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STATES TURNING UP HEAT ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Reuters ^ | Thu Nov 1, 2007 2:00pm EDT | Carey Gillam

Posted on 11/04/2007 2:33:48 PM PST by sinanju

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Minor traffic violations do not usually warrant a press release from a governor. But when state police stopped a van on a Missouri road for "following too closely" and found it was carrying 10 presumed illegal immigrants, Gov. Matt Blunt was quick to tout the incident as part of a new state program to hunt down undocumented aliens.

"We will make every effort, implement every tool, and take every step to ensure the laws against illegal immigration are enforced," declared Blunt, announcing the arrests as he pursued tough new measures to push undocumented immigrants out of the state.

Missouri's efforts are among several now being seen around the nation as state and local officials race to make their territory as unappealing as possible for the nation's estimated 12 million undocumented individuals.

The campaign has drawn the ire of religious organizations, civil rights groups and some employers, who argue the actions are unfairly harassing and intimidating both illegal and legal immigrants.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: aliens; blunt; crimaliens; enforcement; illegalimmigration; illegals; immigrantlist; immigration
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To: Blue Highway
Spitzer isn’t helping, so I appreciate good news like this story.

Actually he is helping. His unconscionable action is caused people to realize illegal immigration is out of control and needs to end for the sake of our security.
41 posted on 11/04/2007 5:14:29 PM PST by Man50D (Fair Tax, you earn it, you keep it!)
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To: All

Does anyone know where Kentucky stands, relative to this issue?


42 posted on 11/04/2007 5:14:51 PM PST by Cedric
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Another approach that is needed is, in terms of Federal Law, make it ILLEGAL to knowingly transport any individual ACROSS A STATE LINE who is in the United States illegally. The transporter, as well as the illegal alien himself having crossed a state line, will have hence committed a federal crime.


The following immigration law already addresses that situation.

Federal Immigration and Nationality Act

Section 8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)(b)(iii) "Any person who . . . encourages or induces an illegal alien to . . . reside . . . knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such . . . residence is . . . in violation of law, shall be punished as provided . . . for each illegal alien in respect to whom such a violation occurs . . . fined under title 18 . . . imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both."

Section 274 felonies under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A):

A person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:

assists an illegal alien s/he should reasonably know is illegally in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him or her to obtain employment, or · encourages that illegal alien to remain in the U.S. by referring him or her to an employer or by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way, or · knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions. ·

Penalties upon conviction include criminal fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of vehicles and real property used to commit the crime. Anyone employing or contracting with an illegal alien without verifying his or her work authorization status is guilty of a misdemeanor. Aliens and employers violating immigration laws are subject to arrest, detention, and seizure of their vehicles or property. In addition, individuals or entities who engage in racketeering enterprises that commit (or conspire to commit) immigration-related felonies are subject to private civil suits for treble damages and injunctive relief.

Recruitment and Employment of Illegal Aliens

It is unlawful to hire an alien, to recruit an alien, or to refer an illegal alien for a fee, knowing the illegal alien is unauthorized to work in the United States. It is equally unlawful to continue to employ an illegal alien knowing that the illegal alien is unauthorized to work.

It is unlawful to hire any individual for employment in the United States without complying with employment eligibility verification requirements. Requirements include examination of identity documents and completion of Form I-9 for every employee hired. Employers must retain all I-9s, and, with three days' advance notice, the forms must be made available for inspection. Employment includes any service or labor performed for any type of remuneration within the United States, with the exception of sporadic domestic service by an individual in a private home. "Day laborers" or other casual workers engaged in any compensated activity (with the above exception) are employees for purposes of immigration law. An employer includes an agent or anyone acting directly or indirectly in the interest of the employer. For purposes of verification of authorization to work, employer also means an independent contractor, or a contractor other than the person using the illegal alien labor.

The use of temporary or short-term contracts cannot be used to circumvent the employment authorization verification requirements. If employment is to be for less than the usual three days allowed for completing the I-9 Form requirement, the form must be completed immediately at the time of hire.

