Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Maine: Search for illegal aliens alienates city
MaineToday.com ^ | January 30, 2004 | Bill Nemitz

Posted on 01/31/2004 5:56:03 AM PST by SheLion

Their boss insists that they're not trying to act like jerks. It's just that the border patrol agents who descended on Portland last weekend are new to Maine and, this being the dead of winter and all, they apparently can't help themselves.

"A lot of our agents are just off the southern (U.S.) border and there's a different atmosphere down there," said Monte J. Bennett, assistant chief patrol agent for the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in Houlton. "There are a lot more numbers down there. Things are more aggressive."

In other words, if you're an immigrant in Maine these days, you'd best double-check your papers before you go anywhere and learn to say "Yes, sir" and "No, sir" to anyone in a black uniform and boots. And oh yes, try not to look suspicious.

"My business is down 80 percent since Saturday," lamented Juan Gonzalez, owner of La Bodega Latina Grocery Store on Congress Street. "Customers call me on the phone saying, 'Is it clear? Can we come down?' People are really afraid."

According to bureau spokesman Bennett, what happened Saturday in Portland was a typical "transportation sweep" in which federal agents - many recently transferred here as part of a south-to-north shift in homeland security forces - visited Portland's airport, train and bus stations in search of illegal aliens.

They netted 10 people whose papers failed to pass muster. At the same time, they left Portland's hard-won reputation as an immigrant-friendly city in tatters.

Nasir Ahmed was behind the counter at Amei Halaal Market on St. John Street when agents walked in and told everyone, employees and customers alike, to get out their passports and green cards. Ahmed said some patrons eating lunch in the Somali market bolted out the back door - not because they were undocumented, but because they were scared to death.

"How would you feel if you went to McDonald's and got asked for ID while you were eating your food? That's what happened here," Ahmed asked. "Now, less people come in. We lost a lot of customers."

Mohammed Barre, who was in the store at the time, said much of the anxiety could have been avoided if the agents had clearly identified themselves (several eyewitnesses said they didn't) and, before coming through the door, had taken the chips off their shoulders.

"Unfriendly," Barre replied when asked to describe the agents' demeanor. "Very unfriendly."

Bennett insisted that the operation targeted only Portland's "transportation hubs," not its immigrant enclaves. He added, however, that the agents will investigate anything "that needs investigating."

Would two stores with foreign names, frequented by people with dark skin, each a block or two from the Vermont Transit bus station "need investigating"?

"Based solely on that, no," Bennett replied. "They go more by people's mannerisms."

Thus, we are asked to believe, it was a citywide outbreak of "mannerisms" that attracted agents to Amei Halaal Market, La Bodega Latina and even the Preble Street Resource Center, where director Mark Swann has vowed that the next time agents show up, they'll be asked for a search warrant.

(Lest we all think the agents' attitudes began and ended with immigrants, consider my daughter's welcome Saturday upon arriving in Portland by bus from Boston: After she gave a border agent her license, he demanded her passport. She correctly told him that U.S. citizens don't need passports for interstate travel. "Let me give you a word of advice," he replied tersely. "You need to learn to watch your mouth.")

Where all this tension goes from here is anyone's guess.

Meetings are already being held among Portland's immigrant elders and leaders. And the Latino Health and Community Service has called off its Feb. 14 health fair because, director John Connors explained, "I'm not going to put up posters telling these guys we're going to have a bunch of minorities and immigrants showing up at a particular time and place."

Bennett calls such fears unfounded. If confronted by a federal agent, he said, all anyone has to do is "be friendly, be straightforward and answer their questions."

And above all, watch your mannerisms.

Columnist Bill Nemitz can be contacted at 791-6323 or at: bnemitz@pressherald.com


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Maine
KEYWORDS: aliens; authorities; illegal; search; seizure; terror
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200201-220221-240241-242 next last
To: SouthernFreebird
"I'm a 5ft2 eyes of blue, blonde, southern white woman, I doubt if I'll raise questions of my being here illegaly."

Roughly 50% of illegal aliens in the U.S. are NOT Mexicans, but rather people from all parts of the world who have overstayed their visas, these people come from nearly every nation in Europe.

By the way, what form of identification do you carry on you that proves you're not an illegal alien, in spite of your looks?

