Illegal immigrants arrested on military bases

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rick_reno

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Maybe they should try and get them to enlist...I really enjoyed the comment by the Republican Congressman "deer in headlights" Hayes. Surely Mr. Hayes must realize the situation with illegal aliens is way beyond "letting our guard down". It's becoming apparent to me that no one is in charge anymore.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9775689/

RALEIGH, N.C. - Scores of illegal immigrants working as cooks, laborers, janitors, even foreign-language instructors have been seized at military bases around the country in the past year, raising concerns in some quarters about security and troop safety.

The immigrants did not work directly for the military but for private contractors, as part of a large-scale effort by the Pentagon to outsource many routine rear-echelon jobs and free up the troops to concentrate on waging war.

Some worry that this fast-growing practice could make U.S. military installations more vulnerable to security breaches.

“We can’t let down our guard,” said Rep. Robin Hayes, a North Carolina Republican whose district includes Fort Bragg, home of the Army’s Special Operations Command. “The motive of these particular individuals remains unclear. However, my greatest concern is that they were able to gain access to the installation at all.”

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, immigration officials have focused on military bases as well as airports, nuclear power plants and the nation’s power grid. In the past year, they have caught about 150 illegal immigrants at military installations around the country, said Jamie Zuieback, a spokeswoman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service in Washington.

No links to terrorists
There is no evidence any of them had any links to terrorists, though investigations are continuing, Zuieback said. She said the agency is concerned that such installations “could be vulnerable to exploitation by someone who has ill intent.”

This month, officials arrested three foreign language instructors at Fort Bragg. Over the summer, authorities apprehended 74 construction workers lacking documentation at Camp Lejeune, the Marines’ major base on the Atlantic Ocean, and caught 49 illegal immigrants at North Carolina’s Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Illegals have also been caught at bases in Idaho and Florida.

Some of them were deported; others were escorted off base and released.

The total of about 150 does not include those working for military contractors off base. The off-base arrests have included hundreds of illegal immigrants hired to prepare field rations by a Texas company that admitted falsifying their employment records. Off-base arrests have also been made in North Carolina, Mississippi and California.

In North Carolina, the military paid contractors $823 million this year and last to perform work at Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune and Seymour Johnson. Such outsourcing is likely to increase, said defense analyst Loren Thompson of The Lexington Institute.

Under Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s plans for re-engineering the way the military does business, “many, many more activities will be outsourced to contractors,” Thompson said. “There’s hundreds of thousands of them. The potential for abuse will be there.”

Contractors provide the military with civilian instructors in such areas as marksmanship, information management and medical care.

Security reviewed at Fort Bragg
At Fort Bragg, the three foreign language instructors worked at a school run by the Army Special Operations Command, which oversees such elite units as the Green Berets and the Rangers.

But command spokesman Lt. Col. Hans Bush said that the place where the instructors worked is not considered a sensitive location and is used for many unclassified courses.

The instructors worked for Orlando, Fla.-based B.I.B. Consultants. Under Pentagon policy, it is the responsibility of the contractor to verify that an employee is legally able to work in the United States, and B.I.B said its background checks of the three instructors came back clean.

Such background checks usually consist of asking for a driver’s license and a Social Security card.

Security is under review at Fort Bragg, a base that was once an open post where anyone could drive unescorted, even to the commanding general’s front door. Under the Pentagon’s base restructuring plan, Bragg is slated to become home to more command offices and the generals who lead them.

“It’s certainly an attractive target,” Hayes said.
 
It's becoming apparent to me that no one is in charge anymore.

It seems to me that this story indicates that someone is indeed "in charge".

I don't see anything wrong with Rep. Hayes comments. They tell me that he is likely to track the issue. I see no reason to mock him ("deer in the headlights"). Getting Congress more interested in illegal immigration is what many would like to see, correct? Granted it should not have been this hard to get their attention.
 
the question is how did hte govt let this slide so far for so long.
especially considering the illegals for the most part STarted after 9-11
 
RealGun said:
It seems to me that this story indicates that someone is indeed "in charge".

I don't see anything wrong with Rep. Hayes comments. They tell me that he is likely to track the issue. I see no reason to mock him ("deer in the headlights"). Getting Congress more interested in illegal immigration is what many would like to see, correct? Granted it should not have been this hard to get their attention.

Really? Who is in charge? When you find out, let us know. And don't forget to let us know how long they've been in charge - that's important.

"more interested"? Do you really think that is enough? Here's what I want, I'll be very clear so as not to confuse you. The Constitution states the President must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Is he in charge? Has this been happening with respect to the illegal immigration problem?
I don't think so.
 
rick_reno said:
Really? Who is in charge? When you find out, let us know. And don't forget to let us know how long they've been in charge - that's important.

"more interested"? Do you really think that is enough? Here's what I want, I'll be very clear so as not to confuse you. The Constitution states the President must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Is he in charge? Has this been happening with respect to the illegal immigration problem?
I don't think so.

Oh, I see...more Bush bashing.

Getting really tough with illegals and doing it quickly would be very bad for the economy. Illegal immigration is a not a good thing, but when well into it and the ecomony becomes dependent upon it, you don't just suddenly pull the plug, leaving jobs unfilled or paying much higher rates...inflation and all that. Stopping the influx is important, but dealing with those already here has to be realistic and decent.

