Bush Addresses the Nation: The Immigration Dog and Pony Show
by Jim Kouri, CPP
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement proudly announced that they arrested one of the owners of a Mexican restaurant in Missouri following worksite enforcement operations at his Missouri and Iowa restaurants.
Julio Zapala-Urbina, co-owner of Julio's Mexican Restaurants in St. Joseph, Mo., and Cedar Falls, Iowa, was arrested on criminal charges of knowingly hiring illegal aliens to work at his restaurants. His arrest followed the execution of a federal search warrant, and the administrative arrest of nine illegal aliens at his St. Joseph restaurant. ICE agents also executed a federal search warrant at Zapala-Urbina's Cedar Falls restaurant April 27 during which 12 illegal aliens were arrested.
This investigation began March 23 after ICE was notified of a man whose Social Security number was discovered to be invalid, following his application to reside in a Cedar Falls mobile home village. The man indicated that he worked at Julio's restaurant. ICE agents later arrested two other illegal aliens who were involved in a traffic accident in Benton County, Iowa. They both also indicated that they worked at Julio's restaurant.
Further investigation revealed that none of these employees had been required to complete any paperwork or provide any documentation in order to work at the restaurant, which are federal requirements.
ICE special agents in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, executed a federal search warrant April 27 at Julio's Mexican Restaurant in Cedar Falls. They arrested 12 restaurant employees, and seized business paperwork, tax forms, a laptop computer, business bank account information and $17,000 cash. One of those arrested during this operation was restaurant co-owner Juan Lopez-Angel, who illegally resides in the United States. Following this operation, the bank account for this business was also seized.
While the arrests are to be commended, one can't help but wonder if we wouldn't get more bang for our buck if ICE and other investigative agencies were to initiate investigations of larger businesses -- those that hire thousands of illegal aliens.
The above described law-enforcement operation took over 6 weeks and hundreds of man-hours, yet the operation resulted in a mere 20-something illegal aliens apprehended and the arrest of a couple of small businessmen. The cynic in me sees an attempt by the Bush Administration to dupe the American people with a few well-publicized arrests of business owners who illegally employ undocumented immigrants just before Bush's scheduled televised address to the nation this Monday evening.
The Bush Administration and others in the GOP say that our nation is incapable of capturing the estimated 12 million illegal aliens. So the debate has become deportation vs. a much bandied de facto amnesty program.
We are told by Republican lawmakers (forget the Democrats -- we already know their position on the matter, though they try to avoid revealing it to voters) that the immigration problem is a complex issue. Baloney.
In fact, the remedy to our illegal alien problem is relatively simple: arrest employers of illegal aliens and seal the borders, including a shoot-to-kill policy for those armed paramilitary "Zetas" who provide protection for Mexican drug traffickers and coyotes.
If the jobs dry up, the incentive for illegals to remain in the US or enter the US becomes nullified. If we position troops on the border for about one year in concert with a real crackdown on businesses that hire illegal aliens, this will send a clear message to the Mexican government that we mean business and they will reconsider their strategy of unloading their criminals, undesirables and ultra-poor on the American people.
Of course, there will be a "minority of people" who will squawk about such an anti-illegal immigration policy, but they are in the minority and these left-wing, self-appointed voices will just find something else to squawk about. For hidden within the multitudes of illegal aliens during their protests, boycotts and rallies, are the Marxists, socialists and ultra-left Stalinists who use the illegals as a prop for their true agenda -- the destruction of a free and prosperous America.
The American people must let the GOP -- including the President -- know that we're not impressed with their dog-and-pony shows. We want action.
Notes: Please Note: In a previous article, I wrote that Rep. William Jefferson is chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. On Rep. Jefferson's website it states he's chairperson of the board of directors of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. However, this is not mentioned on the CBC's website. Rep. Melvin Watt is listed as chairman of the CBC.
Biography - Jim Kouri
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for a number of organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores. Kouri holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and master of arts in public administration and he's a board certified protection professional.
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