Posted on 04/17/2008 7:27:32 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
Anxious phone calls poured in early Wednesday morning.
Friends and relatives of the morning-shift workers at Pilgrim’s Pride chicken plants called Esteban and Netchie Lopez, co-owners of the Latin American Consulting Co., even before the immigration sweep started at 8:15 a.m.
“There are many families that already knew that at any moment there would be raids,” Mr. Lopez said in Spanish.
Tension and fear burned through Chattanooga’s immigrant community Wednesday after federal agents arrested more than 100 people at the downtown Pilgrim’s Pride plants. One second-shift worker at the company, worried that his aunt was caught in the raid, called about his three young cousins, Mr. Lopez said.
“I told him to take responsibility of the children temporarily,” said Mr. Lopez. “(He) said to me, ‘I’m not going back to work’.”
Some businesses in the area surrounding Main Street, where immigrants live and work and many businesses are Hispanic owned, locked their doors.
“You can see it is affecting a lot of business in the area — most of them are closed,” said Rene Hernandez, who runs Taco Rico, a Salvadoran restaurant near the Pilgrim’s Pride plant.
Juan Hernandez, owner of Centro Azteca, a business on Main Street that offers services such as money transfers and translation assistance, said workers would lay low.
“Nobody will come to work tonight,” he said.
Others said the fear in the immigrant community was palpable after the arrests.
“Everyone’s just really scared,” said Stacy Johnson, board chairman for the referral center La Paz de Dios. “They don’t know what’s going on.”
Reacting to that fear, many businesses locked their doors in the Main Street area.
People called Latin American Consulting Co. all day Wednesday to get lawyer referrals and leave information so Mr. Lopez said he kept a running list of workers’ false names, real names, children and emergency phone numbers.
Phone lines also buzzed all day Wednesday at WDAL-AM, a Spanish-language radio station in Dalton, Ga. Deejays provided details about the federal raid and gave frequent updates on what was happening. Listeners called in with questions, worried about friends and families and wanting information, said David Hernandez, the station’s program director.
Until this morning, all rumors about an immigration raid pointed to Dalton, Ga., where 200 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are being trained, he said
“We were not sure what they were doing here until today when we found out about the raid,” Mr. Hernandez said.
As the day wore on, some members of the Main Street community worried about the mothers, fathers and children affected by the raid.
“They are separating families,” said Felipe Ayala, a clerk at Carnicerias Loa, a Hispanic grocery and meat store. “The government tries to help people with education, but a kid who doesn’t have parents won’t be well educated. He’ll be a future gang member.”
Mrs. Lopez said she sees both sides of the issue.
“I know that it is a difficult decision that the government has to do to put in place a good (immigration) program,” she said. “On the other hand, there are so many that are coming that we need them to stop.”
Mrs. Lopez said she often encounters immigrants with false documents.
“They pay for these papers,” she said. “In their hearts, they really think that it’s OK because they bought it.”
Sophia Martín, owner of Signs by Sophie on Main Street, was angered by the arrests, seeing only hard-working people being treated unfairly.
“Why don’t they go after the people that are committing crimes? After the ones who steal? After the ones who assault?” she said in Spanish.
The Hispanic community has come together to ensure that children whose parents are arrested are safe, even if it means feeding many new mouths on an already tight budget, said Mike Feely, executive director of the St. Andrew’s Center, a resource for Chattanooga’s multi-cultural communities.
“The positive thing we’ve seen out of this — if you can call it that — is that you really see people watching after each other,” he said.
Boy you walked into it...
I’m vaguely with the deport ‘em all crowd, but I’m willing to negotiate after the borders are secure. At a minimum, anybody who committed a crime, misdemeanor or felony (beyond their presence here), returned after being deported, has membership in gang, etc., should be deported.
If one breaks the law, they break the law and coming here unscreened depending upon taxpayers for free medical, WIC, and education is wrong.
The problem isn't the people as a whole, it's not having them screened for TB, etc, not being immunized, and the criminal element.
Besides how many other countries have such lax open border policies. Britain and Europe are already reeling from the consequences and it's draining their economies.
