[Desertdog]

Mexico calls on U.S. police to investigate migrant killings
http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3935887


MEXICO CITY -- Mexican officials said Tuesday they believe five Mexican migrant workers were killed in the United States during a robbery, not as the result of racist or anti-immigrant actions, but urged U.S. officials to fully investigate the deaths in any case.


The Foreign Relations Department said in a news release that the government is "profoundly concerned" by the killings, and called on the United States to ensure the rights of migrant workers.

Five Mexican farm workers were shot or bludgeoned to death Friday during apparent armed robberies in four trailer parks in the state of Georgia. Six other workers were injured in the attacks.

"The initial reports indicate that this was a robbery, that it wasn't a racist or anti-immigrant act," presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar said. "But the (Mexican) government has insisted on the need for a prompt investigation."

Three of the six wounded migrants had been released or were about to be released from hospitals, two were in stable condition, and one remained in critical condition, the Foreign Relations Department said.

"The Mexican government is profoundly concerned by these events and the serious consequences they could have, if quick action is not taken to apprehend those responsible for these crimes," the department said.

The Foreign Relations statement also stressed "the importance of guaranteeing due protection of the law, regardless of the nationality of the victims or their migratory status."

"In light of these acts, the Mexican government condemns the acts of violence against Mexican citizens," the statement concluded, noting that "physical protection and the right to fair, just and equal treatment for migrants is a priority."

Aguilar said the victim's bodies would be returned to their native Mexico for burial, and that Mexican officials were providing support for victims' relatives.

The victims came from states throughout Mexico, including Chiapas and Yucatan in the south, the central states of Hidalgo and Zacatecas, and the northern state of San Luis Potosi.

Georgian authorities have not yet made any arrests, but have released composite sketches of two men based on descriptions provided by some of the victims. They say the attacks do not appear to be racially motivated.

The attacks have sent a chill through southwest Georgia's large Hispanic community, where many of the workers come to pick tobacco and vegetables.

Officials say many Hispanic workers are easy prey for armed robbers because they live in run-down mobile homes, sometimes without windows or door locks, and they keep relatively large sums of cash until they get a chance to wire money to relatives in Mexico.

[Biker]

I strongly suspect that the deceased and wounded would still be alive and healthy had they stayed in Mexico rather than commiting robberies in the US.
Symapathy can be found in the dictionary between... ;)
Biker

[Standing Wolf]

...the government is "profoundly concerned" by the killings...

If Mexico is so concerned, let it keep its criminal citizens home where they belong.

[Pawcatch]

I personally think it was a hate crime and a sixth victim just died.
Too bad I don't live in one of counties.I would love to be on that jury.

[longeyes]

When Mexico begins to cooperate on extraditing its escaped felons back to the U.S. for prosecution, we can listen to their plaints. Not before. Talk about gall.

[NCP24]

Five Mexican farm workers were shot or bludgeoned to death Friday during apparent armed robberies in four trailer parks in the state of Georgia. Six other workers were injured in the attacks. Those darn Georgia unions, what were they thinking!

Georgian authorities have not yet made any arrests, but have released composite sketches of two men based on descriptions provided by some of the victims. They say the attacks do not appear to be racially motivated. Drug related?

[Pawcatch]

I don't think this was drug related.The two suspects who were arrested today are also accused of another shooting and a rape.

[Lone_Gunman]

I personally think it was a hate crime and a sixth victim just died.

Why do you think that?

[Pawcatch]

Why do you think that?

Because the two black suspects seem to be only targeting hispanics.

[NCP24]

So it was two madmen on a rampage through four trailer parks leaving five dead and six others injured.
Or mabe its a reverse play by the Brown Berets to stir the racial fire and frame some white supremacy group. Ok I’ll take the tin foil hat off now.
Officials say many Hispanic workers are easy prey for armed robbers because they live in run-down mobile homes, sometimes without windows or door locks, and they keep relatively large sums of cash until they get a chance to wire money to relatives in Mexico. I feel so bad for these hard working migrant workers, you all want to do a farm aid or something? Just maybe we could also include the poor victimized fellow Americans who don’t have the luxury of having large somes of money on them. I know I know it’s not their fault, the blame should go to the government.

