NYTimes Wants us to Feel Sorry for an Illegal Immigrant's Deportation

NewsBusters.org ^ | 7/18/07 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

Last week, the New York Times ran an article feeling sorry for an illegal immigrant turned immigrant's "rights" activist who was discovered by a random immigration check on an Amtrak train and subsequently slated to be deported back to Chile, his homeland. The Times tried to massage readers into feeling bad for the man because he had been here since 1984 when he illegally crossed the Mexico/US border -- apparently the Times imagines that time bestows legality as opposed to obeying laws serving that purpose.

An axiom has resonated throughout the country that the NYT doesn't seem to grasp; "What part of illegal don't you understand?"

The Times sets up their story presenting their subject, Victor Toro, as some sort of pillar of the community. He has "meetings" and does community work for battered women. He has battled the government for immigrant's "rights." He's an all around important sort of fellow, you see.

Since the late 1980's, Toro has involved himself openly in many causes.

Mr. Toro and Ms. Ayress, both political activists, started Vamos a la Peña del Bronx in 1987, a storefront group that provided clothing and food for poor people, help with immigrants’ problems, shelter for battered women and health education for those who were H.I.V. positive.

In 1998, the group won an award and a $50,000 grant from Union Square Awards in Manhattan for community service. “We were looking for groups that were operating on pure passion but who had no economic resources,” said Iris Morales, director of the philanthropy.

All commendable activities, generally.

And here is the Time's excuse for being allowed to stay, ostensibly.

During more than two decades in the public eye, Mr. Toro was hiding his immigration status in plain sight, his lawyer said. Mr. Toro was arrested three times in the 1990s for nonviolent offenses: once for a political demonstration, a second time for a noise complaint, and a third for a building permit dispute.

Mr. Toro was never asked about his immigration status after his arrests, Mr. Moreno said. In addition, his home is opposite the 40th Precinct police station.

Unfortunately for him, though, he is still an illegal alien. One who scoffs at our laws. So, why should we feel so bad for him? He knew he was here illegally and, just because the nitwits and multicultralists in New York City never had the guts to bust him on it, doesn't mean he should be let off for his violation of the law. A crime is still a crime no matter how much time has passed since its commission.

The most offensive part of the NYT article on this lawbreaker, though, is the Times' attempt to equate US immigration laws to the despotic regime of Augusto Pinochet in Chile.

For Mr. Toro, 65, interactions with governments are filled with dread. When he was a left-wing political activist, General Pinochet’s regime tortured him after the coup that toppled Salvador Allende on Sept. 11, 1973, he said.

So, he was tortured in Chile -- a terrible thing to be sure -- but in all the many decades he has been here he has neither applied for citizenship, nor applied for political asylum it must be pointed out. Yet because he had a "dread" of the 1970s government of Agusto Pinochet, we should suspend our own laws just for him? And we should get all weepy about his status, something he never bothered himself with much in over 20 years?

I'd venture that if he has spent over 20 years here and has yet to learn that there is a monumental difference between the totalitarian government of Agusto Pinochet and that of the USA, then he is the sort of citizen that we don't really want anyway!

Perhaps the Times is right that Toro is a good candidate for political asylum, but why exactly should we get too upset if even Toro himself didn't take our laws seriously enough to be bothered with them? I, for one, cannot force myself to get all weepy over this man.

But, I'd bet Agusto Pinochet wouldn't have been so easy on him!

[Mobile Vulgus]

Ship him out. There, that's pretty easy!

[twonie]

Damn straight!!

[EagleUSA]

The NYT. Friend of our enemies, friend of losers, friend of socialists, friend of traitors, friend of criminals.

Such a credential. Even LBJ called them COMMUNISTS back during the Viet Nam war.

[DManA]

NYTimes Wants Us..

That really sums up the mission of Big Media - manipulate people.

[SMARTY]

“Unfortunately for him, though, he is still an illegal alien. One who scoffs at our laws.”

