Thread: Race for White House: Election to affect future of illegals

Race for the White House: Election to affect future of illegal immigrants
BY CINDY GONZALEZ
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Since her arrest two years ago in a high-profile immigration raid, Maria Gutierrez de Nunez has returned to trimming meat at the local plant where federal agents picked her up. She was jailed for three months.

Maria Gutierrez de Nunez, center, has breakfast with daughter Ana Flores and grandsons Moises Flores and Isac Gomez at her Grand Island, Neb., home. Back at work, she has a hearing set on her immigration status.She now has a government-issued work permit and is scheduled for a 2010 hearing to determine permanent residency.

And her five Mexican-born daughters have gained legal status through Nunez's U.S. citizen husband. Four girls are in college, one is in high school and all are employed.

Despite Nunez's fraud conviction, her family today is even more entrenched in American society than before the government nabbed her and about 260 illegal co-workers at the Swift & Co. meat processing plant here in December 2006.

Whether such raids are effective and should remain a key enforcement strategy is an area where the presidential candidates diverge most on immigration philosophies that otherwise are fairly similar.

Sen. Barack Obama has declared raids ineffective and called them publicity stunts.

An occasional series
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One of an occasional series of articles examining how the results of the presidential election will affect Nebraskans and Iowans. The Illinois Democrat's Web site says: "Despite a sevenfold increase in recent years, immigration raids only netted 3,600 arrests in 2006 and have placed all the burdens of a broken system onto immigrant families."

Sen. John McCain calls for "enforcement first."

While the Arizona Republican does not expressly address raids on his Web site, he emphasizes that his No. 1 priority is to secure U.S. borders. He has called raids "a symptom of the problem rather than the problem itself."

Unlike many immigration policy changes that require Congressional approval, the president has administrative authority to call a moratorium on raids, said Frank Sharry of America's Voice, which supports the legalization of undocumented workers.

Sharry said he would expect a continuation of raids under a McCain administration and a de-emphasis on raids under an Obama administration.

Even an advocate of restricting immigration like Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies called the recent raids a political gimmick to make amnesty more palatable.

But Krikorian says they're helping his group's cause, noting the slowed growth of the foreign-born population. He expects wages to rise and more American workers to replace deported immigrants.

On the immigration debate's most contentious issue — a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. — McCain has changed his earlier stance.

He crafted a 2006 package that featured a way for qualified illegal foreigners to legalize their status. More recently, though, McCain said he would not vote for his own bill nor consider a guest worker plan or other initiative until after the U.S. border is secure.

Obama, while calling for beefed-up border control, favors what he calls a more "complete solution" that includes legalization for immigrants who pay fines and have clean records. He said he would introduce such a bill during his first year in office.

People here in Nebraska's fourth-largest city haven't reached a consensus on whether raids are worth the financial and social costs.

But certain facts have come to light since the crackdown.

In the subsequent year, the immigrant population in the Grand Island area of Hall, Merrick and Howard Counties dropped by 30 percent — from about 7,000 to 4,800, according to an annual Census Bureau survey. The data don't distinguish legal from illegal immigrants.

So, are raids effective?

Says Grand Island Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel: "If the target is to reduce illegal immigrants, looking at the data . . . probably."

He added: "People are scared, really, really scared."

Children were separated from parents who worked at Swift. Social service agencies were strained. And the demand for laborers to replace outgoing Latin Americans ushered in a new kind of cultural tension.

After more African refugees filled vacancies at the Swift plant, tensions over the Muslim workers' request for prayer time erupted last month into worker walkouts, protests, a brief plant shutdown and employee firings.

Joel, like others, questioned the underlying struggle. "Is it the 'illegal' issue, or is it that Grand Island has changed?"

Some residents wrongly assume that the Sudanese and Somali refugees are in the country illegally. In fact, the Africans were resettled by the U.S. State Department, and are eligible for such public benefits as food stamps that are off limits to undocumented immigrants.

City officials say that despite the disruption following the raid, schools and Hispanic merchants mostly are back to business.

Some areas are stronger.

