Posted on 08/14/2004 7:22:55 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus
TUCSON- Tom McNamara and the Eyewitness News 4 Investigators have spent the last three months talking to experts and eyewitnesses.
The stories are compelling and the evidence is frightening, and just this week, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo released a report showing that the problem is worse than anyone thought.
Here's what the Eyewitness News 4 Investigators uncovered.
"It's a Muslim prayer blanket. It was found about a mile and a half west from the Douglas port of entry in 2001."
Larry Vance is a rancher who lives near the U.S.-Mexico border in Douglas, Arizona.
For years, he says he's watched - and documented - thousands of illegals crossing the border and running away to eventual arrest... or freedom and anonymity somewhere in this country.
And in just one hour, during this stake-out along the border between Douglas and Bisbee, The Investigators count 198 illegals in five different groups crossing into the U.S. with no resistance.
Watch as they huddle in the bushes, then climb thru a few strands of barbed wire and run for freedom.
We called Border Patrol and waited another full hour, but no one ever came.
Later, we checked Border Patrol logs which note agents being dispatched following our call, but also note those agents found no signs of activity in the area.
In recent years, Vance says, the evidence some illegals leave behind is alarming.
Vance says, "Other log books, diary-type things, other bits and pieces of paper with Arabic written on them found in the area over the last few years
We've all heard of the U.S. government's Terror Watch List: countries flagged because Americans are endangered by their citizens, yet regularly, illegals from those countries are crossing the Arizona border, blending in with groups of Mexican and South American illegal immigrants.
If apprehended, they are brought to this federal detention center in Florence, Arizona.
The investigators found that on this day, several individuals of this kind were being detained here, including some from Sudan, Iran, and even Iraq.
These are just the ones who were caught.
These detainees are called 'other than Mexicans' or OTM's. Most will eventually be sent back to their home country.
But some disappear very quickly, usually before they even reach this center or other holding facilities. They're taken away by tight-lipped federal agents to who-knows-where.
Who are they? They're called 'Special Interest Aliens" or "SIA."
According to Ben Anderson, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, The SIA that they don't want to talk about. That's special interest alien. These are people from those countries that we consider terrorist threats."
Anderson is a retired U.S. Army Colonel who tracks illegal immigration from his home in Sierra Vista, Arizona. He has a website sharing his research into Special Interest Aliens.
"You will not read about that. You will not hear about that. They will not talk about that. They will not provide that info to the press
Colonel Anderson says these Special Interest Aliens originate in the Middle East or Northeast Asia. They travel through Spain to what's called the tri-border area of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, then, to Mexico City.
They pay to learn Spanish language skills, and by the time they reach the U.S., they're acting and talking like Mexicans to fool border agents.
And, Anderson says, they're entering the United States right through our backyard. "This is the main alley. It's called "Cocaine Alley" or "Terrorist Alley." Whatever you want to call it, Arizona is the prime place."
Cochise County is the center. It's the point of gravitus, center of gravity for all illegals," says Anderson.
Anderson says some Special Interest Aliens are well-funded. paying tens of thousands of dollars to be smuggled into this country. They manage to get passports from non-terrorist nations.
And here's the shocking part: if they are caught, they are often released on their own recognizance, never to be seen again.
According to Retired Border Patrol Agent David Stoddard, "There are Middle Easterners coming across the border as we speak."
Stoddard agrees with Anderson. Stoddard spent 17 years as a Border Patrol agent and supervisor in the Tucson Sector before retiring.
"What's scary is that I can show you places out here on the line right now where 18-wheelers can be driven across."
"These 18-wheelers can be loaded with anything -- illegal aliens, atomic weapons, whatever."
Stoddard says Americans would be shocked if they knew just how many people from all over the world are getting into this country across the Arizona border. And he says we're even less safe from terrorism today than we were before 9/11.
Take for example, the capture of terrorist suspect Jose Padilla. The Justice Department says Padilla and an accomplice planned to enter the U.S. thru Mexico to blow up apartment buildings in major cities, like New York.
Or the case of suspected al-Qaeda sleeper agent Mohammed Junaid Babar.
Babar has told investigators of a scheme to smuggle terrorists across the Mexican border. He's tied to a terror plot to carry out bombings and assassinations in London.
And the Tombstone Tumbleweed newspaper reports that in June, 53 Middle Eastern men were apprehended by Border Patrol agents near Willcox.
It's believed they were from Iran or Syria.
Stoddard says, "It's the ones who are sneaking into our country under cover of darkness between our ports of entry that concern me and should concern every American.
Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner says, "You don't know what is getting by you unless you come across, as you said, small pieces of evidence, remnants of things that give you clues, that not everybody is coming across from mexico looking for a job."