Wow, what I couldn’t have done with a tax free income since 1984!

[massgopguy]

He sounds like the kind of leader that Chile needs desperately.

[FreePaul]

When he was a left-wing political activist,...

Is there any indication that he quit his left-wing activities? My guess is that the Times is supporting him because of his continued left-wing activities.

[Vigilanteman]

Yet because he had a "dread" of the 1970s government of Agusto Pinochet, we should suspend our own laws just for him? And we should get all weepy about his status, something he never bothered himself with much in over 20 years?

Earth to Mr. Toro: Pinochet is dead. And the country he pulled out of the Marxism crapper has elected a government which seems happy to crawl back in there, albeit at a slower pace. It is safe to go home.

[hophead]

Once you illegally cross the border, is there a time limit or a distance from the border that leftists believe gives you a pass. Once you show up at a “day laborer center” in Virginia, are you free? What if the “day laborer center” is 3 miles across the Texas border? 200 yards? Or do you need to make it to DC?

[Madeleine Ward]

Liberals thinks it’s OK to break a law they disagree with rather than work to change it.

Then, just because enough people break it, that becomes the justification for changing the law.

[sono]

If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. When you roll the dice of illegal immigration, ya gotta know the boxcars of deportation can always be one roll away.

[VR-21]

I know I'm pretty tore-up about it.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

NYTimes Wants us to Feel Sorry for an Illegal Immigrant's Deportation

I feel sorry about it....sorry that it didn't happen 23 years ago.

[Dane]

Ya know, Newsbusters should actually be factually correct and use a photograph of the Chilean flag and not the Mexican one in making their point.

That said, the guy should be deported since he is a Allenden communist sympathizer.

That is the reason the NYT wrote a sympathetic story, but what the hey let Newsbusters stereotype those who jsut wish to make a living doing honest work and come from other counties other than Chile, with a communist.

[pnz1]

Could he have applied for asylum in the 20 years he’s been here?

[Dov in Houston]

When did Reagan grant the “blanket” amnesty ? Could this guy have tried to legalize himself ? Ship him back to where he came from. Illegal is Illegal.

[kcvl]

Before coming to the United States (ILLEGALLY) , Toro was a founding member of the Movement of the Revolutionary Left, which was toppled in a CIA-assisted military coup led by Pinochet on Sept. 11, 1973.

Last night in the Bronx, at the storefront headquarters of Sistas on the Rise, the life-long activist Victor Toro celebrated his new freedom after being detained by the immigration branch of Homeland Security over the weekend.

[kcvl]

Victor Toro speaks to a group of his 'fans'

The 'horrible' US made him put on an ORANGE JUMP SUIT (even Paris Hilton had to do that!) and put him in a jail cell like a 'concentration camp'.

GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY since it's so 'horrible' you ILLEGAL ingrate!

[org.whodat]

When he was a left-wing political activist,...

Is there any indication that he quit his left-wing activities? My guess is that the Times is supporting him because of his continued left-wing activities.

The man is a communist, socialist, he was on Cuba's payroll at one time and he lived there for a little while then went to Europe and from there slipped into the country.

Deport his ass yesterday.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I’d like to see harsh deportation policies too. However, I have a nagging problem with the fact that our government, courts, and law enforcement agencies (not to mention plenty of our citizens) have been sending these people a loud and explicit message for the past few decades, that it’s no big deal to be here illegally.

The feds have passed laws requiring public schools to admit children who are here illegally, and requiring hospitals to provide free medical treatment to them. Many local jurisdictions have explicitly passed laws prohibiting police and social services workers from investigating or even inquiring about the immigration status of people they deal with. At least one state has passed a law requiring its public colleges to give in-state tuition to illegal aliens.

It’s a bit unfair and hypocritical to point the finger at the illegals themselves, when asking “What part of “illegal” don’t you understand?” They have a credible answer if they respond “Your governments and courts and police told us it was just fine to be here as an “illegal”.”