Thread: ICE defends workplace raids

May 20, 2008, 10:25PM
ICE defends workplace raids
Democrats rip tactics as GOP backs agency on immigration issue


By STEWART M. POWELL
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

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WASHINGTON — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement official on Tuesday defended escalating workplace raids to arrest undocumented workers — operations that Democratic congressional critics say leave immigrants' children in the lurch.

"When planning worksite enforcement operations, ICE strikes a balance between the operational objectives of enforcing the law and any humanitarian issues that may arise," said the official, James Spero, acting deputy assistant director of investigations for the agency.

An estimated 4.7 million children in the United States have at least one parent who is an illegal immigrant. Of that number, an estimated 3.1 million children are native-born U.S. citizens.

A hearing before a House Education and Labor subcommittee featured Democrats challenging the tactics of immigration enforcement and Republicans defending the need to enforce immigration laws. Democrats presented a series of witnesses who recited horror stories of families in crisis as a result of workplace raids.

Kathryn Gibney, principal of San Pedro Elementary School in San Rafael, Calif., said the raids had left behind "a trail of fear" among the immigrants' children who attend her school, prompting high absenteeism, plummeting test scores and loss of sleep.

"I implore you to seek more humane ways" to address immigration enforcement "away from our schools and from our children," she said.

Panel Chairwoman Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., insisted that the agency's guidelines were not followed amid reports of nursing mothers taken into custody, and of children who are U.S. citizens held in detention with arrested parents who were in the U.S. illegally.

Rep. Ruben E. Hinojosa, D-Texas, a member of the panel, told Spero "the whole system is broken, and our children are suffering from it."

Republican Reps. Howard McKeon of California and Joe Wilson of South Carolina defended the need for the raids.

"I understand the raids cause difficulty," McKeon said. But the parents "are the ones who really put these children in jeopardy and they should take their children into account."

stewart.powell@chron.com

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5793319.html

PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN IN HARMS WAY.

UNFORTUNATELY CHILDREN DO PAY FOR THE MISTAKES THEIR PARENTS MAKE ALL THE TIME. BY COMING HERE ILLEGALLY AND HAVING CHILDREN ON THAT FAULTY FOUNDATION, PARENTS HAVE PUT THEIR OWN CHILDREN IN THIS PREDICAMENT.

IT IS SAD THAT THEY HAVE SUCH LITTLE REGARD FOR THEIR CHILDREN THAT THEY WOULD DO THIS.....BUT MANY HAVE DONE IT.

THE CHILDREN SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THE PARENTS HOME COUNTRY ALONG WITH THE PARENTS. THIS WILL SERVE TO SAVE CHILDREN FROM BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS. IN FACT ALL FAMILY MEMBERS SHOULD BE SENT TOGETHER SO AS NOT TO SEPARATE FAMILIES.

...and who's fault is it that these children are stuck in the middle?

The children have dual citizenship so the parents need to take them to their home country...NOW before they are arrested, the fate of their children is their decision.




>>RED ALERT" "ACTION NEEDED NOW!!"<<
PLEASE MAKE CALLS, FAXES AND E-MAILS.....
UPDATE: amnesty stripped from the bill BUT left H-2B visa's call and tell them know way!!.....
INSTRUCTIONS:
Please post what you are hearing from Senators at one of the links:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-115596.html
http://www.alipac.us/ftopic-116035-days ... asc-0.html