Archive: December 13, 2007

PBA To Attend Phoenix Hispanic Community Meeting

Minutemen & Supporters:

This Thursday December 13th there will be a Hispanic Community Meeting held at the location information provided below. I want to encourage everyone to attend. This meeting was called by the Hispanic political leadership in the Phoenix community to discuss and address Mayor Gordons reversed stance on Operational Order 1.4.3, upcoming Employer Enforcement state law taking effect January 1 2008, and likely the topic of the Pruitts Protests. It is fully expected that this meeting be civil. I ask that you consider attending to listen to complaints, issues, and present your ideas and thoughts if the meeting organizers present time to do so. No signs are required.

So regardless of being a Minuteman, Biker, interested citizen or disenfranchised voter; I ask that you take the time to come listen and voice your concerns. These issues are not about being Hispanic, Latino, Caucasian, African American, Native American, or any other race or nationality. The issue is about Illegal Immigration and the full enforcement of the law on local, State and Federal levels, and making safe communities. I hope you will attend and show your community that day-time protests are not the only place to show your voice of reason.

LOCATION: South Mountain High School, 5401 S 7th Street, Phoenix AZ 85040, (602) 764-5000

TIME: 6:30PM

DATE: Thursday December 13th 2007

For those interested in walking into the meeting together, please arrive no later than 6:15PM in the main parking lot and look for the American flag standing tall in the back of the white Chevy.

See you there!

Stacey O'Connell
Minuteman

Patriots Border Alliance
Board Member, Vice Chair
www.patriotsborderalliance.com

News Round Up: December 11, 2007

• Mayor aims to settle Pruitt's protest issue: Mayor Phil Gordon has formally invited a furniture-store owner and the man protesting his business to meet with him in an effort to resolve their dispute. DISCUSS
• To Assimilate or Not to Assimilate: Are you tired of anonymous voices on the phone telling you to "Press 1 (or sometimes 2) for English"? The ability to speak and communicate in English is the litmus test of whether immigrants are assimilating into U.S. culture. DISCUSS
• Business Groups File New Suit vs. Sanctions Law: The fight about Arizona's employer-sanctions law is back in federal court with allegations that businesses are being investigated or threatened by Maricopa County law-enforcement officials before the law goes into effect. DISCUSS
• Feds push employers in Arizona to use online eligibility program: The federal government has ramped-up efforts to promote its online employment-eligibility program that all Arizona businesses will be required to use under the state's new employer-sanctions law. DISCUSS
• Migrant debate rhetoric alarms Goldwater Jr.: Barry Goldwater Jr. called for tolerance, fairness and respect for people who have come here from other countries and enriched our state's culture and economy. DISCUSS
• Judges urged mediation in English-language lawsuit: A panel of judges has told parties in a legal battle over English-language education to sit down with a mediator and settle differences rather than wait for another court ruling, but the prospect has some state officials balking. DISCUSS
• Return of the Nativist: During another conversation, when I asked McCain what he had learned from the arguments about immigration, he said, “I think the main lesson is that Americans had no trust or confidence in the government. So when we said, as part of this comprehensive solution, we need to secure the borders, add temporary workers, and address the twelve million people here, they just didn’t believe us, O.K.?” DISCUSS
• Proposal to Let Noncitizens Join Md. Police Under Review: Since 2004, Manger has championed the concept of lifting the citizenship requirement under certain circumstances. At his urging, the Maryland Police Training Commission, which oversees training and hiring standards for law enforcement agencies across the state, began studying the issue this year. A vote could come next month. DISCUSS
• Invader at home of U.S. agent found dead: A man found dead on the South Side Sunday morning was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent after he and three other armed intruders burst into the agent's house, an official said Monday. DISCUSS

OPERATION ECONOMIC JUSTICE: DECEMBER 8th

Thank you once again to PBA's unofficial photographer, 44Mag, for the photos from today's events. Here are a few with the rest being available by CLICKING HERE.

