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To some, Elvira Arellano is a leader among pro-immigration rights activists who think the federal government' immigration and trade policies are unfair. To others, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Arellano is just another attention-grabbing, "criminal alien and immigration fugitive," unfairly using her American-born son as an Elián González-like prop for pro immigration activism .
Arellano spent an entire year inside Adalberto United Methodist Church on Chicago's West Side, defying a federal order to report to DHS for deportation. Thursday, she left for the first time, along with her 8-year-old, American-born son Saul, and turned up this weekend in Los Angeles.
Sunday afternoon, after speaking near La Placita Church in El Pueblo, Arellano's van was circled by ICE officers and she was taken into custody. By late Sunday, she was in Mexico, deported by Homeland Security via Tijuana.
Is this just one of the many stories of a Mexican-born mother, caught working without documents, separated from her young son and sent back across the border?
Outside of LA, it's being handled as a significant news story (and landing on many online news site's top ten most-viewed widgets). Sunday night's news of Arellano's deportation following her arrest in downtown LA is news to hundreds of publications. But, despite the local aspect of the story, not to mention the high local interest in immigration issues, the story remains buried -- at best -- in both the LA Times' and Daily News' online editions. Even this morning, the Times has yet to mention anywhere in it's story that Arellano was both arrested and deported, a key detail of the story (Trib.com main story = "Activist deported," AP and Reuters heds both mention "deportation").
We already know that the Times' editorial board considers "the Internet, and Google in particular, a greater threat to their livelihoods than Osama bin Laden" but for a publication looking to boost it's online ad revenues, it's inexcusable to fail to feature such an engaging -- and local -- news event. In reality, readers are more likely to visit latimes.com to read more on a globally covered, developing news story regarding a globally recognized icon of the immigration movement and datelined LOS ANGELES on their own than via a clickthru from a Google News snippet (and, by failing to update, the Times' story is far from accessible via Google News search.
The widespread reportage of Arellano's fate (it's on the top of the hour CBS radio news update, among other places) is sure to bring traffic to latimes.com (only to be disappointed). Sure, this "icon" is an illegal immigrant, not a misbehaving B-movie teen starlet or ex-Mouseketeer, but, let's be honest, the Times can't compete with a TMZ.com's coverage of the latter. Additionally, we count on our local papers to bring a straight story to help make sense out of the rantings and ravings of blogging heads like Debbie Schussel, Michelle Malkin, and Roger L. Simon.
The similarly slenderized sister publication of the LA Times seems to think so, leading Saturday's paper with the story of Arellano's departure from the Humboldt Park church where she took sanctuary on August 15, 2006 (also featured prominently in the Washington Post.
The news of her deportation soon after her arrival in Los Angeles is currently the top story on the Tribune's online edition. And the link in Sunday night's "Extra Extra" post points Chicago's Sun Times, where it's also the featured story.
Is the Times over-sensitive about covering a controversial figure of a heated political issue that keeps the Times from staying on top of the Arellano story and updating the now-half-day-old developments? This question seems to come up again and again, ever since the paper seemed slow to give devote serious inches of coverage to spring 2006's immigration rallies and marches.
Perhaps the Times will recognize the newsworthiness and relevancy of this story following an 11 a.m. news conference scheduled by immigration activists at Federal Plaza. Will they have Arellano as "deported" and not just "arrested" in time for an 8 p.m. vigil set for the same location?
Can we please, at least get some kind of coherently blogged / editorialized thoughts? Eric Zorn, straightforward columnist for the Tribune wrote last week, that, even though he objected to both Arellano's "flouting of U.S. law and the reluctance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to respond to her double-dog dare," the feds lost this one by playing along with her headline-grabbing tactics and not letting her be. By failing to comment/report on the story, The Times, has chosen to do just that -- let iher -- and the loud-mouthed immigration reform opponents -- be.
Arellano booking photo courtesy ICE.
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isn't it obvious that sometimes there are exceptions to certain rules? parents should never be separated from their children.
This is my problem. If you're going to be an illegal immigrant and you're going to work and make money and live a peaceful life, fine. If you're going to be an illegal immigrant and break the law because you think it's unfair, I believe you need to be expelled from this country. Criticizing and questioning the law are the rights of an American citizen - which you're not. They did well in deporting this lady. I wouldn't want others to get the wrong idea and go around acting as their illegality here is only a temporary inconvenience.
so long. maybe you should've immigrated here the LEGAL WAY like thousands of immigrants. you got what deserved. maybe now you can work in your native country under the fake social security number you were using in the US
goodbye criminal
It's not surprising that LAist attracts the readership of combative, mean-spirited readers as comments #2 and #3 illustrates. It's one thing to agree with U.S. immigration policies but it's quite another to be such dicks about it.
