Thread: State Rep. Ulmer targets illegal immigrants in mailings

http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pb ... /-1/NEWS01

Article published Nov 4, 2006
Coming Sunday
A crackdown on undocumented residents in Elkhart County leaves fear and confusion in its wake.


State Rep. Ulmer targets illegal immigrants in mailings
Claims they sap public agencies, proposes four-point plan to stop influx.

MARTIN DeAGOSTINO
Tribune Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS -- State Rep. John Ulmer, R-Goshen, is targeting illegal immigration with two mailers that say Americans are being forced out of work by "illegals."

The fliers propose a four-point plan to stop illegal immigration, including proof of citizenship to obtain a driver's license and criminal trespass charges for any illegal immigrant found in Indiana.

Ulmer said the plan, if enacted, would deter future immigration to Elkhart County but not necessarily drive out those who are already there. He said federal officials should act against the existing population, which he said is straining public schools, hospitals and the criminal justice system.

"We have these illegals who are creating a burden on our public agencies," Ulmer said.

Critics fault the mailers for their aggressive tone and factual inaccuracies."He's trying to appeal to the fears of the people, and he's feeding into those fears," said Zulma Prieto, editor and publisher of El Puente newspaper.

Ulmer's plan has also drawn considerable criticism on Maplepeace, an e-mail listserve that circulates widely in and around Goshen.

Prieto said the mailers falsely suggest a high unemployment rate in Elkhart County and ignore the fact that noncitizens who are legal residents of Indiana would be deprived of driver's licenses under Ulmer's plan.

She also said the mailers suggest the possibility of mass roundups of Latinos under the guise of trespassing laws."The immigrants are blamed for everything that goes wrong now," Prieto said.

Under a photograph of four coal miners, one flier says, "Losing your job is bad enough ... but to an illegal?"

Another depicts a Depression-era food line and asks what Democrats will do to stop "illegals." "Nothing," it says. "They have no plan."

Ulmer's proposals surpass a House Republican plan released earlier this year.

That plan echoes Ulmer's proposed ban on public services for illegal immigrants -- which is already federal law -- but does not include his call for employer sanctions, an expanded trespass definition or a citizenship requirement to drive.Ulmer said his call for employer sanctions reflects the concerns of residents and elected officials in Elkhart County.

He also said driver's licenses should be available to anyone who provides proof of legal residency. "That, unfortunately was not included in (the mailer)," he said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Elkhart County's unemployment rate in August was 4.7 percent, somewhat less than the Indiana rate of 5.2 percent.

The U.S. Census Bureau put the county's "Hispanic or Latino" population at nearly 25,000 in 2005, or 12.6 percent of the total population.

What does this have to do with ILLEGAL ALIENS?

The U.S. Census Bureau put the county's "Hispanic or Latino" population at nearly 25,000 in 2005, or 12.6 percent of the total population.

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Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

What does this have to do with ILLEGAL ALIENS?

The U.S. Census Bureau put the county's "Hispanic or Latino" population at nearly 25,000 in 2005, or 12.6 percent of the total population.

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Maybe the author insinuating the entire 'Hispanic or Latino' population is illegal???

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

What does this have to do with ILLEGAL ALIENS?

The U.S. Census Bureau put the county's "Hispanic or Latino" population at nearly 25,000 in 2005, or 12.6 percent of the total population.

According to Pew, over half of Hispanics in America are illegally here. That would amount to about 12,500 illegals in that county ALONE.

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

What does this have to do with ILLEGAL ALIENS?

The U.S. Census Bureau put the county's "Hispanic or Latino" population at nearly 25,000 in 2005, or 12.6 percent of the total population.

According to Pew, over half of Hispanics in America are illegally here. That would amount to about 12,500 illegals in that county ALONE.

PINE.......I meant in terms of the article. It's concerning ILLEGALS and this author decided to single out "hispanics."

They always try to INFER RACE and I've delcared war on these numbnuts They need to be called out every time they pull this crap.

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Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

PINE.......I meant in terms of the article. It's concerning ILLEGALS and this author decided to single out "hispanics."

They always try to INFER RACE and I've delcared war on these numbnuts They need to be called out every time they pull this crap.

I know what you meant...

Truth be told though, based on the numbers we have, 98.9% of ALL illegal aliens ARE HISPANIC, and 95% of THOSE are MEXICAN! We're not making it a racial issue, THEY are.

Truth be told though, based on the numbers we have, 98.9% of ALL illegal aliens ARE HISPANIC, and 95% of THOSE are MEXICAN!

Where did you get these statistics from? I have doubts about this. First of all, 40% of illegals are visa overstayers, which would inlcude a lot of other nationalities such as Russians, Irish, other latin Americans, etc. Also, I would suspect a lot of those who entered the U.S. illegally are Central Americans (i.e Guatemalans, Honduras, Nicaraguans, etc.).

Ever wonder why Democrats in MN (called the DFL party) are strongly opposed to photo ID at voting polls? I think I know why now. Check out this video on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGB9Ppnunos

Amy Klobuchar volunteers at an illegal immigrant rally in St. Paul, MN. She is a candidate for the U.S. in Minnesota and supports amnesty and asking permission from Mexico to build the fence. Her opponnent, Mark Kennedy, is a strong opponent of any form of amnesty.