Police: Illegal Workers Arrested At O'Hare

Illegal Immigrants Accused Of Using Fake Badges To Work In Critical Areas Of Airport

(CBS/AP)  Authorities say 23 illegal immigrants were arrested Wednesday, accused of using fake security badges to work in critical areas of O'Hare International Airport, including the tarmac.

The 23 allegedly illegal workers were employed by Ideal Staffing Solutions Inc., whose corporate secretary and office manager also were arrested after an eight-month investigation that involved federal, state and Chicago authorities.

According to Elissa A. Brown, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, Ideal Staffing has been working on a contract basis for airlines including United Airlines, KLM and Qantas.

"The investigation identifies a vulnerability that could compromise national security, while bringing criminal charges against individuals who built an illegal work force into their business practice," said Brown.

Ideal Staffing officials did not return a telephone message left after business hours Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Much of the investigation centered on the airport security badges issued by the Department of Aviation, said U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald. Agents found that 110 of the 134 badges issued to Ideal Staffing workers did not match the individuals who carried them, he said.

The discrepancies were first noted in March by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector, Fitzgerald said.

"If we are to ensure public safety, we must know who has access to the secure areas of airports," Fitzgerald said. "A fundamental component of airport safety is preventing the use of false identification badges, and punishing those who commit or enable such violations."

An investigation by CBS station WBBM-TV found evidence in garbage dumpsters used by airport contractors that badges were missing. The findings revealed how Chicago's Department of Aviation failed to monitor its badge program.

"If these badges are floating all over the place, is the Department of Aviation doing its job?" Chicago's Inspector General David Hoffman told WBBM. "A fair and important question and a question that needs to be answered from the ongoing investigation."

Mary Gurin, 36, of Carpentersville, and Norinye Benitez, 24, of Franklin Park, were each charged with one federal count of harboring illegal immigrants for gain and one federal count of misuse of Social Security numbers. They were scheduled for a preliminary appearance later Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Brown said.

Benitez is believed to be an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and Gurin employed her and signed her airport badge application while knowing her illegal status, Brown said.

The workers arrested, 21 from Mexico and two from Guatemala, were being held in the Cook County jail. They face state criminal charges and deportation, Brown said.

According to affidavits in a complaint against Gurin and Benitez unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, the applications for the 110 bogus badges listed Social Security numbers that either did not exist or belonged to other individuals, some of whom were dead.

One affidavit from a temporary worker who cooperated with authorities said Benitez told him to look through a box containing about 20 airport security badges and to pick one with a picture that resembled his own face.

The affidavits allege that Ideal Staffing told workers they needed to have identification, but that the documents did not have to be legitimate, and also accused the company of supplying some workers with deactivated badges issued in other names.

Brown, Fitzgerald and other officials declined to answer questions about how workers could use deactivated badges to enter secure areas of the airport, saying that the investigation continued and that not all details could be revealed.

Cook County State's Attorney Richard A. Devine said his office has issued more than 100 arrest warrants in the case.

[jetranger7]

About time some of the people who work in the Offices who knowlingly hire these illegals went to Jail and are Arrested !! They know what their doing is wrong, and they also know who they''re hiring as well. I wonder just how many Good LEGAL US Citizens who originally applied for that job were turned down, so those in that office could hire illegals at half the wage, with no benefits what so ever ! Enough is Enough, YES, its time to start going after the Corporate office peons who knowlingly engage in this scheme, and start arresting them, from the secetarys, to the Managers who are always in on it ! I hope they lose thie Contract, and are fined Hundreds of thousands of Dollars, and have to do time in prision ! Enough is Enough !

[jetranger7]

Now, they just need to start checking the Grocery Warehouse Distributors around the country, and see whos unloading the trucks at the docks, they''d be surprised at who is doing the work, ILLEGALS again employeed by a staffing agency, who has a contract with the grocery Distributor, these people are known as LUMPERS in the trucking industry. They wonder why our food supply is at risk lately, hince the recalls on BEEF, LETTUCE, SPINICH,and the like ! Enough is Enough ! Corporate America, you best Wake Up and get rid of your Ill Ways fast and those you''ve hired who want to engage in this Illegal activity !!!