Bonner knows exactly who and what current agents are uncovering along our border and he has a dire warning:
"It's only a matter of time before another terrorist attack occurs, unfortunately.
Some in Congress are starting to take notice of the threat. Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo released a report that revealed a 50% increase in OTMs, illegals Other Than Mexicans, crossing the border.
Tancredo says some illegals from terrorist nations are paying as much as $50,000 to be smuggled in. He says they're not paying that kind of money simply to work at a 7/11.
That's not what I'm doing, fwiw, although his post does beg a lot of questions along those lines as well.
There are tons of motives to oppose illegal immigration, like that they will indeed vote Dem for starters.
There are tons of motives to oppose illegal immigration, like that they will indeed vote Dem for starters.
How many illegal immigrants vote? Also, if we just legalized immigration from Mexico and made it as easy for them to travel here, work here, etc., as it is for Americans to travel to and work there, would that be OK with you?
bttt
Oh I see, you weren't insinuating that people who oppose illegal immigration are racist against Mexicans like liberals always do, dragging out the racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobic pig lines. Ok, what were you insinuating? And what does "fwiw" mean?
How many illegal immigrants vote?
How many dead vote? Too many. Voter fraud is rampant in Oakland and Chicago, but I wasn't referring to illegals, I was talking about anchor babies and naturalized Mexicans. They vote Dem just like all other Catholics, I know, I am a Catholic and I see how partisan they are, just like Ted Kennedy's Irish Mass, Hillary's Italian NY, and Dailey's Polish Chicago. Inviting millions of Mexicans is inviting a demographic shift the GOP to a permanent minority party. I can't believe no one else see long term like this.
Also, if we just legalized immigration from Mexico and made it as easy for them to travel here, work here, etc., as it is for Americans to travel to and work there, would that be OK with you?
Of course not. Why would anything more than a handful of Americans what to work for dirt poor wages? They don't, there isn't a Boston marathon of white guys waiting to cross to mexico every night. What a stupid point. Its not ok because amnesty not only encourages more of it, but the ones who are already here are suppressing wages and driving up American unemployment. There's no reason its close to 6% right now with the economy humming the way it is, its just that the American worker has been sold out by Cheap Labor special interests and its getting worse fast.
See below.
And what does "fwiw" mean?
For what it's worth.
I can't believe no one else see long term like this.
California and Texas are both ~32% Hispanic. Texas is as conservative as it has ever been and becoming moreso every year. California is a solid blue state. Doesn't sound like Hispanics are the problem, imho. Sounds like liberal Californians are.
Of course not.
So please stop saying you are opposed to "illegal" immigration. You're opposed to immigration.
You are completely dodging the point of Mexican voters going Dem because you know its true and you want an excuse to keep the borders open.
So please stop saying you are opposed to "illegal" immigration. You're opposed to immigration.
I'll say whatever I wish, thank you very much. I am against illegal immigration, but legal immigration would be controled in relation to our economic conditions. If the borders were enforced there wouldn't be nearly this many coming in, and it would be orderly and we would know who is in here-problem solved.
You don't want the problem solved...what's your agenda?
I didn't dodge the point at all. I actually showed you that Mexican immigration means nothing to how a state votes. 5 of the top 7 most heavily Hispanic states are red states, genius.
I am against illegal immigration, but legal immigration would be controled in relation to our economic conditions. Nice. A command and control federal government. You'd like Cuba.
You don't want the problem solved...what's your agenda? Having a US that is as free and economically strong as possible.
Yes you dodged, or you're pretending that the % of hispanics isn't skyrocketing UPWARD. Your point made no sense, what do you think is going to happen to GOP congressman as their districts become hispanic Democrat? Ask Bob Dornan. If you think things are going to stay the % they are with the open border you want, then you are the MENSA candidate.
Nice. A command and control federal government. You'd like Cuba.
Oh lord, that is the dumbest strawman I've ever heard. Actually stopping people coming into our country illegally is totalitarian? There's never been a nation in history that DIDN'T at least check people. Why have a border?
You don't want the problem solved...what's your agenda?
Having a US that is as free and economically strong as possible.
Ahh, a Cheap Labor Republican. (I've found a 3rd one on FR for you South40) I wondered why your answers were so illogical. You're defending the indefensible. Well, we'll see how much mileage Edwards gets out his stupid 2 Americas comment in the swing states where unemployment is so high thanks to your greedy special interests efforts to make us "economically strong" which I guess is what you call undercutting American laborers these days.
Like you already said, you're not for stopping them coming into the country illegally. You're for stopping, or using a massive federal government department to try and control their coming and going... as Cuba does. (By the way, your handle is extremely ironic.)