News Round Up: December 9, 2007

• Foes Plan New Suit Against Sanctions: Uncertainty is swirling anew over the state's employer-sanctions law following a federal judge's dismissal of the lawsuit challenging it. The controversial measure is set to take effect on Jan. 1, but business groups rebuffed in court Friday have vowed to file a new lawsuit as early as Monday and to seek a temporary restraining order to block the law from being enforced. Meanwhile, business owners and immigrant workers are unsure what to do. DISCUSS
• Businesses Still in Limbo After Sanctions Ruling: To many business groups, Friday's court ruling on the state's employer-sanctions law was the worst of all worlds. The decision didn't strike down the law, as they had wanted. And it didn't uphold it, at least outlining what they are expected to do. DISCUSS

News Round Up: December 8, 2007

• Judge tosses lawsuit vs. employer-sanctions law: A federal judge late Friday tossed out the lawsuit challenging Arizona's employer-sanctions law, setting the stage for a quick second round of legal action before Jan. 1, when the law is set to take effect. U.S. District Judge Neil Wake ruled that the business and Latino groups aimed their legal fire at the wrong targets in suing the governor and the state attorney general. Instead, they should have brought their complaint against the 15 county attorneys charged with enforcing the law. DISCUSS
• Online ad exposes green-card nuptials: LOS ANGELES - When 24-year-old Yuliya Kalinina turned to the Internet in search of a husband, she made it absolutely clear what she was looking for in a relationship: "Green Card Marriage - Will pay $300/month. Total $15,000," the Russian national living in Los Angeles wrote in an ad placed on Craigslist.com. "This is strictly platonic business offer, sex not involved." DISCUSS
• Huckabee offers plan for border: BLUFFTON, S.C. - Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee says he'd seal the Mexican border, hire more agents to patrol it and make illegal immigrants go home before they could apply to return to this country. "It's tough, but I also think it's fair, giving people 120 days to go back and then start the process all over," the former Arkansas governor said Friday. "People will say, 'Well, how will they go back?' Well, they got here. They'll figure out the same way they got here to go back." DISCUSS
• Leadership still lacks in migrant fight: For the past six Saturdays during this, the busiest time of the year, everybody's been out there protesting and pontificating, which is great for anybody looking for a three-ring circus but not so great if you're in the market for a three-piece bedroom set. In fact, about the only one who hasn't come out is the mayor, whose head has been stuck in the sand for so long I'm pretty sure he's bobbing for seashells. DISCUSS
• Mayor waited too long to fix problem: The editorial acknowledged that "No storeowner should be continuously harassed or have his business damaged because he responded to . . . day laborers . . . (and that) Phoenix needs to protect the right(s) of M.D. Pruitt's Home Furnishings ... and those of any other business so threatened. If that means arresting protesters who interfere with customers or Pruitt's, then so be it." DISCUSS
• Mexican President: Anti-immigration stances must end: MEXICO CITY - Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Friday told Mexican consuls to the U.S. and Canada that they must work to "neutralize" anti-immigrant attitudes north of the border. Calderon's instructions came two days after he accused U.S. presidential candidates of "swaggering, macho and anti-Mexican" posturing. DISCUSS
• Feds conditionally accept virtual fence near Sasabe: Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff made it official Friday — the government has conditionally accepted a high-tech virtual fence in southern Arizona aimed at detecting and intercepting illegal entries into the country. Chertoff said the Border Patrol will begin a 45-day trial use of a virtual fence made of nine tall towers strung across 28 miles near Sasabe southwest of Tucson. DISCUSS
• Businesses learn how to fend off sanctions: Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall told employers Thursday they should enroll by Jan. 1 in the E-Verify system to protect themselves should the new employer sanctions law survive a legal challenge. DISCUSS
• Center to help returned migrants to open soon: SIERRA VISTA - Illegal immigrants returned to Mexico by the U.S. Border Patrol will be able to get help at a new resource center set to open next month in Naco, Son. DISCUSS
• Report criticizes care of detainees:  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides inadequate care for illegal immigrant detainees with HIV or AIDS, according to a new report by a civil rights group. DISCUSS