I found out about her arrest & deportation as soon as it happened through myspace bulletins. I've given up on the LA Times. I rarely read it nowadays, it's so fluffy.
Rights belong to US Citizens. Illegal means what it says "Not Legal". What I'd really like to know if: WHERE'S THE FATHER? All we hear is about poor old elvira and her son saul but what about the father, where is he? Is he here as an illegal, is he in Mexico, does she not know who the father is? Are churches now condoning this type of behavior- having kids without being married- just so they politically correct? No wonder so many don't believe in priests or pastors.
"isn't it obvious that sometimes there are exceptions to certain rules? parents should never be separated from their children."
Send the child back with her, that's a good execption to the rule.
This woman REPEATEDLY entered this country illegally. She knew exactly what she was doing & what fate awaited her each time she broke the law. She CHOSE to break the law.
Then she goes & gives birth here, so her child is an automatic U.S. citizen. He should be stripped of his citizenship, since it was illegal for her to be here in the first place, & sent to his mother in Mexico.
That should be stopped, too. Any child born here to illegals should not be considered a U.S. citizen. If they want to, later on, they can apply just like LEGAL immigrants.
As for her being employed using the fake Social Security number, what punishment will the employer face? Hefty fines,I hope, at the very least.
We should have ICE use her as the face as "what happens to an illegal immigrant".
As for the issue put forth in this post rather than the issue of Arelleno herself, I have to question the relevance of this story to LA. Sure, she was arrested here and deported from here, but other than that her relationship to the city was weak. She was a tourist. She spent her year in a Chicago church, and that's where most of her supporters are located, which justifies the attention of the Sun-Times. I don't know whether the LA Times has a responsibility to give this visitor any much coverage than would be justified by any national story.
I do not want to be lectured to by an activist who is illegally in this country as to what she is entitled to at our expense. Take your son and eyebrow pencil with you then apply LEGALLY. Otherwise I have zero sympathy for you.
I just love how every immigrant basher condescends to the undocumented by telling them they "should have immigrated the LEGAL way", as if it was just a matter of filling out some forms sending a check and waiting for a green card in the mail. The fact is that there is no "line" for those working class immigrants who need the work the most. You have a good chance of getting legal status if you're a college educated software engineer from India, but if you're a rural laborer from Zacatecas, tough luck. I wonder if all those European immigrants that arrived at Ellis island were highly skilled or had university degrees?
Seriously, if there was a way for these people to emigrate here legally they would do it, instead of spending their life savings and risking their lives crossing a desert where thousands have already died trying. Stop talking down to them and put yourself in another's shoes for one goddamn second.
If I've read some of the immigration rules correctly, there is a provision in the rules where the child can stay with the mother. He does go back with her to her own country. Then, when he turns a certain age, he has a certain amount of time to return to the U.S. and claim his rights as a U.S. citizen. If he does not return and claim his rights in the time allotted, then he loses his citizenship.
The citizenship process focuses on adults. Children can come along as a part of adults becoming citizens. The system doesn't work the other way around.
All I want to know is; where's the father. As far as her child being born in the USA, he's entitled to citizenship just like anybody else that's born here. I don't recall the early settlers having legal documentation to emmigrate to the USA but rather the desire to Better themselves and Escape oppression. So, get off your horse and look around you, WE are ALL Immigrants in this great land that God prepare for us all.
"Seriously, if there was a way for these people to emigrate here legally they would do it ..."
And they would then have the same labor protections as any U.S. citizen, including minimum wage and what passes for health care here. That's why conservatives oppose any type of immigration reform ... it takes away their cheap labor.
What I can't figure out is why so-called liberals oppose immigration reform coupled with border security that would prevent a desperate work force from being exploited. We act like we're concerned about the poor people literally dying to get into the country when our stand on the issue leads only to more death.
There are legal ways for poor unskilled workers to come here, notably through the H2 guest worker program. But then, companies don't want to pay decent wages or obey the regulations so they prefer to use illegal aliens. And just why is it that we SHOULD offer yet more routes for Third World unskilled immigrants to come here--in addition of course to the 600,000 or so who come here legally each year through family reunification (Mexico gets most of these green cards)? If employers are unwilling to pay decent wages or provide benefits to even citizens, then why on earth should we import more poverty? Come to that, who did pay for the birth of Elvira's child?
Why don't we all just hug an immigrant? If it wasn't for the fear mongering instituted by the Bush administration after 9/11, illegal immigration wouldn't have been a blip in our society's consciousness. Illegal Immigration has been part of the U.S. economic strategy for decades. Now that we have this paranoia in our country, we are quick to dehumanize the situation. We need to stop looking at this as an issue between "legal" and "illegal" immigration. This is about humanity and economic policy. Go hug an immigrant, it'll bring a smile to your face.
