Foley Institute Immigration Panel Video

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Note: This video was filmed using a Sony w810i cell phone

Sanctuary Cities

Here's an addition to Scotty's earlier post about an illegal alien killing the UW student.

In Virginia Beach, VA, an illegal alien with 2-prior drunk driving convictions has been charged with manslaughter in an accident that killed two high school girls, aged 16 and 17.

The connection with Seattle is that both Seattle and Virginia Beach are so called "sanctuary cities." In these cities, ordinances have been passed that prevent law enforcement officials from reporting illegal immigrants. In the Virginia Beach case, it is likely the man accused of killing the two young girls would have been apprehended by the INS after any of the four or so times he was in police custody previously had his illegal status been reported.

And this is a quote from the Seattle PI story on UW student Rebecca Griego's alleged murderer (who is white and English, so no talk of "racism" please):

Seattle police arrested Rowan for drunken driving June 30, but officers apparently didn't know he was in the country illegally.

City law forbids Seattle police from inquiring about immigration status, unless the officer has a reasonable suspicion that person is here illegally.

The article mentions that INS had been looking for this individual for many years. A tip from the Seattle police to the INS in this case would have prevented the murder of Griego.

How can we not say we don't need immigration reform in cases like these? Police routinely do a check for wants and warrants with every "contact" they make with an individual. Isn't being an illegal alien the same as having a de facto felony warant out for your arrest? It's hardly the same as asking someone their sexual orientation or religion.

Leftist Paradox: How to Cause a Liberal to Short-Circuit

This story briefly appeared today on CNN.com, then quickly disappeared. Fortunately, it can still be found with a quick search on Google news:

"Census: Immigrants Help Big Cities Grow as Native-Born Americans Move to Suburbs

WASHINGTON — Without immigrants pouring into the nation's big metro areas, places such as New York, Los Angeles and Boston would be shrinking as native-born Americans move farther out.

Many smaller areas, including Battle Creek, Mich., Ames, Iowa, and Corvallis, Ore., would shrink as well, according to population estimates to be released Thursday by the Census Bureau."

This is great!

Leftist: "Open borders, now! Human beings are not illegal!"

Reasonable person: "But illegal immigration is causing our cities to grow and expanding sprawl."

Leftist "...sprawl is bad! Save the earth!"

Reasonable person: "Ok, so we'll close the border and kick the illegals out to save the earth."

Leftist: "Yes! No! Uhhh.. there's no illegal humans, uh... sprawl... eerrrr... *fizzlepopsmoke*"

Immigration Reform: Encouraging Signs

[Cross posted from Versus the Mob]

The news out of D.C. this morning is that the White House has been at work on an immigration reform bill that does not equate to a free pass for some 11 to 12 million law breakers.

The first story I found on this was posted to CNN.com and can be read in full here:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/30/immigration.ap/
The key feature of the proposal that impresses me is that for an illegal to receive permanent residency, he or she must first return to their country of origin, apply to enter legally, and pay a $10,000 fine.

Otherwise, an illegal can apply for one of these so-called "plan Z" visas and legally work here for three years at a time, paying $3,500 to renew the visa at the end of each three year period. This will also have the effect of putting illegals on the radar as far as employment goes, which will likely put an end to their appeal as cheap labor in many industries.

But what I really like about this plan is that it does not potentially create 12 million voters overnight, the kind of voters whom leftists could easily buy with promises of lavish government benefits.