lframerica.com Blog

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/impact_85625___article.html/known_border.html

April 3, 2008

McALLEN, Texas (AP) - Rio Grande Valley elected officials and environmentalists wonder if they will know the full impact of the border fence before it is in their backyards now that the federal government has bypassed the law requiring detailed environmental study.

They waited months for a final environmental impact statement to be produced after extensive study of what lay in the fence’s path.

Now the U.S. Department of Homeland Security says those studies will go on, but it does not have to produce a final report.

Members of the Texas Border Coalition were told in a conference call with federal officials Wednesday that they will not get the final report on the fence. Homeland Security said it would instead work from a draft study.

Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster, chairman of the coalition, said they were told that some findings and mitigation studies would be made available to them, but not the comprehensive report required under the National Environmental Policy Act.

“What is it we don’t want to show the world,” Foster said. “That makes one suspicious.”

Congress has mandated that the Department of Homeland Security have 670 miles of fencing in place along the U.S.-Mexico border by the end of year to protect against terrorism and stem the tide of illegal immigration.

Last fall, the Department of Homeland Security released a massive draft environmental impact statement, with maps of possible fence routes and areas of environmental, historical and archaeological significance that would be studied in more detail for the final document. A public comment period followed when individuals, organizations and other government agencies submitted their concerns and suggestions for alternatives.

The National Environmental Policy Act was one of more than 30 laws Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced he was bypassing Tuesday.

The move away from an established process concerned border area officials and defenders of the environment.

“If you use this waiver and go around NEPA, and then claim you’re still going to do environmental studies, we would be wary of that because NEPA guarantees a process,” said Oliver Bernstein, spokesman for the Sierra Club in Texas. “They’ve kind of pulled the carpet out from under the community participation.”

In addition to detailing the fence’s impact, the final environmental impact statement was supposed to show that alternatives were explored, Bernstein said. “We may never know at this point.”

Amy Kudwa, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, said the agency had the draft environmental impact statement. “We will continue to work from that and will continue to move forward with environmental assessments.” Kudwa did not know what information would be made public or when.

In a statement released Tuesday, Chertoff said his agency “is neither compromising its commitment to responsible environmental stewardship nor its commitment to solicit and respond to the needs of state, local and tribal governments, other agencies of the federal government and local residents.”

McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez, who participated in the call, said, “They say one thing and then they back off it.”

Cortez was left with the impression that “they (Homeland Security) felt that they had done sufficient work, that there were no significant concerns out there and they could move forward.”

Federally-contracted archaeologists, wildlife experts and others have been conducting surveys along the fence’s path since late last year.

Cortez said, “I think we have a right to see what the data says.”

Under the Real ID Act, Congress gave Chertoff the authority to waive laws that impeded building the fence.

As of March 17, there were 309 miles of fencing in place. The waivers announced Tuesday cover about 470 miles of the border in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Resistance to the border fence has been strongest in South Texas, where towns sit above the Rio Grande and families have strong ties on both sides of the border.

More than 50 Texas property owners have been sued by the government to allow surveying for the fence.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/houston_85630___article.html/area_forced.html 

April 3, 2008

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/nacogdoches_85631___article.html/county_court.html

April 3, 2008

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/cocaine_2982___article.html/wielenga_officials.html

April 3, 2008

NEWBERRY SPRINGS - Officials confiscated approximately $1 million worth of cocaine during a routine traffic stop late Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 40 at Newberry Springs.

During the traffic stop, officials said the driver began acting suspiciously. While searching the vehicle officials said they uncovered 25 kilograms of cocaine according to Sgt. Gregg Wielenga of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s High Intensity Criminal Interdiction Team.

“This is our biggest seizure of 2008 so far,” said Wielenga. “This was obviously part of a large drug-trafficking operation.”

On the street, a kilogram of cocaine is worth approximately $40,000, making the entire load worth $1 million, he said.
The vehicle transporting the cocaine had began its journey in the Los Angeles-area with North Carolina as the destination, said Wielenga. The origin of the cocaine or where it entered the U.S. is still unknown.

Deputy Antonio Juarez was conducting the stop due to the driver’s failure to wear a seat belt, when the driver’s actions warranted a search of the vehicle, said Wielenga.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/15765600/detail.html?taf=dc

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — A Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting on immigration enforcement took an unexpected turn on Tuesday.

The board was to receive an update from the police chief on the county’s crackdown on illegal immigration, but board Chairman Corey Stewart, the architect of the plan, instead was attacked.

A dozen residents, including the head of the police officer’s association, blasted Stewart.

Some focused on the consequences of the illegal immigration crackdown he spearheaded. Others were angry about criticism he leveled at Police Chief Charlie Deane.

Stewart suggested a meeting Deane had last week with the Mexican General Consul and Latino residents was inappropriate and possibly illegal.

“I am appalled that you, Corey Stewart, have publicly attacked our chief,” said former county Supervisor Hilda Barg.

