RSSFoes of illegal immigration place petitions in newspapers
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Opponents of illegal immigration are paying for their petitions to be sent to newspaper subscribers here and in Skagit County.
The Respect for Law committee -- an umbrella group for Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, Grassroots of Yakima Valley, and So Tired Of Paying pro-taxpayers group -- paid for 6,000 pink petitions to be inserted in Monday's Yakima Herald-Republic.
The group targeted subscribers in the West Valley.
"It was based on more homeowners and more registered voters, percentage wide," said chairwoman Sandi Belzer Brendale. "We're going on X number of dollars so you want to make it as good as it can be. If we do get more money, we'll send out another set."
Initiative 1043 -- which would make it harder for illegal immigrants to be hired and access public services -- needs 241,000 signatures to make the November ballot.
Its statewide organization -- called Respect Washington, based in University Place -- has raised about $10,000 in individual donations and plans to reach about 51,000 total newspaper subscribers throughout Washington, said chairman Craig Keller in a phone interview.
"We're hoping to do more, but at this point, that's what we've got going," Keller said, adding that the group has paid to have its petitions inserted into Skagit Valley Herald and Yakima Valley Business Times. "We definitely do need more support if we're going to advance our outreach, whether it be newspapers or paid signature gathering."
In Yakima, The Repect for Law committee paid about $300 to reach 6,000 subscribers in the 98908 zip code of West Valley. The group hopes to gather about 30,000 signatures locally through the petitions, which each have space for 10 signatures.
While unusual, using newspaper inserts is a cheap and effective way to reach well-informed voters, said Rowland Thompson, executive director of Allied Daily Newspapers, a statewide organization that represents Washington's newspapers.
"It's not a common occurrence but it's legal," he said. "And you're distributing to people who are generally well-informed about these things and have an opinion. You're not just throwing it out there."
The initiative -- sponsored by Yakama tribal member Wendell Hannigan -- would require employers to use the federal E-Verify system. It would also require law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws, and prevent illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses and public benefits.
His measure is identical to Initiative 409, which failed last year.
The group can't afford paid signature gathering, and last year it raised slightly under $10,000, Keller said.
Hannigan said he's decided to leave signature gathering work to Respect Washington.
* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.
Editor's note: The headline on this story has been updated to correct the reference to illegal immigration. The story was also updated to correct the reference to the Yakima Valley Business Times.
One correction should be made to the article. Our groups are not "foes" to immigration. We are opposed to people breaking the immigration laws and coming here illegally. All of us have a story which tells how our families came here legally and were committed to becoming part of their "new" country.
We support people coming here to work, as long as they obey the laws in coming and also after they arrive. It's no different from what we expect from ourselves.
It would also help if the politicians would support E-verify,but all of the democrats,from the president down to our two state senators oppose it,at least that is the picture I get from following the news.Check their voting records and make up your own mind.
Report ViolationI know this will be deleted as quick as possible but your right Craig,,,,the heading should have read "Illegal Immigration Foes"
I wouldn't dare to even begin to harbor the thought that
M. Sanchez might be slightly biased and mislead the average headline scanner,unintentionally of course.
But then on the other hand,the heading might cause another person to read further to see what sort of complaint one might have towards immigration.
It seems to be a pretty good article,though.
Sorry,my keyboard doesn't have the little do-dah for over the "A" in the reporters name.
(This comment has been removed by a Yakima Herald-Republic moderator)
Melissa,
How difficult would it have been to write an accurate headline?
Craig-"All of us have a story which tells how our families came here legally and were committed to becoming part of their "new" country". You know as I read history books I don't ever recall pilgrims asking the natives for visa's to enter their territory. As I recall they took over land and imposed their law. Now you might say that was a long time ago! In 20 years all the illegal’s here today will probably be all legal, and guess what? They too will be telling their stories.