Don’t quote our President on your byline if you don’t support him.
He has enough work fighting the liberals on every single issue, now he has the immigration fight on both sides too.
I suppose Ronald Reagan was wrong too.
My position IS the conservative position.
I do have morals and stand on principles of what is right and wrong. You think it’s right to randomly round up people? No warrant? Just a random drop by arrest-a-thon? What if I forgot my drivers license and was hauled off and deported?
Maybe someday they will decide to come for you.
This my position for the bubba wing knuckle draggers:
1. close the boarders 2. deport the criminals 3. make the others pay a fine and get in back of the line.
Besides, since when did states WANT the feds in their state. That don’t seem too conservative to me, I like state rights.
BTW I’m not really a fan of the government action in Tejas. A “girl” makes an anonymous call to the police and all hell breaks loose. I’m glad no one was hurt.
You expect a bunch of keystone cops to be able to pull this off? Not all cops are bad, but it only takes a few.
Many have more faith government solving problems than I do.
Let me know how it works out.
All I know is whenever I took those Presidential test online I always scored for Huckabee. Thats pretty conservative.
The President is the decider and I support him.
Separated Families Ping!
They need to be educated about the LINE and LEGAL way to become a citizen. Texas is almost tipped over to Mexico right now and if we didn’t have oil and ag, we’d be a welfare state.
I hope the recession tightens the pockets of the fed, state and local govts. as well as the half ass jobs these folks do.
You would, of course, be wrong. They may be socially conservative but vote liberal by about 3 to 1. Look up voting records.
Not sure about McCain but I’m with Bush 100%. I’m the last of the Mohecians. I’m a proud 27%’er.
So, are you supporting reconquista? Is that why mentioned your heritage? Because, like the hispanics, you think the land should be reclaimed by it's "rightful owners"?
Okay, genius. How do they get "in the back of the line" if they are still here and haven't been deported?
There are plenty of people in the US with visas or worker permits that are waiting to become citizens. Those people here waiting, we know who they are, they are paying taxes, and if they break the law, or if they are welfare drags, I expect them to get booted. I think the typical waiting period is like 6 years.
I accept that there are radical anti-illegal people that are a member of my party. Just like there are radical anti-abortionist inside my party too.
If Ronald Reagan, George Bush, McCain, and all the others that represent the national party hold a particular view (on ANY particular subject) and THEIR view seems closest to mine, that makes me a conservative......maybe I’m not the one that needs to rethink the position.
Besides, I started these posts by merely stating that angering the largest potential future block of voters is suicidal. It’s dumber than dumb. I was stating this from a macro perspective and it originally had nothing to do with my core beliefs, just thoughts about the party’s future.
I’m just saying......
Hilarious. Bush fighting liberals on every issue. O! What brave new world that has such spinners in it! The reason for the party meltdown is that he has fought the liberals on no issues, except National Security. He isn't a movement conservative and he wasn't even aware he had a veto until sometime in 2007. PLEASE.
I suppose Ronald Reagan was wrong too.
Yep. The only true thing you've said in any of your posts. Reagan was wrong on immigration. Like Bush, he substituted wishful thinking for enforcing the rule of law.
My position IS the conservative position.
According to you, a person who--based on your posts--has no conservative positions. Mike Huckabee? Mike Huckabee? That's funnier than your claim that GWB is fighting the liberals on every side.
I do have morals and stand on principles of what is right and wrong. You think it’s right to randomly round up people? No warrant? Just a random drop by arrest-a-thon?
A truly lame attempt to construct a false alternative.
There is no presumption of identity privacy in the workplace, my friend. This has been ruled on repeatedly, and the provisions of Simpson-Mazzoli, the law which Reagan signed, allow this kind of action and have never been struck down, many attempts to do so notwithstanding. When ICE investigates and discovers a cluster of fraudulent SS#'s on government records working in packing plants it gives them probable cause to conduct such raids. No one is going "door-to-door," nor is the process "random."
What if I forgot my drivers license and was hauled off and deported?
