Thread: LA Sweep

L.A.-area immigration sweep nabs more than 700
U.S. total since May tops 13,000 after crackdown in California


By GILLIAN FLACCUS
Associated Press


SANTA ANA, CALIF. — A sleepy-eyed man with a hooded sweat shirt and a plastic lunch pail scurried back into his apartment complex at the sight of a dozen immigration agents outside. He had no reason to worry: They were after his neighbor.

Three officers crept toward the building, and one banged on the door of Apartment A. After a tense minute in the darkness before dawn, they had their first arrest — a 29-year-old immigrant with a conviction for driving under the influence.

It was a scene repeated across Southern California over the past week in what officials said was one of the biggest sweeps in U.S. history of illegal immigrants who have criminal records or have ignored deportation orders.

By Tuesday, when federal officials announced the results of the sweep, 761 illegal immigrants have been taken into custody: 338 at their homes in five Los Angeles-area counties, and 423 at county jails, said Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Associated Press rode along on the first day of the secret sweeps, which began Jan. 17. Those arrested came from 14 countries, among them Mexico, Honduras, Ukraine, India, Japan, Poland and Trinidad. Of those arrested, more than 450 had already been deported by Tuesday, Kice said.

The raids were a major push within Operation Return to Sender, part of a crackdown that has resulted in 13,192 arrests nationwide since late May. Immigration officials have also identified 3,000 inmates in state and local jails who will be deported once they serve their sentences.

Officials estimate 600,000 illegal immigrants who have ignored federal deportation orders are still at large.

"Foreign nationals who flout our laws and commit crimes against our citizens should be on notice that there are consequences," said ICE chief Julie Myers. "ICE will use all of the tools at its disposal to find you and send you home."

Adan Garcia, a 29-year-old dishwasher with a wife and two young boys in Honduras, said he won't be back in the United States — at least not illegally.

"I came to this country to work, not harm anyone, and not expecting what happened this morning at 5 a.m.," said Garcia, who was taken into custody at the second house. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

"I came to this country to work, not harm anyone, and not expecting what happened this morning at 5 a.m.," said Garcia, who was taken into custody at the second house. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."


Oh really? Let me amend your words to reflect the actions you have taken with respect to the US.

"I came here illegaly, looking to create an anchor baby, suck social services from law abiding tax-payers, get free first world medical / education for my kids, etc. and turn someone's wife, husband, kids, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, son, and or daughter into a pink myst while driving drunk in a country I have no right be in let alone work in. Too bad I wasn't successful on the pink myst thing, but like all my illegal alien brothers and sisters, I will be back until I am successful on that one too."

He said, "I came to this country to work, not harm anyone, and not expecting what happened this morning at 5 a.m.," said Garcia, who was taken into custody at the second house. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

The sense of entitlement is amazing. If we go to their countries and break their laws, we are 'ugly Americans' and maybe even the US embassy can't save us. Yet, what were they expecting here? This attitude is so widespread that it serves as a measurement proving that while there is an official message being given out as to illegality, other sources are spreading another message that is drowning that first message out.

"The Associated Press rode along on the first day of the secret sweeps, which began Jan. 17. Those arrested came from 14 countries, among them Mexico, Honduras, Ukraine, India, Japan, Poland and Trinidad. Of those arrested, more than 450 had already been deported by Tuesday, Kice said."

WHAT?! I thought it was all about MEXICO!!! I thought it was all about racism toward the HISPANIC population!!! Maybe they were hispanics from Ukraine, India, Japan, etc.

Illegals are illegals no matter where they came from. Besides race in some cases many of the non hispanics blend in, keep quiet and learn English in most cases. That is the only real difference.

So they can be deported after all. Hopefully they will go after all that have broken our immitration laws by illegally crossing our border and working illegally.