"And just why is it that we SHOULD offer yet more routes for Third World unskilled immigrants to come here"
Because the demand for labor exists. I don't see anyone complaining about affordable produce at the supermarket or being able to keep their lawns perfectly manicured. Immigrants provide a very valuable service, and several labor-heavy commodities such as lettuce and strawberries would be too expensive to produce domestically and would probably have to be exported from other countries without them. And despite the propaganda, most immigrants pay taxes through taxpayer i.d. numbers and are less likely than citizens to be on welfare. We need immigration reform that brings those millions of people out of the shadows, allows them all to work and contribute into the system freely.
It's amazing that in these times of paranoia about terrorists infiltrating the "homeland", politicians are willing to keep millions of people underground solely because of the racism and rabid ideology of some of their constituents.
I'm so happy that this woman has been deported.
How dare she come to the U.S. and make demands?
How dare she dare us to enforce our laws? Elvira - who stole a social security number and has already been deported - is using her son as a pawn in her quest for martyrdom among the pro-illegal movement.
The crux of the immigration issue is this: Americans will not and should not take orders from foreigners who come here. Your Ellis Island arguments are tired and weak. Those immigrants did not come here making demands and seeking to change our laws. Second, the world is different now - there was no terrorist threat then. And third, these illegals have no respect for our laws, and therefore, none for us. Americans like myself are the offspring of those whose work and sacrifices made this country what it is. This is the only country we have! We will not let it be run by manipulators and law-breakers like Elvira Arello.
Truly, this is the fault of the US Government, which has let the situation reach this point. As much as people like Elvira anger me, the truth is that our Goverment has betrayed us by giving people like her an open door and encouraging business to hired cheap labor.
Stay gone, Elvira!
So Mando, I assume you have no problem with people paying cayotes to bring them into the U.S. illegally, often leaving them in the desert to die or increase the growing number of rape trees (bushes with women's underwear on them showing a woman was raped by cayotes/others on her way to entering the U.S. illegally). Nor do you seem to have a problem with the fact that many illegals are never paid for the work they do because crooked employers threaten to turn them in if they complain.
You seem to be still under the misguided impression that all illegals do is cut grass and work on farms. Most of them are NOT employed in those work forces. Do you even have an idea of how many farm workers are illegals or that the United Farm Workers when organized themselves patrolled the borders to send back illegals?
It is not the responsibility of the United States to take in every citizen in the world who comes from a crappy nation because those citizens don't have the cajones to improve their own nations.
So while you are pleading their case, please tell us what the Mexican Consitutition says about immigrants and how our neighbor to the south handles illegals from Central and South America.
We will all be waiting.
I have a feeling if she was Canadian, that no one would care. It's easier to dehumanize people when you can distinguish them from the color of their skin. You can call it whatever you want, but it is racism.
Elvira Arellano Deported... a sad and shameful ending. Bitter sweet but seriously what do you do. Here we have a fine young single mother with a little child who comes into America illegally, then continues to break laws which are Felony’s of America by using someone’s else’s S.S. # in which any normal US citizen would be arrested and thrown into prison for such a crime especially after 911 and to add fuel to the fire, these witch hunters who track down the illegal felons who come into America putting strain and burden for the shoulders of countless US citizens to pick up the tab for insurance, medical, education, gangs, jails, drug’s, drunks and 100’s of other things not mentioned that add to the problem. Freedom and Free choice is what all Americans have and is also what most counties want. Interesting concept Freedom it’s a shame that the people of Mexico do not raise to the occasion and take over there very corrupted government with there own blood and mirror what we have here in America, I mean if I recall America has had wars to protect there freedom, men and women and children gave there lives for us. Freedom costs, it costs a lot to be able to stand up and make a change, I mean seriously they are coming here to America for a better opportunity. Lets take free choice for example. I doubt anyone put a gun to poor Elvira Arellano head when she made a choice to come here illegally? And what would her Mexican government do if someone was coming in there country from the north illegally, I think if I recall they DEPORT them or throw them in JAIL. And what about Elvira husband or the man who impregnated her, where is he? She gave free choice to him to have un-material sex and the out come of sex is usually babies. These are the one’s who get hurt the most. The poor innocent children who will pay the biggest price for such selfishness by the adults, it happens all to much in this society today, and if you continue to allow people to come to America with out enforcing the laws that protect Americans not illegal Aliens then you end up with something that looks just like Mexico, then it becomes corrupted. The answer is, if you are here illegally, then you need to either accept the fact that if you get caught you will be deported regardless of your situation or you can go to the BACK of the LINE and do what you are supposed to do and come in LEGUALY.
