April 1, 2008
Hang in There, Gov
The curious thing is that they don't offer an "instead":
At least 250 people packed the Algonquin House on Broad Street for the 2 p.m. news conference, sponsored by Immigrants United, We Can Stop the Hate Rhode Island, Univocal Legislative Minority Advocacy and Hispanic Ministerial AssociationMiguel Sanchez-Hartwein, executive director of the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPA), noted that a letter was hand-delivered to Carcieri this morning. The letter calls Carcieri's executive order "the biggest attack on the rights of immigrants in Rhode Island in at least a generation."
At several points, people chanted "Un Pueblo Unido Jamàs sera Vencido!" (A united people will never be defeated).
"A people united will never be defeated." What people? La Raza? And against whom are they marching — for what? And how would that united people address illegal immigration? The answer is that they would not, as the print edition version of the report goes on to illustrate:
Miguel Sanchez-Hartwein, executive director of the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy and member of We Can Stop The Hate Rhode Island, said though Carcieri "makes it sound like illegal immigration here is out of control," illegal immigrants account for between "1.9 and 3.7 percent" of Rhode Island's immigrant population. U.S. Homeland Security and the Pew Hispanic Center estimate Rhode Island's illegal immigrant population at between 20,000 and 40,000 people, he said.
It takes the "nation of immigrants" truism too far to make 2–4% of Rhode Island's total population into only 1.9–3.7% of its immigrant population, but math aside, I wonder why the anxiety of legal immigrants' fellow citizens and fellow legal residents over illegal immigration isn't enough for them to begin "a constructive dialog" about working together to secure our borders and stop the inflow of illegals. As I've said, if legal residents are concerned about insufficient differentiation between them and the targeted subgroup, they ought to be working to expand the differences.
Or perhaps my suggestion misconstrues which people they mean to unite, and they worry that in following it they wouldn't be inconquerable.
If this is not a problem, why not endorse resolving it and busting the myth?
Posted by: chuckR at April 1, 2008 3:32 PMEven assuming 40,000 illegals in RI (which is probably low) - for EACH of them there is probably (on average) 2 or 3 ANCHOR BABIES.
Those are technically are "legal" and so aren't counted among the "illegal" ranks - but who wouldn't be in RI but for the illegals, and which are eating us alive in welfare / health care and education costs.
Posted by: Ragin' Rhode Islander at April 1, 2008 5:09 PMSince the babies tend to go with the mommies, just drive out the illegal mommies and let the next uber-liberal idiot state worry about them.
Posted by: Greg at April 1, 2008 5:27 PMPerhaps we can "sit down" and come up with an "outside the box" solution. We could offer the all the illegals in Rhode Island safe passage to Massachusetts. Maybe give them a voucher or something. We could employ RIPTA for something worthwhile for a change, too.
The Massachusetts Plan would have the triple benefit of eliminating the mounting costs and other problems to the state associated with illegal aliens and their offspring, let them stay close enough that their legal extended family members can visit them, while at the same time bankrupting the Massachusetts economy. Therefore, Rhode Island's would seem better by comparison. That's what I call a "win-win-win"!
Posted by: Will at April 1, 2008 5:28 PMWhy "sit down" at all?The "progressives"and "advocates" have no intention of moving one millimeter off their predetermined party line.
Anyone heard the good news-crowley is moving to NYC to take a blogging job with the NY Times-a good place for that creature-I e mailed him about where to go sightseeing(heh heh)
There is some irony to be enjoyed here by those of us who want to see our Federal immigration laws enforced. The Ocean State chapter of the ACLU has done everything in their powers to undermine the Rhode Island DMV and State Police. The ACLU and ethnic extremists groups that oppose all Law Enforcement now have 287g to deal with, and watch them scream. 287g has NEVER been challenged in court, and take it from an insider, the program is highly effective. Praise to your Governor for making your state the third (after Florida and Albama) to implement a common sense policy on illegal aliens.
"Anyone heard the good news-crowley is moving to NYC to take a blogging job with the NY Times"
Joe, I might believe you if it weren't April 1.
Posted by: Monique at April 1, 2008 10:10 PM--"Anyone heard the good news-crowley is moving to NYC to take a blogging job with the NY Times"
Most ducks fly north this time of year.
Posted by: Ragin' Rhode Islander at April 1, 2008 11:03 PMThe groups that oppose the Governor are racial profiling themselves.
Illegal immigration is not specific to one nationality.
There are illegal immigrants in this state and across the country from all over the world.
Illegal immigration leaves us open to terrorism and terrorist attacks.
Curbing illegal immigration makes it safer for us to live in the state and across the country, it curbs identity theft, and will in the long run help our economy more.
Come on people did we not learn anything from 911?