“To you Corey, I say, ‘If you cannot lead us, we must have a leader. Please leave us,’” Barg said.

“Bar none, every single person I talk to was angry, disappointed and very upset at your flippant, arrogant remarks. They do nothing more than add poison to this situation, and it is disgusting,” said resident Skip Brown.

Other speakers begged the board to reconsider the policy implemented last month allowing police to check the citizenship status of those arrested in the county if they think they may be in the country illegal.

A woman who once sponsored a fundraiser for Stewart highlighted a Web site created by supporters of Stewart that likens illegal immigrants to dog food.

“The person I know would never have a relationship with somebody who would post vileness like this,” she said.

Before the meeting, Stewart defended his meeting with the Mexican official.

The controversy overshadowed the police chief’s update on the crackdown. Deane departed from his planned remarks to address the questions.

“This meeting was neither a violation of law, State Department protocol, nor was it unprecedented,” he said.

The chief said the meeting was one of 77 he has had in the community to allay fears about the policy.

Deane said in the first month of the crackdown, the police had contact with 89 people suspected of being in the country illegally.

In his first briefing to the county supervisors since a crackdown on illegal immigration began March 3rd, Deane said that most were questioned during traffic stops and calls for service and 41 were arrested on various charges and taken to the county’s adult detention center.

In the fall, the board voted to direct officers to check the residency status of crime suspects they think might be in the country illegally. Some in the immigrant community are concerned that the program will be used to profile Latino residents.

Since July, when the county began implementing federal immigration laws, the county has detained almost 700 people.

A Patriot was sentenced for ripping up a Mexican flag that was flying alone on U.S. soil.

http://www.krqe.com/Global/story.asp?S=8103472 

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An Albuquerque jury today convicted a University of New Mexico student who hauled down and ripped apart a Mexican flag flying over the campus last year.

Peter Lynch, 30, had claimed he acted out of patriotism, not racism, but jurors agreed with the prosecution that he committed criminal damage to property, a misdemeanor.

The jury heard testimony on Monday and closing arguments this morning.  The verdict was returned shortly after noon.

El Centro de la Raza, a student group that claimed ownership of owned the flag, called it an act of racism.  Shortly after the incident Lynch told KRQE News 13 he wanted to replace the flag for them.

However Lynch, who did not testify during the trial, has said it was inappropriate for a foreign flag to be flying alone on U. S. soil.  The Mexican flag had been raised with administration permission for a campus event, and it later came out the U. S. flag was missing because of a communication breakdown involving UNM ROTC cadets.

Lynch said he alerted UNM officials that the Mexican flag was alone, but no one did anything.

Today in court his attorney said he was protecting an American symbol.

“I respectfully submit to you if the constitution on the First Amendment permits burning an American flag belonging to another, Peter Lynch’s actions protecting the symbol of the United States is protected activity,” defense attorney John D’Amato said in his closing argument.

But prosecutors said Lynch took it too far.

“There is no reasonable doubt in this case,” assistant district attorney Greer Rose told jurors.  “We have two different admissions by the defendant that he ripped this flag in half and testimony he didn’t have permission to do that.”

Lynch is not happy with the decision plans to appeal.

“We were fairly disappointed with the verdict, and we’ll see where it goes from here,” D’Amato said as he left the courtoom.

Immediately after the verdict Metro Court Judge Clyde DeMersseman sentence Lynch to a six-month deferred sentence plus anger management, 48 hours of community service and supervised probation.  He also must replace the flag for El Centro de la Raza.

News 13 contacted Centro de la Raza for their opinion on the verdict and sentencing, but a representative did not want to comment.

Also today KRQE.com Web Question asked for opinions on Lynch destroying the Mexican flag.  By late afternoon the responses were:

• 86 percent saying it Lynch was right
• 14 percent saying he was wrong

http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=793698

Gov. Janet Napolitano urged Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Sheriff Joe Arpaio to resolve their differences over immigration enforcement Wednesday as Hispanic leaders called for an end to the sheriff’s immigration patrols, claiming they are dividing the community and could lead to violence.

The governor, speaking at her weekly media briefing, said the problems “should be resolved professionally,” adding, “I think law enforcement ought to be focused on how public safety is most enhanced.”

She said the dispute over notification between the city and the sheriff over their operations needs to be settled.

“You run the risk of somebody getting hurt,” she said. “If you don’t know what other undercover operations or other things are going on out there, you really could have people running into each other… The second question is making sure that you are not violating people’s civil rights as you do these activities.”

Meanwhile, Hispanic leaders said the sheriff’s crackdowns on illegal immigrants are creating fear and unrest in the community.

“As a community, we see him going out setting up his troops and stopping people at random — racial profiling,” said Hector Yturralde, president of We Are America. “After they find out they can’t speak English or they have no identification, then they stop them for immigration.”

Yturralde added, “He is causing a division within this community that is not good. And that is not his job.”

He said the sheriff is using his title to grandstand at taxpayers’ expense.

