Manassas, Va., Oct. 20, 2007

Towns Experiment With Anti-Immigrant Laws

While One Passes A Law Cracking Down On Illegal Immigrants, Another Throws Theirs Away

  • Play CBS Video Video Illegal Immigrants Under Fire

    Tensions ran high in Manassas, Va., after city officials passed a measure that cuts off services to illegal immigrants in an effort to force them out of town. Joie Chen reports.

  • Photo

     (CBS)

  • Photo Essay Immigration Rallies

    Demonstrators demand path to citizenship for estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

(CBS)  Here in Manassas, home of the first battle of the Civil War, passions are once again hitting fever pitch. This time, illegal immigration has ignited a fury between long-time residents and a rapidly growing population of newcomers, reports CBS News correspondent Joie Chen.

Long simmering tensions came to a head this week when more than a thousand people packed a county board meeting.

“This country is being invaded no less than if hordes of armed people came across its borders,” said one speaker.

“I fought for this country, across here, which one of you fought for this country?” asked another. “And now you're sitting down there trying to pass a bill that will -- you know what? Forget the bill,” the man said, stalking off the podium.

“It's we the people of the United States, not we the illegal!” countered a third speaker.

The marathon session raged until 2:30 a.m., when officials unanimously passed what they call the nation's most aggressive crackdown on illegal immigration. The law:

  • creates a multi-million dollar police "criminal alien unit" in the county
  • demands officers check suspects' immigration status
  • and limits county services for undocumented residents.

    “Eventually, I think what's going to happen is you're going to see a flight of illegal immigrants from Prince William County,” said Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

    Nearly three dozen communities across the country have taken matters into their own hands and passed laws aimed at curbing illegal immigration. But there have been some unintended consequences.

    Just over a year ago, city leaders in Riverside, N.J., voted to punish employers and landlords of undocumented workers and saw the impact almost immediately.

    Quote

    Eventually, I think what's going to happen is you're going to see a flight of illegal immigrants from Prince William County.

    Corey Stewart, chairman, Prince William County Board of Supervisors
    “People were ruled by fear,” said David Verduin, who heads a group of landlords and business owners in the town. “A lot of immigrants stopped coming downtown, and even people from outside of town didn't come in because they were afraid.”

    Some businesses lost as much as half of their income, and immigrant rights groups sued, costing the city tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.

    A few weeks ago, Riverside rescinded its ordinance.

    “We're looking at other ways to address those issues,” said George Saponaro, the township’s attorney.

    In Virginia, they’re pushing ahead anyway.

    “We can no longer afford not to do anything about illegal immigration,” said Stewart. “It has come to the point where it has seriously degraded the quality of life in the community.”

    Still, legal challenges are underway, and some stores already report a drop-off in business.

    © MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Video and Galleries from CBS Evening News

    Add a Comment See all 141 Comments
    by gunnerone2 October 20, 2007 11:42 PM PDT
    Good for Manassas and Prince William County.Since the federal government is not doing the job it should, then local governments have to step in and protect their citizens. I hope more laws are passed to check the illegal immigrant burden on taxpayers and maybe the federal government will see the light.
    Reply to this comment
    by michellem99-2009 October 20, 2007 11:48 PM PDT
    This remind of the place in MO. We use to live in St Chares and we go accross the river and they wont cash a chech drawn on their bank in that town..Why..The civil war they still think it is going on today. It ended in the 1800s.
    Reply to this comment
    by tnt1954 October 20, 2007 11:58 PM PDT
    as predicted, the South will rise again. segregation
    made Huge comeback after the spoiled brat behavior
    of those who wanted more and more and more of
    what you have for free, without lifting a finger.
    whiplash effect. indentured servants, involuntary
    servitude all making big comebacks. debtors
    prisons. right to refuse service to anyone,
    otherwise it would be involuntary servitude.
    customers are doing ya a big favor? not really.
    special invitations to just go to the grocery
    store soon coming out. by invitation only.
    privatization to the extreme. people don''t
    like being forced to like someone. its rape.
    jfk and his federal troops in the South and North.
    a buncha soviet intimidation. and eisenhower
    in little rock. the tribes got stirred up.
    against each other by soviet provocateurs.
    read naked capitalist by cleon skousen and also
    his book naked communist. an f.b.i. man he
    reported back. many go into the field and are
    never heard from or seen again.
    Reply to this comment
    by grammawhamma October 21, 2007 12:23 AM PDT
    %u201CA lot of immigrants stopped coming downtown, and even people from outside of town didn''t come in because they were afraid.%u201D

    Some businesses lost as much as half of their income.


