Smugglers of Illegal Aliens Gunning for Each Other Near Mexican Border

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 11/07/03 | John Gilliland

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - The sight of rival gangs shooting at each other is hardly unique in America, but when the cargo prompting the gun battle is a group of illegal aliens being smuggled from Mexico into the U.S., the news provides momentum for an Arizona congressman trying to convince colleagues of the need for immigration reform.

Four people were killed and five wounded in this week's gun battle that closed much of Interstate 10 in the heart of Phoenix. Three others were hurt in a traffic accident caused by the shooting, according to investigators.

Pinal County Sheriff Roger Vanderpool, working with the federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, believes the gunfire erupted after one group of smugglers tried to hijack a load of illegals from another gang, part of their ongoing turf war in the highly lucrative trade in illegal aliens.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said the incident in his home state reaffirms the need to pass his wide-ranging immigration reform bill, the Border Security and Immigration Improvement Act. Flake said his bill would curtail the smuggling-for-profit operations. "We haven't sealed the border. We've only made it more costly to come over. Coyotes (smugglers) average $1,500 for each immigrant," Flake said.

Under Flake's proposal, which is co-sponsored in the House by Rep. Jim Kolbe (D-Ariz.) and supported by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), would-be illegal immigrants could apply for a fraud-proof guest worker visa instead of going the often-dangerous route of being smuggled into the country. Such a plan would be effective by "taking the money out of the hands of smugglers," Flake said.

Critics disagree. David Ray, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), said the proposed guest worker program is a stealth amnesty bill that would not only give illegals already working in the U.S. an unfair advantage over those trying to get in legally, but it would also backfire, giving foreign nationals an incentive to get in illegally and take advantage of the program.

"This is simply earning your green card on the installment plan," Ray said. "Congress should have learned, by now, that if you give people what they wanted when they came illegally in the first place, you only encourage more to come."

Flake said nothing could be further from the truth. "If this proposal becomes law, illegals already here would have to pay a substantial fine and would be disqualified for a guest worker visa for six years," he said. Flake did acknowledge, however, that existing illegals would not be deported.

The legislation "does nothing to stem the flow of illegal immigrants over the Mexican border," according to Ray. "There is no border enforcement enhancement component, no national security benefits and it will put downward pressure on wages, robbing hard-working Americans of much-needed pay. We are seeing that downward spiral now in the high-tech labor sector. Under the H-1 visa program that encourages the importation of skilled labor, wages are dropping between 15 and 30 percent," Ray added.

Flake's bill would also "displace American workers by allowing employers to import cheaper foreign guest workers," Ray said.

But Flake said he would protect the jobs that current Americans desire by requiring employers to make the jobs available only to legal residents for a set time period. Ray countered that employers "looking to cut labor costs would simply advertise a position at minimum wage, regardless of the prevailing U.S. wage for that job, and claim to be unable to find an American worker to fill that position."

Meanwhile, McCain calls Flake's bill "a necessary life-saving tool," pointing out that: "Too many migrants from Mexico, the home of most illegal immigrants in the U.S., are dying in the southwestern deserts just to secure a better life."

While the debate continues, so does the violence. Two weeks ago, a couple waiting at a stoplight in Scottsdale, Ariz., was gunned down in an apparent attempt to keep them from going to police with information about the smuggling trade. Since March, at least eight people, including smugglers themselves, have died as a result of the illegal alien trade, according to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Would-be immigrants unable to meet the exorbitant fees charged by the smugglers have also been found murdered.

Federal, state and local law enforcement officials say a task force designed to put a halt to the violence is being formed. An official announcement detailing the task force is slated for Monday.

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[11B3]

I'd prefer to see the "Better Fences Make Better Neighbors Act", or "The Southern Wall Border Security Act" instead of this pandering to illegals crap. If the Feds don't want to shut the border, then they should step aside and let the populace do it.

[John O]

McCain: "Too many migrants from Mexico, the home of most illegal immigrants in the U.S., are dying in the southwestern deserts just to secure a better life."

He says this like its a bad thing. Remember these are un-uniformed enemy combatants we are talking about here. The geneva convention gives us the right to shoot them

[Vaduz]

And plant land mines.

[BeerSwillr]

If this proposal becomes law, illegals already here would have to pay a substantial fine and would be disqualified for a guest worker visa for six years."

Yeah right! These freeking pin heads with these stupid ideas need to be booted out of office.

Anyone here who believes an illegal alien will ever pay any kind of fine please raise your hand.

Anyone here who believes an illegal alien gives a rats ass about any American laws please raise your hand.

Anyone here who believes an illegal alien should ever be allowed to stay in America please raise your hand.

A show of hands please.

Anyone?

I thought not. Hey Flake, Kolbe, McCain, GO SUCK EGGS!

