Political Wrinkles - View Single Post - Commentary: 10 ugly things about the immigration debate

Gordon Shumway · #23 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 01:10 PM

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Originally Posted by dga

The Hypocrisy: Does not refer to the American people, but to the government. Anyone who thinks they have been unable to close the border (as opposed to unwilling) is a bit naive, IMO

It is anti-Hispanic, because if you're any other nationality you may not have your papers (there are tons of Chinese, Hindu, Irish, Russian, etc.), but no one will ask you for them or think twice on it. "The people" may want to see companies fined, but in so many raids I have yet to see any of them sanctioned - please correct me if I'm mistaken.

The Profiling: I agree you can applaud profiling, as long as you're not a minority and you're not the one being profiled,

I for one have a problem with being stopped, detained, frisked because I am of a certain race or look a certain way. God forbid I don't have any ID on me at the time, I might end up in Mexico,

The Amnesia: "Americans think grandpa was welcomed with open arms and that he plunged into the melting pot. Whatever."

The point being assimilation takes time,

Hispanics did not ask to dial two for Spanish, advertisers peddling their products did that on their own. This guy is second generation only, and he is a journalist for CNN (and of Mexican descent).

Otherwise you make some valid points,

So the "hypocrisy" is pointed towards the U.S. government but the "amnesia" is pointed towards the American citizen...?...either way Navarette seems to believe that Americans are stupid.

And, while you may not like profiling & despite its flaws it is what makes law enforcement possible. Without it we'd be looking for something rather than a "bald fat white man with a goatee" in which case I'd be the one being profiled. Believeing that only minorities get profiled is dishonest. While it may be true that minorities get profiled more often it's not due to racism as has been implied.

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Border Fence Firm Snared for Hiring Illegal Workers
by Scott Horsley

Listen Now [2 min 29 sec] add to playlist

All Things Considered, December 14, 2006 · A fence-building company in Southern California agrees to pay nearly $5 million in fines for hiring illegal immigrants. Two executives from the company may also serve jail time. The Golden State Fence Company's work includes some of the border fence between San Diego and Mexico.

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Fishing company accused of hiring 126 illegal immigrants - Newport News, Virginia - (fined $7 million)
The owners of a Newport News commercial fishing company have been charged with employing more than 100 illegal immigrants over the past four years.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a court filing Thursday that it is seeking nearly $7 million in penalties from the Peabody Corp., which operates eight trawlers used mostly for scalloping.

According to federal charges, company president William F. Peabody and vice president Yvonne M. Peabody knowingly employed 126 undocumented workers and disregarded warnings about the illegal activity from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Internal Revenue Service.”*

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Saddle maker fined over immigration violations
MUSKOGEE -- A judge has ordered a saddle and tack manufacturing company in Sulphur to pay $51,000 in fines in connection with violations of immigration law.

Billy Cook pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors immigration violations and was given a $3,000 fine on each count. The 77-year-old owner of Billy Cook Harness and Saddle also was given two years of probation on each misdemeanor count.

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Wal-Mart pays $11M to settle illegal immigrant janitors case
WASHINGTON (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), the world's biggest retailer, has agreed to pay $11 million to settle federal allegations it used illegal immigrants to clean its stores, attorneys in the case said Friday.