana woman who was arrested on Capitol Hill Tuesday along with 20 other young illegal immigrants who were demonstrating in favor of a bill to give her and others brought to the United States as children the opportunity to live here legally.

Rivera, 28, a graduate of UC Irvine, was let go along with 16 others who protested Wednesday. Four undocumented immigrants – who sat in at Sen. John McCain's office- remained in police custody. All 12 of the people who sat in a circle in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building were let go despite their immigration status.

Antonia Rivera, a UC Irvine graduate, came to Washington, D.C., this week to demonstrate for passage of the DREAM Act.

"Our focus is arresting them and prosecuting them for the crimes they committed,'' said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. After that, she said, it's up to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take any action in regard to immigration violations. So far ICE hasn't commented on any plans to take action against the demonstrators.

This group was part of several hundred people who came to the Capitol this week to push for passage of the DREAM Act. The bill would allow people brought here as children and who went to high school here and after that either went on to higher education or joined the military to get legal status. The measure has in the past had the support of a majority of lawmakers in both the Senate and the House but hasn't come to a vote in either chamber.

Opponents of the bill say illegal behavior should not be rewarded, regardless of how these people came to be in the United States.
Rivera and her fellow activists were holding a news conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday.

The demonstrators who were arrested – including those who sat in at McCain's office and five others who sat in at Majority Leader Harry Reid's personal office – knew they would likely be arrested, activists said.
A spokesman for the group, Juan Escalante, said the group was actually disappointed that they were released because they were hoping to be taken into federal immigration custody to make their point about the need for the DREAM Act.

Contact the writer: (202) 628-6381 or brosenthal@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/news/people-2 ... ation.html

If you do not stop rewarding Illegals and say "No" you are just asking for more...
Another Amnesty of any kind GUARANTEES a push for the next one...Saying "NO" is the only way to stop Illegal immigration...There is no other.

Do not be surprised if the interior halls of Congress now get mobbed with the illegal alien student demonstrators bused in by SEIU. ICE has shown that they will not suffer any consequences even if they are arrested. In the past the amnesty lobby like Casa de Maryland has been able to get larger groups of demonstrators on the issue in the streets but we have kept up a respectable showing in the halls and beaten them on phones and faxes. Now ICE leadership chosen by Obama have issued a welcome to the violation of our rights as citizens.

Published: July 21, 2010
Updated: 3:25 p.m.

Feds won't deport arrested O.C. illegal immigrant

By BRIAN ROSENTHAL and DENA BUNIS
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

WASHINGTON Federal immigration officials will not be taking custody of Antonia Rivera of Santa Ana and her fellow illegal immigrants arrested on Capitol Hill Tuesday for demonstrating for a bill that would give her and others brought to the United States as children the chance to live here legally.

“None of them have been referred to ICE,’’ said Gillian Brigham, spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “Our focus is on smart immigration enforcement that focuses first on criminal aliens and people who post the greatest threat to the communities.’’

“It’s outrageous,’’ said Rep. Gary Miller, R-Diamond Bar. “How can you have a protest right in a U.S. senator’s office, admit you are here illegally in violation of the law and we pat you on the back and do nothing?’’

Rivera was arrested in the Hart Senate Office Building along with 11 others who sat in a circle in the atrium of the building wearing graduation caps and gowns. Capitol Police asked them to move and when they refused they were arrested. They were charged with disorderly conduct.

Juan Escalante, a spokesman for the arrested students, said they are actually disappointed that they haven’t been turned over to federal officials because it would make their actions dramatic.

They came to the nation’s capitol to try and persuade lawmakers to move on the DREAM Act. That measure that would give people brought here as children, who went through school here and went on to college or the military, a chance at legal status.

Opponents of the bill say it rewards illegal behavior and that immigration law must be adhered to.

“You’re rewarding those who have broken immigration laws,’’ Miller said. “Obviously she’s received an education much at the taxpayers’ expense. She should be grateful, not here protesting.

Brigham said that ICE doesn’t necessary take action against every illegal immigrant they learn about because of the need to spend resources wisely.

When someone is taken into ICE custody it cost money and manpower, she said, to detain them, hold immigration court proceedings and deport them.

Rivera will return to her home in Santa Ana later this week but must return to Washington for a court appearance next month.

She said she is not afraid of being deported, even though she has virtually no family in Mexico, where she was born.

The point of her civil disobedience was to risk everything to raise the profile of the issue, she said.

“I am ready for whatever comes, even if it is being turned over to ICE,â€

This is blatant anti-American racism by Obama, he favors foreign criminals over law abiding American citizen taxpayers. We need a 14th Amendment lawsuit against him and ICE, since Americans are not receiving "equal protection under the laws", the laws are enforced against us more strictly than they are foreigners.

“It’s outrageous,’’ said Rep. Gary Miller, R-Diamond Bar. “How can you have a protest right in a U.S. senator’s office, admit you are here illegally in violation of the law and we pat you on the back and do nothing?’’

It's absolutely OUTRAGEOUS! Illegals are now free to do as they please without any fear of deportation! This administration has no intent to enforce our immigration laws or secure that border!

Originally Posted by Bowman

This is blatant anti-American racism by Obama, he favors foreign criminals over law abiding American citizen taxpayers. We need a 14th Amendment lawsuit against him and ICE, since Americans are not receiving "equal protection under the laws", the laws are enforced against us more strictly than they are foreigners.

Great point Bowman! This is blatant anti-American racism by our thug in chief!