An employer has constructive knowledge that an employee is an illegal unauthorized worker if a reasonable person would infer it from the facts. Constructive knowledge constituting a violation of federal law has been found where (1) the I-9 employment eligibility form has not been properly completed, including supporting documentation, (2) the employer has learned from other individuals, media reports, or any source of information available to the employer that the alien is unauthorized to work, or (3) the employer acts with reckless disregard for the legal consequences of permitting a third party to provide or introduce an illegal alien into the employer's work force. Knowledge cannot be inferred solely on the basis of an individual's accent or foreign appearance.

Actual specific knowledge is not required. For example, a newspaper article stating that ballrooms depend on an illegal alien work force of dance hostesses was held by the courts to be a reasonable ground for suspicion that unlawful conduct had occurred.

It is illegal for nonprofit or religious organizations to knowingly assist an employer to violate employment sanctions, regardless of claims that their convictions require them to assist illegal aliens. Harboring or aiding illegal aliens is not protected by the First Amendment. It is a felony to establish a commercial enterprise for the purpose of evading any provision of federal immigration law. Violators may be fined or imprisoned for up to five years.

Encouraging and Harboring Illegal Aliens

It is a violation of law for any person to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection in any place, including any building or means of transportation, any illegal alien who is in the United States in violation of law. Harboring means any conduct that tends to substantially facilitate an alien to remain in the U.S. illegally. The sheltering need not be clandestine, and harboring covers aliens arrested outdoors, as well as in a building. This provision includes harboring an alien who entered the U.S. legally but has since lost his legal status.

An employer can be convicted of the felony of harboring illegal aliens who are his employees if he takes actions in reckless disregard of their illegal status, such as ordering them to obtain false documents, altering records, obstructing INS inspections, or taking other actions that facilitate the alien's illegal employment. Any person who within any 12-month period hires ten or more individuals with actual knowledge that they are illegal aliens or unauthorized workers is guilty of felony harboring. It is also a felony to encourage or induce an alien to come to or reside in the U.S. knowing or recklessly disregarding the fact that the alien's entry or residence is in violation of the law. This crime applies to any person, rather than just employers of illegal aliens. Courts have ruled that "encouraging" includes counseling illegal aliens to continue working in the U.S. or assisting them to complete applications with false statements or obvious errors. The fact that the alien is a refugee fleeing persecution is not a defense to this felony, since U.S. law and the UN Protocol on Refugees both require that a refugee must report to immigration authorities without delay upon entry to the U.S.

The penalty for felony harboring is a fine and imprisonment for up to five years. The penalty for felony alien smuggling is a fine and up to ten years' imprisonment. Where the crime causes serious bodily injury or places the life of any person in jeopardy, the penalty is a fine and up to twenty years' imprisonment. If the criminal smuggling or harboring results in the death of any person, the penalty can include life imprisonment. Convictions for aiding, abetting, or conspiracy to commit alien smuggling or harboring, carry the same penalties. Courts can impose consecutive prison sentences for each alien smuggled or harbored. A court may order a convicted smuggler to pay restitution if the illegal alien smuggled qualifies as a victim under the Victim and Witness Protection Act. Conspiracy to commit crimes of sheltering, harboring, or employing illegal aliens is a separate federal offense punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or five years' imprisonment.

Enforcement

A person or entity having knowledge of a violation or potential violation of employer sanctions provisions may submit a signed written complaint to the INS office with jurisdiction over the business or residence of the potential violator, whether an employer, employee, or agent. The complaint must include the names and addresses of both the complainant and the violator, and detailed factual allegations, including date, time, and place of the potential violation, and the specific conduct alleged to be a violation of employer sanctions. By regulation, the INS will only investigate third-party complaints that have a reasonable probability of validity. Designated INS officers and employees, and all other officers whose duty it is to enforce criminal laws, may make an arrest for violation of smuggling or harboring illegal aliens.