    If some businesses lost as much as half of their income because the illegal immigrants were afraid to show up proves how big a problem illegal immigration really is. Our country is over run will illegals. More power to the local governments that are trying to fix the problem...we sure can''t hold our breath waiting for the federal government to act.
    Reply to this comment
    by grammawhamma October 21, 2007 12:25 AM PDT
    This remind of the place in MO. We use to live in St Chares and we go accross the river and they wont cash a chech drawn on their bank in that town..Why..The civil war they still think it is going on today. It ended in the 1800s.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Posted by MichelleM99 at 11:48 PM : Oct 20, 2007

    Michelle: I''m not understanding the correlation between your post and this article.
    Reply to this comment
    by stokeybob October 21, 2007 12:30 AM PDT
    It is great to see America wake up once again.

    Back in the sixties the Main Stream Media had us all believing that we believed everyone believed what they said we believed. When the Beatles first came out we became a divided nation on the trivial matter of whether we liked them or not. Then we all started comparing notes on other things. We found many new allies and new friends. Even those that believed things we didn%u2019t were not so scary anymore. We all gained a new respect for each other and for ourselves.

    Don%u2019t forget those town hall meetings. Before we can restore law and order in our streets we are going to have to restore law and order in our government. Watch those that stand up to the criminals in the government in those meetings. They may make good replacement candidates.
    Reply to this comment
    by xzavierbrown October 21, 2007 1:24 AM PDT
    this would test the will of liberal canada..because that is where all these fu ckers are heading..and all I can say is.........................HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHH

    THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER....
    Reply to this comment
    by gretagreen October 21, 2007 2:01 AM PDT
    Maybe local communities should have more say in this federal matter. My community, in northern California, generally benefits from immigrants because we have a lot of agriculture and need for seasonal labor. We do not want ICE or anyone to come here and raid places. We have found a balance -- at least for now.

    Also, I personally strongly support a compassionate reasonable plan to reform our current immigratins laws. There are many ilegal immigrants in the U.S. that I believe should be allowed to apply for legal residency and citizenship.
    Reply to this comment
    by undermyboot October 21, 2007 2:07 AM PDT
    We do not support or want illegal immigrants living in this country, and we want to stop illegal immigration. What stinks here is a lot of these comments and the undercurrent pushing these laws smells like plain bigotry against any immigrants, LEGAL and illegal. It smells like an excuse for the Neanderthals who hate anyone who isn''t white and Baptist to get their rocks off.
    Reply to this comment
    by sparks224 October 21, 2007 2:17 AM PDT
    Why don''t we just enforce the laws against hiring illegals?

    Oh, I forgot, we don''t like to do that.
    Reply to this comment
    by nothappyatall October 21, 2007 2:25 AM PDT
    "immigrant rights groups..."


    LOL, immigrant RIGHTS? um, WHAT rights are those? you are here illegally you HAVE NO rights beyond being herded into the back of a police van and deported back to Mexico safely.
    Reply to this comment
    by marcpcbs October 21, 2007 2:39 AM PDT
    The problem we are having with immigration is just another case of federal law enforcement sitting back and not doing it''s job.

    11 years ago a handful of states voted to turn their backs on the federal laws against marijuana. Now we have tons of marijuana in every single high school and jr. high school in this nation.

    Today''s problem areas were yesterday''s areas of neglect. What are we paying federal law enforcement for anyway?
    Reply to this comment
    by marcpcbs October 21, 2007 2:52 AM PDT
    This country has no problem with immigrants that come through the front door, sign in, pick a name, learn the language, pay taxes and except all the responsibilities of being a citizen.