[omnibus66]

I keep hearing over and over, mostly from the Democrats, that we cannot round up somewhere between 12 and 20 million illegal aliens and deport them. We don''t have to! If current law making it illegal to hire illegals were enforced, their jobs would dry up, and the vast majority of them would go home. If a few hundred or thousand of these employers were put in prison every day, things would change rapidly. By employers I mean ANYONE, including the homeowner who gets a worker from the Home Depot parking lot, who hires an illegal for any reason.

[antoniof123]

I get a charge out of this some people believe this is going to solve the problems. Hey people this is a division issue it is designed to divided the US population. Get it through your heads this is not the only problem the worst is Iraq. For you neocons out there Iraq is not going away and until congress is purged of neocons it will not matter.

[jetranger7]

Well another part of the problem is, that LOCAL Law Enforcement won''t do their jobs, from local police to Sheriffs departments to step in and do their part, they claim they either don''t have the resources , or its not in their jurisdiction, which in my opinion is totally bogus excuse for not wanting to act. The LAW is the LAW, rather your speeding, making an illegal U-Turn or whatever, Local Law Enforcement has an oblication to Enforce all the laws, not just the ones they pick and choose, just for the sole purpose of revenue on their behalf. Then the other problem is with the city councils across the country, they have to demand Enforcement from their police departments for the communities in the citys, which many won''t do, hince the illegal problem we have today and the many Corporate Employers who knowingly engage in hiring these Illegals, for the sole purpose, of being able to squander thousands of dollars in their own pockets to live high on the hog at everyone else expense ! Enough is Enough ! Arrest them all, office managers too and secetarys too and the owners of the companys !

[jetranger7]

Hopefully, one day, HOMELAND SECURITY and ICE & Customs, will start Raiding these GROCERY WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS, who use whats known as LUMPERS to unload the semi-trucks who come in off the west coast and unload at their docks !! They usually use an agency, whos contracted to the Grocery Distributor to unload these trucks, many of the Illegals are paid in cash, and don''t pay in to the Social Security system ever, nor do they recieve benefits or over time for working over 40-hrs.Its strictly a get rich scheme, when you see the illegals show up in trunks of cars, while the owner of the staffing agency shows up in a Cadillac Escalade, dressed to the nines !!! Also the Corporate CEOs of the Grocery chains know this and they do nothing,what so ever, probably because of some sort of kick back scheme going on ! Hopefully, ICE & CUSTOMS and Homeland Security will get a handle on this one day soon !!! along with local law enforcement !

[fitedafuture]

So am I to understand now that our own neibors are terrorist? ..BOLLOCKS!!!

[fitedafuture]

AmeriEuro anyone?

[hwy71so]

kudos to the authorities. ;)

[fitedafuture]

this country was founded on the back of slaves, hasnt changed much I would say..?

[jetranger7]

Lets see, you''ve got possible Terroists posing as Mexicans coming across the border, and nobody is sure who they are because they most likely have fake IDs. Then you''ve got the "MS-13-Gang members" who are bring illegal Drugs and Weapons with them across the border, or attempting to set up shop here in the US, to begin their Drug Distribution System and sales, Ya, I''d say we have a MAJOR Frickin Problem, have had for years,and its time to end it, Enough is Enough ! Secure the Borders, start Arresting these Corporate Employers or anybody else who knowlingly hires an illegal to work for them, and sentence them to jail/prision ! Yet these same idiots who knowingly hire them, are the same ones who drive around around with bumper stickers that say Support our Troops, and America this and that, they''re 2-faced about it, and claim they''re for Ametica, and all that, yet they pull this, it more of an illusion so they look good, while being Corrupt and Fraudulent and Criminal ! Enough is Enough !

