Dear Members 48 illegal immigrants with criminal records arrested in three-day sweep A dragnet targeting illegal immigrants with criminal records -- drug dealers, rapists and other convicted felons -- resulted in 48 arrests in Minnesota and 370 throughout the Midwest, officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Friday. Among those nabbed in Minnesota were a 36-year-old Mexican citizen with a previous conviction for selling methamphetamine and a 23-year-old man from Laos previously convicted of raping a child. All were in the United States illegally. Many have been deported previously. "These are the worst of the worst offenders," said Scott Baniecke, field office director for ICE's Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations in Minnesota. "These are not people we want in our communities." The nationwide Operation Cross Check lasted for three days, through Thursday evening, ICE officials said. Federal agents were assisted in Minnesota by police departments from Montevideo, Rochester, Austin and the Mower County Sheriff's Office. In all, ICE agents in the St. Paul Field Division of Operations, which includes Iowa and Nebraska, arrested 87 people in the country illegally. "With their help, it definitely made this a great success," Baniecke said of local law enforcement. "It is a force-multiplier for us." Of the 370 arrested in 10 Midwest states, 347 had prior criminal convictions, including nine gang members and 16 convicted sex offenders. More than 56 percent of those arrested in the Midwest had prior convictions for serious or violent crimes, such as armed robbery, drug trafficking, child abuse, sexual crimes against minors, aggravated assault, theft and forgery In addition, 51 of those arrested in the Midwest were classified as immigration fugitives who have outstanding orders of deportation and have failed to leave the country. Of those arrested by the St. Paul Field Division, eight are being prosecuted by U.S. Attorneys' Offices for illegally re-entering the United States after a previous deportation. ******************************************************** Migrants turn to the sea to enter US illegally SAN DIEGO — The speedboat is about three miles offshore when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent cuts the engine to drift on the current in quiet darkness, hoping for the telltale signs of immigrant smuggling — sulfur fumes or a motor's whirr. "It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and the haystack is the Pacific Ocean," agent Tim Feige says minutes before sunrise marks the end to another uneventful shift. This is a new frontier for illegal immigrants entering the United States — a roughly 400-square-mile ocean expanse that stretches from a bullring on the shores of Tijuana, Mexico, to suburban Los Angeles. In growing numbers, migrants are gambling their lives at sea as land crossings become even more arduous and likely to end in arrest ***************************************************** (Click link for full article) Egg Kingpin Linked to Salmonella Scare Has History of Violations Published August 24, 2010 The egg mogul linked to the widespread salmonella outbreak is considered by government officials a repeat offender, and the allegations and violations at his farms go far beyond sanitation to illegal immigration, unsafe workplace conditions and sexual abuse of female employees. Though the recent recall is the first time conditions at his farms have drawn such heated and nationwide scrutiny, Austin "Jack" DeCoster has been cited for violations dating back at least to the early 1990s. DeCoster has been a force in the egg world for decades, with companies and locations under various names operating in Maine, Iowa and elsewhere. His Wright County Egg is one of two Iowa farms directly linked to the salmonella scare, and his Quality Egg supplies chickens and feed to both farms involved. ************************************************ Program allows county to check immigration status A federal database program put into use by Cherokee County governments a year ago is blocking illegal immigrants from gaining many services. The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program is an inter-governmental initiative designed to help governments or any other benefit-granting agency determine an applicant's immigration status, ensuring that only entitled applicants receive federal, state or local benefits and licenses. The county government's Development Services Center and marshal's office uses the system to verify license applications for: occupational tax (business licenses), selling or serving alcohol, peddler/solicitor, amusement activities, pawnshops, pool rooms, massage practitioners, precious metal dealers, adult entertainment establishments, ambulance franchises, wreckers, taxis and limousines. County Manager Jerry Cooper said the county has made 55 inquiries using the system since September last year, and all checked out as legal. Fifteen applicants withdrew their requests before a verification check was run because they admitted they were in the country illegally. "The system is fairly easy to use. It provides easy-to-understand instructions and tutorials," Cooper said of SAVE. "The system is effective in determining the citizenship status of those seeking benefits." State law required city governments to start using the program at the beginning of the year. Since then, the city of Woodstock has run 21 verifications, 20 of which checked out. The one that did not come back as legal was denied, according to Terry Crowley, who operates the system for the city government. The city uses SAVE for anyone who is deemed to be receiving a benefit, from employment to a business license. The city of Canton has run 25 verifications, all of which checked out, according to Linda Buchanan, who is in charge of business licenses and taxes for the city. "It looks like it is going to be good for us," she said of SAVE. The city of Ball Ground performed one check for a beer and wine license, which came back as legal. It also uses SAVE before granting business licenses. "The process for us was very effective," Ball Ground City Manager Eric Wilmarth said. "It took me probably less than five minutes to run it." But the program is not perfect, Wilmarth said, as some people complain that the form is "intrusive." "For them, it is one more piece of paperwork they have to do," he said. Mrs. Crowley said the system also is "faulty" because SAVE only can be used if the applicant says he or she is a qualified alien or non-immigrant lawfully present in the country. The city of Waleska has not yet used the program. The city of Holly Springs still is in the process of implementing the program, according to City Clerk Karen Norred **********************************************
**************************************************** Sent to me with a request to forward from Kathleen ON Behalf of Tom Tancredo It's time for those of us who have been fighting this illegal alien invasion to pay back the one man who stood up for and stood by us when no one else in D.C. would listen. In doing so Tom Tancredo paid a high political price. If you have not already sent a donation to Tom's campaign, I hope you will join me and send any amount you can afford. Let's support Tom if, for no other reason, as a way of thanking him for his support when we needed it most. Please pass this request to everyone on your list. Thank you and best wishes for a wonderful holiday weekend! Kathleen tom@tancredoforgovernor2010.com P.S. It is time for our state to take a strong stand against illegal immigration. My opponent, John Hickenlooper, is standing hand in hand with Obama's open border, amnesty policies. In order to defeat them we must raise $175,000 by the September 1st filing deadline. Your contribution of $100, or even $50, will go a long way to help us win this election. Please be as generous as possible.  Ruthie Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform State Chapter for FIRE Coalition "Restore Order - Secure Our Border" "The Ruthie Report" 8 pm CST every Thursday via Conservative Alliance Media Network at |
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