221 posted on 01/31/2004 10:16:39 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez (The Gift Is To See The Trout.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 183 | View Replies]

To: SouthernFreebird
I asked about your being required by a Federal agent to prove that you're in this country legally while eating at a restaurant.

How often does that happen to you?
222 posted on 01/31/2004 10:18:56 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez (The Gift Is To See The Trout.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 183 | View Replies]

To: SheLion
A few thoughts on this article...

To the best of my knowledge, there are no illegal Somalis in the U.S. The Somali immigrants here were brought in by the Federal government.

"Ahmed said some patrons eating lunch in the Somali market bolted out the back door - not because they were undocumented, but because they were scared to death."

What kind of raid was this where no one bothered covering the back door?

"I would have no reason to run from the authorities, right?

Because they grew up in Somalia, and bad things happen when government people brandishing weapons and some authority walk in, these Somalis will never quite loose their fear of armed government agents.

In contrast, if ever you found yourself eating dinner at a Somali restaurant when Somali government troops came in demanding that everyone present their papers, your upbringing as an American may cause you to engage the agents, and demand to know the reason why the want this from you, at which point you would be killed.

223 posted on 01/31/2004 10:36:29 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez (The Gift Is To See The Trout.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez; SheLion; All
I have read through this thread twice..and I am still grappling with a response..no matter what I say, somebody won't like it, some will love it, some will brand me a racist..I will try and address what I have read so far..
Luis Gonzalez, I respect you and have posted to you many times about your writings..bear that in mind..

They live HERE now, not their own country, if they want to succeed here, they must WORK for it, just as I have, and my Ancestors have. Handouts may be great at first, but you will come to loathe yourself for not doing better, and they will come to loathe the people who handed it to them, because they are KEEPING them there..
It is not my job to support Somalians or anyone else..It is MY job to support ME. If the (Somalians) are SO INSISTANT on how happy they are to be here, PROVE IT!!

I live in the Lewiston-Auburn area of Maine..and I don't like what I see. Individual apartments are not sought out by these folks..the low-income housing projects are teeming with them. We have two gentleman from Somalia, who want to be the "Leaders" here, seems they belonged to different "Clans" there, and one cannot be led by another..and so for lack of a better word, they are "warring" with one another..dividing that community even more. This is not the way to live here, it will only drive themselves apart, and leave us to wonder why it should matter here, of all places..and further alienate themselves from us.

I have a Dear Friend , his name is "Popeye"..his son was killed and dragged through the streets of Somalia..We have coffee together almost everyday..I try to be understanding.. but when the Somalian women butt in front of me at the Supermarket, when our Food Banks are stripped to the bone, and there are not even diapers for the needy who live(d) in Maine...

I think of Popeye, I think of my ancestors too, not wanted here, but they got jobs working 6 days a week twelve hours a day..One lady here in Maine had to fire her new Somalian employees, they never showed up on time, and when she fired them, is facing hate crime charges

We live in a world gone mad with political correctness..
I can't think of a single instance in Maine, where somebody was shot for not producing the right papers..(sarcasm)
That is pure liberal crap..period.

People with nothing to hide do not "run" for any reason save guilt..

Much as some would like us to NOT believe, we ARE free, just look at all our posts tonight, none of us will be dragged out of bed and shot for it..

We know it, the Somalians know it too..
It is what we choose to do with opportunity and freedom..
that defines us.

Ms.B
224 posted on 02/01/2004 12:09:27 AM PST by MS.BEHAVIN (Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Re-elect G.W.Bush)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 223 | View Replies]

To: MS.BEHAVIN
What the hell are you talking about?

I simply pointed out that these were not illegal immigrants, and that in spite of whatever you may think otherwise, the process of assimilating takes a long time.

It does so when one is educated and comes from a Western-style nation, longer even, if you come from some third wold sh$thole like Somalia. It will take many years for these people to come to the realization that generally speaking, the authorities in this country don't shoot you without reason.

I also pointed out that the INS agents either weren't real serious about this "raid", because they failed to cover all exits.

But since you brought all this other crap in, I'll comment on it.

Your basic complaint seems to me that these people are poor, that there is a political struggle going on within their community between two opposing factions, that they take handouts from the government, and that they are rude.

Sounds like they've already started to assimilate.

