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BUSH'S OPEN-BORDERS NOMINEES (Michelle Malkin shines light upon Alberto Gonzales and Mike Johanns)
Michelle Malkin's Blog ^ | January 17, 2005 | Michelle Malkin

Posted on 01/17/2005 2:12:17 AM PST by Stoat

BUSH'S OPEN-BORDERS NOMINEES

 

By Michelle Malkin   ·   January 17, 2005 04:40 AM

 

We all know about Bernard Kerik's withdrawal in the wake of his disclosure that he had hired an illegal alien nanny. But two other Bush choices--AG nominee Al Gonzales and Agriculture Secretary nominee Mike Johanns --have far worse records on immigration enforcement.

Gonzales was (and may still be) a member of the National Council of La Raza, the nation's leading anti-immigration enforcement lobbying group.

Gonazles revealed his soft-on-enforcement perspective at his confirmation hearing in a little-noticed exchange with Sen. Edward Kennedy (links to transcript here and here):

SEN. KENNEDY: Thank you.

I wanted to talk in the time that’s available about immigration issues and some civil rights issues and then quickly on the death penalty, what you’re going to do. Those are the three areas I’d like to try and cover.

One is the -- which we talked about -- the state and local law enforcement of immigration laws. You’re familiar with this. In 2002 the Department of Justice reversed long-standing policies -- supported the inherent authority of states to enforce federal immigration laws, and this -- that reversal was based on an Office of Legal Counsel opinion that’s not been made public. And I’ve asked for a copy of the opinions; so have others of the Congress; interested parties have asked for it too. The refusal to -- it’s been the subject of a lawsuit. The department’s response failed to provide the opinion but simply offered its conclusion without any discussion.

I have difficulty finding a good reason why the department continues to keep the opinion and its legal analysis secret, especially since it reverses a long-standing policy that scores of police chiefs, police departments around the country, including many in your home state of Texas, have denounced the idea of involving state and local police in federal immigration enforcement. Last month the International Association of Chiefs of Police issued a report expressing concern. They and others believe it will destroy the remarkable progress they’ve made with community policing in which police have worked closely with the public, including immigrant communities, and developed productive bonds of trust -- concerns raised by law enforcement shared by many conservative and security experts. I can’t believe I’m quoting Grover Norquist -- Bob Barr, the Heritage Foundation all say this could be an unmanageable burden on the law enforcement officials.

So could you tell us why -- quickly as you could -- the secrecy, and can you tell us whether you’d support them releasing the OLC opinion on the authority to --

MR. GONZALES: Senator, thank you for that question. You and I did talk about that in your office. This matter is in litigation, as you indicated; there is FOIA litigation about the release of the memo. The conclusions are known. It’s the analysis, the deliberations that went into the opinion that I think the department is seeking to protect.

Let me just emphasize, though, or try to provide reassurance about this.

There is no requirement, of course, upon state and locals to enforce federal immigration laws. This is purely voluntary. In fact, of course, some states have prohibitions; they couldn’t do it even if they wanted to. In some cases the department, as I understand it, has entered into with state or local departments, in terms of memorandums of understanding in order to enforce this. We’re certainly -- I certainly am sensitive to the notion that some local law enforcement people don’t want to exercise this authority. Well, we’re not saying that they have to. But if they want to and they can assist in fighting the war on terror, that’s what this opinion allows us to do.

Personally, I would worry about a policy that permits someone, a local law enforcement official, to use this authority somehow as a club to harass -- they might be undocumented aliens, but otherwise lawful citizens. That would be troubling. That would be troubling to the president who, as a governor of a -- former governor of a border state understands and appreciates the roles that immigrants and undocumented aliens play in our society.

But it is in litigation, and it would probably be better if I didn’t speak more about that.

