Posted on 04/21/2005 11:17:56 AM PDT by madfly
PHOENIX, AZ (April 20, 2005) - Apparently the U.S. Border Patrol believes that national TV and radio stars don't have to play by the same rules as others.
Mr. Sean Hannity, a well-paid commentator for Fox News, climbed over a barbed wire fence separating the United States from Mexico yesterday at about 3:15 p.m. A few minutes later he climbed back over the fence, breaking federal law by reentering the U.S. illegally.
Mr. Hannity's border violations were videotaped by ACLU Legal Observers. The Border Patrol was contacted, but they chose not to arrest or cite Mr. Hannity for his willful violation of federal law. Likewise, Minutemen in the vicinity of the incident did not take the opportunity to turn Mr. Hannity over to federal officials, as they have allegedly done with all other illegal immigrants apprehended on the border this month.
Federal law, specifically 19 U.S.C. Section 1459(a), requires all "individuals arriving in the United States other than by vessel, vehicle, or aircraft [to] enter the United States only at a border crossing point designated by the Secretary; and immediately report the arrivals and present themselves, and all articles accompanying them for inspection; to the customs officer at the customs facility designated for that crossing point."
According to 19 U.S.C. Section 1459(e), anyone who intentionally enters the United States at a place other than a designated border crossing can be imprisoned for up to one year and fined up to $5,000. Mr. Hannity faces neither of these penalties. Individuals apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol do.
This is the very same crime that Minutemen have traveled across the country to Arizona to stop. While some may argue that Mr. Hannity's actions were not significant, he committed the same crime that all individuals who enter the country illegally commit. In fact, ACLU observers were warned that they would be arrested if they accidentally or deliberately crossed the border and tried to reenter the U.S.
Why is U.S. Border Patrol demonstrating such an obvious double standard? If the Minutemen came to Arizona to watch the border for signs of illegal immigration, why did they fail to report Mr. Hannity?
There is only possible conclusion. The Minutemen and the Border Patrol have one set of rules for television celebrities, and another for hard-working people who cross the border in search of work.
I agree that Hannity is doing well by bringing attention to the issue. I also agree that Hannity is an ass.
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Bingo!
Don't the Democrats realize how stupid they sound? Wait, I just answered my own question.
At least you are fair and balanced!
Couldn't agree more. The Minutemen and the Border Patrol should've joined forces and Rodney Kinged his self promoting ass and left him as tender as a Ruth Chris steak on the Mexican side of the border.
Not only stupid dems but there are a few stupid freepers. Check above replys.
I did some digging to find this Press Release on an Arizona State or Dem site to no avail. It didn't come up in google search either. So I posted the URL from Hannity.com.
So, the Arizona Democratic Caucus, uh, lied? As in they knew that he had not done what they accused him of doing, and went ahead and sent out this press release anyway?
The author provided her contact information in the press release:
April 20, 2005
NEWS RELEASE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS * ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kyrsten Sinema
(602) 926-5058
Kyrsten Sinema
A human being bereft of a cogent idea alert!!!
Check this out:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/18/60II/main688900.shtml
I never watch the show, I happened to be flipping channels, but if Hannity is guilty so is Bob Simon.
What purpose whould that have served?
The fence he "hopped" was 3 feet inside the US Border. He didn't get arrested because he never entered Mexico.
Typical of the Dems to know the law when it suits them to make a point.
I'll say it again...Anybody who has ever read a newspaper around here knows they are NOT all coming here to be hardworking.
Not only stupid dems but there are a few stupid freepers. Check above replys.
Yep, stupid is as stupid does.
Sean explained this on his show yesterday. The fence he hopped was 3 feet inside the US. He crossed no borders. He had the author of this piece call in and she was a moron.
hannity is an idiot but just imagine we could have had a whole year break from his show. Rush could have taken a six hour spot
I left a message telling her about CBS report last night. If they don't believe me go to the CBS website and check it out themselves. If Hannity is guilty then Bob Simon is guilty.
One would think the AZ House Dem Caucus would know the difference between a fence and a border.
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