Posted on 05/20/2002 9:41:29 AM PDT by tdadams
If I misinterpreted your position on open borders I apologize.
EBUCK
Published 5/20/2002
President Bush signed an immigration reform bill last week that will supposedly make our borders "more secure" and "smart." But "smart" technology can't cure corrupted borders. This new law won't do much good if our own State Department officials are willing to sell out national security and peddle American visas for bribes.
A little-noticed scandal is brewing to our south that President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, open-borders panderer Karl Rove and Mexican President Vicente Fox would all prefer to ignore. It involves an FBI investigation of entrenched visa fraud at the American consulate in Juarez, Mexico. Last month, U.S. consular employee Arcelia Betansis was convicted in El Paso on federal charges of accepting bribes and gratuities in return for expediting visa approvals. From 1998 to 1999, Betansis assisted nearly 500 people seeking visas and border-crossing cards, including wealthy businessmen, drug traffickers and professional boxer Julio Cesar Chavez.
In return, Betansis received thousands of dollars in cash, loans and gifts, including airfare and tickets to one of Mr. Chavez's boxing matches in Las Vegas. And this may be just the tip of the iceberg. FBI agent Art Werge, who uncovered Betansis' crimes while conducting a major San Diego drug trafficking bust, says Betansis' superiors are now under investigation. Unchecked visa fixing among high-ranking officials has long been rumored at the Juarez outpost, but only Betansis (a relative small fry in the office who worked in communications) has suffered any consequences.
National Public Radio correspondent John Burnett reported on this scam a few weeks ago, and the Mexican press has covered it extensively, but the Juarez visa fraud investigation has received almost zero coverage stateside. It deserves a higher profile, and it deserves attention in Congress.
Before September 11, such visa-vending crimes by American Embassy and consular officials might have been viewed as isolated embarrassments. Now, they must been seen as treacherous breaches that demand zero tolerance by the State Department. The consular corps is, as Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies puts it, "America's other Border Patrol." Responsible for issuing more than 6 million visitor visas and nearly half a million immigrant visas every year, these consular offices are our first line of defense abroad in the war on terrorism.
Yet, overwhelmed and understaffed offices often spend less than 2 minutes per application. Their anti-fraud budgets are measly. And punishment for diplomats involved in visa fraud schemes is spotty and secretive. According to a review by the Los Angeles Times three years ago, a "majority of diplomats suspected of wrongdoing in issuing visas retired or were moved to another post. Cases that were opened took years to develop and usually ended up being dropped." Punishment for diplomats suspected of visa irregularities rarely appears to extend to firing or prosecution, the paper noted.
In addition, foreign-born, low-level officers working in American consulates are ripe targets for bribery. Betansis was a native of Mexico. Yemeni national Abdulla Noman, who was arrested in October 2001, used his position as a United States consular employee in Saudi Arabia to sell false visas to Middle Easterners, according to federal prosecutors. If we have enough common sense to try to bar noncitizens from the federalized airport security work force, shouldn't we take a harder look at foreigners working in our consular offices and embassies overseas who have the power to let countless potential menaces through America's front door?
Citing "due process," State Department spokeswoman Kelly Shannon told me the department "is not at liberty" to discuss whether Betansis has been fired for her criminal behavior. So much for increasing accountability by our watchdogs overseas.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in El Paso will not comment on whether any of the nearly 500 beneficiaries of Betansis' misconduct will themselves be prosecuted or deported. So much for getting tough on illegal immigration.
And it remains to be seen whether law enforcement authorities will be able to make visa fraud charges stick against higher-ranking officials in Juarez who have friends in all the right places in both the Fox and Bush administrations — which continue to clamor for amnesty for illegal line-jumpers and border-crossers.
So much for those smart, secure borders, huh?
Perhaps tdadams in post #45 answered your question about the means to secure our borders. Frankly, I don't care what it takes to prevent illegal crossings.
I like Billy_bob_bob's suggestion to impose severe fines on those who employ the illegals as well.
If welfare at the expense of U.S. taxpayers were to dry up, so would a lot of the illegal border traffic.
If someone were to enter my home without permission or invitation, they would be subject to harsh retaliation; I would imagine that the same would apply if you were similarly invaded. I think invading one's country without permission also deserves harsh consequences.
It is the fault of our "western culture" that this invasion is taking place. Same thing happened to Rome. We consider ourselves enlightened and compassionate, create a welfare state (as proof of our compassion), open our borders to all who will come (because the truly compassionate have no standards) and this is the result. Our openness and compassion for the downtrodden is our downfall. We need a massive wave of greed and self-servitude to sweep over even the poorest producer among us in order for real change to take effect here.
Our country never stood on the basis of "to each...from each" until very recently. America was founded on the principle of "individual opportunity" and our laws were set up so as to not restrict the individual from succeeding. Current law is bassackwards in its intent, interpretation and practice. Current law seems geared towards sustaining current classes and in practice only serves to oppress the ingenious. A great philosopher once said..."Give a man a fish and feed him for a day...Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime" (or something close to that nayway). That is true compassion (some call it tough love) and the same applies here and now with the immigration problem.
Give a man a country and he's a patriot for a day...Make a man earn his place in said country and he's a patriot for life. And our country will be better for it too.
EBUCK
Harsh consequences? Oh, like welfare, food stamps, water stops and taxi service in the desert, free medical care, free delivery of millions of babies, instant citizenship, reduced tuition in our colleges, evade paying taxes, the possibility of voting, drivers licenses.
Did I miss any?
Yes, harsh consequences indeed. What a nightmare for the American people.
The President should announce that in 30 days the Border Partrol isto begin rounding them up and sending them home if they are here illegally. To me they have no defence and deserve no hearing. I don't care if their children were born here or not. Their was once a law on the books to punish employers for employing illegals - if so, enforce it, if not enact it. You can't tell me there are no laws on the book to do this, already. If we don't have one already and can't enact one, go hire a team of lawyers and they will 'find' one. Fine them a large amount per day for each employee and freeze the assets of the management of these companies unless they pay. Then, of course, the President, would have to turn a deaf ear to the 'compassionates' among us rather than to the average citizen as he is doing today.
As for this hurting the economy, I do not see how. The studies I have read show these people use more in taxpayer funded services than they contribute to the economy. When they contribute 1/3 of Mexico's gross national product in monies sent back there, I don't see how they are adding to the economy. Maybe to the bottom line of some greedy corporation - but not to the bottom line of this country. And how do you put a price on the destruction of the American way of life.
Well, on the matter of voting, can't help but wonder how many times each of them vote. Additional tax burdens that they impose on U.S. citizens include added prison costs. Add to that, the property and lives lost at the hands of illegal alien criminals increases the suffering for law-abiding U.S. citizens.
When I visit a foreign country I do it legally. Why should I expect less from an alien visiting this country?
Fine with me, if any of those people try to enter ILLEGALLY. Laws are laws, reguardless of skin color or ethnicity.
Just for the record, I'm not in favor of severe fines, I'm in favor of TOTAL ASSET FORFETURE to be INSTANTLY APPLIED, just like they do if someone is a suspected drug dealer. Because as far as I'm concerned, these employers are doing a lot more damage to our society than the drug dealers are. Just wanted to clarify my position.
This was the question I was responding to.
As far as being afraid of being labeled, I wasn't referring specifically to you but the pro-borders people in general. Destigmatize our position & the battle is won, no fuss, no muss.
Bingo
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