Just a thought of a American “WHO’S FATHER, TWO UNCLES AND GREAT GRAND FATHER GAVE THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT AMERICANS AND OUR FREEDOM
"I don't see anyone complaining about affordable produce at the supermarket or being able to keep their lawns perfectly manicured. Immigrants provide a very valuable service, and several labor-heavy commodities such as lettuce and strawberries would be too expensive to produce domestically and would probably have to be exported from other countries without them."
Which is exactly my point, Mando. These valuable services come at a very, very high cost in human life, because we're exploiting a work force that has no recourse due to its legal status. These people are taken advantage of, and we just let it happen under some misguided, liberal, humanitarian intention.
Dude, please learn the difference between "it's" and "its".
and who's and whose
She was deported!! YES!!! That's 1 and 11,999,999 to 19,999,999 to go! If you are here illegally you do not have to wait for your turn, deport yourselves today!! If you do not want to be separated from your family, take them with you. gracias.
"Loud mouth immigration reform opponents"???
Surely, you can't be serious.
Are the immigration reform opponents the ones holding protests in the streets of Chicago?
Are the immigration reform opponents scheduling protests for the streets of LA?
No, but the pro-immigration groups are.
So, when it comes to protesting that's voicing an opinion, but when it comes to blogs, that's being loud mouth?
This article would have been ok if you would take the bias out. I suppose it's just another "ranting and raving" from a so called "blogging head."
What a joke.
Dude, please learn to specify who your calling out when your calling out somebody.
(And yeah, I did that on purpose.)
Wow. I cannot believe the vitriol towards illegal immigrants here. Thanks, Mando, for being the voice of reason. - kansasgirl
it speaks volumes when a girl from kansas notices when hateful, racist comments outnumber the voices who recognize these people as contributing human beings in an L.A. blog.
Why is it that whenever we talk about this we use the cleaner sounding "undocumented worker" when what we are talking about is an illegal activity. I'm an immigrant too but when my family came here, we did it legally and waited years for everything to fall into place.
No one is separating families - she is free to take her child with her and he won't lose his U.S. citizen rights either.
It's about time they sent her back.
"Americans will not and should not take orders from foreigners who come here."
Mexican immigrants are not making any orders or special demands of Americans, so cut the whole "immigrants have a sense of entitlement" BS. They simply want the same opportunity that was given to those immigrants that came before them, without being labeled as criminals or terrorists or being torn from their families when they go to work . All they want is to be able to work, give their kids an opportunity and have a carne asada while they watch the Dodgers play now and then.
"So Mando, I assume you have no problem with people paying cayotes to bring them into the U.S. illegally"
I never said this and I don't know how you came to this conclusion from my posts. I want there to be a rational, humane and mutually beneficial way for immigrants to come to this country. My parents risked their lives doing this, I wouldn't want anyone to go through that. Learn to read dude.
"So while you are pleading their case, please tell us what the Mexican Consitutition says about immigrants and how our neighbor to the south handles illegals from Central and South America."
Mexico's own immigration policies are irrelevant here. Yes Mexico is a fucked up, corrupt country and their politicians are scumbags, just as ours are. But the U.S. is the land of opportunity, that's why people come here for a better life. My argument is that immigrants that work hard, pay taxes and follow the law should be allowed to stay, so Mexico's immigration policies are moot.
"Interesting concept Freedom it’s a shame that the people of Mexico do not raise to the occasion and take over there very corrupted government with there own blood and mirror what we have here in America"
Hmmm... I hear this one a lot too from immigrant bashers. Tell me why the pilgrims didn't rise up and change their government in England before coming to America and displacing the indigenous peoples who already lived here. If it's so easy to change your government why did so many Europeans seek a better life in America instead of changing their situations at home? Or is it just that immigrant bashers apply a different standard to their own ancestors? In other words, they're hypocrites.
In short, my ancestors have as much a right to the American Dream as yours did. Nativism and xenophobia have always been on the wrong side of history, and always will be.
God Bless Ms. Arellano, I wish her the best no matter what happens.
Cheap labor is not cheap! There are many expenses that are not factored in by industries who abuse these workers (healthcare, infrastructure, schools, etc). The fact is, at going labor rates these workers are not needed - it's just the non-market labor rates that are needed.
We're not bashing immigrants here - STOP SAYING THAT. We're expressing concern for our laws and being respectful of legal immigrants.
Join www.numbersusa.com today!
I have a very good friend from Europe who is living here illegaly for a few years!
Hes very "americanized", speaks perfect english,loves this country very much but is illegal because he doesnt meet the requirements for a working visa!
I think its very unfair the way our immigration system works.
We can very easily find out who the criminals are and deport them. Those who genuinely want to stay and work and contribute to this country should be allowed to do that whether they came here illegaly or not! Why are we acting like this is an exclusive country club for the privileged?
What happened to the compassionate America?