[truthspeake2]

If they were to do that here at the Phoenix airport, nobody would be working at the airport...maybe that''s why it won''t ever be done???

[simonsez40]

KUDOS.........I''m with omnibus66 on this one - enforce laws to dry up their jobs - make them provide proof of citizenship, penalize or imprison employers that hire them.....

[hungry1968]

"The 23 allegedly illegal workers were employed by Ideal Staffing Solutions Inc., whose corporate secretary and office manager also were arrested after an eight-month investigation that involved federal, state and Chicago authorities."


AGAIN - this is what happens when the government tries to eliminate government employees, and replaces them with privately run companies. Haliburton has taken over most of the logistics and supply for the US military (at many, many times more money), Blackwater has taken over security services for American diplomats (and use Iraqi civilians as moving targets), and the Department of Aviation is hiring employees through a temp agency, instead of directly hiring the employees themselves.

So now, instead of hiring the employees themselves, they''re going to "save money" by going through a temp agency so they don''t have to find the employees themselves. But now because of this, they''ll have to hire someone to monitor the temp agency''s hiring practices.

Where is the savings?

[hungry1968]

Hopefully, ICE & CUSTOMS and Homeland Security will get a handle on this one day soon !!! along with local law enforcement !

Posted by JetRanger7 at 07:45 AM : Nov 08, 2007


If you''re legit, you should send copies of the same letter to the agencies you mentioned above, the local and state police, your county sheriff''s office, AND also let them know that you are sending copies of the same letters to the investigative reporters at your local newspaper(s) and tv news station(s).

They don''t want to be caught doing nothing, especially by the press, and at least one agency will have to investigate. If not, I''m sure at least one media source will investigate - they love getting the scoop on a currently hot topic. What will it cost you - about $7 - $10 if that much? A little time, 10 - 12 copies of a letter, and a dozen envelopes and stamps.

As an American citizen, you have an obligation to report a law being broken.

[panhandlpete]

There are all kinds of labor staffing contracts being utilized throughout this country. Locally, the electric coop outsources its right-of-way clearance work, and when the crew was in my rural neighborhood, only the crew leader could speak English enough to say what they were doing. He communicated to them in Spanish....need I say more.

Any time you see contract employment, expect to see a reason behind it...ie, illegals, avoiding to pay benefits, or taxes, or simply greed to improve the P&L. The contract puts another layer between the CEO and the law violations as they can claim they had no knowledge of the status of the workers.

[omega39-2009]

Employers usually pay contract agencies a significant amount of money above what the contracted worker receives. It makes you wonder how much the airport was paying and how much the contract agency was keeping if all they could find to hire were undocumented Mexicans.

[jn122736]

Where else are Ideal Staffing Solutions Inc., supplying contracted employees?
Are any of their, or any other, contracted sites being investigated?

BTW
How can New York pass a law to give illegal immigrants LEGAL drivers licenses? Isn%u2019t that in-and-of-itself a criminal act?

[omega39-2009]

I keep hearing over and over, mostly from the Democrats, that we cannot round up somewhere between 12 and 20 million illegal aliens and deport them. We don''''t have to! If current law making it illegal to hire illegals were enforced, their jobs would dry up, and the vast majority of them would go home.
Posted by omnibus66

a better solution would be a mandatory living wage and give the undocumented aliens access to the labor boards, OSHA etc. If undocumented labor was competitively priced with home grown labor, we would quickly hear an end to the calls for a needed "guest worker program".

[greeneyes222]

It''s a start.

Now prosecute the folks at Ideal Staffing, take away their contracts, and follow the rot up the chain to whoever gave them the contracts to begin with.

[jowand]

BTW
How can New York pass a law to give illegal immigrants LEGAL drivers licenses? Isn%u2019t that in-and-of-itself a criminal act?
Posted by jn122736 at 08:42 AM : Nov 08, 2007

It''s all politics aimed at getting their votes eventually.

