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Police, feds seize suspected illegal aliens
The Galveston County Daily News ^ | January 20, 2006 | Mason Lerner and T.J. Aulds

Posted on 01/20/2006 8:44:03 AM PST by GulfBreeze

LEAGUE CITY — League City police and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency took 62 people into custody during a sweep Thursday.

The people rounded up were suspected of being illegal immigrants. But almost all of them — even those determined to be illegal immigrants — were released a few hours later.

Sgt. Dan Krieger of the League City Police Department said officers and immigration agents set out around 7:30 a.m. and hit two spots where day laborers hang out.

That included a spot along West Walker Street, less than a block from the police station.

The other spot was in the 100 block of Texas Avenue, just off of Main Street near an apartment complex and a convenience store.

Krieger said the roundup began as police investigations into a pair of sexual assaults and a two-year-old intoxicated manslaughter case.

Among those suspects was Rigoberto Sanchez, the man League City police believe was responsible for a February 2002 car accident on state Highway 96 that killed four people. He was charged with four counts of intoxicated manslaughter.

Krieger said the three men police were looking for were also believed to be day laborers.

However, none of the three was found in the roundup Thursday.

By early afternoon, 60 of those detained in the roundup were released.

Many soon found their way back to Main Street and Texas Avenue.

Two were taken into the immigration agency’s custody. One had a warrant for an assault charge. The other had an extensive criminal history in California, said Krieger.

Louisa Deason, spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, said only those with outstanding warrants or those determined to be a threat to the community would be taken into custody.

“It’s a matter of setting a priority because we simply do not have enough beds to take them all into custody,” said Deason. “We are looking for those with a warrant of deportation, sex offenders or (those who) pose a threat to the community,” she said. “Those are the ones we are interested in.”

Those not deemed a threat or not wanted by law enforcement were let go and told they have to get their immigration status worked out, said Deason.

One of the byproducts of the housing boom in the area is the number of day laborers who spend their mornings hanging out, waiting for someone to pull up and offer a cash job.

James Rash owns the Lucky Chief Mini-Mart at Main Street and Texas Avenue. He said he was sorry to see the roundup take place.

“They were good customers,” he said. “Really, I just lost business.”

Rash said if the men waiting in his parking lot ever became a nuisance, he simply asked them to leave. He said they always complied.

“They are nice people,” he said.

Josh World, who lives nearby, said he was not surprised to hear about the roundup.

He said the laborers never bothered him, but his mother sometimes complained about their effect on the neighborhood.

“She understands it is a hard life,” he said. “But she just wants the neighborhood to look good.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Texas; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: aliens; border; bordersecurity; borderwar; galvestoncounty; homelandsecurity; illegalimmigration; immigrantlist; immigrants; leaguecity; openborderopenwound; texas; war
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To: wmfights
It's always the evil employer.

Not all employers are evil, just the ones that break our laws.

101 posted on 01/20/2006 1:26:42 PM PST by afnamvet
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To: wmfights
It use to be, but we are being balkanized because we are not strong enough in demanding we maintain a unified country and culture.

The country's balkanizing because we're being overwhelmed. Political correctness doesn't help either but immigration at moderate levels would diminish its effects somewhat.

In the eighties we took in approximately 500,000 annually and it didn't seem to be a problem. It was Ted Kennedy's 1990 Immigration Act that doubled quotas plus a complete lack of enforcement at the borders that has brought about this crisis.

The only way to solve it is by bringing the numbers back down to reasonable, traditional levels and some businesses need for janitors will have to take a back seat.

102 posted on 01/20/2006 1:32:00 PM PST by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: afnamvet

"Not all employers are evil, just the ones that break our laws."

You've missed the point. The question should be why are they getting hired? Don't settle for the simplistic answer that employers are just trying to make more money by paying low wages its not that simple.

Unemployment is at 4.9%, that's pretty darn close to full employment. Why is it we don't have enough workers here?


103 posted on 01/20/2006 1:36:55 PM PST by wmfights (Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way!)
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To: wmfights
"Don't settle for the simplistic answer that employers are just trying to make more money by paying low wages its not that simple."

Yes it is. If you own a small landscaping business employing 20 illegals...when you factor in SS / FICA...unemployment taxes etc....that could be a $100,000.00 difference in one year alone.

You obviously do not own a business.
104 posted on 01/20/2006 1:40:33 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: GulfBreeze
“It’s a matter of setting a priority because we simply do not have enough beds to take them all into custody,”

Who gives a rat's rear end if these criminal invaders have beds while we deport them????? Take a page from Sheriff Joe in Maricopa County Arizona. Tents and cots until they are home.

And in the meantime, make them "involuntary guest workers."


105 posted on 01/20/2006 1:42:56 PM PST by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

"The country's balkanizing because we're being overwhelmed. Political correctness doesn't help either but immigration at moderate levels would diminish its effects somewhat."
_____________________________________________

Why isn't this being stressed when people discuss building a wall linked with a policy of assimilation. We might not come off as being so hate filled and exclusionary. As it stands now with the prevailing attitude of keep everybody out and throw out the "bums" nothing meaningful will be done.


106 posted on 01/20/2006 1:43:16 PM PST by wmfights (Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way!)
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To: taxed2death

I have changed my mind and now support a guest worker program. See above.


