Thread: US immigration crackdown heats up for border crossers and tech workers

April 14, 2017

WASHINGTON (AFP) -
Encouraged by a sharp downturn in illegal border crossers, the US administration is ramping up a crackdown on undocumented immigrants, taking aim at both Central American laborers and Indian tech workers in Silicon Valley.

Police, prosecutors and judges have been ordered to take a harder line against all illegal immigrants, detaining anyone without papers and vigorously prosecuting more of them.

Hiring standards for immigration agents are being eased to quickly beef up their ranks, more facilities to hold detained immigrants are being built, and more judges are being added to handle cases.

And officials have been directed to round up illegal immigrants, even those in the country for decades, at places that used to be safe -- courthouses, town halls, and cities offering them sanctuary.

Meanwhile designs are underway for construction of a wall along the entire 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico border that President Donald Trump promised. It won't be a full physical barrier all the way along, but strategically erected wall sections interspersed with stretches of technology-dependent surveillance.

"For those that continue to seek improper and illegal entry into this country, be forewarned: This is a new era. This is the Trump era," Attorney General Jeff Sessions told border patrol agents on Tuesday.

- Border-crossers down -

Trump came into office promising to expel the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally, who he says steal American jobs and fuel crime. Most are from Mexico, and many of them have been here for decades, raising families, owning homes and businesses.

Three months into the Trump administration, the number of illegal border-crossers has plunged to a four decade low, according to the Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP).

Apprehensions of illegal border crossers in March dropped to 16,600, down 30 percent from February and 64 percent from a year ago.

It is too early to see any pickup in deportations, which take longer to process. But Tom Jawetz, vice president in charge of immigration policy at the Center for American Progress think tank, says there is a clear change in immigration enforcement.

Sessions this week ordered CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain anyone who crosses the US-Mexico border without legal documents and present them to a judge. In the past, most were just delivered back over the border.

He also ordered prosecutors to lodge felony charges when someone is caught sneaking in for a second time. Those who transport and harbor illegal immigrants risk jail, as does anyone caught using false papers, common among illegal immigrants.

"The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our immigration laws and the catch-and-release practices of old are over," Sessions declared.

Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly has authorized CBP and ICE agents to go after illegal immigrants in places they once felt safe. An increasing number have been rounded up in public offices applying for licenses, reporting crimes, even meeting immigration officials to legalize their residence.

California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye protested in a letter to Sessions and Kelly that such areas were supposed to be protected and accused ICE of "stalking" people who "pose no risk to public safety."

But the two officials said the arrests will continue, criticizing any policies that offer sanctuary to illegal aliens.

- Legal immigration also pressured -

With some Republicans in Congress calling for a 50 percent cut in legal immigration, Trump has also ordered a tightening in that area.

He ordered a temporary halt to refugee arrivals and is fighting courts to implement a halt on arrivals from six mostly Muslim countries. Visa applicants in many countries say they are facing longer waits.

Sessions and Kelly warned technology companies bringing in skilled workers under the H-1B visa program that the government will take a tougher line with any company abusing that program. Previous permissions for H-1B workers' spouses to also work could be eliminated.

But as the campaign picks up pace, economists and immigration experts warn a crackdown will remove an economic boon and overwhelm the justice system.

"The benefits that immigration brings to society far outweigh their costs," nearly 1,500 Democratic- and Republican-aligned economists, including six Nobel laureates, said a letter to Trump.

Jawetz said the crackdown is unjustified, given that there has been a "net outflow" in Mexicans in the past few years.

"A large share of people who are coming across our southwest border today are people who are seeking asylum, who cannot and should not be prosecuted for illegal entry," he added.

Chasing undocumented immigrants from public spaces also has negative effects for US society, he said.

"What we know from law enforcement in Houston, in Los Angeles, El Paso and elsewhere, is that individuals are no longer reporting crimes the way they once were, and are no longer cooperating with prosecutors to put criminals behind bars."

by Paul HANDLEY

http://www.france24.com/en/20170414-...s-tech-workers

"What we know from law enforcement in Houston, in Los Angeles, El Paso and elsewhere, is that individuals are no longer reporting crimes the way they once were, and are no longer cooperating with prosecutors to put criminals behind bars."

I don't want them behind bars, I want them deported.

Jawetz said the crackdown is unjustified, given that there has been a "net outflow" in Mexicans in the past few years.