    Many of these illegal immigrants have moved into other jobs than agricultural labor and without paying taxes for school or medical assistance.
    Reply to this comment
    by peguesplace October 21, 2007 3:04 AM PDT
    ''Bout time somebody started doing something positive. Legal immigration is one thing,"wet-backs" are another..
    The whites and blacks built this country. The American Indians were here first, before we stole their land..
    Now we''re gonna give away this land that we''ve all sweated and bled for..
    To a bunch of people that want to enjoy all the rights and privileges we and our forefathers earned.. and they won''t even learn to speak our language or follow our laws..
    They won''t assimilate into our society, and after a while they will become like a festering sore, isolated from the rest of society.. a subculture, with all its inherent problems of discrimination and hatred.. Just what we need..
    How long before there''s blood in the streets??
    No other group of immigrants has been so adamant about flaunting their flags and language.. Even the older Hispanics have blended into our culture, learning English..
    But not these illegal Criminals. Yes, Criminals!!
    ''Nuff Said....
    Reply to this comment
    by ontheleft October 21, 2007 4:24 AM PDT
    Yet another case where it''s Bush''s fault. It''s as simple as having the federal government enforce its own laws. It isn''t being done.

    "The Bush administration, which is vowing to crack down on U.S. companies that hire illegal workers, virtually abandoned such employer sanctions before it began pushing to overhaul U.S. immigration laws last year, government statistics show.

    Between 1999 and 2003, work-site enforcement operations were scaled back 95 percent by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which subsequently was merged into the Homeland Security Department. The number of employers prosecuted for unlawfully employing immigrants dropped from 182 in 1999 to four in 2003, and fines collected declined from $3.6 million to $212,000, according to federal statistics.

    In 1999, the United States initiated fines against 417 companies. In 2004, it issued fine notices to three."
    Reply to this comment
    by bettybb2 October 21, 2007 4:46 AM PDT
    Greta,

    No Northern CA does not benefit from illegal alien labor in the agricultuaral community. Do you realize the amount of subsidizies the California taxpayer is paying so the argriculture can reap windfall profits? 10.5 BILLION , YES THAT IS BILLION, per year. It is a huge scam.

    In other developed countries, agriculture is improvising, creating machines and robots to pick the harverst. We are not because of the subsidized cheap illegal labor.

    And when Bush announced his tough enforcement, and agriculture was complaining that it would lose it labor, did it start to recruit Americans? I keep checking here in NO. CA. Nope, it did not. It it not try the high schools, colleges or universities. No ads in the paper. Nothing.

    They didn''t contact the prision system either. In Utah and Colorado, they have set up a program where prisioners can apply for jobs brining in the crops. It benefits both sides and is working. We have almost 200,000 prisioners in CA. Surely at least 75,000 are low security and might prefer a job with pay to sitting in jail every day.

    Nope, CA growners want the below market wages. They want wages where they don''t have make deductions, and where the state pays for medical insurance etc and picks up other costs.

    This whole illegal invasion is being driven by dishonest business and the checks they write to policians.
    Reply to this comment
    by bettybb2 October 21, 2007 4:50 AM PDT
    Let''s help MO end illegal immigration.

    Why is it illegal for an American to find out from the Social Security Administration whether their OWN or their children%u2019s Social Security Number is being used by someone else?

    If all Americans could, as a preventive measure, periodically check their SSN, not just after they have discovered their credit has been ruined, and they have been stuck with illegals bills, and taxes, and have lost some of their own SS benefits, then:

    1. Americans could proactively protect their and their kids'' credit and finances from identify theft.
    2. Illegals would be quickly discovered, and could be prosecuted and deported by ICE.
    3. Most of the alleged mistakes in the SSN database would soon be corrected.
    4. There would be far fewer "mismatch" letters for business to deal with.
    5. For those SSNs that are fictitious, SSA could be held accountable for advising ICE, again reducing the burden on business.

    Easy. But dishonest business wants taxpayer subsidized cheap labor, and politicians want the business PAC money. So Americans have to raise the roof and get this authority. Call your Senators, Congressmen and even state reps and DEMAND a change in the law!
    Isn''t our own SSN ours?
    Reply to this comment
    by bettybb2 October 21, 2007 4:53 AM PDT
    Sorry people. That was weird. I posted, to another site, or so I thougt, and it turned up here. Maybe Im mixed up open windows.
    Reply to this comment
    by goldesprit October 21, 2007 5:56 AM PDT
    Soverignty comes from NATIONAL unity--not each state trying to decide if they can allow illegal aliens...INTO THE U.S.
    The Civil War was fought and won-- over what the individual states could do.
    That was no little war--and the results are still valid.
    OF COURSE.
    Period.
    Reply to this comment
    by goldesprit October 21, 2007 6:02 AM PDT
    Of you like towns deciding what semi-federal and federal laws they can massively alter without the U.S. Govt. changing federal laws;
    get ready for some really bizarre local "laws"...
    With computers getting even faster--you might have to relocate your family every few months, because the local laws hve screwed you again, while in flux.
    Want this???
    Reply to this comment
    by ramos937 October 21, 2007 6:39 AM PDT
    Very simple way for all to approach this "problem".

