Thread: Some activists criticize 'Dream Act' as a draft for illegal

Do you support the proposed Dream Act?

Yes .... (3 Votes, .... 19%)

No .... (12 Votes, ....75%)

Don't know .... (1 Votes, ....6%)

http://www.nctimes.com/

POLL ON FRONT PAGE, LOWER RIGHT SIDE
POLL SHOULD BE UP UNTIL 5:00 PM PST MONDAY OCTOBER 8

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RELATED STORY

Some activists criticize 'Dream Act' as a draft for illegal immigrants

By: EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10 ... 0_6_07.txt

7 MORE HOURS TO GO AND THE OTHER SIDE IS WORKING HARD ON THIS ONE!

Do you support the proposed Dream Act?

Yes
(285 Votes, .... 47%)

No
(309 Votes, .... 51%)

Don't know
(15 Votes,.... 2%)

http://www.nctimes.com/

Do you support the proposed Dream Act?
More
Yes
(300 Votes, 47%)
No
(326 Votes, 51%)
Don't know
(17 Votes, 3%)

EX-U.S. NAVY SAILOR

Border Patrol agent arrested in smuggling case

By: JO MORELAND - Staff Writer
August 4, 2005

ESCONDIDO ---- Federal agents arrested a Border Patrol agent Thursday in Escondido who is suspected of being an illegal immigrant who was smuggling other illegal immigrants into the United States.

Department of Homeland Security agents, assisted by Escondido police, pulled over 28-year-old Oscar Antonio Ortiz of San Diego at about 2:30 p.m. while he was driving on Valley Parkway near Interstate 15 and took him into custody, authorities said.

They said a second Border Patrol agent who lives in Encinitas has also been under investigation.


Ortiz's application to work for the Border Patrol, filed in Oct. 30, 2001, claimed he was born in Chicago, Ill., and he submitted a birth certificate, according to U.S. District Court documents in San Diego.

"However, a records check revealed it was a doctored birth certificate," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jennings said. "The records check revealed that he was born in Tijuana."

Ortiz was to appear in federal court today on one charge each of conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants into this country and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, Jennings said.

The maximum penalty for conviction could be 10 years for conspiracy and three for falsely claiming citizenship.

A Border Patrol spokesman in San Diego declined to comment, citing further investigation.

The case developed out of a U.S.-Mexico drug smuggling investigation tied to an Encinitas street gang.

At least 33 people, 10 of them believed to be members of the gang, were charged during the multi-agency Operation Straight Flush. North County Regional Gang Task Force detectives worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, as well as other agents.

Officials said Ortiz's home was among those searched in early June when the first arrests in the case were made.

The Border Patrol agent who lives in Encinitas has three cousins in the street gang and he was also under investigation, authorities said.

Cell phone conversations between Ortiz and the other agent as they discussed smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States east of Tecate are noted in the court documents.

During one call, a statement says, the other agent was intercepted telling a family member that he and Ortiz were smuggling 30 to 50 illegal immigrants at a time.

"We don't do anything, just clear the way, and we get 300 (dollars) per head," the agent allegedly said. "But if we put in, then it's 2,000 or 1,800."

Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 740-3524 or jmoreland@nctimes.com.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/08 ... 8_4_05.txt

Sailor accused of smuggling immigrants denied bail

3:03 p.m. February 7, 2006

SAN DIEGO – One of two San Diego-based sailors accused of smuggling a group of undocumented immigrants through a shore-patrol station near the U.S.- Mexico border at San Ysidro will be held without bail, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Jose Guadalupe Hernandez-Valdez, 34, a storekeeper with a U.S. Navy helicopter squadron at North Island, will return to court Feb. 16 for a preliminary hearing.

After a detention hearing, Magistrate Judge William McCurine said he was not comfortable setting conditions of release for Hernandez because he felt the defendant had motivation to flee.
"I think he needs to be detained," the judge said.

Hernandez's disregard of the rules and his abuse of his position of trust made him a flight risk, the judge said.

A detention hearing for Hernandez's co-defendant, 25-year-old Antonio Pina, was rescheduled for Thursday.

Both defendants are charged with bringing illegal immigrants into the United States for financial gain and aiding and abetting.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall said the defendants were involved in the lucrative smuggling operation for more than two months.

She alleged that Hernandez smuggled a group of six undocumented immigrants through a shore-patrol station called the Old Port building, located about 100 yards from the official port of entry, around 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 31.

Witnesses had earlier noticed the activities of Pina and Hernandez and had notified agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the prosecutor said.

Pina, an off-duty master-at-arms for the Shore Patrol, was observed unlocking the Old Port building just before Hernandez was seen leading a group of six people into the building and into Mexico. Hernandez then came back through the building and into his SUV that Pina had parked there minutes earlier, McCall said.

