With WaPo Approval, Illegal Alien Reporter Used Fake ID to Report From White House

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitizer prize winning reporter who has worked for the Washington Post and Huffington Post, has revealed that he is an illegal alien in a coordinated media push with the New York Times and ABC News seeking amnesty for illegal aliens like him.

Vargas also revealed that he breached White House security by using a fake ID, including when he covered a state dinner. And that a superior at the Washington Post knew and approved of his actions.

Vargas made the revelations in an article he authored published in the upcoming New York Times Sunday Magazine.

Vargas writes that at age 12 he was sent to America from the Philippines by his mother to live with his naturalized American citizen grandparents. His grandfather Lolo, repeatedly broke the law to get Vargas in the U.S. and to keep him here, Vargas writes

One day when I was 16, I rode my bike to the nearby D.M.V. office to get my driver’s permit. Some of my friends already had their licenses, so I figured it was time. But when I handed the clerk my green card as proof of U.S. residency, she flipped it around, examining it. “This is fake,” she whispered. “Don’t come back here again.”

Confused and scared, I pedaled home and confronted Lolo. I remember him sitting in the garage, cutting coupons. I dropped my bike and ran over to him, showing him the green card. “Peke ba ito?” I asked in Tagalog. (“Is this fake?”) My grandparents were naturalized American citizens — he worked as a security guard, she as a food server — and they had begun supporting my mother and me financially when I was 3, after my father’s wandering eye and inability to properly provide for us led to my parents’ separation. Lolo was a proud man, and I saw the shame on his face as he told me he purchased the card, along with other fake documents, for me. “Don’t show it to other people,” he warned...

...The “uncle” who brought me here turned out to be a coyote, not a relative, my grandfather later explained. Lolo scraped together enough money — I eventually learned it was $4,500, a huge sum for him — to pay him to smuggle me here under a fake name and fake passport. (I never saw the passport again after the flight and have always assumed that the coyote kept it.) After I arrived in America, Lolo obtained a new fake Filipino passport, in my real name this time, adorned with a fake student visa, in addition to the fraudulent green card.

Using the fake passport, we went to the local Social Security Administration office and applied for a Social Security number and card. It was, I remember, a quick visit. When the card came in the mail, it had my full, real name, but it also clearly stated: “Valid for work only with I.N.S. authorization.”

When I began looking for work, a short time after the D.M.V. incident, my grandfather and I took the Social Security card to Kinko’s, where he covered the “I.N.S. authorization” text with a sliver of white tape. We then made photocopies of the card. At a glance, at least, the copies would look like copies of a regular, unrestricted Social Security card.

Later, with the help of sympathetic teachers, Vargas obtained a drivers license in Oregon using subterfuge and a fake Social Security card.

Vargas parlayed his illegally obtained identification documents into a job at the Washinton Post. He writes he confided in a superior, Peter Perl, who allowed him to continue working at the Post as an illegal alien in violation of the law.

About four months into my job as a reporter for The Post, I began feeling increasingly paranoid, as if I had “illegal immigrant” tattooed on my forehead — and in Washington, of all places, where the debates over immigration seemed never-ending. I was so eager to prove myself that I feared I was annoying some colleagues and editors — and worried that any one of these professional journalists could discover my secret. The anxiety was nearly paralyzing. I decided I had to tell one of the higher-ups about my situation. I turned to Peter.

By this time, Peter, who still works at The Post, had become part of management as the paper’s director of newsroom training and professional development. One afternoon in late October, we walked a couple of blocks to Lafayette Square, across from the White House. Over some 20 minutes, sitting on a bench, I told him everything: the Social Security card, the driver’s license, Pat and Rich, my family.

Peter was shocked. “I understand you 100 times better now,” he said. He told me that I had done the right thing by telling him, and that it was now our shared problem. He said he didn’t want to do anything about it just yet. I had just been hired, he said, and I needed to prove myself. “When you’ve done enough,” he said, “we’ll tell Don and Len together.” (Don Graham is the chairman of The Washington Post Company; Leonard Downie Jr. was then the paper’s executive editor.) A month later, I spent my first Thanksgiving in Washington with Peter and his family.

In the five years that followed, I did my best to “do enough.” I was promoted to staff writer, reported on video-game culture, wrote a series on Washington’s H.I.V./AIDS epidemic and covered the role of technology and social media in the 2008 presidential race. I visited the White House, where I interviewed senior aides and covered a state dinner — and gave the Secret Service the Social Security number I obtained with false documents.

Vargas writes that he explored his legal options when he was younger. When told he would have to leave the U.S. and be banned from returning for ten years, he opted to break the law. Now he is running a propaganda campaign for illegal aliens with help from his friends in the media.

A big concern though, is the security breach at the White House of someone using falsified documents to gain access to the president. Jeff Gannon was crucified by the liberals and the media for using a pseudonym, but not fake documents, when he was a White House reporter. There were calls for Congressional investigations into how Gannon gained access to the White House, even though Gannon used his given name, James Guckert, to obtain clearance to enter the White House.