State and local law enforcement officials have the general power to investigate and arrest violators of federal immigration statutes without prior INS knowledge or approval, as long as they are authorized to do so by state law. There is no extant federal limitation on this authority. The 1996 immigration control legislation passed by Congress was intended to encourage states and local agencies to participate in the process of enforcing federal immigration laws. Immigration officers and local law enforcement officers may detain an individual for a brief warrantless interrogation where circumstances create a reasonable suspicion that the individual is illegally present in the U.S. Specific facts constituting a reasonable suspicion include evasive, nervous, or erratic behavior; dress or speech indicating foreign citizenship; and presence in an area known to contain a concentration of illegal aliens. Hispanic appearance alone is not sufficient. Immigration officers and police must have a valid warrant or valid employer's consent to enter workplaces or residences. Any vehicle used to transport or harbor illegal aliens, or used as a substantial part of an activity that encourages illegal aliens to come to or reside in the U.S. may be seized by an immigration officer and is subject to forfeiture. The forfeiture power covers any conveyances used within the U.S.

RICO —Citizen Recourse

Private persons and entities may initiate civil suits to obtain injunctions and treble damages against enterprises that conspire to or actually violate federal alien smuggling, harboring, or document fraud statutes, under the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO). The pattern of racketeering activity is defined as commission of two or more of the listed crimes. A RICO enterprise can be any individual legal entity, or a group of individuals who are not a legal entity but are associated in fact, and can include nonprofit associations.

Tax Crimes

Employers who aid or abet the preparation of false tax returns by failing to pay income or Social Security taxes for illegal alien employees, or who knowingly make payments using false names or Social Security numbers, are subject to IRS criminal and civil sanctions. U.S. nationals who have suffered intentional discrimination because of citizenship or national origin by an employer with more than three employees may file a complaint within 180 days of the discriminatory act with the Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, U.S. Department of Justice. In addition to the federal statutes summarized, state laws and local ordinances controlling fair labor practices, workers compensation, zoning, safe housing and rental property, nuisance, licensing, street vending, and solicitations by contractors may also apply to activities that involve illegal aliens.

Comment:

A comment and a published quote by Robert Gaffney, Attorney and County Executive of Suffolk County, LI, NY:

The statutory foundation of United States immigration law has always been the jurisdiction of the federal government, Congress and the federal courts. The preeminent laws concerning the employment of illegal aliens are found in the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. §~ 1101-1503), as amended by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 CIRCA).

The law states it is a crime to assist an illegal alien who lacks employment authorization by referring him to an employer, or by acting as his or her employer, or as an agent for an employer. 8 U.S.C.S. § 1324a(a)(1)(A) (Lexis 1997). Furthermore, it is unlawful to hire an individual for employment without complying with the employment eligibility requirements for every person hired. 8 U.S.C.S. § 1324a(a)(l)(B) (Lexis 1997). Moreover, conduct tending substantially to facilitate illegal aliens remaining in the United States illegally, where there is knowledge or a reckless disregard of an illegal alien s unlawful status, is a crime, with escalating penalties, encompassed within the provisions of 1324. 8 U.S.C.S. § 1324(a)(l)(A)(iii) (Lexis 1997); United States v. Kim. 193 F-3d 567 (2d Cir. 1999), are considered employees for purposes of immigration law.
43 posted on 11/04/2007 5:22:16 PM PST by Man50D (Fair Tax, you earn it, you keep it!)
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To: Cedric
HOOVER & EISENHOWER DEPORTED MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS !

] Here is something that should be of great interest for you to pass around. I didn't know of this until it was pointed out to me. But, back during the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover ordered the deportation of all illegal aliens in order to make jobs available to American citizens that desperately needed work.

And then again in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower deported 13 million Mexican nationals! The program was called "Operation "Wetback" so that American WWII and Korean veterans had a better chance at jobs. It took 2 years, but they deported them!

Now, if they could deport the illegals back then, they can sure do it today!! If you have doubts about the veracity of this information, enter Operation Wetback into your favorite search engine and confirm it for yourself.

44 posted on 11/04/2007 5:24:09 PM PST by Texas Mom (Two places you're always welcome - Church and Grandma's house.)
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To: FReepapalooza

And you live in......?


