18,000 Arrested in Illegals Sting

NewsMax.com Wires ^ | April 6, 2007 | ap

[VU4G10]

SAN DIEGO -- More than one-third of 18,000 people arrested in a nearly yearlong federal crackdown on illegal immigrants were not the people authorities targeted, according to government figures.

The so-called "collateral arrests" involved people picked up by immigration agents while seeking fugitives such as drug smugglers, thieves, drunken drivers and others who flouted deportation orders.

When tracking down fugitives, authorities visit a suspect's last known address and often find other immigrants, who are then asked to prove they are legally entitled to live in the United States.

Supporters of such tactics say the government is just doing its job after years of neglect.

"God bless 'em,"' said Peter Nunez, a former U.S. attorney in San Diego who teaches immigration policy at the University of San Diego. "They apparently decided to start with these fugitives. If you're going to find one (illegal immigrant), you're going to find 100."

Critics say the campaign against fugitive illegal immigrants ensnares many hard-working people who are in the country illegally but do not pose a danger.

"They're trying to sell it as something where they target (criminals) but it's become part of a larger dragnet," said Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committee's office in San Diego.

Dubbed "Operation Return to Sender," the crackdown began last May in cities across the nation. As of Feb. 23, it has resulted in 18,149 arrests of suspected illegal immigrants, most of whom were captured at home and in Hispanic neighborhoods.

But, according to figures from Immigration and Custom Enforcement, 37 percent of those cases, or 6,696 arrests, were "collateral" captives _ people who just happened to be present when agents arrived. Such arrests account for more than half the total in four cities: Dallas and El Paso, Texas (59 percent); New York (54 percent); and San Diego (57 percent).

On Tuesday, ICE completed a two-week sting that targeted 300 fugitives in San Diego. Agents found 62 fugitives but took 297 other people into custody, bringing the total arrests to 359. The illegal immigrants were returned to their home countries or jailed while awaiting a court hearing.

The government defends the collateral arrests.

"We can't look the other way," said Robin Baker, ICE's director of detention and removals in San Diego. "We did that for too long." The agency's guidelines are to make arrests in houses, not in the streets, Baker said, adding that agents do not randomly search communities for illegal immigrants.

For some, the stings evoke memories of immigration raids that fell out of favor in the 1980s. Since then, immigration authorities have stayed close to U.S. borders but are increasingly venturing into homes and workplaces across the country.

"It didn't happen for a good 15 years," Baker said. "Now that it's opening up again, people don't like it. They got used to us not being there."

[ohioWfan]

One last thing.......somebody forgot to tell you that President Bush nominated John Roberts.

YOU had absolutely nothing to do with it, you liberal elitist snob, you......

(I love being right........and RIGHT).

[Eaker]

We kicked Miers to the curb without your liberal help.

We conservatives held Bush’s size 6’s to the fire and got Roberts.

If you are so much have Bush build a wall and enforce the law, or do YOU hire illegals?

You cannot walk away even though you said you would. You cannot keep your word on something that simple. Since you cannot do it why not stop saying it?

[justshutupandtakeit]

Your comebacks are soo sharp and witty I dread tangling with you in such a battle of wits. And your seventh grade classmates probably feel the same way.

[TChris]

The unmentioned problem, though, is that the great majority of these arrestees will never be prosecuted. These roundups are just a dog-and-pony show to distract Americans from the fact that our government just won't do much about it.

It's not much more than a Democrat-style, symbolism-over-substance whitewash.

"What do you do with the illegals you've arrested in these highly-publicized raids?"

"Well, we turn them loose again."

"So they get to come right back?"

"Yep. That guarantees we'll have more illegals to arrest on tomorrow's evening news. It's really a pretty sweet deal for us."

[ohioWfan]

This is not John Roberts. This is Sam Alito.

And the man standing by, and responsible for his nomination is President George W. Bush.

Eaker didn't have a thing to do with his nomination. He doesn't even know who replaced Harriet Miers, yet he wants to take credit for it.

His case against the President just hit the wall with great force, because he is obviously both ignorant and arrogant.

I don't have to say anything more, because such is the case in each of President Bush's emotionally hysterical critics.

They don't know what they're talking about. Period.

[ohioWfan]

If you are so much have Bush build a wall and enforce the law, or do YOU hire illegals?

Here is a picture of President Bush signing the 'build a wall' legislation......

Since he signed it, the stupid American people (aided and abetted by Bush haters on the right) turned the Congress over to the Rats, guaranteeing that it would NEVER be built.

One last FYI about the Miers hysteria and conservatism....

Article II, Section 2, paragraph 2 of the Constitution outlines the Power of the President to select SC Judges.

There were two things I argued.......that the President had the right to choose whomever he wanted, and that he believed Miers to be an originalist. The second was that the hysteria and disgusting, degrading name-calling of Miers (see Eaker's post above) coming from 'conservatives' was WAY out of line.

For this.......standing for the Constitution and basic human decency..........Eaker accuses me of being a 'liberal' and asks if I hire illegals. LOL!

Let the record show that Eaker is not only ignorant (and apparently not embarrassed enough about it to come back and say, "Oops!" about not even knowing about Sam Alito), but also shows signs that the wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead. :)

I'll have to admit enjoying this last encounter with the fellow. Conservatives (like me) RULE! ;)

[Leatherneck_MT]

Good, now they need to start impounding businesses who hire these people.

and yes I do mean drive them out of business. Hopefully it will scare the others so bad they’ll start paying more attention to what and who they hire.

[Leatherneck_MT]

“As is the number one advocate for these ILLAGALS in American government, george w bush.”

Don’t forget Rudy

[justshutupandtakeit]

There have been several disgusting episodes on FR over the years and none were worse than the Miers one. Here was a woman with impeccable credentials and solid Christian background who was viciously attacked by those WITHOUT A CLUE because she was not their idea of what was needed.

Now I have NO problem with people trying to pressure Bush or expressing their opposition to anyone, Miers included, but these attacks were what we are used to seeing from liberals: including her appearance, rumours of lesbianism, critical comments about her not having children, false statements of her beliefs and belittling distortions of her accomplishments.

And now we are expected to listen to the lectures from many of these same attackers about “character” and “moral lapses”. I don’t think so.

[South40]

Don’t forget Rudy

Rudy is not the most powerful man in the western hemisphere. george w. bush is.

[Leatherneck_MT]

No but he’s trying to be.

[South40]

But he's not, nor will he likely be.

Hitlery will likely be our next president at which time she will give these invaders everything bush tried but was unable to, assuming there is anyting left.

[ohioWfan]

Well said! BRAVO!

The audacity of those whose behavior was vile and out of control about Harrient Miers, calling those of us who defended her honor 'liberals' and lording their moral superiority over us is beyond the pale.

I fully agree that it was one of the darkest and most disgusting chapters in FR history..........and yet there are some who are bragging that they were part of it. It's unbelieveable.

[ohioWfan]

Cue “Twilight Zone” theme.........