Another risible assertion. Police and other authorities acting under color of law cannot even require the presentation of identification as an element of probable cause. Learn a little bit of the law if you're going to comment on it. Every one of these people is going to get a hearing, and so would you, if you "forgot your drivers license."
This my position for the bubba wing knuckle draggers.
Thomas Sowell: Bubba.
John O'Sullivan: Bubba.
The Editors of National Review: Bubbas.
The American Spectator: Bubbas.
The Heritage Foundation: Bubbas.
Michelle Malkin: Bubba.
Juan Mann: Bubba.
Heather MacDonald: Bubba.
Mitt Romney: Bubba.
Tom Tancredo: Bubba.
Mike Huckabee (after January 2008): Bubba.
Knuckle draggers, mouth breathing Bubbas every one.
Or perhaps Mr. Huckabee is simply a shameless opportunist. Your call. I won't be voting for him--ever--so it's immaterial to me.
Your despicable characterization of people you don't even know simply because you disapprove of a policy position, and your (falsely) condescending attitude towards them brands you as a liberal fascist, not a conservative, my friend.
Besides, since when did states WANT the feds in their state. That don’t seem too conservative to me, I like state rights.
In that case, come move to Pennsylvania. Here we have communities trying to throw out illegals and we are being told we're not permitted to do that by Federal Courts. Ten years ago, our state police used to take illegals arrested on our interstates for traffic violations and turn them over to INS, and were instructed to stop doing it. In AZ they're causing a "Human Rights Crisis" according to the corrupt narcotocracy of Mexico, because they're actually sending illegals home. They, too are being battled in Federal Courts.
This claim is as preposterous as the claim by Gay Marriage prevaricators that we don't need a federal law or Constitutional Amendment to outlaw Gay Marriage because it can be "left up to the states," knowing perfectly well that the full faith and credit clause of the Constitution requires all states to recognize the contracts and contract dissolutions of all others. Only the Federal Government has jurisdiction over immigration, and that argument is being taken to mean--by people like you--that the states may not even inquire as to the status of criminal felons, so please, don't try to pretend that this is a "states rights" issue.
Does it make me "radical" anti-rape because I want to see rapists punished for their crime?
Does it make me "radical" anti-bank robbery because I want to see bank robbers punished for their crimes?
Besides, I started these posts by merely stating that angering the largest potential future block of voters is suicidal. It’s dumber than dumb. I was stating this from a macro perspective and it originally had nothing to do with my core beliefs, just thoughts about the party’s future. I’m just saying......
But. You are wrong. They are not going to vote republican (of which I no longer consider myself since the republican party is merely now an extension of the democrat party) or even vote conservative. It's a fool's mission to pander to them.
You may remember that Bush, with all of his pandering, only got about 45% of the hispanic vote in 2000 and less in 2004.
What are you willing to promise them in order to garner their vote?
Bush already promised them a "new America". How far are you willing to go?
| We are now one of the largest Spanish-speaking nations in the world. We're a major source of Latin music, journalism and culture. Just go to Miami, or San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago or West New York, New Jersey ... and close your eyes and listen. You could just as easily be in Santo Domingo or Santiago, or San Miguel de Allende. For years our nation has debated this change -- some have praised it and others have resented it. By nominating me, my party has made a choice to welcome the new America. Our future cannot be separated from the future of Latin America. As I speak, we are celebrating the success of democracy in Mexico. George Bush from a campaign speech in Miami, August 2000. |
Here is an excerpt of a good critique of that speech:
In equating our intimate historic bonds to our mother country and to Canada with our ties to Mexico, W. shows a staggering ignorance of the civilizational facts of life. The reason we are so close to Britain and Canada is that we share with them a common historical culture, language, literature, and legal system, as well as similar standards of behavior, expectations of public officials, and so on. My Bush Epiphany By Lawrence Auster
Illegal immigration is a hot topic.
You would find the discussion significantly cooler if you didn't resort to name-calling. There are plenty of thoughtful people on FR and in the GOP that are opposed to illegal immigration. Calling us racists is a tactic we expect from the enemy, but not our FRiends.
ok im sorry.
FRegards,
FRed.
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