[jowand]

If they were to do that here at the Phoenix airport, nobody would be working at the airport...maybe that''''s why it won''''t ever be done???
Posted by truthspeake2 at 08:08 AM : Nov 08, 2007

That''s not true

[forthepeopl1]

SO GO AHEAD AMERICANS BE WEAK, THIS IS COMMING....IT IS TIME FOR A REVOLUTION,TIME TO STOP BUSH/CHENEY


The violence broke out after an estimated 80,000 ant-iBUSH demonstrators - led by university students - marched peacefully to the Supreme Court to protest constitutional changes that would greatly expand BUSH/CHENEY power if voters agree to the changes in December. Unrest, if it continues, could mar a Dec. 2 referendum on the controversial reforms
The amendments being protested would abolish presidential term limits, give the president control over the Central Bank and let him create new provinces governed by handpicked officials.
The protesters demand the referendum be suspended, saying the amendments would weaken civil liberties and give BUSH AND CHENEY unprecedented power to declare states of emergency.
``Don''''t allow AMERICA to go down a path that nobody wants to cross , during the march to the Supreme Court.
BUSH, who was first elected in2000, denies the reforms threaten freedom. He says they would instead move AMERICA toward what he calls ``21st century socialism.''''''''
In televised comments prior to the unrest, BUSH urged ALL AMERICANS to turn out en masse to vote for the reforms. In reference to the opposition, he said: ``Don''''t go crazy.''''''''

[ianlou]

"Illegal Immigrants Accused Of Using Fake Badges To Work In Critical Areas Of Airport"

Bad-jis, we doe ned no steekin BAD-JIS!!!!!

[toolmangler-2009]

a better solution would be a mandatory living wage and give the undocumented aliens access to the labor boards, OSHA etc. If undocumented labor was competitively priced with home grown labor, we would quickly hear an end to the calls for a needed "guest worker program".
Posted by omega39 at 08:42 AM : Nov 08, 2007




Nice idea but not correct. In todays news, an article by Walter Williams a Professor a George Mason University for whom I have a great deal of admiration is Headlined "Our poor must be the envy of the worlds poor". It points out why America is a magnet for the rest of the world. Prof. Williams said,
"If I were an unborn spirit, condemned to a life of poverty, but GOD allowed me to choose which nation I wanted to be poor in, I''d choose the United States."

A person in America making $15.000 a year is in the top 5% of the wealthiest people of the ''World''. Google it for your self.

[jeepmanjr]

"Hopefully, ICE & CUSTOMS and Homeland Security will get a handle on this one day soon !!! along with local law enforcement!"

It''s not DHS, CBP, ICE or USBP...it''s your congress. ICE & BP work for CBP who works for DHS who answers to the shirts & ties. If you don''t believe hands have been tied by congress and law makers it''s time for you to get an education. Don''t ask how I know this, let''s just say I do. The entities you refer to would like nothing better than to enforce ALL immigration laws of this country. They can''t do it with leashes attached to their collars.

It truly is a shame that law enforcement takes any of the rap for this nonsense. Oh, and you think there are only 10 to 12 million illegal aliens in this country? Google up some illegal crossing stats and do the math. My 22+ years experience tells me we''re closer to twice that amount.

Seems to be OK to have one working for you, that is, as long as he doesn''t live next door to you. And it also seems OK by many for them to work illegally utilizing false SS numbers. Have met anyone who has had their SS# compromised? There''s another
google taget for you.

Get a handle on it? Folks, I think it''s probably already too late!

[omega39-2009]

Posted by ToolMangler

Toolmangler, my point was that all insourcing and outsourcing is being driven by a corporate desire to avoid paying Americans a wage that allows them to maintain their current standard of living. Studies show that a large percentage of the undocumented aliens held and overstayed their work visas. Dry up corporate America''s ability to hire and maintain a permanent underclass of slaves and the problem will slowly start to take care of itself.