 

So Gonzales agrees with Kennedy that state and local law enforcement officials should neither enforce immigration law nor cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

As I noted two years ago ("The Lesson of Lee Malvo's Fingerprint"), it was cooperation between Bellingham, Wash., police detective Al Jensen and Border Patrol agents Keith Olson and Raymond Ruiz that led to the capture of snipers Lee Malvo and John Muhammed. If Gonzales had his way--that is, if Bellingham police officials had been prohibited from contacting federal immigration authorities--Malvo and Muhammed would probably still be on the loose today.

For more on this topic, see "End Sanctuary for Illegal Immigrants" and "Who let 'Enrique Sosa Alvarez' loose?" See also Steve Sailer and former DOJ official Kris Kobach.

By the way, it's not clear that the Heritage Foundation is still on Sen. Kennedy's side on this issue. The latest edition of its guidebook, Mandate for Leadership, contains this passage:

In the normal course of criminal investigations, state and local law enforcement should neither ignore immigration law nor hesitate to cooperate with federal immigration officials. Section 287(g) of the INA provides adequate authority for state and local enforcement to investigate, detain, and arrest aliens on civil and criminal grounds. An existing Section 287(g) pilot program with the State of Florida could serve as a national model. Congress should appropriate funds for the DHS to expand Section 287(g) initiatives, the DHS should encourage other states to adopt programs based on the Florida model, and states should use the Florida initiative as a model for expanding their own domestic counterterrorism programs and improving cooperation with federal authorities.

Like Gonzales, Bush's choice for Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, has a dismal record on immigration enforcement. While Governor of Nebraska, he protected large meatpacking and agricultural interests in his state who employ thousands of illegal immigrants, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR):

During 1998 and 1999, the Immigration and Naturalization Service launched a campaign known as Operation Vanguard in which they conducted audits of Nebraska meatpacking plant personnel files. The operation successfully drove-off many illegal aliens who were employed in these processing plants. Gov. Johanns, who has accepted large campaign contributions from large agri-businesses (2002 Campaign Finance Statement), stepped in on behalf of these contributors and pressured the U.S. Department of Justice to end these enforcement efforts.

Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies commented on this incident a couple of years ago in this National Review Online piece:

[Operation Vanguard], launched in late 1998, focused on all the meat-packing plants in Nebraska (instead of raiding one and letting the others benefit from the disruption of their competitor). Rather than breaking in the doors, the INS simply subpoenaed the companies' personnel records, which they took back to the office and verified. The INS then asked to interview those employees who appeared to be unauthorized — and the illegals ran off. The procedure was remarkably successful, and was meant to be repeated every two or three months until the plants were weaned from their dependence on illegal labor.

But it was never repeated. Gov. Mike Johanns organized a task force to oppose the operation; the meat packers and the ranchers hired former Gov. Ben Nelson to lobby on their behalf; and, in Washington, Sen. Chuck Hagel made it his mission in life to pressure the Justice Department to stop. They succeeded, the operation was ended, and the senior INS official who had thought it up in the first place was forced into early retirement.

 

So there we have it. A nominee who reportedly hired one illegal alien is forced to withdraw, while two nominees who oppose immigration enforcement as a matter of policy have the full backing of the Bush administration.

¿Comprende? Me neither.



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; borders; bushamnesty; doj; gonzales; immigration; johanns; johanss; malkin; michellemalkin; sovereignty; soveriegnty
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To: reelfoot

Alas, I think you are right about most if not ALL Republican Senators. Their sole interest is the perpetuation of their sinecures and the best way to do that is not rock the boat.

This is one of the reasons we need term limits.


41 posted on 01/17/2005 7:30:24 PM PST by ZULU (Fear the government which fears your guns. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: wtc911; JustAnotherSavage

Good quote:

“This country must remember that it is based upon the concept of the rule of law. We are a nation of laws - we must abide by the laws we have adopted to deal with the problems of immigration, drugs, and terrorism."

"It is not enough to pass laws in Congress or in the state legislatures and then ignore them because we are afraid of offending special interests or because of notions of political correctness. And there is no way a country can fight a war against terrorism when it ignores its borders, refuses to enforce its laws away from the borders, and provides sanctuary or informal immunity to those who have broken our laws by coming here illegally or staying beyond their welcome.” ~Peter Nunez;

- former United States Attorney, Southern District of California (1982-1988), Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Center for Immigration Studies.


