Official: Mexican Drug Runner Shot by Border Agents Smuggled More Drugs Into U.S. Wednesday, February 28, 2007 By Liza Porteus The Mexican drug runner whose -*test*-('")imony sent two Border Patrol agents to prison for shooting him in the buttocks brought drugs into the United States more than once, thereby diminishing his credibility as a witness in the investigation, according to a California congressman. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., presented new evidence in a Capitol Hill press conference Wednesday that revealed what he says was U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton's deliberate attempt to mislead the public about Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila's involvement in the transport of a second load of drugs in October 2005. Aldrete-Davila -*test*-('")ified before a jury that former Border Patrol Agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos shot him in February 2005 as he tried to run away from them near the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. He was given immunity from prosecution in March 2005 for his cooperation in that investigation and subsequent trial, which culminated last year. The Mexican was smuggling more than 700 pounds of marijuana into the United States at the time. Compean and Ramos were convicted last year and are serving 11 and 12 years, respectively, in separate federal prisons for the non-fatal shooting. But the Drug Enforcement Agency found that Aldrete-Davila brought in another vanload of drugs into the United States while he waited to -*test*-('")ify against the agents. Some reports say he stashed up to 750 pounds of marijuana at a house in Clint, Texas. Rohrabacher said Sutton knowingly presented a false picture of the primary witness in the case. "The U.S. Attorney's Office presented to the jury and presented to the public as if this guy Davila was a benign, hapless Mexican man who had just been recruited to drive a truck in order to raise money for medical expenses for his mother," Rohrabacher told FOXNews.com. "Had the jury known that there were indications that he was a professional and he lied to his handlers even after they had granted him immunity for the first time, his -*test*-('")imony would have been worthless and it also suggests that he was more likely to have been carrying a weapon." One of the border agents claimed they may have seen a weapon in Aldrete-Davila's hand during the incident. But the prosecutor said there was no evidence that he had a gun. Aldrete-Davila was given immunity by the U.S. government and also received a border crossing card to come to and from Mexico to get free medical care in the United States for a bullet lodged in his body. Rohrabacher's office said it's unsure how many times Aldrete-Davila crossed the border during this time. But the congressman says evidence has emerged that Sutton's office was notified by the DEA of Aldrete-Davila's direct involvement in the second offense but that it was ignored. "The second offense goes just to the heart of the credibility of the Justice Department's primary witness against Compean and Ramos," Rohrabacher told FOXNews.com. The documents Rohrabacher has is the report of investigation completed by the DEA. "Our purpose here is not to endanger any agents" or reveal any information that may hurt the government's case, the congressman's spokeswoman, Tara Setmayer, told FOXNews.com on Wednesday. "But we do want people to understand we are in possession of documents that support the reports about Davila's involvement in a second drug-smuggling incident." The DEA directed calls regarding what's known as the 'October load' investigation to Sutton, who represents the Western District of Texas. A prosecutor under Sutton handled the Compean-Ramos case. "We cannot comment about matters that are under seal or ongoing investigations. This office will pursue criminal charges where there is prosecutable criminal activity and competent evidence to prove it," Sutton said in a statement. "We have clearly stated that the immunity necessarily afforded to Aldrete-Davila in the investigation and trial of Ramos and Compean for the Feb. 17 incident would not extend to any subsequent or future criminal activity that may be alleged. It is truly unfortunate that some members of Congress have inaccurately implied that such immunity would be extended beyond the scope of this trial." Some lawmakers in Congress, as well as Border Patrol activist groups, claim Sutton failed to prosecute the "real" criminal in the matter — the drug runner — and instead went after two Border Patrol agents just doing their jobs. Sutton, for his part, has argued that the law clearly states the mandatory sentences for such a shooting, and that there is no exemption for law enforcement. He has acknowledged to FOXNews.com, however, that 11 and 12 years in prison for such a crime may be extreme. Champions of Ramos and Compean have asked President Bush to pardon the two agents, but to no avail. A Justice Department lawyer on Wednesday told FOXNews.com that so far, the agency had not received any petition for clemency for either of the agents. But in order to be eligible for a pardon approved by the Justice Department — which makes pardon recommendations to the president — five years must have elapsed from the day an individual was released from prison. Commutation is a shortening of one's sentence, but in order to be eligible for that, the person serving the sentence cannot be legally challenging his case. However, the president can also make either decision on his own, regardless of the Justice recommendation. Friends of the Border Patrol on Wednesday called for the firing of Sutton, along with other assistant U.S. attorneys who helped prosecute Compean and Ramos for what it calls "the malicious prosecution" of the two ex-agents and for "hiding key evidence from and lying to the American people, as well as harboring, aiding and providing comfort to a known drug smuggler, Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, who illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico, assaulted Agent Compean, brandished a firearm towards two federal agents, resisted arrest and transported narcotics across international boundaries on multiple occasions." The prosecution in the case says Aldrete-Davila did not have a gun, even though at least one of the agents thought he saw what could have been a weapon in his hand at the time of the shooting. Friends of the Border Patrol also called for the resignation of Judge Kathleen Cardone, who it says "did everything possible to aid the prosecution in this witch-hunt, including sealing evidence and -*test*-('")imony that clearly would have damaged the credibility of the government's case and their alleged 'victim.'" Follow Time Line Here- http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,255489,00.html

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-sponsors0301.artmar01,0,5384469.story?page=1 I wonder what part of supporting them was confusing,like get health insurance or pay for their health care. i bet the state backs down, it's CT. so it can be expected.