[likeitis5050]

No!!! Not the airports!!! They have proven how skilled they are at rooting themselves here illegally but we still have people insisting they should be given open door policy on anything they demand. We have a nation of roughly 50.999% of the people too stupid to be making any kind of decision regarding the security of our country...and one of them is running for president and insists she is ''uniquely qualified to do the job''....what ever that means.

[donbl1]

The way to fix this is to go after the company "Ideal Staffing" and throw the book at them.

If we do not have the laws, then our do nothing Congress needs to make some. Be usefull.

If the TOP management of Ideal Staffing and some other there are thrown in jail then it will send a message throughout America and the jobs for illegals will go away and more will go home. In this part of the country, many have already returned to their home countries because of construction recession.

[missingamerica]

It is just plain common sense that people who come here illegally to get work wouldn''t come if they couldn''t get work.

But hold Business accountable for obeying the law?

Oh, no - can''t do that - that would affect profits.

I don''t see why any American should have to obey any laws they don''t want to - the people that run America''s businesses and government get to pick and choose, so why can''t the rest of us?

Talk about a violation of basic Equal Rights...

[omega39-2009]

We have a nation of roughly 50.999% of the people too stupid to be making any kind of decision regarding the security of our country...and one of them is running for president and insists she is ''''uniquely qualified to do the job''''....what ever that means.
Posted by likeitis5050

likeitis5050, need I remind you that grand poobah Bush and a couple of Republicans (including one running for president) were also behind the "grand bargain". Did you forget that it was grand poobah Bush that was ready to sell the ports to the Arabs? If the grand poobah spent half as much time going after employers that hire illegal aliens as he did going after medicinal marijuana, we wouldn''t have anywhere near the problem we have now.

[toolmangler-2009]

Dry up corporate America''''s ability to hire and maintain a permanent underclass of slaves and the problem will slowly start to take care of itself.

Posted by omega39 at 09:19 AM : Nov 08, 2007



My point is that we cannot ''dry up any more'' If I am not mistaken your solution is to ''document'''' the illegals and force a higher wage standard then shut down the hiring practices to ''only'' hire (Legal illegals)? I am sorry if I have misunderstood you but as it is said, "This does not compute".
Whatever happened to stopping illegal entry?

[anitaymoore]

In Oklahoma we have just passed House Bill 1804 which now puts real teeth to employing, harboring, and transporting illegals. Illegals can no longer obtain any state care, they cannot obtain driver''s licenses, and they are no longer able to receive higher education. People from other countries who DO reside here legally will simply have to provide proof of their legal status and have it verified to receive the above benefits.

Now, in Oklahoma, it is a FEDERAL crime for anyone who hires/harbors/transports anyone who is an illegal as well. Not surprisingly we have had many move away from Oklahoma this past week...the law went into effect Nov 1st.

[missingamerica]

A person in America making $15.000 a year is in the top 5% of the wealthiest people of the ''''World''''. Google it for your self.

Posted by ToolMangler at 09:11 AM : Nov 08, 2007

That is not a valid argument unless you also include the price of food, housing, energy, and medical care that those people you are comparing us to must pay.

It makes a huge difference, when you can rent a house for $12 a month.

[radiob-2009]

This problem is not going to disappear until we the people demand "fairness" in all trade agreements, teeth that will place a living wage into the agreements. Nations such as Mexico and China are basically providing slave labour for the corporate rich and we by continuing to purchase these goods are enabling it.

[toolmangler-2009]

That is not a valid argument unless you also include the price of food, housing, energy, and medical care that those people you are comparing us to must pay.It makes a huge difference, when you can rent a house for $12 a month.
Posted by ibsteve2u at 09:42 AM : Nov 08, 2007



Here is a link that will show you where you (personally) stand in the world, money wise.
I was off with my statistic, (12.23% vs 5%)

http://www.globalrichlist.com/

[toolmangler-2009]

HiYa'' radio, sry, gotta go for now (MRI appointment) be back later.