42 posted on 01/17/2005 8:34:58 PM PST by FBD ("A nation without borders is not a nation." -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: Stoat
ENFORCING THE LAWS AS WRITTEN, NOT AS REQUESTED BY CORPORATE AMERICA

~~snip~~
...risk is already apparent when Muslim prayer blankets and copies of the Koran have been found in the brush along the Arizona border with Mexico. It is even more alarming when members of the Mexican Government have admitted selling passage with immigration documents to middle eastern people who cannot gain entry into the US by any other means. Syrians as well as others who were apparently on watch lists contacted this offical who issued them visas for a healthy price. The current trend is to assimilate these middle easterers into groups of illegal immigrants, teach them to answer the Border Patrol in spanish and help them to enter undetected through the wide open Arizona border.
~~snip~~
Couple that with La Raza members being nominated to the highest law enforcement position in the Nation and to head the Transportation Department and we can see that Americans are fighting a losing battle. La Raza lists their mission statement openly, La Raza translates to "The Race"... "For those within 'the race,' everything; for those outside 'the race,' nothing." This is what they preach. This is strictly a "brown separatist/supremacy" organization. It is about as racially discriminating as it can get.

~~snip~~
The biggest slap in the face to the American public occurred when President Bush stood right here in the Valley of the Sun at the Presidential Debates in Tempe and claimed that he did not support AMNESTY for people who have broken our immigration laws. The administration could not even wait for the inauguration, Colin Powell was paving the way for Bush to go make his back door deals in Mexico with the corrupt government of Vincente (I can't fix my own problems) Fox setting the stage for AMNESTY under the guise of a new guest worker program. With no third term to worry about and no backlash from taxpaying Americans, President Bush is ready to sell us out and open the door to reward those who have broken our laws. Guest worker is just another word for Amnesty.
Here are his actual words: "My attitude is this: My attitude is, so long as there is a willing worker and an employer looking to hire somebody, we ought to have a system that allows for temporary work in America, in an honest, open way; in a way that talks to the values of our country. I oppose amnesty, loud and clear, because amnesty will encourage further illegal immigration; amnesty rewards somebody for breaking the law. On the other hand, I do want to change a system that has ignored reality and allow a willing employer to be matched with willing employee in an honest, open way."

Honestly Mr. President, you immediately went to Mexico and sold us out as soon as you could, your credibility is gone with us.

43 posted on 01/17/2005 8:53:15 PM PST by exhaustedmomma (Tancredo said Bush's guest-worker proposal is "a pig with lipstick")
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To: Coop

Instead of an answer to a simple question you come up with silly insults. Brilliant.


44 posted on 01/18/2005 4:19:44 AM PST by wtc911 ("I would like at least to know his name.")
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To: wtc911
Go cry somewhere else, whiner. You post a stupid, insulting accusation...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1321160/posts?page=11#11
And if another attack occurs on US soil and it turns out that any of the attackers crossed the southern border there will be no one to blame but for W.,

...I give you an insulting response. Stop pinging me.

45 posted on 01/18/2005 4:25:02 AM PST by Coop (In memory of a true hero - Pat Tillman)
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To: Coop

No.


46 posted on 01/18/2005 4:29:10 AM PST by wtc911 ("I would like at least to know his name.")
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To: wtc911

Exactly the type of response I expected.


47 posted on 01/18/2005 4:35:34 AM PST by Coop (In memory of a true hero - Pat Tillman)
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To: Coop

Don't tell me, Tell the American Taxpayers in California , Arizona, New Mexico and other states who carry the Economic Burden of Bush's policy on the Mexican Border.

Bush could change the whole mess with one order.


48 posted on 01/18/2005 5:42:40 AM PST by chatham
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To: Stoat
Is it just me or does everyone, and I do mean everyone, except true blue Americans, benefit from this kind of pandering which is so prevalent in our America today.