I will give the Mexicans I know one thing. They work cheap, do a good job, and don't make any trouble. They also show up on Monday morning. Those who are comitting crimes should obviously be dealt with accordingly, and to a great extent they are.

Did you catch the story about Minutemen forming in Herndon, VA (DC area)? The story is in today's Washington Post. They will be video taping day worker hang outs and taking pictures of license plates of those who pick up workers. Bring out the cameras and they scatter.
 
The whole illegal immigrant worker is just an offshoot of the main issue, one of a Federal government that doesn't do one of it's core jobs adequately.
 
especially considering the illegals for the most part STarted after 9-11

Illegal immigration has been a rising tide since the '86 amnesty. The afterburners kicked in with Clinton and his henchwoman Doris Meissner. We are now at Mach 2 with the Bush administration.

Someone's in charge all right, we just haven't been noticing. De-Europeanizing America has been on the agenda since Ted Kennedy's immigration bill back in '65. A confluence of various social forces has been promoting open borders, openly or de facto, for decades.
 
Here's what I want, I'll be very clear so as not to confuse you. The Constitution states the President must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Is he in charge? Has this been happening with respect to the illegal immigration problem?
And he (and the executive branch) have a few other little problems that have to be balanced with enforcement: individual rights and funding. Can't put up a wall or even increase the number of Border Patrol agents without Congress cutting a check. Can only send those back to their original country if there's proof or they admit to being here illegally.
 
Some of them were deported; others were escorted off base and released.[/QUOTE said:
All should have been deported after being fined or whatever the penalty is for being an illegal immigrant. Do the police escort me off the road to my driveway after speeding or not wearing a seat belt ect. Of course not.
Since this is such a sensitive issue. Let me say I am all for immigration done legally. Unfortunatly doing something about illegal immigration is seen as cruel and discriminating. After all they want a better life. Well so do I.

I think the truth of the matter is with all the baby boomers retiring and the fact that there will not be enough people working to pay their S.S. benifits. The government needs more young workers to fill the financial gap for S.S. benifits that they(the government) created by spending all the money.
So the easy solution is to do nothing. After all it will cost a ton of money to do something about illegal immigrants that are supplying tax revenue to the government.
In short they don't want to spend money to eliminate a much needed source of revenue. :(
 
When I was working at Ingles in Pascagula the ICE came on the wet dock and arrested 27 illegals working on the boats. When they retreved the tools and personal effects they found a picture cell phone with photos of the bridge, radar room, radio room, and several other classified areas.:what: Just a simple worker my arse! :fire: The ship was the first of class LPD 17.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas
 
I think the truth of the matter is with all the baby boomers retiring and the fact that there will not be enough people working to pay their S.S. benifits. The government needs more young workers to fill the financial gap for S.S. benifits that they(the government) created by spending all the money.
So the easy solution is to do nothing. After all it will cost a ton of money to do something about illegal immigrants that are supplying tax revenue to the government.
In short they don't want to spend money to eliminate a much needed source of revenue.

I have yet to understand how a large group of illegal aliens who make low incomes and draw, one way or another, considerable social services can "solve" our Social Security problem. Bad math is bad math. They can't.

The answer to SS is basic financial reforms, and the answer to the shortfalls for baby boomers is to modify their spending/savings habits.

The answer to a drug addiction problem isn't to add more drugs you're addicted to. But that's what we appear to be doing.
 
have yet to understand how a large group of illegal aliens who make low incomes and draw, one way or another, considerable social services can "solve" our Social Security problem. Bad math is bad math. They can't.


Agreed, the dumbing down of America is not the answer although it appears
our large corporations and government want this. Outsourcing jobs, shipping
all manufacturing to third world countries and importing poorly educated
workers. A recipe for disaster in my opinion. My only question and I cannot
decide on this, why is it being done, greed, ignorance, or some of both.:(
 
Longeyes, respectfully there is no way most ofrall the illegal immigrants cost the government more money than they provide. Most of them are hard working individuals. They come here in search of jobs not welfare.
As for the baby boomers. It is not their resposibility to provide 100% of their own retirement income just because the government didn't save their money for their retierment. In other words I should not have change my lifestyle because someone spent my retirement money. If one put 15%(the S.S. amount)of their income in the bank earning basic interest it would be more than enough to retire.
What I say is if S.S. is such a burden to the government do away with it and let people put that 15% in their own plan. That way at least it will be there when you retire.
The bottom line is I/we cannot trust the government to save my/our retirement money untill I/we need it!! :cuss:
 
Wingman, It is a recipe for disaster. But that's the way the government operates. SS is the perfect example. :uhoh:
 
Most of them are hard working individuals. They come here in search of jobs not welfare.
While this was once true I do not see that now and I have lived on and near the border 30 years. I have seen reports of cost to each taxpaying family
placed at $800 to $2400 depending on the state you live in.

Texas can no longer build enough schools on current property tax rolls, no
doubt to me we are going in the direction of Calif.

Illegal labor is a help only to the wealthy, it does not and will not
benefit average Joe taxpayer. Most I see have less then an 8th grade
education, they use the schools, hospitals, drive cars without insurance,
use fake driver license, inspection stickers, etc. It's a no win folks, again
only for the wealthy here and in Mexico.
 
and meanwhile, we are being treated like livestock at the airport just in case some of us may decide to do something.. :rolleyes: i wonder how many cops who always tell me to turn on my computer are actually illegal :fire:
 
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