[hkOrion]

the government is "profoundly concerned"

well I'm profoundly concrned about the illegal mexican aliens that shoot at and kill local cops - who then run back to mexico becuase the Mexican .gov refuses to extradite them if there's a death penalty option.

Screw 'em.

[dasmi]

I personally think it was a hate crime and a sixth victim just died.
Hate crime laws are bull????.
All they do is further the idea that one race is more or less valuable than another. If I kill a murder a white man, isn't that hateful? If I murder a black (or mexican, or insert non-white race here) man, isn't it the same thing? Why should one carry a stiffer penalty?

[Pawcatch]

Dasmi,I agree with you on hate crime laws,but I feel that ethnicity was a factor in these murders.

[NCP24]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GEORGIA_KILLINGS?SITE=MOSTP&SECTION=US



Arrests made in Ga. Hispanic killings
MOULTRIE, Ga. (AP) -- Two men were arrested Tuesday in connection with a string of brutal attacks in south Georgia that targeted immigrant farm workers, authorities said.

The crime spree last week left six workers dead, either shot or bludgeoned with baseball bats. Four other workers were injured and a woman raped.

Stacy Bernard Sims, 19, and Jamie Underwood, 22, are accused of shooting and beating a Hispanic man at a Norman Park trailer park and then raping his wife. Each is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of aggravated sodomy, one count of rape, armed robbery, burglary and kidnapping, Whittington said.


More charges are likely, especially in neighboring Tift County, where immigrant workers were killed during home invasions at three other trailer parks, Colquitt County Sheriff Al Whittington said. The pre-dawn attacks Friday sent a chill through south Georgia's large Hispanic community, which includes thousands of workers who harvest millions of dollars worth of crops, from peaches to Vidalia onions.

"I know the Hispanic community is very nervous with this going on," the sheriff said in announcing the arrests. "Hopefully, this will give them some peace." Authorities believe Sims and Underwood may have been part of an armed-robbery gang that preyed on immigrant workers, who often carry large sums of cash because they lack documents to open bank accounts.

Whittington said the arrests resulted from an investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Marshal's Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and local police.

Earlier Tuesday, GBI Director Vernon Keenan said there had been about 20 home invasions targeting Hispanics in Tift, Colquitt and Cook counties within the past three months.

[Biker]

Hmmmm...Somehow, I doubt that the alphabet agencies would be involved if the crime spree was focused on white neighborhoods.
Biker

[longeyes]

Or maybe...

...the early stages of a Black-Brown race war that is inevitable as Mexicans and Central Americans crowd Blacks out of jobs, then out of the South...

[NCP24]

Are these guys white or black?

[Pawcatch]

Are these guys white or black?

They are black as I pointed out earlier in this thread.

[longeyes]

Black or white, the reality is the same. Blacks are being replaced in the South--with the blessing of the U.S. Government. If Bush wanted to play FDR he should have used the opportunity to reinvigorate poor blacks (and whites) in Katrina-affected areas, not use the hurricanes as an excuse to bring in more illegal migrant labor from Mexico. You think Blacks aren't aware of this?

[NCP24]

...the early stages of a Black-Brown race war that is inevitable as Mexicans and Central Americans crowd Blacks out of jobs, then out of the South... I wonder how bad the problem is, they already have the blacks out numbered in my area. (no disrespect intended)

They are black as I pointed out earlier in this thread. Thanks

[Pawcatch]

South Georgia actually has a lower percentage of hispanics than North Georgia and Metro Atlanta,with the exception of counties like Echols,Tift,and Colquitt.
For instance,Hall and Whitfield are about twenty percent hispanic.
And the fact is that blacks and whites won't work in the carpet mills or the chicken coops for six bucks a hour anymore.