If you're going to make yourself a public figure you become a victim of whoever is strongest. If you want to pursue a particular life, do it quietly.
As for the person who said 'hug an illegial', please note that the drug taking days of the 60's are over. Grow up.
If Ms. Arellano is so concerned with being allowed to remain inside the United States, she should've followed the laws of this country.
If an applicant is being rejected due to lower education or labor skills, then the applicant must acquire those skills to become competitive within the application pool.
I realize that the concept of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY is foreign to most liberals and illegal immigrants, however, it is essential towards the success of individuals and the country as a whole.
No amnesty, no guest worker program.....just enforce the law!!!
"guest" (much as I am) earlier in this thread commented: "isn't it obvious that sometimes there are exceptions to certain rules? parents should never be separated from their children."
Hmmmm. Seems that your sentence construction has betrayed your lack of any real chops in this fight. Yes, it is obvious, to everyone but you. There are exceptions to certain rules...including your "parents should never be separated from their children" rule. She is a criminal, several times over. Her child(ren) will have to learn to deal with that, the same as millions of other kids with criminal parents. Or should we not "deport" them to prison if they're convicted of crimes in your state...grow up.
One of my good friends is cooling her heels in her parents' hometown outside Graz, Austria, right now.
She should be here working (at Google, for example), but she's not. She has a recent Stanford Ph.D. in Computer Science, has dated CEOs of companies and Venture Capitalists, and counts Yahoo! Vice Presidents among her friends. She is one of the brightest people I know.
I think she deserves to be here more than airplane washers in Chicago, but because her student Visa expired once she got her Ph.D., she isn't. Now she has to come here on a tourist Visa and then jump back out every 90 days. (Kind of hard when you have an apt./car/job interviews/etc. here in California.)
There are no green cards to be had for Austrians right now, and there's no way to get a sponsored work Visa without having a job first, and even then (I'm a bit fuzzy on this bit) I think the allotment of those is closed. Despite having lived here off and on since 1993, she still has to wait years to become a permanent resident.
When I read about people like Elvira Arellano who willfully flaunt immigration laws, and think about my friend and how difficult it is for her to stay here permanently, I find that I have very little sympathy for Ms. Arellano's plight. I don't agree with the INS policies (why should it take years and years for qualified people to be given permanent residency), but there should not be two Immigration standards - one for Mexicans (and extended Mexicans) and the rest of the world.
Hug an illegal. And then deport them, while still hugging them.
I love them, but as the son of a Mexican immigrant who visited, applied, and came here LEGALLY, please do it the right way or don't expect good things to happen: "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is His." In other words, don't expect to get charity from the law.
My dad adopted a cousin of mine from Mexico so she could be here legally. If she came over illegally otherwise, we would not have been surprised nor try to cry foul if she was deported, just upset that our plan didn't work.
Please don't force charity from me since then I lose the ability to freely give.
Finally some enforcement of the established immigration laws. What a great day to be a citizen!! Anyone care to comment on how that lady looked dumber than a doorknob?
That stupid whore not only snuck in our country, but stole an American citizen's Social Security number. She's a criminal, plain and simple. Get out and stay out, Mexican beotch. Of all people, I'd think people in LA would know this. I left Cali because it's being overrun and ruined by all the shi@ty Mexicans. Screw 'em. My family was poor as hell when they came to this country, but ya know, they still managed to sign in (Ellis Island) before they entered. It's called legal immigration, hispanics. You should at least learn those words in English, since you don't know much else.
While this is sad to be certain illegal immigration is not "harmless". The reason that America has been so immigrant friendly in the past is that we needed a labor and manufacturing force here, where the goods were produced. Now, most things are made in China, Taiwan or another Asian country with South America picking up the odds and ends.
Now I can see where people would say "Put yourself in their shoes for second". Fine, I'm now in her shoes. You take mine. I get sick, and you pay, through taxes, for my health care. You pay for my kids food, education and maybe even diapers through a system to which I do not contribute. Yeah, real sad they get sent home, but what would you say to a doctor or nurse in LA whose hospital just got shut down (2 recently) because of their inability to balance the books because they were overrun by a wave on non-payer patients and could not wrest the money from them or the government. What do you tell that heard-working man or woman who has taken an oath to sacrifice self and give comfort when they have no work anymore? When they hare to give up and move on because someone felt that breaking the laws of another country was ok due to them being the exception to the rule.
My family is very affluent, I will admit and we are unlikely to be ever threatened by illegal immigrants, but America herself cannot take this kind of one-way drain any longer. We need to either really reform our immigration policy or introduce a VAT to make sure that so long as these people feel like breaking the law, the burden is shared by them as well as us. I do not watch my parents routinely disappear for weeks on over-seas business to have what they work so hard to bring home stolen by those who feel they deserve to be able to break the laws. If you are not a citizen or a legal resident you do *not* have the right to protest the laws of a nation you do not live in.