    Allow all towns/counties that want to enact anti illegal immigration measures to do so easily. The illegals would move/relocate/locate to areas where they are welcome. In the former towns, prices will rise, business will suffer through lack of workers, folks will lose their jobs and businesses formerly interested in locating here will relocate elsewhere. Firms suffering the pinch will relocate elsewhere. In the latter, prices will tend to be low, businesses will have the workers then need and they will see a net gain in taxes. Firms owned by Hispanics will locate here from the former.

    The areas suffering will continue to self inflict pain for a long period of time. If they do not, they will eventually become ghost towns.
    Reply to this comment
    by trillion1 October 21, 2007 8:05 AM PDT
    If the federal goverment went after illegals as hard as they prosecute medical marijuana there wouldn''t be a problem. The people who claim prices would go through the roof with-out illegals just won''t accept the fact that that is not true. AS long as businesses contribute big bucks to politicians there will never be meaningful enforcement of the laws.
    Reply to this comment
    by formrusmcsgt October 21, 2007 8:39 AM PDT
    "Some businesses lost as much as half of their income, and immigrant rights groups sued, costing the city tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. A few weeks ago, Riverside rescinded its ordinance."

    Parumph, NV, about an hour from Las Vegas, tried an ordinance of this type about a year ago.

    It proclaimed English as it''s official language, placed fines on landlords who rented to illegals, placed fines on businesses who employed them, etc., etc., etc.

    When the negative financial impact of the ordinance hit the town, they couldn''t take it off the books fast enough.

    Everything in life comes at a price. Allowing illegals to stay has a price. Drumming them out of a community has a price.

    Town after town across the country has had to decide which price is higher.

    In most cases to date, it appears, towns have decided that economics are a stronger force than xenophobia.


    Reply to this comment
    by lilathe October 21, 2007 8:54 AM PDT
    All the "gloom and doom" posters that say that towns will go out of business etc if illegal aliens leave are dead wrong. In 1986 every illegal alien that applied was granted amnesty, plus the ones that lied and said they were here since then. They are still processing papers in 2007 for the 1986 amnesty.
    My point is that the rest of the illegals have only been here since 1986, most since 2000. The USA and all of its towns got along quite well BEFORE the invasion and we will get along just fine if the invasion is halted or reversed. What did the USA do before the 30 million invaders showed up? I suggest we go back to doing it again when they leave.
    Reply to this comment
    by goldesprit October 21, 2007 8:55 AM PDT
    "Democracy" is not whatever is popular in the moment.
    Its about real deliberation--and some degree of finality until honest better ideas can prevail--instead of constant bickering, negotiation, and change for styles'' sake.
    If you honestly like towns deciding what semi-federal and federal laws they can massively alter without the U.S. Govt. changing the federal laws;
    get ready for some really bizarre local "laws"...
    And--with computers getting even faster--you might have to relocate your family every few months, because the local laws have screwed you again, while in flux.
    Want this??? You should not.

    Reply to this comment
    by drivelphobe October 21, 2007 9:00 AM PDT
    formrusmcsrgt....

    Throwing in the "xenophobia" comment reveals your distaste for the American way of life. The business people who thrive on illegal employees or illegal customers, do not have the real say. We the people are gathering steam, and with some new poiticians like Huckabee, for example, we will rid the country of the illegals and restore our culture. You and your xenophobe position can stick it. We are sick and tired of the government pandering to illegals from anywhere. Deport every last on of them and the sooner the better. The average taxpaying citizen is about ready to take up arms to fight for our country. The stench of illegals is making it difficult to breathe the air of freedom. We welcome legal immigrants, so there is no xenophobia here. You should be a CBS newswriter.
    Reply to this comment
    by greeneyes222 October 21, 2007 9:25 AM PDT
    Towns only pass their own anti-illegal immigrant laws because the Feds don''t enforce their own law which says pretty much the same thing.