You know, I worked the orchards most of my life and you know, I never saw any race other than Hispanic people working there. Are they discriminating? I don’t think so, only Hispanics seek those jobs. Once you learn some English you seek better jobs leaving a void in your old spot, and who is there to fill it, not you, not that McDonalds employee, not a lawyer or a doctor, but a Hispanic. And you know what, if they didn’t hire illegal’s, roughly half the crop would go to waste. What would that do to our economy? We all know it. We need them, Period!
Illegal’s in Washington pay tax’s as well. I mean there’s a tax on their gas, light bill, car tabs, etc. Even on their pay checks they pay all the tax’s you and I pay. And guess what? They can’t claim any of it back, with the exception to Federal income tax. You know this means they too are paying for public services, which they should be entitled to, because they paid into it.
I guess we were all illegal’s at one time in someone’s eyes….
This is great and the first step in repairing Yakima's reputation. Illegals come here to draw welfare benefits and sink the state's budget. Just look at the State of California and the debt they are in. This will also address and help fix:
1. Most gang members are illegal and drawing benefits. Not anymore if this goes through.
2. Most gang members who hare illegal have to sell drugs to create income if they don't qualify for state benefits and will curb the drug culture in our County.
3.Uninsured Motorists and other petty crimes.
AMERICANS for legal American workers must keep contacting their legislators, in whatever state they reside to support a permanent E-verify. Only public outcry demanding the illegal alien "ATTRITION" enforcement program can elevate the millions of foreign nationals who try to find work here. E-verify is being modified all the time and has an exceptional success rating with 99.6 percent. After being hired, you are checked through the system, and issues are resolved through contact with the Social Security Administration local office. Hundreds of billions of dollars of sucked up, by paying for illegal low income people who slipped across our border. So far special interest groups are working to block the revised SAVE ACT With E-Verify), Real ID act, police enforcement 247(g), including ICE raids. Opponents in our own government have used their power to enfeeble any laudable tool, to hinder the illegal occupation agenda.
Arnold Schwarzenegger cannot deny he governs the Sanctuary State of California, that has itself been incapacitated financially by underwriting thousands of illegal families since before Proposition187. A new enforcement law is in the works, that is heavily sponsored Criminal Alien Removal (CLEAR) Act (H.R. 2406, which will start removing illegal foreigners with criminal records from the country. In conclusion we have a massive battle ahead to stop any kind of AMNESTY, because it will not only break this nation financially, but it will start the inception of irreversible OVERPOPULATION. Understand more about the repercussions at NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIAL WATCH. Undisclosed illegal immigration news reports at AMERICANPATROL. Reach your Congressman and Senator at (202) 224-3121
truth:
I dont believe this will help curb the drug culter as the demand is too strong, as long as their is a huge demand, someone will supply weather its that "pesky illegal" or that clean cut kid from West Valley.
Another truth is that illegals do not risk their lifes crossing vast deadly deserts just to draw welfare. No one would take on that vast journey to recieve $360 a month. Get Real, these people come to work as most have families who depend on them to survive. I will acknowlege that just like every other segment of american society there will be those who abuse the system.
On another note, I find it very funny how these signature flyers only where sent out on the west side of yakima.
"Foolmeone" get practical please.
One: E-Verify is a broken system and usually costs native born workers jobs, or at least pushes them through a a hellish paperwork process to prove that they are in fact U.S. citizens
Second: Do we really need to be spending thousands, and sometimes millions, of dollars on more right-wing policies? E-Verify like raids are a bandaid. What we need is comprehensive immigration reform. Plus, U.S. citizens have often been caught up in the mix of raids and racial profiling; not allowed their due process rights.
Three: People do want to come here legally, but right now there is not much incentive to do so. The system is confusing, and it can often take 6-10 years to bring one family member here after you become a citizen. Our supply and demand for workers in this country are not equal, and few people want to talk about how our foreign policy has put us in this situation today. After NAFTA passed, 1.3 MILLION Mexican farmers were driven out of business, and undocumented immigration from Mexico rose 60%.