In the past two weeks, Arpaio has conducted patrols at two Phoenix locations where day laborers gather, using some 200 deputies and posse members. Last week, more than 50 people were arrested in the area around Cave Creek and Bell Roads. More than a dozen were illegal immigrants. Arpaio has vowed to continue the operations.

Yturralde, Lydia Guzman with Respect Respecto and immigrants’ activist and former state lawmaker Alfredo Gutierrez expressed concerns that Arpaio’s patrols, which have drawn large groups of protesters and criticism from Phoenix police and the mayor, will end up in violence.

“We’re seeing people come out of the shadows who are very angry because at some point they feel victimized,” said Guzman. “And other people are coming out of maybe the other side of the shadows and saying we want something done.”

Gutierrez said most “decent” people do not believe the sheriff’s operations are accomplishing anything, except dividing the community.

“He chose to take this extraordinary provocative approach,” Gutierrez said, adding that during last week’s operation, “We were able to maintain control, but barely.”

He said more patrols could lead to formal resistance, i.e. civil disobedience on the streets of Phoenix.

“I think that will begin to occur at his next excursion, the next time he brings 200 or 300 people into a neighborhood to arrest people,” Gutierrez said.

Guzman and Gutierrez said everyone believes that immigration reform is absolutely necessary, but it is the responsibility of Congress and the federal government.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/county_85487___article.html/federal_cornyn.html

CORNYN: Getting Federal Money For Levees ‘fair and just’ 

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/officials_85497___article.html/increasingly_recklessness.html

McALLEN - Human smugglers are employing increasingly risky and dangerous methods to transport illegal immigrants since security tightened along the U.S.-Mexico border, law enforcement officials said.

“They’re getting less area they can successfully enter,” said Oscar Saldaña, a U.S. Border Patrol spokesman.

“That’s why were seeing more of these desperate acts. And unfortunately, we anticipate there’s going to be more of these types of events.”

On Thursday a Ford F-150 carrying more than 20 illegal immigrants collided with another vehicle on Expressway 83 in Peñitas, leaving three dead and another 14 injured.

They were the latest victims of what appears to be a growing and often fatal trend in the Rio Grande Valley of human smugglers, or coyotes, filling cars and trucks with loads of immigrants far beyond the vehicles’ capacity and then driving at high speeds, often to elude law enforcement.

Law enforcement’s presence here has increased significantly over the past six years, since President Bush ordered federal law enforcement agencies to tighten control of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The number of Border Patrol agents in the Valley has risen from about 1,200 in 2002 to more than 2,200 this year, Saldaña said. And local law enforcement agencies - from small-town police departments to the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office - have been awarded a series of state and federal grants to dedicate officers to border security details.

“You’re talking about human smuggling and drugs,” Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño said. “There’s no doubt in the last five years the attitude of the human smuggler has taken a 180. They have transformed themselves into a commodity broker that has no limitations to getting their cargo to where they want to go.”

Less publicized than their counterparts in the drug trafficking industry, human smuggling organizations tend to be highly structured, with resources and operatives spread across the globe, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Janice Ayala, who directs investigations between Laredo and Brownsville.

Fees range anywhere from $300 to $50,000 per person, depending on where the immigrant is coming from and wants to go, as well as the difficulty of the route, she said. A person traveling from China might have one smuggler take them to Central America, another take them to Mexico, another to take them across the border and another to move them through the United States.

“These are organizations moving people from one country to another to another, so they need a very sophisticated network in order to do that,” Ayala said.

“Most of these alien smuggling organizations are paying passage to a large (drug) cartel, because they have the routes to the U.S.”

Officials uniformly expressed dismay at what Treviño described as the “abrasive and violent” attitude of the coyotes.

“Back in the day, a coyote would take money for helping people across, but they were maybe more of a compañero, more of a surrogate,” Treviño said.

The Mexican government, at both the state and federal level, is in the midst of a public relations campaign to warn Mexican nationals of the growing danger of crossing the border illegally.

Billboards in the United States and Mexico caution against traveling with coyotes, and government-written newspaper columns tell horror stories of immigrants drowning in the Rio Grande or being left to die in the desert heat.

“We share the tragic stories of migrants, so people can talk to relatives and discourage them,” said Miriam Medel, vice consul of the Mexican Consulate in McAllen.

“(The coyotes) are our worst enemy, and we’re always trying to tell people not to trust them.”

In Washington, D.C., where Congress is expected to address immigration reform again next year, the recent worsening of the human smuggling problem has not as yet gained traction as a political issue, said Douglas Rivlin, a spokesman for the National Immigration Forum, a pro-immigrant advocacy group.
In fact, despite heightened interest early in this presidential campaign, illegal immigration has fallen off as a talking point for the candidates over the last two months, he said.
“I think (some people are aware) in terms of just some of the press coverage we’ve seen about immigrants being held captive by smugglers, but not in terms of people being aware that we’re in a new era of smuggling,” Rivlin said.
‘Our worst enemy’
‘Abrasive and violent’