News Round Up: December 7, 2007

• New York Times: Phoenix Mayor Shifts on Officers’ Asking for Immigration Status: LOS ANGELES, Dec. 3 — Under pressure from advocates for stricter immigration laws, the mayor of Phoenix said on Monday that he no longer backed a Police Department order barring officers from routinely asking the immigration status of people it arrested and announced a panel to study a policy change. Phoenix Police Department Officer Nick Erfle was shot to death two months ago by an illegal immigrant. A spokesman for Mayor Phil Gordon, Scott Phelps, said the policy was “written for another time” on the belief that the federal government “would fulfill all of its immigration responsibilities, and clearly that has changed.”
• Enforcement-First Conservatives Say "Thank You" to Nancy Pelosi: “A federal agency says it is illegal for an employer to require employees to speak in English, which, in plain English, means that thousands of small businesses in America would have to hire a lawyer and be prepared to make their case to a federal agency that there is some special reason to justify speaking English on the job,” Senator Alexander said in a statement after Pelosi killed his amendment. “I believe this is a gross distortion of the Civil Rights Act and a complete misunderstanding of what it means to be an American.” DISCUSS
• Immigrant shift about political survival: Mayor Phil Gordon and the City Council have watched, with rising apprehension, a freight train hurtling toward them. A train spilling over with emotion, frustration, anger and ugly confrontation. Picking up resentment and controversy with each passing week. Its path had already cut divisions within the Police Department. It was slicing through public confidence in the police and the city. And its full force was headed right at them, loaded with ballot initiatives, lawsuits and recall elections. Police and city leaders had no clue whether the train could be stopped or rerouted, or whether, where or when it would crash. Or whom it would run over. But nothing has stopped it. DISCUSS
• Opposing Editorials About Pruitt's Demonstrations:"How can Phoenix not step in and stop the harassment of Pruitt's store? How can it allow people who have broken and are still breaking the law to destroy a business that has contributed to the city and its economy for over 20 years?" OR "She disparagingly calls them a "wailing wad of humanity" because the majority of the protesters have brown skin." DISCUSS
• If Arizona is lagging, immigration is reason: Coping with immigration, particularly illegal immigration, is clearly the issue, not fixing alleged deficiencies in Arizona's social-welfare and economic policies. DISCUSS
• Boycott Anheuser-Busch? The proposal asks the company to disclose its charitable contributions, and provide a rationale for each, especially for “controversial” grantees, such as the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). The supporting statement notes that the company has been MALDEF’s largest corporate supporter in recent years, and states: “MALDEF favors the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, and sued the state of Virginia to allow illegal immigrants to attend state universities at the in-state tuition rate.” DISCUSS

News Round Up: December 6, 2007

• Giving the Gift of English: One of the most unreported stories of the past month is Democrats in Congress refusing to protect the Salvation Army and other similar organizations from lawsuits for requiring their employees to be able to speak English on the job. This policy issue is also important politically, and Republicans will benefit politically by doing the right thing. DISCUSS
• Judge sees problems with Gwinnett's ban on hiring illegals: A federal judge said Tuesday that a Gwinnett County ordinance runs afoul of federal law in authorizing the county to punish contractors that hire illegal immigrants. DISCUSS
• Criminal Aliens NOT Sent Home: What if you had to choose whether to release a child molester into your neighborhood, or else release a murderer. Which would you choose to unleash on your neighbors? What if the choice were a kidnapper versus a rapist? One of them must be given permission to live among the innocents in your town, and you‘re the one who must choose which it will be. DISCUSS
• AZ Governor Napolitano signs onto Real ID secure license plan: Arizona becomes the fourth state to sign up for a federal program intended to offer an enhanced version of a driver's licenses as secure as a passport for the purpose of crossing the U.S. border under tighter, post-Sept. 11 security measures. DISCUSS
• Immigration a key concern for Americans, poll says: One-third of Americans want to deprive illegal immigrants of social services, including public schooling and emergency-room health care, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll has found. DISCUSS
• Phoenix Mayor's Motives Debated: Elected officials, immigrant activists, and church and non-profit leaders lashed out against Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's decision that he no longer supports a Police Department policy that bars officers from routinely asking about people's immigration status. DISCUSS