Well, we'll see how much mileage Edwards gets out his stupid 2 Americas comment in the swing states where unemployment is so high thanks to your greedy special interests efforts to make us "economically strong" which I guess is what you call undercutting American laborers these days.
Not enough to win. Most Americans are a little sharper than you, so this populist crap doesn't really work anymore.
Touché!
How many ILLEGALS were found to have voted for Loretta Sanchez? Over 900, I believe.
You're right. Even in Texas where Dubya supposedly had the Hispanic vote all locked up, Gore beat him among Hispanic voters by a double-digit margin. Once a upon a time, a democrat like L. Sanchez could have no more defeated a Republican incumbent in California's 47th district than a potted plant could. The Demographics changed all that.
You're not too bright are you...? It isn't the system that just Cuba has, it's the kind of system that every coutry has. Every nation has borders and immigration laws and it provides tourists/visitors with visas to allow them a temporay stay/visit. These visas are subjected to all sorts of regulations and people that violate these rules and/or overstay their visas are subjected to deportation. That is the way it works all over the globe.
Your proto-libertarian nonsense can't be reconciled with reality pal. Wake up!
In a previous post I reccomended that the Borders be used as Boot camp training areas giving us a presence everywhere it is needed to bolster Homeland Security. The greatest advantage to be gained by this is to replace the token force of Border Patrol Agents with professional warrior Soldiers and finally get serious from this point on about the infltration of foreign nationals into the country.
Start a rotational change out of these troops and keep fresh replcements going to other places where needed. This has absolutely got to happen and I mean now! Taxpayer relief has got to happen and we must use our best trained forces to ensure that we are protected. If Iraq can accomplish this we certainly must not fail to see this done!
Of course. And how hard is it for you to travel, stay, and work in Mexico? If PRofLA was proposing that it be just as easy for Mexicans to do the same with coming and going from the US, I'd have no problem with his position.
Uhh, yeah-its called a boorrrrrr-derrrrr Country Clubber. I'm not going to let down my gaurd and sing Kum Bi Ya My Lord and hope Mexico doesn't ship its criminals here to break into my house, or Al Qaeda doesn't get amongst a pack of "workers" and set up shop. (By the way, your failure to understand that is extremely dense.)
Not enough to win. Most Americans are a little sharper than you, so this populist crap doesn't really work anymore.
Its the other way around, while you RINOs think you are building some supermajority you are failing to see that most people aren't into talk radio or FR, and only vote their pocketbook. Well I'm sorry to have to report but AZ and OH and MI are swing states because of jobs and health care, and those two issues are being raked over the coals by Cheap Labor Republicans who undercut Americans to fill their factories or sweatshops, and allow the invasion to shut down emergency rooms all over the southland because Mexicans are so selfish they show up to emergency rooms for common colds and get treated for free.
Look Cheap Labor#3, as I explained to Cheap Labor#1 and he ran away; if you phoney "economically stronger" guys really cared about America, you would get your labor by;
A. Pushing for legislation to enforce Disability fraud.
B. Make the case against the convential wisdom that the minimum wage needs to be raised-it needs to be lowered.
C. Restrict welfare eligability and length of time on it.
D. Reduce the recently lengthed unemployment benefits. Hey, I'm no exception, people on these things are simply getting what they can. I collected unemployment a few years back and just happened to finally find a job right after it ran out. There is a huge population out there being a taker rather than a producer that should be filling your cheap labor void. If you Cheap Labor guys weren't such cowards you would seek one of those as a solution rather than excusing law breaking because its the easy way and then rationalize that its "the only way".
If they somehow had a border to stop Americans coming down-that would restrict them sending Mexicans north #3, and be a defacto-border enforcement that none of you want.
Country Clubber?
Haha. OK, Cletus. Get back to me when you can explain why Texas and California have the same level of Hispanic populations yet California has a massive welfare state while Texas is solid red, pro-business, and pro freedom.
Haha... you think they would ever stop Americans from coming and working there should they choose? Are you joking?
The truth is right in front of the Cheap Labor Republicans' eyes, but there is no depth that they will not stoop to keep the undercutting spiget flowing.
As was pointed out to your earlier yet you are dodging the point, Gore won the hispanics by double digits there. I am not denying CA is a state of many fruits and nuts, however the point I was making before you got on this tangent about the difference is that hispanics are and will continue to change the "solid red" you are trumping up exponentially.
Let me go real slow, if hispanics keep flowing unchecked into your state, and said hispanics vote overwhelming for Gore, then your state will begin to vote overwhelming D. How can you not see the handwriting on the wall?
Oh right, you're a Cheap Labor Republican and you're not being honest about your true intentions, I keep trying to reason with you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.