    The illegals and the businesses that hire them have learned to count on that non-enforcement, using government services funded by taxpayer dollars to deal with the resulting problems. Taxpayers are fed up with discretionary enforcement and demanding that their government act at last.

    It may come as a shock to CBS News (judging by the tone of this article) but people are fed up with the situation. We are not going to continue to pay illegals'' medical bills, additional police coverage, or anything else because it''s good for a few businesses who profit by shortchanging these poor people - and us.
    Reply to this comment
    by standlee5 October 21, 2007 10:13 AM PDT
    This is getting so old. The headline should obviously read; towns Experiment With Anti-ILLEGAL Immigrant Laws. Give us a frigging break.
    Reply to this comment
    by hadenufff October 21, 2007 10:13 AM PDT
    There is no reason for farmers or any other agricultural companies to lose production without the illegal invaders. The solution is simple. We have hundreds of thousands of prisoners doing nothing but lifting weights and watching t.v. in prison. Why not bring back the chain gangs, pay them enough so they can repay the state for the expenses incurred by keeping them in prison, then you don''t need the dam illegals at all.
    Reply to this comment
    by likeitis5050 October 21, 2007 10:18 AM PDT
    For every illegal they deport, they could and should be accepting legal immigrants to replace them. They are pitifully unskilled at doing both, yet Bush wants every single person working within the classroom to be ''highly skilled and qualified''. This means his ESL program, special education, and inclusion classroom teachers...or risk loosing funding. Yet when it comes to the immigration department, nothing can be done to make this process move quickly and smoothly. Law enforcement gets told by INS to leave them alone unless they have double digit numbers to report at one time. Law enforcement is dealing with criminals by the time they get involved, but INS just shoves it under the carpet until something high profile comes along to boost their imgage. Where are the legal immigrants that should be pouring through the halls of immigration with papers in hand and ready to work?

    They don''t want the system to work seamlessly...not yet...not until the election. Then, depending on who gets elected, we either get a well oiled INS machine that deports and admits almost equally, or a vague program that equates to amnesty.
    Reply to this comment
    by standlee5 October 21, 2007 10:20 AM PDT
    I agree. We have plenty of able bodied around to do work. Seriously the lawlessness that accompanies illegal immigration is something that has to be addressed. The people are breaking the law. The employers are breaking the law. So where does it end. If it''s OK to break one law then why follow anylaws. If businesses are getting away with breaking labor laws why should the rest of us follow labor laws.
    Reply to this comment
    by standlee5 October 21, 2007 10:24 AM PDT
    Why do we need so many people flooding into the country. The populations has already ballooned. What about the next recession. These new immigrants won''t be prepared. So we have to support them too. We don''t need any more poeple. We can hardlyh feed and water the ones we have.
    Reply to this comment
    by standlee5 October 21, 2007 10:28 AM PDT
    Why don''t these people get it. We want them to LEAVE. THey are not welcome here. Go Home Illegals. Go home and fight for change in your own country and quit squatting in ours.
    Reply to this comment
    by marcpcbs October 21, 2007 10:42 AM PDT
    trillion1

    " If the federal government went after illegals as hard as they prosecute medical marijuana there wouldn''t be a problem. "

    GUESS WHAT, The Federal Government isn''t going after pot growers either, that''s why we have marijuana in every single High School and Junior High School in the nation.

    The INS and the DEA must be hanging out at the same doughnut shop.


    What are we paying the feds for anyway?
    Reply to this comment
    by blackbug99 October 21, 2007 11:23 AM PDT
    The ironic thing is that if you tried to take your family illegally into Mexico they''d arrest you and deport you. You would not be entitled to medical care, schools, voting or welfare.

    Of course, who''d want to live in Mexico? Home to the most xenophobic, corrupt, democracy (supposed democracy) in North America.