[radiob-2009]

HiYa'''' radio, sry, gotta go for now (MRI appointment) be back later.


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

Posted by ToolMangler

Catch you later Tool, MRI back problems? Hope not I have my share of them.

[l8c6]

A person in America making $15.000 a year is in the top 5% of the wealthiest people of the ''''''''World''''''''. Google it for your self.

Posted by ToolMangler at 09:11 AM : Nov 08, 2007

Yes, and 1/10th of 1 percent have well over 50% of the world''s wealth.

[pepperp1]

It appears again that Patrick Fitzgerald is the only functioning compentent Republican in the Bush failed Administration and crony political appointees crowd he should run for office but change party affiliation first because he has to many ethics and to much integrity to be elected as a Repug.

[gdig60804]

Why is our goverment catering to Ilegals, especially the mexican? They come into our and demand rights. They do this by pushing their language on Americans. They take over our small towns and push us out. Take the Mexican that was town president before Larry Dominick for instance. Here he is collecting US dollars and representing a town in the United States. What does he do? He spits in the American''s face by putting up banners in every street corner reading ''Long live Mexico". Mexican flags are being flown higher than American flags. What''s that? If you complain, all the Mexican tell you how prejudice you are and gang up on you. Most of the American from Cicero, now live in Downers Grove, Darien, Woodridge and Plainfield etc. Why should American''s have to run from town to town because these ignorant people have no respect for American''s? Learn English, respect our flag and blend into our society. If you don''t like American''s and our Country than go home. That doesn''t mean live off of our Goverment, pay no taxes and when your ready to retire move back to Mexico and collect our (AMERICAN DOLLAR''S) social security. What kind of bull *** is that anyway?

[jn122736]

Elected democrats embracing issues like amnesty for illegal immigrants, gun control, gay rights, a democratic president signing the republican sponsored, NAFTA agreement, as well as the failure of the present democratic majority in both houses of congress to end the Iraq fiasco, correct civil rights violations, or even attempt to impeach the perpetrators seems too much to be coincidental.

All of the above issues are clearly not in line with the opinions of a majority of Americans, and in most cases are in direct conflict with the interests of the working class, which the democratic party is supposed to represent.

There is too much obvious collusion between the parties to pass issues the majority of Americans are against. I.e. Clinton signing NAFTA, Bush and McCain working so hard with Kennedy et al to pass an amnesty bill.

Over the past 3 decades the status/living standards of the working class have devolved from being the envy of the world to joining the ranks of third world countries.
Unaffordable health care, unaffordable essentials like gasoline, food prices now going out of sight, and on and on.

When my wife and I were raising our family I worked outside the home and she took care of the home. Our tasks were equally important even though I was the only wage earner.

Our family income and health coverage then, was actually greater than that of my children%u2019s family incomes today, with both spouses working full time.

[missingamerica]

Here is a link that will show you where you (personally) stand in the world, money wise.
I was off with my statistic, (12.23% vs 5%)

http://www.globalrichlist.com/

Posted by ToolMangler at 09:57 AM : Nov 08, 2007

Again, that link provides no measure of comparative wealth.

I spent years living in countries where the average income was often far less than $2000 per annum, so my American dollars made me appear to be comparatively wealthy.

But only because I could rent a house and buy food so cheaply while in those countries!

If you go to this URL:

http://lavoice.org/article667.html

you will see that the average rent for a two-bedroom unit in West L.A. was $2,319.00 in 2005 - before the real run-up in prices.

Someone who is making that $15K that puts them in your (revised) top 12.23% of the world would be one stinking, oozing person - because he or she would have starved to death.

Wealth is comparative - people who sneer at Americans who claim to be poor without considering the cost of living do not enhance their credibility.