News Round Up: December 5, 2007

• Latino Groups Unite To Address Changing Phoenix Immigration Policies (Click to view Channel 12 video)
• Judicial Watch Video of BP Sector Chief Decrying Illegal Immigration Enforcement: Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it recently uncovered through the Freedom of Information Act a videotape (and transcript) of an August 15, 2007 town hall meeting on illegal immigration held in Laredo, Texas. During the meeting, held at Texas A&M International University’s campus, US Border Patrol (USBP) Laredo Sector Chief Carlos X. Carrillo disclaimed the illegal immigration and narcotics enforcement missions of the USBP.
• Judicial Watch Responds to Phoenix Mayor's Immigration Plans: "Judicial Watch hopes the expert panel seeks the input of citizen taxpayers and businesses damaged by the City’s sanctuary policies. Judicial Watch looks forward to working with Mayor Gordon’s commission to ensure that any new policies comply with federal immigration law. However, if the commission’s work results in police immigration policies at odds with federal law, a Judicial Watch lawsuit would still be on the table."
• Border Security: What Will It Take? The power and corrupt political influence of the Mexican drug cartels has never been more evident than it is today. Connections between Mexican politicians, Mexican drug cartels like Sinaloa and Zetas and Islamic terrorist’s has been of extreme concern for the DEA and Homeland Security for years. Inaction by most federal, state and local US politicians who have balked at securing our Southern border combined with the PC crowd has jeopardized not only the National Security of the United States but every American.
• Immigration Debate Unifies California GOP: "There is more unity among Republicans in this state on illegal immigration than on anything else, including taxes," said Tom Hudson, chairman of the Republican Party in Placer County, near Sacramento, one of the most conservative counties in the state.
• Hundreds of Safety Violations for Mexican Rigs: The largest number of safety violations, 1,123 in total, was found for Trinity Industries De Mexico S de R L de CV. Second on the list was GCC Transporte SA de CV, with 372 violations, followed by Avomex Internacional SA DE CV with 206 violations and Fidepal S de RL de IP y CV with 11 violations. WND examined the FMCSA violation records O'Mara provided the court.
• Brazilians Giving Up Their American Dream: “You can’t spend your entire life waiting to be legal,” said Mr. Borges, 42, reflecting on a hard decision born of lost hopes, new fears and changing economies in both countries since he arrived in 1996. By law, the couple faces a 10-year bar on re-entering the United States, even as visitors.
• Illegal Arrests in the South Quadruple: Four teams of ICE officers - two in Atlanta and one each in Raleigh and Charlotte - arrested 2,295 people in the 12 months leading up to Oct. 2007, up from 525 in the previous 12 months.

News Round Up: December 4, 2007:

• Immigration Initiative Would Target Automatic Birth Citizenship for Children: Arizona voters may be asked to decide whether to prohibit the state from issuing birth certificates to children of non-U.S. citizens and require hospitals to check the citizenship of parents of newborns.
• Feds Admit Smuggler Lied in Ramos-Compean Case: The U.S. government admitted today in federal court that the prosecution's star witness in the criminal trial of Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean – confessed drug dealer Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila – lied under oath.
• Indictments in Canada Border Crossings: BURLINGTON, Vt. - Federal prosecutors said Wednesday they have broken up two of the largest human smuggling rings ever discovered in the northeastern United States, and both are based in Canada. The rings, operating from Toronto and Montreal, allegedly smuggled hundreds of illegal aliens into the United States from Korea, Pakistan, India and countries in Central America beginning in 2004. The illegal aliens walked across the U.S.-Canada border and then were picked up and taken to cities along the East Coast.
• Candy Imported from Mexico Recalled Due to Lead: SAN ANTONIO — A syrup candy imported from Mexico is being voluntarily recalled after state health officials found excessive levels of lead, Texas officials said today. San Antonio-based Villa-Mex Imports Inc. is asking customers to discard the dark brown syrup sold as "Barrilito" — named for its little glass barrels with bright yellow labels. The candy was sold by retailers statewide.
  