Agents followed the SUV north on Interstate 805 and onto Bonita Road, where the vehicle was stopped. Hernandez and the immigrants were then taken into custody, the prosecutor said.

Hernandez told agents that his "green card" that allowed him to live and work in the United States was expired, and that he was a citizen of Mexico, the prosecutor told the judge.

The undocumented immigrants identified Pina as a man they saw in Mexico making arrangements for them to be smuggled into the United States, McCall said.

They told agents they paid a higher price than normal, about $3,000 apiece, to be smuggled across the border, the prosecutor said.

The immigrants said their smugglers told them the trip wouldn't include any "walking through the desert," the prosecutor told the judge.

She said Hernandez had 1998 convictions for petty theft and receiving stolen property, and lied about his immigration status and criminal record on his enlistment application with the Navy.

Hernandez was in the Navy from 1992 until 1994, then again from 2000 until his arrest, the prosecutor said.

Since the defendant used many aliases and dates of birth, Naval officials didn't notice his lies and omissions, McCall said.

It's quite possible Hernandez will be booted out of Navy housing before his smuggling case is resolved, the prosecutor told the judge.

Defense attorney Kasha Pollreisz said Hernandez – a veteran of three deployments to the Persian Gulf – had significant ties to the community and was in the process of getting his "green card" renewed.

ICE Special Agent Charles Haskell said in a probable-cause statement submitted to the court that Pina was contacted by phone after Hernandez's arrest and said he was at home.

Later, Pina allegedly admitted that he drove Hernandez's SUV to the Old Port building, left the keys inside, then opened the building so Hernandez could lead the group of immigrants into the United States without inspection from officers.

Pina declared he had no knowledge of the smuggled immigrants, yet never stated or acknowledged that his friend allegedly betrayed him, according to Haskell's statement.

Each defendant faces five to 10 years in federal prison if convicted.

The Politicians are Nuts wrote on Oct 8, 2007 4:03 PM:

" The military services stopped the two year enlistment program because too many American Citizens were just staying in long enough to be trained, and then taking their G.I.Bill and getting out. This was a very inefficient program for the military. Now if I understand this proposal, we are going to let in Illegal Aliens for two years, let them get the G.I. Bill, and then get out, complete with legal status? American Citizens don’t even get that benefit anymore. So if this does indeed happen, all of the military members will know who the Illegal Aliens are because they will be the only ones on a two year enlistment. Another thing is that any non-citizens in the military whether legal or Illegal are not eligible for security clearances. "

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10 ... 0_6_07.txt

Comments On This Story

Quaker wrote on Oct 8, 2007 7:18 PM:

" "Illegal aliens came here uninvited, rather than work hard and fight to change their government's laws and opportunities. The so called dream act is nothing more than an attempt to steal the dreams of poor and middle class American citizens who need the educational opportunities, but deserve them." ============================= A two-year-old child cannot go anywhere uninvited because... well does it need to be explained? This bill is not meant to serve as an all around immigration solution, nor does it provide for anything to anyone but a very specific population of people. The young people, who have done nothing wrong, they have not willfully broken any of our laws they have proven themselves worthy of being given this opportunity. Why does the opposition to this bill have to constantly lie? Are they worried about people not following them if they state the truth? There is NO in-state tuition offered. Every child who qualifies under this bill would have to pay OUT OF STATE tuition, unless they live in one of the 10 states that have chosen to give instate tuition. In the states where instate tuition is given, an out of state student (illegal or not) cannot get instate tuition. A person would have to graduate from a high school within that state to get instate tuition. Now on to the next lie… "financial assistance". Under the Dream act the ONLY thing kids would be able to get are loans, loans which any CHILD has access to whether illegal or not. It is money that will have to be paid back in full. Dream Act kids do not have access to federal funds, public scholarships nor anything else all other kids have access to. As to the lack of space in our schools; college is based on who is the most qualified to do the job. If my son is not "smart" enough to get into a school then he'll just have to try harder at a different school. I want my future heart surgeon to be the most QUALIFIED candidate, not the most qualified US BORN candidate. It is a shame to see how opposition to this bill has become a way to vent your hate towards a group of people, it is even more upsetting that many of you do not see recognize this clear hate you spew. It is sad to think you consider this behavior to be American. "

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10 ... ogcomments

AS JACKIE GLEASON SAID IN THE MOVIE SOMOKEY AND THE BANDIT, WHAT THE H--- IS (IN THIS CASE) AMERICA COMING TO?

THIS IS JUST TOO MUCH WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT? THERE WAS A TIME WHEN AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE NOT WANTED OR ALLOWED IN THE ARMED FORCES AND THEY WERE LEGAL CITIZENS. AND NOW THIS. IT GETS WORSE ALL THE TIME.