So boo-hoo for you Ms.Arellano but at least now there is one less vampire sucking our livelihood away.
And P.S. Illegal immigration is a threat like international terrorism. We could destroy every last terrorist twice over, but what's the point if we come home to find our country's infrastructure no longer exists under the weight of so many greedy lawbreakers.
Come legally and stay. Come illegally and pay your dues, but do not think it is your right to be taken care of like a citizen because you happened to cross some ink on a map.
If you break a law, does that not make you a criminal? I am weary of those who come here illegally and make demands. Because a child is born in a country should not give the parent or parents who were here illegally in the first place the right of citizenship. America cannot afford to absorb every person from south of the border that wants to come here. We have laws pertaining to immigration and those who come here in violation of those laws are criminals. I don't pick and choose which laws I want to obey. I obey all of the laws. The arguement that our ancestors came here as immigrants is an invalid argument in the effort to justify the illegal behavior of millions. I welcome all legal immigrants to the country of my birth but I do not welcome those who are here illegally. Small groups of immigrants originally came here from England seeking a better way of life and freedom of religion. When the masses came, that is when the trouble began and the end to the peaceful coexistance between the indians and the european races began. Because of greed and the struggle to gain power and control, many grevious wrongs were committed. I see this matter of illegal immigration in much the same light. The masses are currently here, albeit, illegally, and they are making demands and crying for sympathy. The immigrants from England were small in number and were powerless to make changes in their home country. The illegal immigrants number in the millions but it is so much easier for them to come here and take advantage of an established way of life then it is for them to stay in their own country and try and change things. Lets also remember that many hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens give their lives in various conflicts to establish our country and freedom and the American way of life. The only lives I am aware of that have been taken by illegal immigrants, are the lives of U.S. citizens, which would have been safe had it not been for the illegal actions of those murders who are here illegally in the first place. One illegal act begets another because the quest for self survival and sustainability is the highest need a human has.
For those that think our immigration system is unfair:
The U.S. already has multiple guest worker programs and almost 50 different categories under which people can immigrate.
http://www.numbersusa.com/PDFs/Immigration%20Organization%20Chart%2001-07.pdf
In the past 30 years our immigration policies have resulted in an increase of 50 million people in the U.S. That's equal to the entire populations of both Canada and Australia combined.
The reason everybody can't come as they choose is simple math and economics. There are almost 7 billion people in the world (300 million in the U.S.), many would love to make the amount of money and enjoy a better life in the U.S., but there aren't enough jobs so even allowing just 500 million to enter as they please would cause such severe job competition that would drive down salaries and then no one would be living the good life.
The biggest reason to stop illegal immigration is that in the big picture allowing the free flow of labor is part of a movement by corporations and elite figures to regionalize country economies under what is referred to as "deep integration" while "harmonizing" policies and laws to be the same between countries. This makes doing business cheaper and more profitable for businesses and also drives down the cost of labor. In fact, this week, President Bush is at the summit for the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America where their working groups are doing just that under a trilateral agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
http://www.numbersusa.com/hottopic/nationalsovereignty.html
She should return to Mexico with her kid. If this was about her child, she never would leave him behind. Then enter the country legally,if it takes you 5 years then well, wait 5 years just like everyone else. You are not entitled to live here.
This woman started sneaking into the country back in 1997, before she had the child, and was kicked out four times. Then she had him as an unwed mother, an ususual and condemned practice in her country, just to have an "anchor baby" and play on that to stay here illegally. Disgraceful way to use the boy, what kind of life has it been for him, locked into a church for the last year, no social life or freedom.
On Warren Olney today, one of her supporters from "the Sanctuary Movement," a Hispanic pastor/ teacher at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, said she left the boy here in the U. S. because he has ADD and she thinks he can get better treatment here.
I'm quite sure that his problems stem from the way she has forced him to live in hiding with her. What a great mother, keeps using the boy as an excuse to stay in this country, knowing that as a single woman, she'd have gotten no sympathy, but as "a mom," -- an illegal, never-married woman -- she can play the Mommy-card.
Many illegals have lots of kids, more on average than U. S. citizens in fact, flooding our schools and clinics and hospitals, bringing them down. Her Warren Olney supporter says she represents some 12 million like her -- exactly why she should have been deported, to send a message for them to stay home in the first place. Work within the Mexican system to improve standards of living, instead of sending all their illegals here, and then their President and leadership condemns us and tries to tell us how to treat their illegals.
To the person who denied that illegals are demanding and have become very confrontational: just look at the May 1st mellee, and how their demands that illegals be given full rights (how dare they even think that is reasonable) led to an unruly situation which is costing us millions of dollars in law suits, loss of morale at the LAPD and unwanted international attention to how unable we are in America to deal with our immigration problems.