News Round Up: December 3, 2007:

• Yavapai (AZ) authorities arrest 85 migrants in sweep
• Phoenix Mayor Announces Changes to Immigration Policy
• Phoenix Officials Feel Heat Over Migration as Protests Continue
• Illegal Immigrants Arrested at Furniture Store Protest

Pruitt's Protest: December 1, 2007 Report

Minutemen & Supporters,

After a fantastic turnout of Minutemen & Patriots last weekend, it was unimaginable that it could have gotten any better! In fact, it did! With nearly 100 Minutemen, bikers and Patriots combined; we managed to take and hold both sides of the street. The Minutemen of PBA took to the South side to ensure the safety of Pruitts property and customers, while the bikers and others took to the North sidewalk. The North is also where Sal Rezas Day Labor supporters stood in protest of Pruitts Furniture for hiring off duty officers to defend its own property. Although the day was windy, rainy and at times cold; everyone managed to enjoy the counter protest. I can only imagine the turnout we would have had if rain was not the days event. Some die-hard bikers took to the road and came out, as dangerous as that can be in the rain. We thank each and every one of them.

Reza brought in a Mariachi band and Mexican dancers to keep them entertained. They were also very vocal with one man on a bullhorn proclaiming that Sheriff Joe was a member of the KKK, we were all racist, and kept chanting "Kill Kill Kill". 'Si Se Peude" was the highlighted chant of the afternoon, as about 50 of Rezas' group gathered with signs that claimed Pruitts is Minuteman HQ! There were a few heated exchanged, but nothing out of the ordinary.

PPD was again out in force with about 40 officers, uniformed, detectives and undercover. Also, MCSO was out and about........patrolling.........and at the end of the protest arrested 8 Illegal Alien Day Laborers only a few hundred yards from our location; for suspicion of being here.....illegally. Go figure. Whats it going to take for Phoenix City Manager Frank Fairbanks to wake up and enforce these laws? His time has come to be put out to pasture.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/103196

PPD did make some traffic stops on cars passing by that tried to harass the protesters. In fact, one PPD Detective took off on foot to stop one of the passing SUVs, made the stop and issued a citation. We thank the great men & women of PPD who came out to ensure everyones safety. As many of them are members of PLEA (Phoenix Law Enforcement Association) we know how they want their handcuffs taken off so they too, can clean up our communities.

There were no obvious local TV stations present, however TV 3 did report on it. Surprisingly, the AZ Rep was there, but no story could be found today. The New York Times was present, we look forward to their slanted anti-American reporting in advance; along with La Voz. We thank the Washington Times for making an effort to cover our issues in last Tuesdays paper:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20071127/NATION/111270028/1002

Look for information in your email box in the coming days for next weekend's events. All I can tell you right now is that its going to be different. The PBA Minutemen and some of its affiliates will be taking a look at another option to add a little spice to the mix of things. If you really want to make a statement and counter these protests, please save next Saturday morning as time to volunteer. You won't want to miss next weekend! Come out and protest then head off to get some Christmas shopping done!

CLICK HERE for some photos of the days events, taken by Sandy.

Special thanks to Rusty Childress & Buffalo Rick of USA, the Riders USA group and Riders Against Illegal Aliens for their strong organizational skills, participation and support.



Semper Vigilans.

Washington Times Covers Pruitt's Protest...

...but the Arizona Republic doesn't.

PBA and its friends made the Washington Times, you all did such a wonderful job at Pruitts last weekend! Thank you for the large turnout and support.

This is why MCDC's leader, Chris Simcox, called the owner of Pruitt's yesterday and asked to take part in the protests. Roger told him 'thanks but no thanks'. Simcox denounced the Pruitts protest on his radio program last Sunday and asked his MM not to support it.

Lets do it again this Saturday, December 1, 2007, rain or shine!

More than 100 minutemen showed up en masse in Phoenix to counterprotest a pro-immigration group that sought to shut down a local furniture store for hiring off-duty deputies to keep illegal-alien day laborers off its property — and they have pledged to come back every weekend.

The Patriots' Border Alliance (PBA), backed by members of United for a Sovereign America (USA), set up camp outside M.D. Pruitt's furniture store Saturday and forced the cancellation of the pro-immigration demonstrations, which alliance leaders described as "economic terrorism."

"The local support was overwhelming, plenty of honks and thumbs up," said PBA Board Vice Chairman Stacey O'Connell. "There were plenty of local citizens who came out to ask how they could join the Patriots' Border Alliance. We were happy to help them out."

Read the rest at The Washington Times.