Thread: Greeley Tribune: Immigration reform long overdue

Immigration reform long overdue

If there is one lesson to be learned from this incredible and extensive identity theft sting operation that started in Weld County last week, it’s that something needs to change.

And quick.

Last week, after an intense and lengthy investigation by the Weld County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office, a series of arrests began in a case that is far-reaching and has national, even international, implications. While investigating an illegal immigrant accused of stealing a man’s Social Security number and using it to get jobs, loans and other services, investigators discovered that the man, Servando Trejo, had also been filing and receiving tax returns from the federal government.

This is just another example of how Congress and the federal government has dropped the ball on illegal immigration. And, what happened in Weld County just scratches the surface of what is happening nationally.

The investigation revealed that more than 1,300 illegal immigrants are suspected of using stolen identities to find work, and then filing tax returns through Amalia’s Translation and Tax Services in Greeley.

So far, at least 15 people have been arrested for identity theft or criminal impersonation, and that number will climb. They face deportation in addition to the criminal charges. District Attorney Ken Buck said warrants will be issued for the rest of the suspects over the next year, and more arrests are likely.

It is estimated these suspects have received some $2.5 million in tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service.

Think about it: One tax preparer, 1,300 suspects, $2.5 million. Now, multiply that by the thousands of tax preparers nationwide who have provided a similar services for illegal immigrants. If that could be recovered, it could save the government potentially from the worst economic downturn in history.

What’s incredible is that the federal government, specifically the Internal Revenue Service, is condoning this. According to IRS policy, when a person using a false name and Social Security number to gain employment files a federal tax return, the tax preparer is told to obtain a real identification and a legal tax identification number for the immigrant. This is then used to file the tax return.

It’s obvious to us there is something critically wrong with this system. Instead of the IRS saying, “Zing, we have someone using a stolen identity,â€

This is actually pretty good as far as newspaper editorials go. I suggest we do what they say:

We are intimately seeing the effects of Congress’ complacency. As taxpayers, as legal citizens, we must make our voices heard. As the new Congress takes office in January, they must know that illegal immigration has to have a prominent place at the table. No more hiding, no more avoidance.

It’s time to step up.

Lawmakers need to wake up. Colorado senators and representatives must take a leadership role in addressing this national problem. First and foremost, the issue of identifying illegal immigrants using false Social Security numbers needs to be resolved. Then, even if it has to be piecemeal, Congress must address issues of border security, keeping convicted felons from returning to the U.S. and implementing some kind of guest worker program that will eliminate the need for most immigrants to steal identities in order to work.

We are intimately seeing the effects of Congress’ complacency. As taxpayers, as legal citizens, we must make our voices heard. As the new Congress takes office in January, they must know that illegal immigration has to have a prominent place at the table. No more hiding, no more avoidance.

And absolutely, positively, no more amnesties or guest worker programs!

We are suffering staggering unemployment in this country. Who do you think you're kidding when you suggest the need for foreign workers of any kind?

Enforce all existing immigration laws now!!! Punish the employers with hefty fines and jail time now!!!

Let's give em' amnesty, that'll make them start obeying the law!

I used to be a very regular traveler to Latin America, mostly to Mexico. I KNOW that the honest people are the ones that stay in Mexico, Honduras Guatemala, etc. They would never consider coming up here because it's illegal and unethical. We end up with the ones that don't have a problem with breaking laws.

Should GM, Chrysler or any other large companies who have a large blue collar workforce collapse, hundreds of thousands of people will be out of work. Are we going to allow corrupt businesses to give jobs to illegal aliens while legal, law abiding citizens, lose their homes?

The US Government mandated a few years ago the ability for every US citizen to pull a copy of his/her credit report from each of the big 3 credit bureaus for free. Please take 15 minutes to see if any illegal aliens are using your SSN or credit information. If so, contact you local police department and ask them to follow the trail, so the criminal alien can eventually be prosecuted. Who knows, you might uncover a massive ring like the one in Greeley.

You can pull your credit report for free, no strings attached at http://www.annualcreditreport.com .

To the Greely Tribune,

No s**t Sherlock! What do you think the good people of your community and the rest of the state have been saying for quite some time now? Only to be villified as wacko nutjobs, and rightwing menaces. So now what, you see it for what it is, after getting slapped in the face as to the dangers and inequities of allowing it, and promoting it, and now you want to write negatively, and against the practice? Your business above all others could have helped to stem this ill-intentioned tide before it got out of hand above all others, and yet your staff and your owners preferred to turn a blind eye to the truth, and chose to do nothing to stop it. And now that it has become a huge pile of dung heaped up around your corner of the neighborhood, you decide to pull your heads out sand?

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn, this is infuriating.

And this witch ( with a B) needs to go to the head of the list:

Amalia’s Translation and Tax Services in Greeley.

We all need to e-mail this editorial to our congress persons and our local newspapers.

Huge immigration raid in Weld County is still going

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-138079.html

http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=103852


Officials hope arrests lead to widespread change

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-138236.html

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/2 ... d%20change


New immigration rift

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-138278.html

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/2 ... ion%20rift

Think about it: One tax preparer, 1,300 suspects, $2.5 million. Now, multiply that by the thousands of tax preparers nationwide who have provided a similar services for illegal immigrants. If that could be recovered, it could save the government potentially from the worst economic downturn in history.

Thats right! ONE TAX PREPARER was found to have given 1300 illegal aliens over $2.5 Million dollars! Think about it. This is going on ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!

Lawmakers need to wake up. Colorado senators and representatives must take a leadership role in addressing this national problem. First and foremost, the issue of identifying illegal immigrants using false Social Security numbers needs to be resolved.

Then, even if it has to be piecemeal, Congress must address issues of border security, keeping convicted felons from returning to the U.S. and implementing some kind of guest worker program that will eliminate the need for most immigrants to steal identities in order to work.

I completely disagree with the (we need a "Guest worker Program"). When 10 million Americans are out of work just the idea of this is a joke.....They are still trying to brain wasH us into believeing we can not live with out these people doing jobs Americans won't do..IT IS A LIE!!!!

We need them to go home so wages will start coming back up so people can support their families. we need to get a grip on immigration and we need a visa exit program.