Hell, I think you can even say with certainty it's more like everyone benefits, except true blue Americans, at the "expense" of the true blue American!

What in God's name has happened to this country !#%*$!!!
49 posted on 01/18/2005 5:42:49 AM PST by odoso (Millions for charity, but not one penny for tribute!)
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To: chatham
It's just that simple, ain't it? [snapping fingers] Problem solved!

Ahhhh, to have such profound wisdom...

50 posted on 01/18/2005 5:54:26 AM PST by Coop (In memory of a true hero - Pat Tillman)
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To: Stoat
OK, I love her too!

Now for some serious "preliminary" thought:

Why doesn't the Mexican Government simply become an employment agency and farm their people out to employers in the US who need their services? The Mexican government could bill the employers for their services and be payed directly - with the Mexican Government then paying their people.

This would give the Mex Gov an incentive and a large bureaucracy (jobs in Mexico!) to manage and to collect funds out of the employer payments to cover their people's social programs, etc.!

My muddled thinking continues - maybe more later - now got do some work and earn a few bucks!

51 posted on 01/18/2005 8:06:38 AM PST by RAY (They that do right are all heroes!)
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To: Coop

Actually the law is probably still on the books, it was issued in the mid Eighties to get rid of Illegal Aliens in the Construction Industry.


The Fine by the Federal Govt. for a first time offense was $10,000.00 dollars. We were required to report any employee who was in violation, even if they were in the union and the country for 30 years or more.

No one will ever know until the Bush administration gets the will and courage to try.


52 posted on 01/18/2005 1:41:58 PM PST by chatham
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To: OXENinFLA

Borders, language and culture bump.


53 posted on 01/18/2005 3:50:07 PM PST by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: Stoat; goldstategop; All

New poll up!

Do you believe the Bush Administration should inform Mexico's interior secretary that there is no 'right' for Mexican citizens to work in the United States?

Yes 96% 2204 votes

No 4% 98 votes

Total: 2302 votes

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/


54 posted on 01/18/2005 4:21:32 PM PST by JustAnotherSavage (Government spends what government receives plus as much as it can get away with-Milton Friedman)
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To: ZULU; BigSkyFreeper; txrangerette; Redleg Duke
If Gonzalez is or was a member of La RAZA, he is unfit for that office.

Well, well, I found your "proof"..........

Only one problem: it's a lie:

"Alberto Gonzales served with distinction on the board of directors of one of NCLR’s oldest and most respected affiliates, the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans in Houston, Texas," she said.

Now, what does this EVIL Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans do?

Founded in 1970, the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA) is committed to the advancement of at-risk and disadvantaged youth and families through innovative programs that provide alternative education, social services, and community development. Key programs include the George I. Sanchez High School, the first Hispanic-accredited alternative high school in the state of Texas; an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program; an AIDS Awareness Program; and Barrios Unidos, a gang intervention program. Other programs focus on elementary school youth, adult literacy, abused and homeless children, and economic and community development.

Hardly the boogeyman you made it out to be -- and hardly a "high level officla with LaRaz" you and Michelle claim he is.

You have yet to offer any of us one whit of proof that he was a HIGH LEVEL official with LaRaz or that "He support La Raza's agenda - he probably helped draft it. "

Now, I have found proof that disputes your assertions about Alberto Gonzales; you show me some information that backs up your wild accusations or admit you are wrong.

55 posted on 02/02/2005 3:25:57 PM PST by Howlin (It's a great day to be an American -- and a Bush Republican!!!!)
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To: Howlin; ZULU

I gave him all afternoon and he's got nothing to show for it. He still gets an F.


56 posted on 02/02/2005 3:29:05 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper (PEST/Suicide Hotline 1-800-BUSH-WON)
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To: Howlin

Excellent post.


57 posted on 02/02/2005 3:31:52 PM PST by PRND21
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Comment #58 Removed by Moderator

Comment #59 Removed by Moderator

Comment #60 Removed by Moderator


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