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
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?
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Can you provide a link and/or retype the story from the publication where it was found?
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
If this what it takes to shake-up the illegal immigration community and their allies, so be it.
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
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