In France, they are considering dropping the law that gives French-born babies of foreigners automatic citizenship, and we should do the same.
If they want to work here, we should have a guest worker program like they do in virtually every other country: let them come for a year at a time upon payment of a fee and background check, then account for themselves annually to show they are gainfully employed and have no criminal records.
When will the liberals realize that we're not going to stand by and let you give our country away to illegal aliens? ICE is only serving the wishes of the AMERICAN people. We're fed up with supporting ILLEGAL ALIENS that continue to be a strain on public services and refuse to contribute to the American economy. The current system isn't broken, illegals simply ignore it. They can enter our country legally and be held accountable to contribute, or send all their cash home. It's an easy choice for them when there are no consequences. American companies that hire them will face fines, there are millions of citizens in grass roots organizations that will see to it.
Hey, anybody else notice the similarity between this chick and Sulu in the post right above it. Maybe Sulu's her dad!!!
We should have a guest worker program?? We already have 9 GUEST WORKER PROGRAMS. Educate yourselves on hiring foreign workers here: http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/hiring.cfm
Seriously you people make me sick.
Trackback: http://krcla.org/blog/463/
Action Alert: 6pm Vigil in Support of Elvira Arellano tonight at Federal Building
What: Vigil in Support of Elvira Arellano, her Family, and Immigrant Rights
Where: in front of the Federal Building in Downtown LA (300 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles CA 90012)
When: Monday 8/20 at 6:00 pm
http://krcla.org/blog/463/
"I left Cali because it's being overrun and ruined by all the shi@ty Mexicans. Screw 'em."
Wow, when did LAist become the Minutemen message board?
I have a feeling many of these "guests" might be making multiple posts. The level of hate and self-righteousness is sickening.
If America had a real immigration policy, I would not feel for this woman.
As it is, she's just one victim of a system which encourages illegal migration and then selectively applies the law.
The other victims are ordinary legal Americans whose way of life is being changed because of a bullshit immigration policy.
It's not a liberal v. conservative issue.
It's an issue of the Uber Rich, who want their cheap-ass labor, and everyone else. Conservatives, how else do you explain George Bush's support for Amnesty? Liberals, how do you square flip-flopping democrats who don't make the situation better?
The status quo, an underclass of labor who are encouraged to come here but can be kicked out at a moment's notice, benefits the rich on both sides of the border, and fucks everyone else over. Poor and working class Mexicans and Americans need to realize they're both victims of this.
Boy when I saw this criminal had been caught and shipped back to Mexico it really made my day!!! My wife who is Hispanic was also cheering!! About time the feds start enforcing the law. Make no mistake about it, this woman is a criminal and shouldbe treated as one.
Best way to rid this country of this scourge is simple automatic jail time for all employers of the criminals who entered this country illegally.
Take away the jobs and all social services and they will self deport. Wouldn't that be the day! No more vans overloaded vans driving along the hiway 10 mph under the speed limit. No more depressed wages, housing, crime, gang shooting, and below par schools.
The way people flip their shit here with xenophobia amuses me, as someone who just recently immigrated to the United States legally.
After going through my oath ceremony last Friday as an American citizen, it was made known in the court that day that the vast majority of all immigrating citizens are from Mexico, meaning that if you are from Mexico, you have a good if not better chance than those of other nations to immigrate here.
But that does not mean it is easy. Like others mentioned, these are mostly individuals who are not affluent, and this process is very difficult for them. After doing several interviews with aliens for research, I have taken the stories of their plight to heart. Yes, many Mexicans who are middle class have the resources to come here legally. But those who cross illegally have zero resources, and come from extremely hard-working backgrounds -- beginning with childhood. Most children here are not faced with having to work to support their family.
Imagine if your child was robbed of its infancy, and forced to work entire days physically instead of having the comfort of sitting at home watching television, eating prepared meals. You can easily scoff and be insensitive to this idea because of your lofty position, but in reality you would want your child to cross the border and escape this reality as well. On one hand you have policy that says it is illegal, and for reasons that are essential to maintaining the status quo -- but on the other hand I cannot help but sympathize for most of these people.
And people have been mentioning random immigration numbers in their responses. It is approximately 35 million Americans that are legal immigrants. I don't know where 50 million came from.
@SomePeopleWorryMe: 50 million is not more than double the population of Australia and Canada combined. How ignorant. Australia has a population of 21 million, Canada has 33 million. Double those combined is 108 million.
And finally, America should pride itself in being a nation of immigrants. Even the Natives who greeted the settlers had to immigrate across the Bering Straight eons prior. As long as these jobs are available and we need people to fill them, why shouldn't we enact policies to make it easier for Mexicans, Guatemalans, Salvadoreans, etc to obtain working visas?
henry d oh please.
deport all the illegals and then have a look at the entry rules. I am all for that. You can not reward crimnals for sneaking into our country.
