Unlucky day laborers arrested in Md.

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/23/07 | Ben Nuckols - ap

[NormsRevenge]

BALTIMORE - Twenty-four day laborers in the country illegally were arrested Tuesday when they asked for work from federal immigration agents who had gathered in a parking lot after an unsuccessful undercover operation, authorities said.

The agents had regrouped at a 7-Eleven parking lot after a search for illegal immigrants who had been ordered to leave the country, said Marc Raimondi, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency spokesman.

The day laborers admitted they were in the country illegally after they asked the ICE agents whether they needed workers and the agents responded by asking them, in Spanish, where they were from, Raimondi said.

"Today's operation was not planned, but nevertheless, when we encounter immigration status violators, our mandate is to enforce the law," he said.

Among those arrested were six who had criminal records in the United States; eight who had been deported or ushered to the border to leave the country voluntarily, only to return; and one who had been caught six times trying to enter the country from Mexico, according to ICE.

Ten of those arrested were from Honduras; eight were from Mexico; five were from El Salvador; and one was from Peru.

Hispanic advocates condemned the arrests, accusing ICE of targeting only day laborers who appeared to be of Latino descent. CASA of Maryland said it interviewed non-Hispanic day laborers who told the organization the ICE agents ignored them.

"They focused on people who look like me," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA. "We believe that is unacceptable. It is discrimination."

ICE agents acted in accordance with federal immigration laws, Raimondi said.

[RebelBanker]

Just damn! The planned sweep came up empty, but then these bozos all but turned themselves in...

[ElkGroveDan]

Among those arrested were ...eight who had been deported or ushered to the border to leave the country voluntarily, only to return; and one who had been caught six times trying to enter the country from Mexico

Someone tell me again about the President's TEMPORARY guest worker plans. When will they be going home and how long will they be staying there?

[Graybeard58]

They focused on people who look like me," said Gustavo Torres

So? It's people who look like Gustavo Torres that comprise the 20 to 30 mil. lawbreakers in this country.

[Vigilanteman]

Among those arrested were six who had criminal records in the United States; eight who had been deported or ushered to the border to leave the country voluntarily, only to return; and one who had been caught six times trying to enter the country from Mexico, according to ICE.

Do the math. This means 63% of the 24 had priors and 40% of that number were proven menaces beyond the usual suckling of the taxpayer teat.

[TADSLOS]

"Today's operation was not planned, but nevertheless, when we encounter immigration status violators, our mandate is to enforce the law," he said.

Who needs a planned op for this these days? Just take a dead cat and swing it. You'll hit an illegal.

[F-117A]

1. Stick 'em on a boat.

2. When full sail to the southern tip of South America.

3. Repeat as needed!

[ApplegateRanch]

Argentina &/or Brazil may take exception to that.

Since they want to be in the U.S. so bad, we must have some nice territory to resettle them to, where they can earn legal status in 30 years or so.

Small, uninhabited islands in the Aleutians come to mind.

Or, they could be placed as caretakers on Midway & other such like places.

[politicalwit]

Just take a dead cat and swing it. You'll hit an illegal.

Note to self....place above quote on list of things to do with dead cat.

[F-117A]

Sounds good to me!

[Redbob]

What'd they charge them with - criminal stupidity?

You see a bunch of guys wearing khakis standing around outside their white pickups and Suburbans, you don't go up to them and ask for "A yob!"

LOL!

[Teacher317]

Apparently, you can't swing a dead cat in the area without hitting one of 'em, and these fools couldn't pull off their operations... they had to have the targtes walk up to them. Incredible.

[Redbob]

"Hispanic advocates condemned the arrests, accusing ICE of targeting only day laborers who appeared to be of Latino descent."

So LULAC would have the ICE guys waste time going to senior centers and checking IDs on white-haired grandmothers??

Shoot, the airport security folks would accuse them of infringing on THEIR turf!

[RichInOC]

"They focused on people who look like me," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA. "We believe that is unacceptable. It is discrimination."

Gustavo, I'm pretty sure it's not discrimination when guys who look like you walk up to an ICE raid team, offer themselves for day labor, and then admit they're illegally in the country. Can you say "muy tonto"? I knew you could.

[Ode To Ted Kennedys Liver]

See, that wasn't so hard was it?

[Ode To Ted Kennedys Liver]

1. Stick 'em on a boat. 2. When full sail to the southern tip of South America. 3. Repeat as needed!

Why even do them the honor of sending them back to their own country? Work out a deal with Russia to send them to Siberia. I think the the problem would go away quick.

[BunnySlippers]

They weren't unlucky. They were unscrupulous and breaking the law.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

is this one of those "thy get arrested and then released and told to show up to court" type of operations?

[gilor]

:(

[freespirited]

"They focused on people who look like me," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA. "We believe that is unacceptable. It is discrimination."

Dude, if people who look like me were hangin' at the 7-11 looking for odd jobs, they'd be focused on us too. Really.