225 posted on 02/01/2004 12:26:40 AM PST by Luis Gonzalez (The Gift Is To See The Trout.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 224 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
Oh come on...
You can't be serious...
What happened to you???

You just look my friend Popeye in the eye,and justify your statement to me again... I am Sooooo.. worried about their assimilation, NOT!
Be well Luis..
Ms.B
226 posted on 02/01/2004 12:48:46 AM PST by MS.BEHAVIN (Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Re-elect G.W.Bush)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 225 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
To the best of my knowledge, there are no illegal Somalis in the U.S. The Somali immigrants here were brought in by the Federal government.

BALDACCI AND ALLEN SEEK FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS INFLUX OF SOMALI IMMIGRANTS

June 6, 2002

Representatives Baldacci and Allen called for $100,000 in funding to enable Catholic Charities of Maine to provide needed services to Somali immigrants in Lewiston and other communities. Catholic Charities provides outreach and assistance to refugees and immigrants.

Maine has a hard time finding work and feeding their own. Yet Baldacci and Allen want an INFLUX of immigrants! What's up with this!

click here

227 posted on 02/01/2004 2:38:42 AM PST by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 223 | View Replies]

To: MS.BEHAVIN
I have read through this thread twice. and I am still grappling with a response. no matter what I say, somebody won't like it, some will love it.

God bless you, Ms B!  I live in northern Maine, and the horror story's I have heard is making my skin crawl.

Some in Maine are upset because our kids in High School are getting into fights with the Somali Teens.  But no one knows how the Somali teens are "strutting their stuff" in front of our teens to "egg them on."  What American teen is going to put up with THAT!

I heard too how the Somali women go to the shelter and clean it out.  Our own can't even find diapers for their own babies.

You live there.  You know!

One Somali wrote to her Somali friend in Atlanta who was paying for a low-rent house.  The woman in Maine told her to "Get to Maine.  The state will give you a $175,000 ranch home!  (Wish "I" was given a $175,000 ranch home from the state.  That would be nice, wouldn't it? heh!)

The state is also going to give them chickens or maybe the state already did.  It was a year ago that I heard this.

And when I heard that the hi-jacker stopped in Portland overnight the day before 9-11 it makes me very suspicious.  WHO did he talk to in Portland?  Portland is very close to Lewiston. 

228 posted on 02/01/2004 2:51:42 AM PST by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 224 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
Roughly 50% of illegal aliens in the U.S. are NOT Mexicans, but rather people from all parts of the world who have overstayed their visas, these people come from nearly every nation in Europe.

Yeah, but do they speak with a Southern accent and eat grits..? lol I really don't understand what your getting at, I've been asked for ID time after time after time...it's no big deal. This is 2004, we are being invaded and I cannot see the outrage in checking the legal status of immagrants.

229 posted on 02/01/2004 4:59:51 AM PST by SouthernFreebird ( Go Panthers !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 221 | View Replies]

To: Budge
I agree 100%.
230 posted on 02/01/2004 5:57:19 AM PST by ItisaReligionofPeace (I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 219 | View Replies]

To: MissAmericanPie
Advocating a true free market capitalistic system is selling "snake oil"? This is the typical attitude on this site, and it leads me to believe that we really are doomed to a future of socialism in this country. There is very little difference between your views and those of the average liberal who wants to play puppet master with the lives of other adults. The struggle between conservatives and liberals appears to be little more than a struggle for power. Very sad.
231 posted on 02/01/2004 6:00:29 AM PST by ItisaReligionofPeace (I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 218 | View Replies]

To: kittymyrib
After a ranch family was murdered by illegals in West Texas a couple of weeks ago,

Can you provide a link and/or retype the story from the publication where it was found?

232 posted on 02/01/2004 6:11:45 AM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
Roughly 50% of illegal aliens in the U.S. are NOT Mexicans, but rather people from all parts of the world who have overstayed their visas, these people come from nearly every nation in Europe.

First, you are a bald-faced liar and I know it. Considerably more than 50% of illegal aliens are of Mexican origin. Second, not only do I have a driver's license, my health insurance card AND my valid Social Security card...I am fluent in English and knowledgeable about U.S. culture, politics, sports, etc. in sufficient quantity to convince an government official I've been living here. Also, I keep a current passport at all times which can easily be accessed should any official wish to see it. Next question?

