Here's your ping, Cal. What this really does is point out that there is no one answer to the illegal immigration problem. We must attack it on several fronts, and do so with gusto!
Posted on 05/17/2005 5:28:49 AM PDT by Calpernia
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Earlier this year, a couple in Michigan was accused of enslaving a 14-year-old African girl, hitting her with a belt and shoes and sexually abusing her for three years. Last fall, a 60-year-old Filipino woman in California won an $825,000 lawsuit after claiming she was enslaved and assaulted, working 18 hours a day, and sleeping in a dog bed. And last month, federal agents broke up a prostitution ring in Brooklyn exploiting Asian girls.
They are among as many as 20,000 immigrants smuggled into the U.S. each year headed toward possible slavery or prostitution often through the major ports of New York, California and Florida, according to federal officials and a study by Florida State University.
Now, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer with powerful majority sponsors in the state Assembly and Senate wants to make the act of human trafficking a felony, as well as give prosecutors tougher and more effective laws than the current statutes used, including kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. The law also provides a way for victims to recover payments for their physical, psychological and financial pain.
"We can't allow the American dream to be turned into a nightmare of exploitation and abuse," Spitzer said. The Democratic candidate for governor called the crime a "shocking problem."
A bill that would provide needed enforcement tools for the growing crime could be acted on before the legislative session is scheduled to end June 23, according to Spitzer spokesman Paul Larrabee.
"The trafficking of human life must not exist in a civil society," said Republican Sen. Dale Volker of Erie County, a leading law-and-order advocate in the Legislature who is cosponsoring the measures.
"After drugs and arms, the trafficking of women and children are the largest source of profit for organized crime," said Democratic Assemblyman Joseph Lentol of Brooklyn.
Several crime victims' groups have backed the proposal.
"The problem of human trafficking has been escalating in the past few years," said Susan Xenarios of the Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims. "Service providers around the state see the enormous economic and human costs associated with this heinous act."
New York would join several states since 2003 that made separate felonies of human trafficking. Washington state started with felonies and the ability of victims to be compensated. Texas, Florida and Missouri have adopted anti-trafficking laws. The Kansas governor signed a similar measure Friday. Connecticut and Washington have created commissions to study the issue.
The federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed in 2000 and since then Congress and the Bush administration have proposed several measures to bolster it.
ICE, borders, illegals, human trafficking, slavery ping
Good morning!
Bump.
Yes, there are laws on the book that can be enforced. But, when politicians want to offer 'lip service', ie., I will do nothing about this but watch me pretend that I did something, they create a task force to rape tax payers and add a law.
In the meantime, their term runs out with the horse and pony show that they put on and then they can claim their stand and fight against an issue that they physically did nothing about.
We were on a border/illegal thread not long ago kicking around why the Bush Admin isn't 'doing anything' about the immigration problem (I know, most threads are like that :P)
Remember I said that there are probably investigations going on to sniff out the human trafficking enablers?
Well, look at this: http://www.madeinmexicoinc.com
I've been chasing that link around and it seems there are quite a few 'American' companies setting up shop in Mexico using the citizens as sweat shop slaves.
I think we aren't seeing the door closing on the borders until all of these criminals (politicians/businessmen) profiting from the abuse of these mexicans are investigated and prosecuted.
I got very suspicious of this theory when Hillary and a few specific others started coming out and screaming about 'stop the immigrants and close the borders'. Because they have financial positions in companies that are the biggest abusers of illegal aliens.
And if we just slam the border shut, the businesses that are already set up in Mexico abusing the Mexican Citizens will suffer more unprotected from us.
Well, those are my current thoughts.
I'm not even sure I care. Most of these people are seduced into these awful circumstances with tales about jobs and the American dream. I want there to be a healthy amount of fear about the fate of people who put themselves in the hands of smugglers. I have no interest in making it safe to illegally immigrate.
I'm second generation of a family of slaves. I'm very glad my Mama Nome was seduced into believing in the American Dream. Her hopes, sacrifices and dreams of creating a better life for her future family will forever be embraced in my heart.
Here's your ping, Cal. What this really does is point out that there is no one answer to the illegal immigration problem. We must attack it on several fronts, and do so with gusto!
I'm happy for you. Yesterday we discussed an illegal immigrant mother who was mourning her 15 year old son who died of suffocation and heat in the back of a semitrailer. In my opinion, that mother bears the majority of the responsibility for her son's death. She delivered him into the hands of the criminals who callously handled him worse than we treat cattle on the way to slaughter. What kind of mother has so little regard for the welfare of their child?
Exactly. If we sealed off the border, doesn't it seem likely it would stem the flow of not only 20K 'victims' a year, but the other 400-500K that sneak in as well??
Enforce the current law, and address the problem of the 20M already here. Passing law after law after law, and not enforcing them, or rather, passing toothless laws, simply makes them feel better without ticking off the radical hispanic lobbies and activists.
>>>>Yesterday we discussed an illegal immigrant mother who was mourning her 15 year old son who died of suffocation and heat in the back of a semitrailer.
To quote someone I have a lot of respect for:
"What this really does is point out that there is no one answer to the illegal immigration problem. We must attack it on several fronts, and do so with gusto!"
you are so right.
String slavers up
The most effective method of stopping the illegal invasion is to stop colddling illegal aliens. If they are caught, no matter for what, they automatically go home. No appeals, no trials, its just bye bye. Anyone who hires an illegal should learn its a real bad idea. And there should be absolutely no social benefits for illegals. Get sick go to the hospuital and its bye bye.
I think that would stop it.
Well, I believe we can build a wall. And we should. And it should stand until we no longer need them. Focus our BP at entry points where the illegal alien highways are coming through and being built..to catch
I don't count Puerto Rico. I'm speaking of only the southern border.
I completely agree with all of your other points.
There are also some laws affecting education that need to be reversed. Our kids are going to suffer for generations because of them. The public education system and the stranglehold the left has on it, needs complete and immediate reform.
It's not just the politicians, local LE refuse to enforce laws as well. It must start somewhere and the local level seems the best. They know where the illegals are so should be rounding them up for INS. Enough local LEs piling up groups for transport, INS and the politicians will have to take action.
Actually, it is more than that.
I met with a law enforcement officer last week about a home in our neighborhood that was a stop over for the illegal network.
He told me, they arrest them and then they are released. So their arrest does nothing.
He went over steps with me on another approach. That was to contact the inspectors office so this home would be caught for housing more people than it was zoned for.
So, yes, it is the politicians. They are the enablers of the revolving door that ties the hands of the LEOs.
It's time that we go after the employers here at home that are hiring illegals. If they can't find work here then alot of them will go home. I beleive that this would be a good start.
I'm still surprised that the rank-and-file of law enforcement hasn't taken a stand against this. Right now we have two sanctuary cities (Denver and L.A.) with law enforcement in Denver moaning about yet another cop being killed by an illegal alien who has most likely beaten a path back to Mexico. The suspected killer's car was found in L.A. and his mother and his siblings have already left for Mexico.
It's past time for law enforcement to either put up or shut up. They're not the only ones being murdered by illegals who safely stroll the streets around here.
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