Finally: NumbersUSA looks nice and seems balanced, but it is linked very closely to many organizations listed as hate groups. Not something I would trust for 'fair and balanced' news.
check it out
http://bit.ly/21aqns
E-Verify
http://bit.ly/Lna1e
check it out
http://bit.ly/21aqns
E-Verify
http://bit.ly/Lna1e
I just checked, the headline is still misleading in my paper (in section B, story about drunks in Wapato on front page above the fold). YHR/Seattle Times Co can't figure out why they're loosing hundreds of millions of dollars.
FYI: Check your spelling, you might improve your credibility.
For Your Info:I dont believe this will help curb the drug culter as the demand is too strong, as long as their is a huge demand, someone will supply weather its that "pesky illegal" or that clean cut kid from West Valley.
Another truth is that illegals do not risk their lifes crossing vast deadly deserts just to draw welfare. No one would take on that vast journey to recieve $360 a month. Get Real, these people come to work as most have families who depend on them to survive. I will acknowlege that just like every other segment of american society there will be those who abuse the system.
--------------------------------------------------
All I can say is, I am sorry your in denial. Go to your Local WorkSource or DSHS to see all the gang bangers or their girlfriends taking benfits. I see it all the time.
A family of 3 will recieve 500 in TANF and 400 in Food Stamps so your 360 number is not even close. Family of 4 (2 parents, 2 kids) total 1,100. More than enough to live on especially if getting low income house at $150-300 a month. I have seen gangbangers with 6-8 kids clearing $2000 a month or more. Sorry you don't know what you are talking about.
As for the drug culture, if there isn't a supply then the demand could be through the roof, but they can't find it anywhere. Understand?
Truth
I am sorry your perception is off and feel for you being misinformed. I do frequent DSHS as part of my work and I know what I see. First of all. not all gangsters are illegal and not all illegals are gang bangers. my figure of 360 was an example for 1 person. My point is, people do not risk their life to come here and live on that type of wage. like everything else there is a few that put a dark cloud on the rest. Truth is I know what I say weather you agree or not. just like supply and demand. There is a huge demand with a supply line that cannot be cutoff since the war on drugs began more than 30 years ago. There will always be supply if there is demand. As the saying goes, money talks. the more drugs they take off the streets the more valuable they become. Making drug rings and cartels powerful and rich. Your logic of cutting the supply in theory would work if it were possible.
Yakima! You get what you can support, low life, welfare mothers, social security senior citizens, gangs, drugs and more Wal-Mart’s per capita than any other city in Washington. In my book illegal or not that the only class of citizens you can attract!
Report ViolationTruth
I am sorry your perception is off and feel for you being misinformed. I do frequent DSHS as part of my work and I know what I see. First of all. not all gangsters are illegal and not all illegals are gang bangers. my figure of 360 was an example for 1 person. My point is, people do not risk their life to come here and live on that type of wage.
-----------
You only speak opinion. I for DSHS. Where do you work?
At first I was put off at first by "the Truths," defense of immigrants and "britanicus",advances on a delegated race's immigration issue.It seems to me that the author's of the local paper have a knack of dividing people that are already divided and throw more wood on a community burning with vengence for justice where the scapegoat is an obvious less fortunate class. They will more then likely feel annoyed by this comment but I have the right to stick up for them and acknowledge that some illegals cause a drag on the system.
Report ViolationIt's amazing what we have to do to get our Legislators to get State Illegal Immigration Laws to do a job that our Federal Government refuses to do to protect us from the INVASION of the ILLEGAL ALIENS. 20 MILLION of them.
I can't say the ILLEGAL ALIENS are completely to blame for the shape of our economy, but they are a BIG part of the problem. The ILLEGAL ALIENS send BILLIONS upon BILLIONS out of this Country every year, money we will NEVER see again. Does this help our economy? Well, does it?
How about the BILLIONS the American taxpayers fork out for the ILLEGAL ALIEN BABIES, the schooling of them, the medical care and the list goes on, and on, and on. Does this help our economy or add to our medical costs?