107 posted on 01/20/2006 1:44:23 PM PST by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: Travis McGee

"I have changed my mind and now support a guest worker program."
_________________________________________________
At least we might be able to insist on taxes being paid and not put all the burden for health care and education on American citizens.


108 posted on 01/20/2006 1:48:23 PM PST by wmfights (Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way!)
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To: Travis McGee

hehehehe...
actually, I am not against a guest worker program, if run in a correct manner that is first and foremost FAIR to Americans as well as LEGIT law abiding business owners.

I am 100% against amnesty of any way, shape or form for illegals already in country.


109 posted on 01/20/2006 1:50:33 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

We're just kind of screwed because we only have a say in this tiny little corner of the world in which we live, and we only have a tiny little vote for a representative who really only has a tiny little vote as well. We have no say as to what the communists in CA and NY do, so they can keep shoveling this garbage down our throats. Seems to me the republicans deserve to get fired over this ignoring of what the constituents have been telling them. Even if that means the rats get in there.


110 posted on 01/20/2006 1:51:14 PM PST by Flavius Josephus (Ahmedi-nijad: Make Your Time.)
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To: wmfights
As it stands now with the prevailing attitude of keep everybody out and throw out the "bums" nothing meaningful will be done.

Repeating the phrase "keep everybody out" doesn't make it true that's how most people feel. Very few are saying that, it's about keeping illegals out. I've no interest in assimilating them, that to me would be surrender at this point. They need to be deported as we welcome legal immigrants only into the country.

111 posted on 01/20/2006 1:52:15 PM PST by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

"The only way to solve it is by bringing the numbers back down to reasonable, traditional levels and some businesses need for janitors will have to take a back seat."
_______________________________________
BTW in my part of the country we usually hire European immigrants because they are the most qualified. We would love to hire Americans, but we don't get the calls from qualified applicants.


112 posted on 01/20/2006 1:52:23 PM PST by wmfights (Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way!)
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To: wmfights

"At least we might be able to insist on taxes being paid and not put all the burden for health care and education on American citizens."


....seems your talking a little more sense now.... you must remember the legit (small) business owner as well as the honest TAXPAYERS of this country.
These two groups are getting their asses handed to them by this lack of a coherant border / illegal immigration / legal emmigration / selective law enforcement / bad joke of a /policy we are stuck with now.


113 posted on 01/20/2006 1:55:33 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

"They need to be deported as we welcome legal immigrants only into the country."

YYYEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS..

Your point bears repeating.


114 posted on 01/20/2006 1:56:40 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: Reaganwuzthebest
" it's about keeping illegals out. I've no interest in assimilating them, that to me would be surrender at this point. They need to be deported as we welcome legal immigrants only into the country."
_________________________________________
How will you get the political support to do that? As soon as we begin deporting illegals the MSM will run shows about these poor families being torn apart. The weak kneed politicians will crumble, nothing gets done except we all get stereotyped as a bunch of mean racists.
115 posted on 01/20/2006 1:58:33 PM PST by wmfights (Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way!)
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To: Flavius Josephus
Seems to me the republicans deserve to get fired over this ignoring of what the constituents have been telling them. Even if that means the rats get in there.

It's probably going to come to that eventually. What little influence we have with the conservatives in the House would be gone but it's not like the GOP hasn't been warned over and over what would happen if they didn't listen to those voting for them.

116 posted on 01/20/2006 1:58:57 PM PST by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: GulfBreeze

“They were good customers,” he said. “Really, I just lost business.”

Here's the problem right here. Business as usual, the laws of the country be damned.

If he wants them as customers, so be it. Take their asses back to wherever they came from and then bring them back as LEGAL Immigrants.


117 posted on 01/20/2006 1:59:29 PM PST by Leatherneck_MT (An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.)
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To: wmfights

" Spoken like a real democrat."

Spoken like a real Patriot.

yes it IS the Evil Employer when the employer helps these people to stay here by ignoring the L A W!

I have no problem with these folks coming for a better life. But they need to do it LEGALLY.

Otherwise They and the EMPLOYERS, are breaking the law.

PERIOD.


118 posted on 01/20/2006 2:01:23 PM PST by Leatherneck_MT (An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.)
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To: taxed2death
"....seems your talking a little more sense now.... you must remember the legit (small) business owner as well as the honest TAXPAYERS of this country.
These two groups are getting their asses handed to them by this lack of a coherant border / illegal immigration / legal emmigration / selective law enforcement / bad joke of a /policy we are stuck with now."
__________________________________________

You really should reread my posts now that you've started to take off those rose colored glasses. You consistantly jumped to conclusions that were incorrect. It appears that if anyone wants to look at this problem in a more comprehensive way they get flamed.
119 posted on 01/20/2006 2:03:44 PM PST by wmfights (Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way!)
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To: wmfights
You've missed the point. The question should be why are they getting hired? Don't settle for the simplistic answer that employers are just trying to make more money by paying low wages its not that simple.

The point is that employers that hire illegal aliens or American citizens on a work for cash basis and not deducting for worker's comp, other required tax deductions and FICA are breaking the law.

Unemployment is at 4.9%, that's pretty darn close to full employment. Why is it we don't have enough workers here?

It is not a matter of "enough workers", it is a matter of offering a living wage to the workers. What labor classification are you referring to that does not have enough workers here?

120 posted on 01/20/2006 2:05:27 PM PST by afnamvet
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