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[txdoda]

Since March, at least eight people, including smugglers themselves, have died as a result of the illegal alien trade, according to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.>>>>>>>

Anyone got a number as to how many AMERICANS have died since March, "as a result of illegal aliens". ???? These *sob* stories NEVER print that number.


Would-be immigrants unable to meet the exorbitant fees charged by the smugglers have also been found murdered.>>>>>>

And just WHERE do poor "would-be ILLEGAL INVADERS" come up with the money to pay these "exorbitant fees" to sneak into the USA ???

[blaze]

It seems , with this many people fleeing one country, maybe the government is SCREWED UP! If the Pilgrams had landed at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico would be the most powerful nation, in the free world. After Iraq, Maybe we should think about LIBERATING MEXICO!!!! And free these people from their lousy, stinking, corrupt government!!

[mvpel]

And just WHERE do poor "would-be ILLEGAL INVADERS" come up with the money to pay these "exorbitant fees" to sneak into the USA ???

From the money sent to them by illegal immigrants already in the US.

[Terabitten]

Would-be immigrants unable to meet the exorbitant fees charged by the smugglers have also been found murdered. And just WHERE do poor "would-be ILLEGAL INVADERS" come up with the money to pay these "exorbitant fees" to sneak into the USA ???

There's an interesting point here. Does anyone familiar with immigration law know what it costs to get a LEGAL visa into the US? I don't know - I'm asking. Intuitively, it seems to me that the pursuit of LEGAL entry into the US should be easier - not to mention safer and cheaper - than illegal entry.

I've got no problems with immigrants of any variety - just come here legally, like most of our ancestors (mine included) did.

[HiJinx]

There's an interesting point here. Does anyone familiar with immigration law know what it costs to get a LEGAL visa into the US? I don't know - I'm asking. Intuitively, it seems to me that the pursuit of LEGAL entry into the US should be easier - not to mention safer and cheaper - than illegal entry.

It's not the money so much as the time and the number of legal immigrants already here. Once we hit our legal quota of immigrants, nobody else from a target country is allowed to immigrate...so they resort to the illegal route.

Bump-Ping!!!
The Border List ^TM

Freepmail me if you wish to be removed from or added to this list!

[montag813]

Aww...I just weep when I hear of these people killing each other. Puh-leeeze!

[hsmomx3]

Wonder if Janet Napoloreno is still in favor of drivers licenses for illegals?

[junta]

McCain gives new meaning to the term "Stupid Party." How about that cesspool country to our South fix its problems and stop being the freakin welfare queen of North America. You AZ Freepers need to tell this doofus to stop blaming America for stupid Mexicans dying when they do stupid illegal alien tricks.

[HiJinx]

I certainly hope not.
Although, given the twisted logic of Democrats, I'm sure they could think up a reason why giving them DLs would have kept the shootout from happening...

[FITZ]

And just WHERE do poor "would-be ILLEGAL INVADERS" come up with the money to pay these "exorbitant fees" to sneak into the USA ???

These articles are intentionally misleading. There is no way there is a shortage of illegals to smuggle and so the coyotes are fighting over the few illegals available to smuggle. Everyone knows --- or should know the illegals are smuggling illegal drugs ---- that's where the money for the exorbitant fees comes from, that's the only reason the rival drug cartels are killing them.

[FITZ]

Intuitively, it seems to me that the pursuit of LEGAL entry into the US should be easier - not to mention safer and cheaper - than illegal entry.

Most illegals actually do come over legally --- shopping passes, temporary visitor visas, student visas ---- they come legally but then just stay and give birth or find a job or live with relatives. Many come through the legal ports of entry with fake papers or hide in the trunk of some car. Most of the pregnant women coming over from Mexico to give birth to their anchor children aren't coming over through the desert. They'll get a visitor visa, then get WIC and free prenatal care and after they give birth they get a welfare check and start bringing over all kinds of relatives.

[traditionalist]

Most illegals actually do come over legally

That's actually unclear, since we do not have a good estimate of the number which sneak across the border. Some estimates have the number who cross illegally higher than the number who overstay their visas, and others have the number lower. Regardless, the number crossing illegally is large and substantial, even if it does not constitute a majority of illegals.

[traditionalist]

Does anyone familiar with immigration law know what it costs to get a LEGAL visa into the US?

It's under $100. That's not the issue. The problem is that the number of people who want to come here is substantially higher than the number that it is in our best interests to accept. Thus people will be willing to pay a coyote huge sums of money to sneak them accross so long as there is a big enough probabilty that he will get them across successfully.

The only solution is to crack down on employers who hire illegals. When it is nearly impossible for an illegal to get a job, they won't come because they've got nothing to gain from it. There's no other way around it.

[txdoda]

From the money sent to them by illegal immigrants already in the US.>>>>>


Yea, wonder how many 'anchor baby' welfare checks go south every month, to *fund* more illegals north ??