45 posted on 11/04/2007 5:30:50 PM PST by chicagolady (Mexican Elite say: EXPORT Poverty Let the American Taxpayer foot the bill !)
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To: A_Former_Democrat

JUST SAY IT! CHICAGO


46 posted on 11/04/2007 5:31:32 PM PST by chicagolady (Mexican Elite say: EXPORT Poverty Let the American Taxpayer foot the bill !)
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To: TruthShallSetYouFree

Don’t they ALREADY get all that?????????


47 posted on 11/04/2007 5:33:21 PM PST by righting-wrongs
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To: martin_fierro

Classic double photo.


48 posted on 11/04/2007 5:41:29 PM PST by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: AmericanInTokyo

bttt


49 posted on 11/04/2007 5:47:23 PM PST by Guenevere (Duncan Hunter...President '08)
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To: sinanju

This is precisely what the Bush admin and his pro-amnesty buds on both sides of the aisle have been fearing. ...and why they’ve pushed so hard to legalize the uncounted millions. They knew the states would start taking matters into their own hands.


50 posted on 11/04/2007 5:51:03 PM PST by Mr. Mojo (“Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors and miss.")
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To: chicagolady

Sames as you, The USS of Illinois, Blago country, blegh!


51 posted on 11/04/2007 5:51:57 PM PST by FReepapalooza
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To: martin_fierro
Amazing what a couple days' worth of bad press does to allllll those Mexican flags.

...and it took bad press to get it through these idiot's heads that marching in the streets with foreign flags was a bad idea? We're a first-world country being populated by people with a third-world IQ ....the future looks bright now doesn't it?

52 posted on 11/04/2007 5:52:09 PM PST by Niteflyr ("If you’re drawing flak, you know you're over the target".)
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To: whipitgood

I just hold my breath, because it’s going to happen.


53 posted on 11/04/2007 5:53:57 PM PST by FReepapalooza
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To: ought-six

Stay safe, stay armed!


54 posted on 11/04/2007 6:22:02 PM PST by basil (Support the Second Amendment--buy another gun today!)
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To: A_Former_Democrat

Right you are.These idiots dont get a clue until they are being over-run in their cities and neighborhoods and then they will get on board.Hopefully it wont be too late by then.


55 posted on 11/04/2007 6:24:09 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Defeat liberalism, its the right thing to do for America.)
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To: basil

and...no paper trail


56 posted on 11/04/2007 6:39:40 PM PST by television is just wrong (deport all illegal aliens NOW. Put all AMERICANS TO WORK FIRST. END Welfare)
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To: Man50D

I agree, He is bringing the issue of rampant disregard for our laws to the forefront.Bet he does’nt even see that.I will bet he backs down sooner or later or the people of newyork need to look into recall.


57 posted on 11/04/2007 6:40:15 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Defeat liberalism, its the right thing to do for America.)
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To: sinanju
One idea which would help is, when an illegal is involved in a virulent accident in one state, to be able to bring suit against the out of state jurisdiction which issued the driving or auto license.
58 posted on 11/04/2007 6:45:12 PM PST by jnsun (The LEFT: The need to manipulate others because of nothing productive to offer)
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To: teenyelliott

“Course, I am in Kansas. I doubt my idiot demonrat governor will follow suit.”

_____________________________________________________________________-

You poor thing. Kathleen Sibelius’ tornado antics must have been a real embarrassment. She must have been putting all her eggs in the Hilary basket, expecting a juicy appointment in her majesty’s administration.

That said, I do hope she has no delusions of being re-elected.

Does Kansas have their own Bobby J. waiting in the wings?


59 posted on 11/04/2007 6:57:26 PM PST by sinanju
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To: org.whodat

“we cannot count on congress to do their job. they are owned by Mexico and the chamber of commerce”
_____________________________________________________________

“The profits are privatized, the costs are socialized”

What the elite want the elite get (usually).


60 posted on 11/04/2007 7:01:43 PM PST by sinanju
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