I am all for LEGAL entry. I live in Texas and I see the detrimental impact to our society these criminals have brought. We have murders, rapes robberies with the end result the culprit fleeing to mexico. Not long ago my car was smashed by an illegal who ran a light. I found great pleasure waiting for the cop to impound the car and carry the criminal away.
I do not allow any work done on my house without the contractor first signing a sworn statement that all the workers are legal.
The solution is easy. Mandatory jailtime for all employers of illegals. It is your duty not to business with anyone who allows illegals to gather on their property looking for work. Visit these sites and take pictures of all vehicles those who would hire illegals. Send them to the INS.
Once again the solution is simple- no work/social services and no illegals.
This woman was deported once, then scheduled for deportation a second time back in 1996, BEFORE she chose to have her little Anchor Baby.
Thats what we're talking about, anchor baby and political ploy. This woman is a criminal, her activism will always be tainted with her stolen identity. We have no clue what others frauds she may have committed in the past 10 years.
I have no problems with Mexicans who wish to come to this country legally. Come here after a background check, with a job lined up, and a clean bill of health and welcome to America!
So the woman should be considered a "criminal" because she illegally came into the country? How many of you are illegal as well?
Let's see:
Smoking pot is illegal.
Driving over the speed limit it illegal (and puts lots of people in danger).
Ditto on drunk driving.
Cheating on your taxes is illegal and a federal crime.
Invading countries on made up evidence is illegal internationally.
So get off your moral high horses, criminals!
Let's be realistic, what do you all prefer? Mexicans who work hard, are mostly too humble and inexperienced to take "advantage" of the bureaucracy of the barely existing social benefits? Mexicans who love White people and American culture and try very hard to assimilate (of course, they do it in their own way and it may not look like they're trying to you)?
Or some other immigrant group to take their place? How about Russians? Or Indonesians? Africans? If it's not Mexicans, it will be some other group of people getting fucked by global capitalism.
Arellano's family corn farm was wiped out, along with thousands of others by NAFTA , ever stop to think about how that affected Mexico? Do you think people really want to leave their homes?
I know my post won't change anything, this kind of Xenophobia has been going on since the Pilgrims set up shop. Look at what they said about the Irish a hundred years ago. And the Germans a hundred years before that...
post #57 guest
you are so right, how could I have been so wrong. Her corn farm was wiped out by NAFTA. Heck that changes everything. I forgive her for illegally crossing the border twice and stealing that SS#. How could I have been so stupid to doubt her motives.
#58 does your world have a context or does it only revolve around you and your immediate needs?
-guest #57
Come on, people!!!! Look at the photos! She's Sulu, I tell you. SULU!!!!
#55, perhaps you should run for office. You'd definitely have my vote!
I say, go one better and seize any company & their monies who hire illegals. Fines and/or jail time don't seem to be too much of a deterrent.
Henry D, while we may be a country of immigrants, it is because they went through the proper channels. My grandparents had to be sponsored, learn English, have a job waiting for them & prove they would not be a burden on society. Today, everyone DEMANDS that everything be in their language (instead of learning English) and they put their hands out for services they are not entitled to. THAT I PAY TAXES FOR!! But when I go to collect, I can't.
They are making this the Divided States of America, not United States.
Come on, guys... it's obvious why the Times (and, up in SFist country, the Chronicle) chose to bury the story. The Chronicle and the Times are two of the most adamantly pro-illegal amnesty newspapers in the country - if not THE two biggest.
Why would they print a story that made the pro-amnesty agenda look bad? Because, while Arellano may be a hero to a small handful of people, the truth is that the vast majority of people - including legal Hispanic immigrants - see her as a shrewd tactician who is pimping her kid out to further her own activism. And pretty much everyone sees the hypocrisy in a woman leaving her son in another country to play it off for sympathy and then screaming "family values!" What a crock!
And, if there is still any question about Arellano's motives, check out this realease, signed by Arellano from Pueblo Sin Fronteras -
"..We have supported self-determination and opposed assimilation into this nation's individualistic, imperialistic values. We have taught that our people did not come here because of the American Dream but because of what the American nightmare did to our countries of origin. We have asserted that our demand to be here and to be fully enfranchised here is a right not a privilige and a destiny of our people to transform this nation."
And, BTW, you are DEAD wrong on the last comment. What the hell were they supposed to do? They could not afford to let this lawbreaking scumbag continue to flip the bird at the USA. Putting her in jail would make her the martyr she has been willing to sacrifice her son to become. The only real - and RIGHT - option was to deport her. And if that makes me a "nativist," then I am PROUD to be a nativist!