SIERRA VISTA, AZ -- Protesters who say Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe is doing nothing to stop illegal immigrants from dumping trash in Cochise County left a message at the congressman's office front door in Sierra Vista -- 22 bags of trash. Posted on 09/29/2003 12:35:07 PM PDT by Spiff
BY BILL HESS
Sierra Vista Herald/Review
SIERRA VISTA, AZ -- Protesters who say Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe is doing nothing to stop illegal immigrants from dumping trash in Cochise County left a message at the congressman's office front door in Sierra Vista -- 22 bags of trash.
This morning, Bernadette Polley, Kolbe's Sierra Vista office manager, saw the trash for the first time, although she knew about the incident Sunday night.
It was a political message because of Kolbe's desire to find new ways to address the illegal immigrant problems, Polley said.
The trash was removed from the front door by Sierra Vista workers before 8 a.m. today so Polley and Shay Saucedo, who also works for Kolbe, could enter the office. There is only one door to the office, at which the trash bags were piled more than three feet high.
The bags were left late Saturday night, and by this morning, the odors coming from the containers were ripe and pungent. The bags included plastic water bottles, clothing, shoes, feminine hygiene products and used food cans.
The protesters wrote messages on an unfilled Cochise County UDA Cleanup trash bag that had been taped to the outside of an office window.
"We are still being invaded! Here is some proof," one message stated with a frowning face drawn on the bag.
Other comments on the bag, that are given by the county to people interested in cleaning up illegal immigrant sites, said: "From a grandma to you," "From a Tucsonan and advid (sic) hunter" and "From a father to you."
Another message on a piece of cardboard was more direct with a message to Kolbe. It stated, "Mr. Kolbe It is your duty to uphold the constitution. Close our borders. Protect U.S. citizens and our environment." There was an arrow drawn to the word constitution.
Kolbe disagrees that he is doing nothing to address trashing of the environment by illegal immigrants. He also said the bill introduced in the House of Representatives by him and Arizona Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake and Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain in the Senate will help reduce the number of illegal immigrants crossing the border into the United States from Mexico.
"I am just as concerned about the serious amount of trash left behind by illegal immigrants crossing the Arizona-Mexico border, and I believe that the temporary worker bill that I have introduced is a new way of solving the problems that come with illegal immigration," Kolbe said in a statement released by his Washington, D.C., office this morning.
Saying he has obtained federal funds to help cleanup the environment in Arizona, Kolbe said he "will see to it that there will be more money."
He said he has obtained nearly $2 million specifically earmarked for environmental cleanup in Southern Arizona.
Kolbe has had a number of town hall meetings in Cochise County pushing the proposed guest worker bill and support from people who live in the county has been small. Even his brother Walter Kolbe is against the proposed bill.
Sunday night a Sierra Vista police officer, who asked not to be identified, said he knows leaving the bags of trash was an anti-Kolbe message. Initially, the officer saw the scene as a site of illegal dumping.
He thought it was strange that the protesters picked up trash illegally dumped by immigrants and then the protesters illegally dumped the trash at Kolbe's office.
| Kolbe disagrees that he is doing nothing to address trashing of the environment by illegal immigrants. He also said the bill introduced in the House of Representatives by him and Arizona Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake and Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain in the Senate will help reduce the number of illegal immigrants crossing the border into the United States from Mexico. "I am just as concerned about the serious amount of trash left behind by illegal immigrants crossing the Arizona-Mexico border, and I believe that the temporary worker bill that I have introduced is a new way of solving the problems that come with illegal immigration," Kolbe said in a statement released by his Washington, D.C., office this morning.
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"Lunch is free, but if you want to pay, it's $7.95. Don't everyone rush the cashier."
Why not spend that $2 million on rounding up the ILLEGALS and protecting the borders? Seems to me the money would be better spent BEFORE allowing these things to happen.
Oh, NO!~, Not the ones with (R) beside their name, surely you jest, we must control the Senate, blah, blah. </ sarcasm>
Horse Pucky! You could give a hoot less about the seriousness of the environmental damage, you ol' patoot! Even if this bill would stop the flow - which it won't - it can't go into effect in less than 18 months. It still has to go through the Senate and Conference, then it has to be signed by El Presidente.
That's not what we're asking for. We want the border sealed everywhere except legal Ports of Entry right N O W ! ! ! Not tomorrow, not next week, not next year.
Sheesh.
And do your ping thing, if you would. Thanks.
Which part of civil disobedience do you not understand?
Anyway, I didn't actually do it.
I wish I had $2 million. I could string a triple roll of razor wire along the entire length of the border for that much. It isn't much, but it will slow them down somewhat and funnel them into known crossing points for interception and deportation.
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