Grand Island schools now have a raid disaster plan that has become a model for other districts. Officials who literally knocked on doors to restore trust strengthened the parent-teacher relationship, said Kris Burling of Grand Island schools.

Employers more vigilantly check worker eligibility, and some now provide training to detect fraudulent paperwork, said City Councilman Jose Zapata.

Still reeling two years later are many Latinos.

Nunez's daughters, who range in age from 17 to 26, say they'll forever remember the day mom didn't come home from work.

Nunez, 47, spent more than three months in an Iowa jail and visited with her children and husband only via telephone or a video screen.

Her young grandson required therapy. A distraught daughter threatened to drop out of high school, but her sisters persuaded her to stay in school.

Nunez, who worked as a teacher in Mexico before she came to the U.S. 10 years ago, was placed on probation after being found guilty of fraud and misuse of documents, a federal felony.

She was released on $4,000 bail pending the 2010 hearing on the residency application filed on her behalf by her U.S. citizen husband, Manuel Nunez.

Meanwhile, Maria Nunez continues to earn money for the girls' tuition and family living expenses, working the second shift at Swift.

McCain, Obama stances on immigration


Pathway to legalization for illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

McCain: Yes, only after borders are secure. Would make undocumented immigrants enroll in a program to resolve their status. Those with criminal records would be prosecuted; the rest could stay if they met specific requirements.

Obama: Yes, for those who have no criminal record, pay a fine, learn English and meet certain other criteria. Supports making driver's licenses available to illegal immigrants.


Guest worker programs

McCain: Yes, and would lift or drop the visa ceiling according to market conditions. For highly skilled workers, he'd ensure that those trained and educated in the U.S. have the opportunity to stay and work upon graduation. For low-skilled workers, he'd "offer a limited number of green cards to reflect the small number of workers that may wish to remain in the United States permanently."

Obama: Yes, but wants to loosen the workers' dependence on employers to remain in the country. His Web site says Obama "realizes the need to increase the number of people we allow into the country legally to a level that keeps families together and meets the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill."


More border control

McCain: Yes, first priority is securing the border in an "expedited" manner. Would have governors of states along the U.S.-Mexican border "certify" that the mission is accomplished. Seeks to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles and other aircraft.

Obama: Yes, including additional personnel, infrastructure and better technology on the border and at ports of entry. Believes U.S. needs to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal entries.


Employer crackdowns

McCain: Yes, use "targeted auditing" to weed out employers abusing the system and prosecute "bad-actor" employers. Wants an electronic system that uses unique biological identifiers such as fingerprints to verify worker eligibility.

Obama: Yes, toughen penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers. Create a new system to verify that workers are in the country legally.


How they voted

McCain: Drafted unsuccessful comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2006 that aimed to increase work-site enforcement, increase border controls and also create a guest worker program and a route to legalization for undocumented immigrants. Co-sponsored the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2007, which would have allowed states to give illegal immigrants in-state tuition for higher education and provided a path to citizenship for students. Voted for 2006 increase in fencing along U.S.-Mexican border.

Obama: Supported unsuccessful comprehensive immigration law overhaul bills in 2006 and 2007 that included pathway to legalization and more border patrol. Introduced the Citizenship Promotion Act that would have reversed large fee increases for legal immigrants seeking to become citizens. Co-sponsored the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2007. Voted for 2006 increase in fencing along U.S.-Mexican border.

Sources: Candidates' and parties' Web sites, Brookings Institution analysis

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10454693

They are going out of their way to make the ILLEGALS and their Anchors feel at home. GREED and the bottom line of their local company is more important to the town than their own nation. If this is the case around the United States it does NOT matter who becomes President our Nation will be lost, it is just the "HOW"!

So they have ICE arresting illegals, detaining them, then giving them work permits to return to work even if they are convicted of crimes.

I knew these raids were a farce. Everyone involved with the continued catch and release of illegal aliens and illegal border crossers needs to be tried for TREASON!