[itgranny]

While some of you will probably get upset over comparing people to animals, I can''t help but think the same rules apply to all living beings.

Let''s compare it to bears. In the past, to control bears, we used to shoot them. Lots and lots of bears were destroyed until it was determined that perhaps this method was a little too harsh.

Next, we implemented relocation programs; expensive and many times the bears just came back. Now, we''ve gotten a little smarter and apply our efforts at reducing what attracts them. Special provisons are supposed to be made for garbage and food that is left outside. If people don''t comply, there are penalties to pay. The result today is we may still need to relocate the occasional bear, but for the most part they don''t stay unless there''s something worthwhile to stay for.

Stop expecting employers to be document specialists. Get a database system that can check and cross check documentation and put the doc checking into the gov''s hands. You apply for a job, the employer sends documentation to database, experts check it over and send the OK back to the employer.

[rmmm201]

Send them all back.The news calls them immigrints. They are illegals. ya have to call a spade a spade.Close the borders don''t let a soul in without the right paperwork.Don''t give them a DL so they can run all over the country. if you give them a job fine the living hell out of them. no jobs they will go back home. Remember illegal is the work . Don''ttry to sugar coat it so you can get votes to keep your jobs. We need a third party the wants to get back the basic ideals of our country was founded on. Our political system has ran amuck.Time for a big change. We need to vote out every incumbint and replace them with everyday US working people. We need term limits to stop the Kennedey dynasty stereo types. 4 years and your out. I''m just a sick and tired of business as usual american. Work all week and can''t afford gas for your car anymore. I can go on and on. people are starting to get tired of it. my father said to me when i was young"mark my words there is going to be a revoulution in this country someday" i think the time is getting near.

[missingamerica]

I suppose I could have saved a lot of space by simply noting that many of the illegals live eight or more to an apartment while in this country, and send their pauper''s wage back to their homeland where it is worth something.

[forthepeopl1]

SO GO AHEAD AMERICANS BE WEAK, THIS IS COMMING....IT IS TIME FOR A REVOLUTION,TIME TO STOP BUSH/CHENEY


The violence broke out after an estimated 80,000 ant-iBUSH demonstrators - led by university students - marched peacefully to the Supreme Court to protest constitutional changes that would greatly expand BUSH/CHENEY power if voters agree to the changes in December. Unrest, if it continues, could mar a Dec. 2 referendum on the controversial reforms
The amendments being protested would abolish presidential term limits, give the president control over the Central Bank and let him create new provinces governed by handpicked officials.
The protesters demand the referendum be suspended, saying the amendments would weaken civil liberties and give BUSH AND CHENEY unprecedented power to declare states of emergency.
``Don''''''''t allow AMERICA to go down a path that nobody wants to cross , during the march to the Supreme Court.
BUSH, who was first elected in2000, denies the reforms threaten freedom. He says they would instead move AMERICA toward what he calls ``21st century socialism.''''''''''''''''
In televised comments prior to the unrest, BUSH urged ALL AMERICANS to turn out en masse to vote for the reforms. In reference to the opposition, he said: ``Don''''''''t go crazy.''''''''''''''''

SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE HER IN AMERICA, AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT...

WITH 250 MILLION AMERICANS THEY CANT KILL US ALL..TIME FOR A REVOLUTION.

[godofredo29]

Maybe if the Mexicans and others looked at the way the U.S. has treated the Puerto Ricans they wouldn''t want to be here in the first place.

[gdig60804]

I got news for you, the Puerto Ricans don''t want you here either. Everyone knows that Puerto Rican''s and Mexican''s don''t like each other. GO HOME!!!

[gdig60804]

This is why all Employers should be fined for knowingly hiring ilegals!! If you pick and chose who should get fined or not, this is what happens. This is weather you are here ilegally working for the airports or McDonalds. It''s all this gray that is jeopardizing this country. When it comes to ilegals it should be black or white.