Personally the "net outflow" isn't strong enough! These people have NO right to be here... PERIOD! I don't give a crap how many years they've been here or how many children they have produced. I want them GONE all of them. I want the constant flow of OUR tax money to illegals HALTED ENTIRELY. The parents were fully aware of any and all consequences. It's time to pay the piper!

Yes, nomas, we want them "GONE". IllegalAliensBeGone!! DEPART OUR NATION!!! All of you, take all your kids and spouses and "community" with you.

Enforce and Deport!
Enforce and Deport!
Enforce and Deport!

You know when they said tech workers, I thought they were finally admitting that all the illegals aren't just making beds and mowing lawns as our politicians would like you to believe.

It has been some years - 10 or more, but the last illegal I met that was an admitted illegal, was armed with a degree. He wore designer jeans, tasseled loafers, had a styled hairdo and manicure. He was a computer guy for a large corporation.

Many are coming here armed with degrees, they aren't all poor peons, believe me.

Those are the visa-overstays, 45% of the illegal alien population in the US. People who came in on a visa, a tourist visa, a work visa, a student visa, and overstayed, that makes them illegal aliens, because they are illegally present in our country. They are to be deported the same, in fact quicker by the law because no deportation hearing is required, as border crosser or someone who sneaked into illegally.

Originally Posted by Judy

Those are the visa-overstays, 45% of the illegal alien population in the US. People who came in on a visa, a tourist visa, a work visa, a student visa, and overstayed, that makes them illegal aliens, because they are illegally present in our country. They are to be deported the same, in fact quicker by the law because no deportation hearing is required, as border crosser or someone who sneaked into illegally.

He was not a visa overstayer. He already had a job, sans visa. He just walked across, hopped a bus.

He hadn't been here but about 2 months when I spoke with him.

Then if and when they catch him, he'll be detained for a deportation hearing. I wonder how many of those there are? Our kids don't have a chance. Their futures are so bleak and full of burdens.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

You know when they said tech workers, I thought they were finally admitting that all the illegals aren't just making beds and mowing lawns as our politicians would like you to believe.

It has been some years - 10 or more, but the last illegal I met that was an admitted illegal, was armed with a degree. He wore designer jeans, tasseled loafers, had a styled hairdo and manicure. He was a computer guy for a large corporation.

Many are coming here armed with degrees, they aren't all poor peons, believe me.

Of course, that whole thing about illegals "only taking jobs that Americans don't want" has always been a big lie. I'm in the trades, and instead of hiring skilled tradesmen at a decent wage that enables us to support ourselves, these employers are now employing illegals to do the same work for a fraction of the price, and very poor quality work at that.

Originally Posted by 6 Million Dollar Man

Of course, that whole thing about illegals "only taking jobs that Americans don't want" has always been a big lie. I'm in the trades, and instead of hiring skilled tradesmen at a decent wage that enables us to support ourselves, these employers are now employing illegals to do the same work for a fraction of the price, and very poor quality work at that.

That is so true.

Some years ago, my son contracted for a new house to be built. He bought some land or rather he found the land, the homebuilder bought the land and it was to be included in the overall price of the home.

My son asked the builder to use some locals as he knew some of the electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc., but he said no he had his own crew.

The boss of this crew was Mexican - possibly illegal and all the workers were illegal.

My son was not in town during much of the building as he was working elsewhere. One day my husband went to check on things. He was still in his suit, and as he got out of the car, he reached in and pulled out a cap someone had given him - it was black with gold braid.

As he got out of the car, he shouted the word the illegals used to use in the valley when the BP spotter planes came over.

Every worker bolted and ran into the bushes - just disappeared. He truly didn't intend that, he thought they would laugh.

At any rate, the house was so poorly built, it was shameful. My son paid for an inspection when it was about 80% completed and the inspector said it would take at least $20K to just fix what he could see and he hadn't checked the plumbing and wiring.

There were holes in the corners, even after taping and bedding. There was a huge hole in the side of a bathroom cabinet, they had done, but still installed it. The sink was supposed to be under the window, but they had put the cabinets in wrong and the window in the wrong place. The windows were off by about an inch from top to bottom. There was only sub flooring, but they said it was ready for covering and there were large cracks in the sub flooring. It had a back deck, built up high as the house sat on a hill. It swayed from side to side and was unsafe to walk on - the railings wobbled. There were a lot of other things I can't remember.

It was a nightmare - my son refused to purchase he house, they threatened but really they didn't want to go there. There was another house in town sitting vacant for the same reason. It was sad as the land was a really pretty place.

I read about a housing development somewhere that had several houses just collapse.