233 posted on 02/01/2004 6:18:11 AM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 221 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
On second thought, I do not have the time to waste debating you on the merits of having massive amounts of illegal residents here who do not belong here and do not share the Bible-based values that for a long time a basis for our society.

Those of us who grew up with those values have for years shown compassion to the downtrodden. However, the downtrodden have become the uptrodden and are trodding all over many of us financially and in person. When I read about women from a foreign nation and culture butting in front of others at the supermarket that does it for me. No more. When I read about them stripping centers providing aid of all goods, that does it for me. We are not here for peoples of the world to come and abuse us and leave us destitute. What many do not realize is that those arguing for their needs (illegals) will leave us nothing given the upper hand.

I see this every day in school with Hispanic students (predmoninantly Mexican) and have even caused them to admit to other students in the class that, in fact, once they have the upper hand they will not be so generous. They actually admit it. So, when I hear the truth from Mexicans about their attitudes and intentions and see you write lies...it is unbearable. Do not address me again.

234 posted on 02/01/2004 6:25:18 AM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 225 | View Replies]

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
"First, you are a bald-faced liar and I know it."

Another flame queen on the warpath.

"Considerably more than 50% of illegal aliens are of Mexican origin."

According to the INS website 58% of all illegals are Mexicans, the rest are from all over the world.

Now, I guess we'll enter into a debate on whether my "roughly" means less than your "considerably".

"Second, not only do I have a driver's license, my health insurance card AND my valid Social Security card...I am fluent in English and knowledgeable about U.S. culture, politics, sports, etc. in sufficient quantity to convince an government official I've been living here. Also, I keep a current passport at all times which can easily be accessed should any official wish to see it. Next question?"

Yeah, two questions actually.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -- Ben Franklin

235 posted on 02/01/2004 6:37:35 AM PST by Luis Gonzalez (The Gift Is To See The Trout.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 233 | View Replies]

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
"I do not have the time to waste debating you on the merits of having massive amounts of illegal residents here who do not belong here and do not share the Bible-based values that for a long time a basis for our society."

Now, all you have to do is point out any statement that I've made on this thread wher I even touched on those topics.

"When I read about women from a foreign nation and culture butting in front of others at the supermarket that does it for me. No more."

Now, are you claiming that only women from foreign nations are rude in supermarkets?

You're stoned, aren't you?

236 posted on 02/01/2004 6:45:56 AM PST by Luis Gonzalez (The Gift Is To See The Trout.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 234 | View Replies]

To: MS.BEHAVIN
I have a Dear Friend , his name is "Popeye"..his son was killed and dragged through the streets of Somalia..We have coffee together almost everyday..

I'm going to assume that "Popeye" is maybe from the Lincoln, Maine area. You tell "Popeye" for us that his son is a hero. I wouldn't trade all the football stars, all the Hollywood movie stars, all the music stars in this country for his son.

What happened that Oct. day in 1993 should never be forgotten.

237 posted on 02/01/2004 6:57:13 AM PST by Missouri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 224 | View Replies]

To: Gallegos
Illegal aliens and their spawn should be scared that they are going to get deported.

If this what it takes to shake-up the illegal immigration community and their allies, so be it.

238 posted on 02/01/2004 7:06:21 AM PST by Missouri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 203 | View Replies]

To: ItisaReligionofPeace
"Advocating a true free market capitalistic system is selling "snake oil"?

Oh yes, the holy grail of a "true" "free" market capitalistic system.....ya, it's snake oil. What is going on now is piracy and anarchy, the label attached to it says "True Free Market Capitalitic System", but way back when,the USofA applied boot to butt over piracy.

Nothing artificially manipulated to produce a desired outcome is "free trade". Which by the way, is still an unproven idea. To flood the nation with job priates that are not even suppose to be here is anarchy against the citizen. What is going on is absolutely a hostile attack, a war, against the sovereignty and security of the American citizen.
239 posted on 02/01/2004 7:47:03 AM PST by MissAmericanPie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 231 | View Replies]

To: kittymyrib

Too bad that you have that impression don't close your mind
I know a lot of illegals making six figures income and paying taxes every year


240 posted on 02/09/2005 12:34:02 PM PST by KAR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200201-220221-240241-242 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson