White House presents Mexico anti-drug strategy

The Obama administration revealed today a comprehensive plan designed to stem drug-related violence in Mexico.

The plan presented at a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Deputy Attorney General David Ogden distinguishes itself in the increased deployment of officers to the U.S.-Mexico border and a stronger effort to combat arms smuggling across the border. According to Napolitano, the $700 million strategy under the Merida Initiative would aim to help the Mexican government break up drug gangs and subsequently decrease their access to weapons from the U.S.

The plan was cited by one report as “extending or expanding” plans created under Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush. Yet Napolitano differed from the Bush administration by emphasizing that a lengthy border wall "is not the best way" to prevent drugs from being smuggled into the U.S.

The plan includes many additional details such as:

• committing the White House and Congress to the Merida Initiative;
• increasing intelligence efforts under the FBI by creating a Southwest Intelligence Group and working with Central American countries to combat gang violence;
• using the Treasury Department to investigate money laundering by drug gangs;
• pledging more funds for narcotics treatment including “integrating substance abuse services into national healthcare systems”.
  

Image- Reuters
Online Sources- MSNBC, BBC News, ABC News, El Universal, boston.com

U.S. immigration snafus…

Or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

A senior U.S. border patrol official was charged on Friday with hiring illegal immigrants to clean her home and advising one of them on how to avoid detection by the authorities.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security charged Lorraine Henderson, port director for southern New England, with employing an illegal immigrant from Brazil in her Salem, Massachusetts home, following a sting operation.

Henderson, who worked for the department's Customs and Border Protection arm, continued to pay the woman for more than two years, even after a colleague warned her not to, according to court documents.

When the unidentified Brazilian woman asked Henderson for advice on her immigration status, Henderson told her, "You have to be careful, cause they will deport you."

Henderson also advised the woman, "don't leave (the country) ... cause once you leave, you will never be back."

I don’t know whether to call it hubris, stupidity, or what. Assuming the charges are true, stories like the one above are yet another example of why we need comprehensive, and fair immigration reform.

Sadly, those with the power to do something about it prefer to live with their heads in the sand and allow the same broken system to continue. There’s the hope that that could soon change, but the cynic in me doubts it. Such is the sad reality of the immigration debate.

(Just in case you didn’t catch it, here’s the inspiration for the title to this post.)

Image- boston.com (Freight ship traffic at the Port of Boston)
Sources- AP, Wikipedia, Reuters

Daily Headlines: December 8, 2008

* U.S.: Coming to a television near you – a reality series for Homeland Security. (Migrants not included).

* Paraguay: The hunger for meat in the developed world has led to the widespread clearing of land in Paraguay according to this Guardian UK article.

* Colombia: Could Colombia’s failed pyramid schemes put the kibosh on President Alvaro Uribe’s possible plans for a third term?

* U.S.: A quick piece of advice for pugilist Oscar De La Hoya – please retire now.

Image- wired.com
Sources- CNET News, washingtonpost.com, New York Daily News, Guardian UK

Chertoff’s immigration indifference

Allegations recently surfaced regarding the health of a Chinese illegal immigrant who was detained and died while in custody. Attorneys for the relatives of Hiu Lui Ng claimed that he was denied vital medical care while in custody and because of that Ng’s fatal cancer had gone undetected.

While Ng’s ordeal is pretty harrowing, what has caught my attention is the reaction to Ng’s case by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff:

You know I hate to see any detainee die in prison. And I always believe if there is negligence or misconduct that ought to be punished. I also recognize that the population of any detention facility, whether it’s a state prison, federal prison, you’re going to get a certain number of deaths.

That’s it? An answer which can be translated as “it stinks but shit happens”? Chertoff’s reply is flippant and irresponsible, devoid of any emotion beyond a lame verbal shrugging of the shoulders.

This type of attitude is disturbing in someone holding such an important post as Chertoff; a little sympathy can go a long way.

I wonder if he would react similarly if:

• Border Patrol officers and northern Mexico residents engage in almost daily skirmishes
• Hackers infiltrate into FEMA’s voicemail system and make hundreds of calls to the Middle East
• Smugglers keep crossing the border even in the middle of tropical deluges
• Allegations of abuse surround raids on undocumented workers

Image- Fox News

Sources- City Room, Vivirlatino, Gothamist, Associated Press, The Latin Americanist,

“Operation Scheduled Departure” = Failure

Recently we wondered if the U.S. immigration “self-deport” plan entitled “Operation Scheduled Departure” was turning into “Mission: Impossible.” According to the Houston Chronicle the answer is an emphatic “yes”:

In the weeks since Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Julie Myers revealed in a TV interview that officials were planning to offer a new "self-deportation" program, the story has been picked up by media outlets worldwide.

ICE paid for newspaper and radio ads in test cities, trying to entice the estimated 457,000 fugitive immigrants in the U.S. to turn themselves in with promises they could "avoid detention" and "manage your own return." Since the program's launch Aug. 5, Operation Scheduled Departure has attracted a half-dozen participants.

Yes, six. – [ed. emphasis ours]

Jim Hayes- acting director of detention and removal office at ICE- tried to spin this by saying that there’s “an indication there is at least some interest.” But how can one justify a pilot program with such a terribly low number of participants? Do such a minuscule number of applicants justify spending $50,000 on ads and many hours of ICE man-power better served elsewhere? Why are officials and politicos so content with sticking their heads in the sand and avoid much needed immigration reform?

Let’s put it this way: what does it tell you when Lou Dobbs and immigrants rights groups can actually agree that your idea is rubbish?

Image- FOXNews.com (“Aug 5: A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office advertises Operation Scheduled Departure in Santa Ana, Calif.”)

Sources- Associated Content, Guardian UK, New York Times, The Latin Americanist, AlterNet, Houston Chronicle

Is “Operation Scheduled Departure” turning into “Mission: Impossible”?

Answer: One, zero, and zero.

Question: How many undocumented immigrants have registered for the U.S. government’s “self-deportation” program yesterday in Phoenix, San Diego, and Charlotte?

The “Operation Scheduled Departure” pilot plan set up by U.S. immigration authorities for illegal immigrants has gotten off to a very slow start. (Surprised? You shouldn’t be). News outlets have reported that only a handful have signed up for the program that allows those eligible to avoid arrest and have three months to prepare before leaving the country.

The program is being run in five U.S. cities for the next three weeks; thus, there’s ample time for things to turnaround. Yet if such a tepid response continues and the program falls through, then politicians may have to (gasp!) actually consider meaningful, comprehensive immigration reform.

Alas that would only be a dream as legislators and our esteemed presidential candidates won’t touch the topic with a ten-foot pole. The nightmare of a flawed system continues chugging along.

Image- FOXNews.com (“Aug 5: A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office advertises Operation Scheduled Departure in Santa Ana, Calif.”)

Sources- FOXNews.com, azcentral.com, Reuters, The Latin Americanist, SignOnSanDiego.com, WCNC.com, sacbee.com

U.S., Spain to try “self-deportation” plans for immigrants

Starting next week, U.S. immigration authorities will run a pilot “self-deportation” program for illegal immigrants. Entitled Operation Scheduled Departure, the plan would allow undocumented immigrants to turn themselves in without arrest and would give them three months to make arrangements for their families before deportation.

Supporters of the plan, such as Homeland Security officials and some politicos, have argued that it would save public funds and allow illegal immigrants to leave the U.S. “without any harm.” On the other hand, opponents argue that the program is unrealistic and a weak alternative to widespread reform:

“This sounds like a policy straight out of a Saturday Night Live skit, not a serious proposal," said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, an immigrant advocacy group. "The idea that millions of people are going to knock on the government's door and ask to be deported is pure fantasy. This is not a solution; this is mass deportation on the cheap, and it just won't work."

Across the Atlantic, Spain will initiate its own “program of voluntary return” next month. Under Spain’s plan, the government would offer financial incentives for unemployed immigrants to return to their countries of origin. The flip-side is that they would have to wait at least three years before reapplying to work in Spain.

Though the Spanish program is designed for legal immigrants, it’s expected to be coupled with upcoming stricter measures against undocumented immigrants.

Image- ABC News

Sources- Guardian UK, On Deadline, newsday.com, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Supreme Court rejects border fence case

The U.S. Supreme Court tossed out a case brought up in order to stop the construction of a 670-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. The case was brought up by environmentalists who argued that part of the barrier built in Arizona’s San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area would harm wildlife habitats. Furthermore, the litigants argued that environmental assessments were supposed to have been conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act before the fence was built.

Yet the court’s decision, made without comment, acknowledged that Homeland Security's authority to waive laws such as the environmental tests was more important. Since the Real ID Act of 2005 was passed, Homeland Security has been authorized to waive over 30 laws.

Naturally, differing sides of the case had distinct reactions to the justices’ edict:

"This decision leaves one man -- the secretary of the Homeland Security -- with the extraordinary power to ignore any and all of the laws designed to protect the American people, our lands and our natural resources," (Sierra Club spokesman Oliver) Bernstein said…

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), a proponent of the law, called the court's action "a victory for the American people" and a milestone toward finishing the barrier.

There are still other legal challenges pending against the fence including one by the government of El Paso, Texas.

Image- ENS

Sources- SignOnSanDiego.com, Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Voice of America, New York Times

Texan county, feds finalize deal on border barrier

There may be some indecision at Homeland Security over what will be done with the “virtual border fence” along the Arizona-Mexico border. Yet the U.S. government reached a final deal with the Texan county of Hidalgo over their plans for a border barrier.

The $113.9 million project will stretch along 22 miles of the Rio Grande and will include a physical wall and a system of levees. The federal government will pay nearly $66 million and construction is estimated to start in two months.

Both the feds and local officials feel that the project will tackle concerns over illegal immigration and flood control. Yet some Hidalgo County businesses have mixed feelings:

Tony Domit, president of Domit Construction and Development…[said that] there were good intentions behind the decision to break the project down into segments to give local companies a shot at being able to afford the smaller projects. But he doubted if a local company could handle even one segment because of the amount of credit required to back the financing…

“It’s impressive. My view: a waste of money by the federal government, but we are going to get a part of that waste down here.”

Image- KVEO

Sources- New York Times, The Monitor, The Latin Americanist

So Much for That Virtual Border Fence : Again

If you can't keep up with the virtual border fence along the Arizona- Mexico border, don't feel bad. The Department of Homeland Security can't seem to make up it's mind on the issue either. First, the virtual border fence was going to be delayed,
then Michael Chertoff, approved the fence. Now, it looks like the whole plan is going to be tossed in the trash. But don't you worry. Homeland Security is going to get those illegals yet (and spend millions more in the process). Now Boeing, who won an $860 million contract to provide the technology, physical fences and vehicle barriers, is to replace the so-called Project 28 prototype with a series of towers equipped with communications systems, new cameras and new radar capability, officials said.

Sources : Reuters, Yahoo

If An Immigration Prison Looks Pretty, Is It Still A Prison?

A recent article from AP highlights how "unprisonlike" the T. Don Hutto Family Residential Center is. Hutto opened in May 2006 by the Department of Homeland Security and it is the first prison for immigrant families. ICE gave the press a tour of the changes the facility is undergoing as a way to counter the negative press it has been receiving after it was ordered to change inhumane practices.

Pastel-colored walls adorned with cartoon characters, ceramic instead of steel toilets in cells and other upgrades have softened the inside of a former prison where dozens of immigrant children and their families are detained.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials conducted a media tour Tuesday at the T. Don Hutto Family Residential Center in Taylor say the facility has become more family friendly thanks to more than 100 modifications. The changes were required under a settlement reached in a lawsuit alleging children were held in prison-like conditions.

But the fact remains that this is a detention center aka a jail and a model that Homeland Security wants to replicate.

Immigration officials have described the nearly 500-bed Hutto as a residential environment that keeps families together while they seek asylum, await deportation or seek other outcomes to their immigration cases.
Officials say Hutto — operated by Corrections Corporation of America under a contract with Williamson County — is meant to end the "catch and release" practice that in the past permitted families in the U.S. illegally to remain free while awaiting a court hearing. Many never showed up in court; some borrowed other people's children and posed as families to avoid detention, ICE officials have said.
ICE is considering opening more facilities to detain families around the country, making Hutto a sort of prototype, Mead said. Currently, the Berks Family Residential Center in Leesport, Pa., a former nursing home about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, is the only other facility in the country that holds related adults and children.

Sources : The Houston Chronicle, VivirLatino, T. Don Hutto

Everyone Has To Follow U.S. Laws Except Apparently the U.S.

The U.S. government is a stickler for people following the law, especially undocumented immigrants, but according the U.S. Congress U.S. Homeland Security doesn't have to follow U.S. laws.

Securing the nation’s borders is so important, Congress says, that Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, must have the power to ignore any laws that stand in the way of building a border fence. Any laws at all.
Last week, Mr. Chertoff issued waivers suspending more than 30 laws he said could interfere with “the expeditious construction of barriers” in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. The list included laws protecting the environment, endangered species, migratory birds, the bald eagle, antiquities, farms, deserts, forests, Native American graves and religious freedom.
The secretary of homeland security was granted the power in 2005 to void any federal law that might interfere with fence building on the border. For good measure, Congress forbade the courts to second-guess the secretary’s determinations. So long as Mr. Chertoff is willing to say it is necessary to void a given law, his word is final.

Source : NYT

Virtual Border Fence to Get the Green Light

After some initial problems with contractor Boeing Co. because the technology the company used in the test project near Tucson, Arizona, did not work properly, the prospect of having a 28 mile long virtual fence along part of the U.S. / Mexico border is becoming more real.

Chertoff saw the fence during a trip to Arizona last week.
"I think it looks good," he told lawmakers. The department has not yet made the official acceptance.

The scarier idea is that some of the technology: radar, sensor devices and cameras capable of distinguishing people from cattle at a distance of about 10 miles, could be used on other parts along the border.

Source: CNN