[Biker]

Well Pawcatch, that could be because the labor market has been flooded by illegals. Ya think? And who profits from this? Who suffers?
Biker

[NCP24]

And the fact is that blacks and whites won't work in the carpet mills or the chicken coops for six bucks a hour anymore.And who can blame them! I won’t even get out of bed for less than twelve an hour. In todays times six bucks a hour should be considered a violation of civil rights, falls right in there with slavery.

[Pawcatch]

Biker,these jobs were never high paying,though they probably pay worse percentage wise now.

NCP24,I wouldn't work for that kind of money either,but in rural Georgia people have always taken what they could get.

[gc70]

I personally think it was a hate crime I disagree with this conclusion.I feel that ethnicity was a factor in these murders But I agree with this conclusion.

Robbery appears to have been a consistent part of the motive for the crimes. It appears that the perpetrators established a "victim profile" for their attacks - people who could be easily robbed and had a high probability of having large amounts of cash.Officials say many Hispanic workers are easy prey for armed robbers because they live in run-down mobile homes, sometimes without windows or door locks, and they keep relatively large sums of cash until they get a chance to wire money to relatives in Mexico. It is fairly obvious that ethnicity was a factor in the crimes because a specific ethnic group best fit the "victim profile." (As Willie Sutton said: "Why do I rob banks? 'Cause that's where the money is.")

However, I have not seen any substantial evidence that the crimes were motivated by racial hatred.

[Art Eatman]

There is a Stop''n'Rob in Coolidge, GA, which cashes a lot of payroll checks for Latins. I see a fair number of them getting paid around $400/week. You get several of those guys in one house and it's a good target for robbers.

Overall Latin numbers? Shopping in the Wal-Mart superstore in Moultrie leaves you with the feeling that maybe you're really in Del Rio, Texas.

Art

[NCP24]

NCP24, I wouldn't work for that kind of money either,but in rural Georgia people have always taken what they could get. Understandable but not justifiable, it still boils down to greed. We need to take care of our own first.

[LS]

Mexico calls on U.S. police to investigate migrant killings
I love how in the past month or so, the term "illegal immigrant" was replaced with "migrant"

[blackdragon]

I thought "migrant" indicated foreign workers here on temporary work authorization, as opposed to undocumented, which is simply PC-speak for 'illegals'.

Or is 'migrant' being used to cover both cases now?

Keith

[Sindawe]

I thought "migrant" indicated foreign workers here on temporary work authorization, as opposed to undocumented, which is simply PC-speak for 'illegals'. Or is 'migrant' being used to cover both cases now? Migrant, undocumented, bah.... Its all Newspeak designed to ensure the consuming masses only get the Goodfacts, and not the true facts about the situation.

[NCP24]

Or is 'migrant' being used to cover both cases now? Well I use migrant because the majority of these folks (in my area) slip back and fourth between the countries. I don’t care if they are legal or not, either way these people are damaging our communities.

[Gunpacker]

It would be nice if mexican officials had as much respect for American lives as America has for the lives of illegal immigrants. Seems that mexico has more to say about law enforcement here than American citizens. They protect murderers that flee there after killing American citizens and then have the balls to question our law enforcement. Heck, for my part, I would turn the killers over to them. Good riddance. However, we need to stop cooperating with mexico on everything until mexico stops pushing us around. The bullys. Can't blame the govt I guess, they are such a powerful nation. I sometimes wonder just what some foreign govts have to blackmail our leaders with.

[longeyes]

I think Morris Dees has come up with the term du jour: "Latino traveler." :mad:

[Car Knocker]

I don't care what the current PC designation is, the proper term is "criminals".
They committed a crime entering the country, they're committing a crime by living here, they're commiting a crime by workin here, often with false documentation, therefore they are criminals. No ands, ifs or buts.