Posted on 02/25/2006 4:45:34 AM PST by Man50D
A Maryland organization that runs four government-funded day-labor hiring centers is training volunteer "legal observers" to videotape members of the Minuteman border security group and to picket their homes, places of work and their children's schools.
"We are going to target them in a specific way," Gustavo Torres, executive director of Casa de Maryland told the Maryland Gazette, speaking of the Minutemen volunteers who have set up a surveillance site across the street to discreetly photograph contractors who pick up day laborers at the center.
Going out with their own cameras will only be the first step his group takes.
"Then we are going to picket their houses, and the schools of their kids, and go to their work," Torres said. "If they are going to do this to us, we are going to respond in the same way, to let people know their neighbors are extremists, that they are anti-immigrant. They are going to hear from us."
The Minuteman Project's "covert" campaign to monitor day labor centers has been in operation for a little over a week. The group, which started with much-publicized efforts to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border and report sightings of illegal aliens to the Border Patrol, has turned its attention to the employers who hire undocumented workers.
"From a national standpoint, we want to close the border down and stop the flow of illegals," said Stephen Schreiman, president of a newly formed Maryland chapter. "We want to do the same thing here, but our approach will be a little different. What we want to do is to basically discourage contractors and businesses from hiring illegals. It's against federal law.
"We're going to go after these [contractors] at the state and local level because these people aren't paying taxes. We're going to take these people and through a vetting process determine which ones are not paying their taxes and doing business in an inappropriate manner and then turn them over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution. That should put a damper on the hiring of illegals."
The most recent annual report for Casa de Maryland, a non-profit, shows $2,771,615 in income for 2004-2005, of which 51 percent was provided by various government agencies. According to its website, the organization's employment program provides day-labor placement for "low-income Latino and African immigrants ... as employers seek to replace permanent workers." "We never ask for documentation," Torres told the New York Times in December. "Our mission is to help anyone in need of service, regardless of their immigration status. We are proud of that."
Casa's operation has not only been blessed by government funding but it has the support of the local business community.
"In this area, the commercial sector hasn't been harmed in the sense of people being deprived from work because of the day laborers being here," said Erwin Mack, executive director of the Takoma⁄Langley Crossroads Development Authority. "Consequently, while there are issues with their right to be in the United States, that's not what we're concerned about. We're concerned that they wait in an area that doesn't hurt our commercial properties.'
That's not good enough for Minuteman's Schreiman who intends to pursue his effort to inform the authorities about unlawful activity and have the law enforced.
And Schreiman's commitment to stay within the law – and the fact there have been no complaints filed with the police over the Minuteman surveillance – isn't good enough for Casa's Torres, who told a Spanish-language newspaper it would be better if the Minutemen did not interfere with Casa. But it is Torres threat to recruit individuals to picket Minuteman members' children at school that has the greatest likelihood to escalate the tense, but so-far peaceful, situation.
"Threatening children like this is outrageous," said Minuteman Civil Defense Corps President Chris Simcox. "Casa de Maryland's funding should be pulled and its contracts cancelled. It is beyond belief that taxpayer dollars are funding this thuggish behavior."
The Maryland Minutemen have their work cut out for them. Takoma Park, site of the Casa day-labor center they've been monitoring, has declared itself a Sanctuary City and prohibits its employees, including police, from arresting illegal aliens or assisting federal immigration authorities.
"The MVA has absolutely no right to ask for people's Social Security number or immigration status to get a driver's license
," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA of Maryland Inc., a nonprofit advocacy group for Hispanic immigrants that has staged protests at MVA offices.
The group has demonstrated in front of the MVA office in Beltsville and issued a list of demands, including an end to the so-called immigration screenings and increased hiring of bilingual MVA workers to serve customers who do not speak English.
Maryland law does not bar illegal aliens from receiving driver's licenses, and the Democrat-controlled General Assembly has killed legislation to change that over the past several years.
Call their bluff. Most of these 'civil rights' hucksters can only bring themselves to expend enough effort to cash checks and eat free lunches.
Trying to stalk and intimidate those who want the law enforced will take effort, time and large numbers of people. Hmmmm... that's 3/3 things that we can almost guarantee won't be brought to bear on the issue by Law Razers, I mean La Raza.
In other words, mouthpieces like Torres talk a good game and are given constant access to mealy-mouthed reporters but when it's time to put up or shut up we all know the result.
Lost their number, but I have a red bat phone to Heckler and Koch, will that work? :o)
Oh!. . .never mind. . .
I thought that too. Didn't the 'sanctuary' of Ruby Ridge and Waco find out the feds don't like that?
Oh wait, they were white.
Disclaimer: I do think that the nutter in Waco needed to be removed, but not by fire. I also don't believe this nutter up in Maryland should be allowed to declare himself a new country in OUR country and his sanctuary should be removed immediately. Let this nutjob keep making noises and bring attention to his 'santuary'.
Whats good for the goose is good for the gander - we needs to start picketing and following the politicians who pander to the illegals. Better yet we need to go after the boards of the non-profit foundations like Ford et.al. who give money to these evil doers. Time to ratchet up - the govt. (i.e. Bush) cares less about law abiding citizens - he would rather allow us to be murdered, raped and terrorized than enforce the law. We are the vigilantes afterall.
This BS goes on because we have a bunch of cowards running the White House. When will the GOP ever wake up?
I have their number right here in my desk drawer: 357-mag-num1. Yes, your number should work quite well too :)
Pot meet kettle?
Isn't this harassment?
Thank you and it does. You said you have a .357 H&K? Not a normal caliber when you think HK, must be P2000SK, no? Feel free not to answer, but you just don't see a lot of .357 and H&K in the same sentence. Happy FReepin'
When will the GOP ever wake up?
Maybe when they realize their base is getting so disgusted with them that their donations take a major dive. The RNC keeps sending requests for donations and I am just filing them in my plastic filing cabinet that I empty once a week when the garbage collector comes.
And the FBI is on this case immediately?? /sarc
I didn't see it mentioned in here but I smell the stench of the ACLU and MALDEF, as well as MeChA and voz de la Aztlan.
Effing outrageous, and taxpayer funded to boot! Madness!
Time to get a list of what govt. agencies is funding them, then to contact our congressmen/women.
"report these bastards threatening their families"
And do a reverse turn by following these jerks. Chances aare, most of them are befriending illegals in a very personal way. Report and deport!--should be a battle cry.
Goons target Minutemen and their families!
Then we are going to picket their houses, and the schools of their kids, and go to their work," Torres said. "If they are going to do this to us, we are going to respond in the same way, to let people know their neighbors are extremists, that they are anti-immigrant. They are going to hear from us."
The most recent annual report for Casa de Maryland, a non-profit, shows $2,771,615 in income for 2004-2005, of which 51 percent was provided by various government agencies
I am sick and tired of Government giving my money away to organized crime.Come to think of it...our government is organized crime!!/??Sounds like Torres got his leadership training from Mafioso de Mexico drug cartel.
stalking is a crime as well. Arrest them, served time, DEPORT. Any of them are citizens, strip them of their citizenship.
MCDC Bump!
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