W

Despite Nunez's fraud conviction, her family today is even more entrenched in American society than before the government nabbed her




This is totally outrageous. It is clearly spelled out in our laws that those found to have a criminal history ARE NOT eligible for any kind of legal status within our borders. Even those who have immigrated legally are subject to revocation of legal status and/or citizenship upon conviction in a crime.

This woman was convicted of fraud and allowed to return to work because she is hiding behind a US citizen spouse? Under the circumstances, he should not have even been allowed to apply on her behalf and that's where our laws need to be changed.

I've heard of similar happenings......all at the hands of pro-illegal judges who COURT ORDERED it pending final resolution of immigration hearings. All it takes is for the IA to be able to obtain an attorney who can....sooner or later.....get the case before the "right judge".

The ONLY good news in cases like this is the fact that the MAJORITY of illegals are NOT married to American citizens who can apply on their behalf or afford the attorney, bond, etc.

Had one thing been different in this woman's case......lack of a citizen spouse or money for attorney and bail.......she'd have been out of here long ago. And I'm not so sure she's going to stand much of a chance when she goes into court in 2010. She really has no grounds to prove extreme hardship to her family.

I hope she's started packing her bags.

I have said all along this was going on and I just wonder how many have been put on a road to citizenship...I have heard of many Judges giveing them legal status, and have been told I was full of it Judges don't have that power....it is happening and way more than we realize....BLANKET AMNESTY!!

So we know the longer they stall enforcing the laws the more they make legal.

They committed a crime when they crossed the border!

This catch and release is becoming a big debacle.Our laws are clear
we need them enforced to the full extent.Nov. 4th I hope we can vote out enough of the traitors to put the fear of god into the rest of them.




STAND TALL PATRIOTS, NEVER SAY DIE!!!

80% of Americans need to start this country experiment over; with amending the 14th Amendment. Treason is in order on two fronts: the New World Order and massive immigration invasion involvement.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Since her arrest two years ago in a high-profile immigration raid, Maria Gutierrez de Nunez has returned to trimming meat at the local plant where federal agents picked her up. She was jailed for three months.

Maria Gutierrez de Nunez, center, has breakfast with daughter Ana Flores and grandsons Moises Flores and Isac Gomez at her Grand Island, Neb., home. Back at work, she has a hearing set on her immigration status.She now has a government-issued work permit and is scheduled for a 2010 hearing to determine permanent residency.

And her five Mexican-born daughters have gained legal status through Nunez's U.S. citizen husband. Four girls are in college, one is in high school and all are employed.

Despite Nunez's fraud conviction, her family today is even more entrenched in American society than before the government nabbed her and about 260 illegal co-workers at the Swift & Co. meat processing plant here in December 2006.

WTF is going on here! This shit makes my sick to my stomach. God have mercy on this country! We are in deep trouble...

And what a crock, 4 years to get a hearing , we are really being taken to the cleaners....yet again!!!

Originally Posted by NoBueno

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Since her arrest two years ago in a high-profile immigration raid, Maria Gutierrez de Nunez has returned to trimming meat at the local plant where federal agents picked her up. She was jailed for three months.

Maria Gutierrez de Nunez, center, has breakfast with daughter Ana Flores and grandsons Moises Flores and Isac Gomez at her Grand Island, Neb., home. Back at work, she has a hearing set on her immigration status.She now has a government-issued work permit and is scheduled for a 2010 hearing to determine permanent residency.

And her five Mexican-born daughters have gained legal status through Nunez's U.S. citizen husband. Four girls are in college, one is in high school and all are employed.

Despite Nunez's fraud conviction, her family today is even more entrenched in American society than before the government nabbed her and about 260 illegal co-workers at the Swift & Co. meat processing plant here in December 2006.

WTF is going on here! This V****V makes my sick to my stomach. God have mercy on this country! We are in deep trouble...

VERY well said NoBueno!!! Pretty much sums up my feelings of late although the etiquette of being a lady dictates that I should keep these things to myself. Publicly anyway. What I'm thinking most of the time is entirely another matter

Thank you for verbalizing on behalf of so many of us out here