Zach LarkinsILLEGALS BUSTED
Wednesday, US federal officials detained 350 suspected illegal immigrants at a Massachusetts factory that made supplies for the U.S. military. Why is this significant? Because we now have at least 200 children stranded. The children, including many babies who are still nursing, were left with relatives, landlords or even strangers said Brian Pastori, a staff member at the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts. "We are trying to do everything possible to reunite split families. This is a humanitarian crisis here," he said.
The immigrants had been making leather goods, including vests, grenade pouches and backpacks for soldiers in Iraq, and are now being held at a former Army base near the town of New Bedford where they were working. Most of those caught were from Latin America and those who are in the country illegally will be charged and deported, officials said. There was no official comment on the children, and the state's social services agency was prepared possibly to place them in foster homes.
This is probably a good thing. If some of the children were still nursing, odds are that they were born in the USA and thus are American citizens. Why should they be punished for the transgressions of their parents? If some of the families object to having their families torn apart, they should be free to take their kids with them. Otherwise, if the parents really want to live in the States and fully contribute to society, when they can legally enter the country, they can be re- united with their children. At least the authorities haven't thrown the kids to the wolves and are looking after them in the interim.
The raid by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies came as the U.S. government tries to reform its immigration laws and crack down harder on people who enter the country illegally along with those who employ them. The factory had gained millions of dollars in contracts from the U.S. Defense Department in recent years and officials said it came to rely on illegal workers to meet rapidly growing demand for its products.
It remains to be seen how this all plays out. Fewer than 30 people have been released so far. But it should serve as a wake up call to all illegal immigrants. The US is getting serious about these matters. It is interesting to note that this happened in Massachusetts and not California. In California, these people would have been given a driver's licence, free medical help, free legal help, a voter's card and a green card. What doesn't make sense is that Mass. has guys like Ted Kennedy representing them, while Calif. has the ‘Governator' running the show. Maybe Ms Shriver influences him more than he lets on.
Let's see what happens down the road.
Sources: Svea Herbst-Bayliss 200 Children Stranded Reuters
The immigrants had been making leather goods, including vests, grenade pouches and backpacks for soldiers in Iraq, and are now being held at a former Army base near the town of New Bedford where they were working. Most of those caught were from Latin America and those who are in the country illegally will be charged and deported, officials said. There was no official comment on the children, and the state's social services agency was prepared possibly to place them in foster homes.
This is probably a good thing. If some of the children were still nursing, odds are that they were born in the USA and thus are American citizens. Why should they be punished for the transgressions of their parents? If some of the families object to having their families torn apart, they should be free to take their kids with them. Otherwise, if the parents really want to live in the States and fully contribute to society, when they can legally enter the country, they can be re- united with their children. At least the authorities haven't thrown the kids to the wolves and are looking after them in the interim.
The raid by officials from the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies came as the U.S. government tries to reform its immigration laws and crack down harder on people who enter the country illegally along with those who employ them. The factory had gained millions of dollars in contracts from the U.S. Defense Department in recent years and officials said it came to rely on illegal workers to meet rapidly growing demand for its products.
It remains to be seen how this all plays out. Fewer than 30 people have been released so far. But it should serve as a wake up call to all illegal immigrants. The US is getting serious about these matters. It is interesting to note that this happened in Massachusetts and not California. In California, these people would have been given a driver's licence, free medical help, free legal help, a voter's card and a green card. What doesn't make sense is that Mass. has guys like Ted Kennedy representing them, while Calif. has the ‘Governator' running the show. Maybe Ms Shriver influences him more than he lets on.
Let's see what happens down the road.
Sources: Svea Herbst-Bayliss 200 Children Stranded Reuters