How about the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS paid to jail ILLEGAL ALIENS for the crimes, then the cost to deport them. Does this help our economy?
Then you have these activist groups, the Catholic Church and the ACLU that want AMNESTY for these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It would be absolute suicide for this Country if AMNESTY were granted to the 20 million or so ILLEGAL ALIENS. We have more and more people out of work everyday and they want to add another 20 million to this Country? I say, "NO"!
If AMNESTY were ever granted to these 20 million ILLEGAL ALIENS, you can bet big money that 3 years from now, there would be ANOTHER 3-5 million ILLEGAL ALIENS demonstrating on our soil for AMNESTY.
An end MUST come to this illegal immigration. The perfect tool we have so far is E-Verify. It MUST be used by ALL businesses and Government Social Services. EVERY employee must be checked! If they are illegal, they are to be dismissed!
I believe it is time for all 50 States to pass a State law, like Arizona, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and a few others. It is time for these ILLEGAL ALIENS to go back to their home Country and get out of this Country. The problems they are causing will not go away until the ILLEGAL ALIENS are out of this Country.
It's time for ZERO TOLERENCE with these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It's time for them to get back to their own country where they belong. When we get rid of the ILLEGAL ALIENS, we will get rid of all the problens that go with them. THAT IS A FACT!
Hang in there, WASHINGTON. You can do it!
At first I was put off at first by "the Truths," defense of immigrants and "britanicus",advances on a delegated race's immigration issue.It seems to me that the author's of the local paper have a knack of dividing people that are already divided and throw more wood on a community burning with vengence for justice where the scapegoat is an obvious less fortunate class. They will more then likely feel annoyed by this comment but I have the right to stick up for them and acknowledge that some illegals cause a drag on the system. This same issue recently came to light at a local celebration where I was there to celebrate my Tribes 150 years of signing a Treaty with the United States Government and now I see it as symbolic in a area known for it's diversity to be divided by it. The Local reformers or what ever they call themselves were having Petition signing at the celebration and when they ask me to sign I responded that far as I was concerned anybody that is not Native to this land is an Illegal Immigrant. I admit this was a false statement but it confuses me that Tribal Members like Mr. Haniggan chooses to try too take advantage of this issue for his own Political gain while our own people are plastered across the front page like some form of a nusiance to a mostly hispanic community. Men like Mr. Fiander the Lawyer are right when they remind people we clearly have a document that outlaws alchohol for this reason. The connection between these issues and exploiting minorities needs to be reconciled although not all in this post.
Report ViolationFOLLOW THE MONEY!!!!
Who benefits from unrestricted illegal immigration?
Who benefits from unrestricted access to all federal, Washington State and Yakima County benefits. (welfare, food stamps, free healthcare at Farmworker's clinics and emergency rooms) for illegal aliens?
Who benefits when law enforcement is prevented from doing their jobs by not reporting criminal illegal immigrants to the INS?
Who benefits by hiring illegal immigrants who work like slaves for minimum wages with no job security?
THIS IS NOT A HARD QUESTION. THE ANSWER IS THAT THE OWNERS OF AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS ( growers, processors, distributors, and the parasites that support these operations by selling them fuel, tractors, supplies, seeds, fertilizer and pesticides) BENEFIT TREMENDOUSLY FROM THE TOLERANCE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
These are the people that support and elect the Yakima County Commissioners, state and city representatives and mostly keep the utter destruction of Central Washington State out of the papers and off the radio and television news. They OWN you and your silly little town so scream all you want and protest all you want but at the end of the day they will still be relaxing over drinks at the country club and laughing at you and your desire to make e-verity the law of the land.
Gangs will never be a problem in the gated communities they live in. Their cars will never be stolen and even if they are they will just buy more. There will never be drive by shootings in their neighborhoods. When they use up this place (the Tiajuana of Washington) they will just move on to someplace else.
What to do?
There may be a few as 20 families that own this town. You know the names. Just drive down the freeway and the names are plastered all over their warehouses.