    Reply to this comment
    by Krazcarl October 21, 2007 11:39 AM PDT
    I''m so sick of this discussion on illegals, The solution is easy fine those that hire illegals confiscate there property and sell at public auction. The solution is easy it would be over in a few weeks. But no we need complicated political solutions because the congress wants their housekeepers and landscapers and owe for political contribution. Is there any reason this can''t be implemented?
    Reply to this comment
    by middleman8 October 21, 2007 12:06 PM PDT
    These people are not illegal immigrants.
    They are returning to the land of their
    forefathers that was stole from them, everything west of the rockies.
    Reply to this comment
    by trillion1 October 21, 2007 12:09 PM PDT
    Actually the goverment is going after marajuana much more activally than illegals. Hundreds of thousands of arrests every year. Mostly for non violent possession. Since pot can literally be grown everywhere it was a battle that was lost before it was started. Pot is not degrading our education system, flooding our hospitals or leaching off our social services. Illegals are.
    Reply to this comment
    by bren4824 October 21, 2007 12:26 PM PDT
    The only businesses that will suffer once the illegals are FORCED to leave----are those that employed illegals or catered to illegals. Those businesses deserve everything that they get!!

    Now businesses who are trying to follow the law and do everything legally----by only hiring US citizens or LEGAL immigrants----will be able to compete with those businesses who are hiring the illegal invaders.
    Reply to this comment
    by DinTN October 21, 2007 12:36 PM PDT
    HISPANIC TRENDING: "What can Hispanics expect to see changing for the better, for them and their community, once President Hillary Clinton is sworn in?"
    SEN. HILLARY CLINTON: "I will continue to strongly support the DREAM ACT, and will work to expand access to higher education.
    The failure of immigration reform has also been frustrating; our immigration system is broken, and every day, hundreds of families %u2013 many of whom have been separated from each other for years %u2013 are paying the price. That is why, when I%u2019m President, I will work to pass immigration reform that honors our history as both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws, and that includes a path to legalization." (AKA:AMNESTY!)
    http://juantornoe.blogs.com/hispanictrending/2007/10/qa-on-hispanics.html
    Reply to this comment
    by DinTN October 21, 2007 12:37 PM PDT
    "La Raza" stands behind Bill Richardson for US president"
    http://www.aztlan.net/richardson_for_president.htm
    BILL RICHARDSON, former U.S. Congressman, U.N. Ambassador, U.S. Secretary of Energy, and currently Governor of New Mexico and Presidential candidate is against building the US/Mexico border barrier, is for giving amnesty to undocumented Mexican workers and recently met with the new president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, to discuss issues of mutual concern.
    "Even if he does not win, he will be in great position to negotiate with the victorious nominee, whether it be Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or one of the many other Democratic candidates."

    Richardson:
    "There are changing political times where our basic foundations and programs are being attacked, illegal and legal immigration are being unfairly attacked."
    In his own words:
    http://www.theamericanresistance.com/race_industry/true_agenda_audio.html
    Reply to this comment
    by DinTN October 21, 2007 12:39 PM PDT
    CLINTON AND OBAMA APPEAL TO "THE RACE":
    Leading Democratic presidential contenders Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
    and Barack Obama (D-IL) addressed the national convention of the
    National Council of La Raza (NCLR) in Miami. The NCLR through the years has opposed virtually all measures to control illegal immigration.
    La Raza" means "the race."
    Both candidates promised as president to support "comprehensive immigration reform," a phrase meaning legal status (amnesty) for illegal aliens. One of Clinton''s campaign chairs is RAUL YZAGUIRRE, the previous PRESIDENT OF NCLR. She told the convention that limited amnesty bills might still pass Congress this year.
    Obama related that he marched with ILLEGAL ALIENS and their supporters last year to protest legislation to crack down on illegal immigration. Source: (CBS4) Miami Beach 7/22/07
    Reply to this comment
    by DinTN October 21, 2007 12:41 PM PDT
    "A Conversation With La Raza" PART 2

    She expressed a sentiment that is tantamount to inciting a revolution! She also went on to explain that the term "La Raza" was first used by a spanish author who used it to describe the people of the South Americas(duh), and explained to me that I was un-educated.
    I then made it very clear to her that there was another man named Adolf Hitler, who wrote a book called Mein Kampf. And that in the book, he talks about the people of Germany, and how other countries once were their lands that they inhabited. And that this man also called his group and his people "The Race".
    Her response was to hang up the phone.
    La Raza is a hate group. A racist hate group...
    Contact them, and tell them what you think about their plans to take over the United States..
    http://www.nclr.org/section/contactus

    Author: "Ben Franklin" All credits go to: "Ben Franklin" (user id)
    Reply to this comment
    by DinTN October 21, 2007 12:43 PM PDT
    "A Conversation With La Raza" PART 1

    "Today was an interesting day for me. I had a sudden urge to call La Raza, and demand an explanation as to why they call their group "The Race". Which to me seems very racist , to consider your group and those in it the ultimate race.
    When I called, I was shocked at the response the representative gave me to some of my questions. I tried to ask her why she agrees with the invasion of the south west by illegal mexican immigrants.
    She explained that it was perfectly acceptable since "my" ancestors were the ones that invaded the land of the indians. So I asked her, "So in your head two wrongs make a right?". The woman basically admitted that the goal of LA RAZA is to invade American territory and seize it.