Vargas' case, however, does cry out for investigations and prosecutions. Who else is in the media isusing fake identification documents to gain access to the White House and the president? Who else has the Washington Post helped to breach government security with fake credentials?

Vargas is rolling out a group called DefineAmerican with which he is campaigning for the DREAM act for illegal aliens. He also has a video clip on YouTube where he makes his case.

[Genoa]

Prosecute. I don't care if he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

[P-Marlowe]

Vargas parlayed his illegally obtained identification documents into a job at the Washinton Post. He writes he confided in a superior, Peter Perl, who allowed him to continue working at the Post as an illegal alien in violation of the law.

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.

[magellan]

I am beginning to think the way to deal with these criminal illegal immigrants is to put them into a deportation facility, and award a visa to someone who wants to come here legally to take the criminal's place. Then make the criminal wait until their legal replacement arrives, and treat it like a prisoner exchange.

The psychological impact of someone else taking one's place should leave a lasting impact.

[Political Junkie Too]

The requirement for entering the White House is to hand over a piece of paper that is shaped rectangularly.

Preferably with a picture of Benjamin Franklin on it?

-PJ

[WOBBLY BOB]

Can we trade Obama for Vaclav Klaus ?

[ken5050]

I can’t believe that the USSS didn’t pick this up. I suspect they brought it to the attention of someone in the WH, and were overridden..IOW..told to let the guy in..

[RavenATB]

Imagine if Breitbart had conspired to sneek an illegal into the White House to conduct a “mission” friendly to a conservative cause.

[servantboy777]

The Texas Legislature has taken up a bill in special session that would help enforce immigration laws and ban sanctuary cities.

Part of the bill addresses illegals obtaining drivers licenses. They must show proof of citizenship to get a Lic.

I just renewed mine, as many hoops the DMV makes one jump through, how in Sam Hell did illegals ever get a drivers lic.?

We also have motor/voter in Texas. As you go through the process of getting or renewing your lic, the state ask if you'd like to register to vote.......now, think about it.

Texas was allowing illegals (somehow) to get drivers licenses and register to vote....nice, how freakin nice.

I can think of a few crimes besides breaking into the country illegally. How’z bout fraud, perjury, forgery, possession and use of stolen documents and on and on.

Man this pisses me off.

[Melchior]

The Secret Service has decided that its ineptitude can be overcome by adding more personnel. One day soon you will not be able to see the President as the mass of agents that surround our leader will completely hide the fearless factotum.

[Ben Reyes]

I, too, came from the Philippines. But my Lolo, who came to the U.S. in 1929 and put himself to college working as a dishwasher and seasonal farm hand, did it the right way - he promptly filed a petition for all his children and grandchildren to come to the U.S. as soon as he got his naturalization paper.

I say DEPORT the SOB. And the newspaper ought to be condemned for perpetuating another lie.

[Ben Reyes]

I, too, came from the Philippines. But my Lolo, who came to the U.S. in 1929 and put himself to college working as a dishwasher and seasonal farm hand, did it the right way - he promptly filed a petition for all his children and grandchildren to come to the U.S. as soon as he got his naturalization paper.

I say DEPORT the SOB. And the newspaper ought to be condemned for perpetuating another lie.

[A_Former_Democrat]

This crap will eventually lead to reverse lawlessness Enough people will get their fill and say screw it.

[Eldon Tyrell]

Now we get to find out if the laws we have are enforced equitably.

This is chain of command at Wapo.

[khnyny]

I agree, but it’s not just the President that this person had access to, but other heads of state as well. Imho, a security nightmare. Heads should roll on this one...

[Keith in Iowa]

Is he a registered Democrat? How many times has he voted?

[Jeff Chandler]

Now we get to find out if the laws we have are enforced equitably.

Oh my, how naive. Silly peasant, laws are for Republicans.

[peyton randolph]

“I’m not impressed with the Secret Service, allowing an illegal in the White House.”

****

The Kenyan or the reporter?

[Mr. K]

THROW THIS F@$^% IN JAIL ~!

[Tzimisce]

...how come only white, middle class, tax paying Americans have to obey the law anymore?

Our government is racistly discriminating against the very people it’s supposed to be serving.

But that’s “social justice” in Obamaland. :(

[USNBandit]

I had the same experience in Washington State. When I moved up the first thing I did was go to DMV. I had trouble coming up with enough proofs of residency because they wouldn’t accept the contract on a $400,000 house as proof I was planning on living in the state. They were reluctant to accept my Navy Reserve page 2 listing my residency as Washington. While I was going around and around with the douche from DMV, the line next to me was serving exclusively spanish only speakers who were all trading in Oregon licenses for Washington licenses. That line seemed to go extremely fast and none of them were showing any extra documents.