Confront them where they live. Confront them at the finest restaurants and the Capitol Theatre or The Seasons or the (private) golf courses. Confront them at the oldest and largest churches in town. Make it impossible for them to venture out of their compounds. They are destroying your town. Do you care enough to venture out of your comfort zone?
I don't know how they did it but Arizona enacted meaningful (read prison terms for owners) employer sanctions. If this could be done here there might be a chance to save this city and state otherwise you might as well join the slaves and surfs already working on these feudal estates and say audios to the dream of a decent place to live and raise your kids.
SU advocate, YOU get practical.
Our school programs were cut by 40% and our class size is 47th in the nation due to the huge illegal alien population, while Senators Murray and Cantwell vote YES on Anchor Babies and Chain Migration which continues to over crowd our schools, and vote NO on E-Verify that would aid the unemployment rate for CITIZENS. College tuition was raised 14% because of the state deficit while we spend $665 million dollars a year on free social services for those here illegally, and Murray and Cantwell vote YES on the Dream Act. All I want is some practical common sense which I am NOT getting from my party.
Proponents of amnesty for those here breaking our laws throw out the same old tired excuses; racism, hate, right wing extremists, pay more for your lettuce, etc, etc.
I am a lifelong Democrat that has always supported immigration and Civil Rights for all - LEGALLY. Most of us feel sympathy for the plight of the Mexican people. They are hard working, family oriented, deserving people, but not at the expense of our own people. If I lived in Mexico, I would say the same thing about illegal intruders siphoning off tax dollars intended for legal residents, so don't play the race card with me.
The proponents of amnesty have framed the issue to their advantage much like Bush framed the Iraq War debate; if we were against the war we were unpatriotic and did not support the troops, and now, if we express legitimate concerns about the cost of illegal aliens, we are accused of racism and being against immigrants. That's a line that won't work anymore. You can't come up with some practical, logical arguments that make common sense, because there are none, so you resort to name calling.
The practical truth is your kids education is being diluted and their futures are being jeopardized by illegal immigration. That's not acceptable to me. America is a caring, sharing country, but we are told if we have two coats to share one, not to give away what belongs to our children. Who among you would welcome strangers into your home on a permanent basis and cut your own children's food and clothing supply by 40%-60%?
Let Obama, Murray, and Cantwell know you want E-Verify implemented, the border secured, and current immigration law enforced. That's all we need.
NumbersUSA has found out Obama will announce today or tomorrow gutting the E-Verify Executive Order that Napolitano has postponed four times while she "studies" it. Yes, the same Napolitano that said crossing the border illegally is not breaking the law; the same Napolitano that said our veterans are susceptible to joining right wing extremist groups who are against illegal immigration; the same Napolitano who said their experts informed them closing the border would not stop the spread of Swine Flu. Yep, that Napolitano who is charged with keeping Americans safe.
... One big result of the new orders will be to ensure that taxpayer-funded jobs under the Economic Stimulus Act can continue to go to illegal foreign workers.
The new Obama Executive Order will retain the language requiring contractors to verify new hires. But it will eliminate the language requiring them to verify all previously employed workers on the contract.
That means that all the illegal aliens already working for federal contractors can keep their jobs and unemployed Americans will not have a chance at them.
A former official of the Department of Homeland Security who said there has been buzz about filling the new Executive Order full of loopholes so that federal contractors can "launder" newly hired illegal aliens through a part of the company not doing federal contracts and then transfer them to the federal contract jobs without having to put them through E-Verify. ...
Go to www.numbersusa.com and send free faxes to Obama, Napolitano, and your Congressional members right away. It's WRONG - just plain WRONG at what they are doing to citizens.
DelawareBob & gabbyur24,
Funny you talk about "MILLIONS" and "needs". The only millions are the sacrificing families reaching for the american dream; and needs of comprehensive immigration reform.
See this TODAY show segment on Immigration Reform: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31384551#31384551
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