    Author: "Ben Franklin" All credits go to: "Ben Franklin" (user id)
    Reply to this comment
    by l8c6 October 21, 2007 12:44 PM PDT
    DinTN

    I hear your frustration. Allowing illegals to flood over the border needs to stop but the reality is that many americans who are pre baby boomers and boomers are retiring to Mexico and this reality has changed the sense of unity in the lower 48 that once existed.

    The boomer generation has been the biggest group of self centered hoes. They always have gotten their way. While sucking up to the neo con ideology of greed during their hoarding years they will now expect government healthcare funding to be sent to them in Mexico in their retirement years. I say yes to child healthcare and no to retired boomer healthcare.

    Reply to this comment
    by l8c6 October 21, 2007 12:48 PM PDT
    These people are not illegal immigrants.
    They are returning to the land of their
    forefathers that was stole from them, everything west of the rockies.

    --middleman8

    Spanish conquistadors mixed with the natives of Mexico and south america did not live in north america, what are you talking about?
    Reply to this comment
    by xzavierbrown October 21, 2007 1:11 PM PDT
    Posted by middleman8 at 12:06 PM : Oct 21, 2007
    + report abuse
    ********

    care to volunteer to return YOUR OWN "land" back to these people?
    Reply to this comment
    by gretagreen October 21, 2007 1:14 PM PDT
    Please do not become so overcome with fear and hatred that you lose all common sense on this issue. I live among many immigrants from Mexico, and none are trying to make US a part of Mexico or take back their homeland or anything radical like that. They are here to work and make a living. They had nothing in Mexico, so they had nothing to lose.

    "La Raza" translates as "the Race" true - but in Mexico this means multi-racial. There are statues and tributes to celebrate the racial mix b/c most Mexicans are part Indian and part European. I don''t know what La Raza group that one poster called. There are many.

    I am especially sympathetic toward the children.
    I know my children go to school with some children who are not here legally. Many of those kids are so great; they study hard, they have big dreams, they want to go to college, they have American dreams, American ways, they speak only English. What will happen to them when they realize they willl never be able to work legally here? Let''s pass some version of the DREAM Act now. Why create somoe kind of underclass of people who did absolutely nothing wrong. Their parents made a decision to come here; they didn''t.

    Reply to this comment
    by DinTN October 21, 2007 1:14 PM PDT
    U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer of San Francisco, (brother of Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the Supreme Court), the one behind blocking the sending of Social Security No-Match letters, was appointed by Bill Clinton in 1997. Just imagine what kinds of judges Hillary will appoint if she''s elected...
    ...
    Sick of everything being printed in Spanish? We can thank the (First?) Clinton administration!!
    EXECUTIVE ORDER 13166: IMPROVING ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States of America, and to improve access to
    federally conducted and federally assisted programs and activities for
    persons who, as a result of national origin, are limited in their
    English proficiency (LEP), it is hereby ordered.....
    William J. Clinton
    DO WE REALLY WANT ANOTHER CLINTON ADMINISTRATION?
    ....
    Urge Congress to defend English!
    http://www.proenglish.org/news/eo13166news.htm
    Reply to this comment
    by gretagreen October 21, 2007 1:20 PM PDT
    May I also point out that without comprehensive immigration reform, we will maintain the status quo - which some say is silent amnesty.

    It is impossible to send all illegal immigrants back to where they came from. That is not an option. So, let''s think of something else.

    I support extradition to jail of any illegal immigrant who commits a crime here.

    I support immediate citizenship for children who were brought here before the age of 14 and have been here at least five years and have committed no crime.

    I support a path to citizenship for those who can show, by some objective criteria, they will make good citizens and perhaps pay some kind of fine.

    Does anyone have any other sensible ideas?

    This has nothing to do with strengthening the borders which I certainly favor. This is all about illegal immigrants already here.
    Reply to this comment
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