U.S. Policy Lets Illegal Immigrants Go

AP ^ | July 3, 2005 | PAULINE ARRILLAGA

[Ramonan]

Several times a day, a chain-link gate rolls open and dozens of illegal immigrants stroll out of the U.S. Border Patrol station here.

Each holds a piece of paper that Spanish-speakers call a "permiso" — permission, courtesy of the U.S. government, to roam anywhere.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, more than 118,000 undocumented migrants who were caught after sneaking over the nation's borders have walked out of custody with a permiso in hand.

They were from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Brazil, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, the Philippines, Yemen — among 35 countries of "special interest"

These are the so-called OTM, or "Other Than Mexican," migrants too far from their homelands to be shipped right back..

The Border Patrol is catching them — But the government has no place to put all the "OTMs" while they await deportation hearings, so they are released with a notice to appear in immigration court.

U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Texas, showed releases of "special-interest" migrants had increased significantly — from at least 60 freed on their own recognizance in fiscal 2002 to at least 381 in fiscal 2004. The letter specifically responded to Ortiz's request for statistics involving illegal immigrants who had been arrested by the Border Patrol.

"Somebody's backtracking," responds Ortiz, whose district includes the Rio Grande Valley. "The border is still very vulnerable and people are still coming across. We still don't have detention facilities, and as long as we don't have them, these numbers are going to keep increasing — as much as they try to change them."

The Border Patrol refused to provide the AP with a country-by-country breakdown of undocumented migrants released on their own recognizance.

[Ramonan]

Excellent article. Long, but worth reading.

[dc27]

I was watching Escape from LA last night. They had the right idea about border patrol in that movie. Nobody could get into the U.S.

[need_a_screen_name]

ping

[rottndog]

Ain't Bush such a great president?

[YOUGOTIT]

I am afraid that our great nation falling because of the illegal immigration. These people are not being integrated into the American way of life and are not accepting American values. We are being invaded and NO politician will do anything to stop the invasion.

[bayourod]

SEALING THE BORDER HAS BEEN PROVEN IMPOSSIBLE

We tried to seal 66 miles of the border in 1994 in “Operation Gate Keeper” designed by the military. It incorporated double and triple fences (some concrete and steel), guard towers, flood lights infrared cameras, ground sensors, patrol roads, horse patrols, ATV patrols, 16 helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, trucks, and a ratio of 32 guards per mile.

If it was successful the plan was to extend it from San Diego to El Paso. It wasn’t successful at all. See Inspector General’s Report ”experienced agents were estimating it was only 5-10 percent effective”

About two hundred thousand are caught each year trying to cross, and another estimated 30 to 40 thousand make it across undetected. They dig under, climb over and break through the fences.

That’s an average of 454 to 606 per mile per year. Extrapolated just to the 2000 mile Mexican border that would be about 1.2 million border jumpers per year. And we would still have the ones who enter from Canada or by air and water or legally on temporary visas and don’t return.

[bayourod]

What exactly are you blaming President Bush for?

Can you show me any legitimate studies that show that we could reduce the flow of illegals anymore than we presently have? We have poured massive amounts into border security in the last four years and it hasn't reduced the number of illegals.

Why don't you talk to your Congressman and Senators instead of blaming President Bush? Ask them what their solution is?

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

It should be starting to dawn on a few dumb heads by now that those in positions of authority(at all levels) are refusing to control immigration. Further, it appears obvious that the authorities failure to control immigration is based upon venal motives. Therefore, the citizens will have to intervene. Citizen intervention is already starting i.e. minutemen groups. This intervention will increase in frequency and intensity. What the ultimate outcome will be is hard to say at this time-though citizen intervention could lead to Social War. Time will tell.

[rolling_stone]

What exactly are you blaming President Bush for? Can you show me any legitimate studies that show that we could reduce the flow of illegals anymore than we presently have? We have poured massive amounts into border security in the last four years and it hasn't reduced the number of illegals.

Why don't you talk to your Congressman and Senators instead of blaming President Bush? Ask them what their solution is?

Presidente Bush proposed an amnesty and the illegals began flooding across into the US, then he tried to squash the reports that showed that the possibility of amnesty induced them to enter illegally. President Bush needs to come out and say that enough is enough and we will enforce our immigration laws, and start by putting up tent city jails and prosecute those that are caught. The solution starts and ends at the top. Congress needs to eliminate the anchor babies loophole, and Presidente Bush should be demanding such legislation to sign..he is AWOL...

I see you never responded to being caught in your lie that illegal entry was not a crime. You are a joke.

[goldfinch]

Ain't Bush such a great president?

He is not perfect, but he far better than the alternative.

[rottndog]

Bush sets the tone for the entire government. They all work for him. Any time he wants he can close down our porous borders and stop this madness. He has all the authority he needs.

Instead, he and his administration have a policy of deliberate non-enforcement of the borders/immigration laws. For whatever reason he seems to think that it is not a serious problem.

It doesn't matter to him how many Americans are murdered by Mexicans who now live free in Mexico.

It doesn't matter to him that the oversupply of labor has driven wage levels down to third world levels for many.

It doesn't matter to him that because of his immigration policy employers feel absolutely no need to comply with employment codes and labor laws--even defense contractors are hiring illegal aliens now(and not being punished when they are caught).

It doesn't matter to him how many hospitals are bankrupted and forced to close down.

It doesn't matter to him that the civil infrastructure of southwestern states is collapsing under the weight of uncontrolled illegal immigration.

It doesn't matter to him that respect for law is likewise collapsing.

Bush is in charge. He sets the tone. He is responsible for this.

[rottndog]

He is not perfect, but he far better than the alternative.


That's not saying much, at least as immigration policy is concerned.

[highball]

It's the same "logic" that we see applied to his economic mistakes.

"Oh, it's okay that he's expanding Medicare and adding an entirely new entitlement, because a Democrat would be so much worse!"

It's the reverse of "Only Nixon could go to China"- only a Republican could get away with this level of spending, or this insecurity along our southern border.