Good story, Zig. Of course it won't go anywhere, but it would be nice if it did.

Wal-Mart's jobs pay well by Mexican standards and serve as a gateway to the state health and pension systems. Full-time jobs with regular salaries are scarce. About half Mexico's labor force -- 20 million people -- work in a so-called informal economy of day laborers, unregistered taxi drivers and street vendors. Their salaries are in cash and they pay no taxes. Because they aren't in the tax system, they are also not eligible for the state-run health-care system and government mortgage subsidies, and they have no pensions. The other half left and work in the USA

Using Slave Labor To Wage A Losing War
Feds: Company Hired Illegals to Keep Up With Military Contracts Wednesday, March 07, 2007 Disassociated And/or Depressed BOSTON — While federal agents raided a New Bedford company looking for undocumented workers in 2005, an announcement blared over the loudspeaker at nearby Michael Bianco Inc. telling worried employees they were free to leave for the day. About 75 people ran and hid — some in boxes and others in their cars, said Melvin H. Graham, a special agent for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. So said an informant who described for immigration officials what authorities called blatantly illegal hiring practices by the leather goods plant. On Tuesday, 300 federal agents turned their attention on Michael Bianco Inc. itself. About two-thirds of the 500 workers were detained for possible deportation, and owner Francesco Insolia and three top managers were arrested. The company not only hired illegal immigrants, but courted them in a quest for cheap labor to maximize profits from million-dollar military contracts, federal officials said. Investigators said the illegal worker paid a steep price for their jobs: dingy conditions and onerous fines, including a $20 charge for talking while working and spending more than two minutes in the bathroom. Late employees were docked for every minute, according to U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan. Others were forced to work double shifts on the lines of machines for stitching military backpacks and safety vests. Sullivan compared the scene to sweatshops from the early 1900s. "They were given no options. It's either here, or the risk of no income at all," he said. "Clearly, they were exploited because of the fact they were here illegally." Insolia's wife, Suzanne Thompson, said Sullivan's characterization of the company as a sweatshop was "horrifying." "None of that is true," she said. Insolia's lawyer, Inga Bernstein, said, "The whole story will come out, and at that point it will be a very different scenario." The sweep sparked a chaotic scene in which some workers tried to flee, only to be turned back by Tuesday's bitter cold, said Bruce Foucart, ICE Special Agent in Charge. Investigators said Insolia, plant manager Dilia Costa, payroll manager Ana Figueroa and office manager Gloria Melo allowed an undercover officer posing as an illegal immigrant to continue working at the plant for four days in September 2006. Figueroa also advised her how to obtain a fake Social Security card, investigators said. Most of the suspected illegals were women from Central America, officials said. The Massachusetts Immigration & Refugee Advocacy Coalition denounced the raid, and planned emergency support for affected families. Paul Graham of United Interfaith Action said it was "ironic" that federal officials were detaining workers who stitched equipment for soldiers. "We need these workers, Massachusetts needs them, and America needs them," he said. "Let's stop tearing families apart." Insolia, 50, Costa, 55, Figueroa, 40, and Melo, 41, each were charged with conspiring to encourage or induce illegal aliens to reside in the United States — which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison — and conspiring to hire illegal aliens, which is punishable by up to six months in prison. Luis Torres, 45, who worked at a record shop across the street from Michael Bianco Inc., was charged with preparing fake identification documents for its workers. He faces up to 15 years in prison, if convicted. Lawyers for Figueroa, Melo and Torres declined comment after the hearing. Costa's attorney, Kevin Barron, said his client was law-abiding and "terrified" by her arrest. Michael Bianco Inc., founded in 1985, specialized in manufacturing high-end leather goods for retailers including Coach Inc. and Timberland Co. before landing a $9.4 million military contract in 2003 to make survival vests. Between 2004 and 2006, it won $82 million in military contracts to make products including lightweight backpacks. An Army spokesman did not return a call about the status of the contracts. The contracts led to a massive expansion of the company's work force, which grew from 85 employees in 2003 to more than 500, according to investigators.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070311/ap_on_re_us/divided_families;_ylt=AgICJxyAUUQavIkAcQo452is0NUE oh the poor children, lets see their parents are in the country illegally and if caught will be deported, so they have children here knowing the risk involved, oh well.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-migrants,0,4370220.story?track=rss The workers were paid about $3.75 per hour but also incurred substantial, illegal deductions which further reduced their wages, according to the lawsuit. The workers also incurred substantial debts in Guatemala to pay for their visas and trip to the U.S., according to the lawsuit they filed. Imperial's sales volume places it among the 20 largest landscape nursery growers in the country, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuits come after a dozen Guatemalan workers filed a federal lawsuit in February accusing Imperial Nurseries in Granby and its recruiter of engaging in human trafficking by forcing them to work nearly 80 hours per week, paying them less than minimum wage and denying them medical care for injuries on the job. sounds like OTR trucking :lol:

Why is a damn illegal alien beaner allowed to sue for improper wage and a dweller isn't? Neither are protected under wage and hour law. Did King George II and his drinking buddy, the girlfriend killer have another secret agreement? :roll:

I saw on the news something about buy a beaner for $10,000, they called it a fine for coming in illegally. I guess the Bank Of America can loan them the money or an employer can pay the fine, like trucking companies do for their so called free training. they can call it free entery if they sign a 2 year work contract.

Employer claims he didn't grasp immigration law http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18262350&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=590581&rfi=6 The claims, filed in federal court in anticipation of Calhelha’s sentencing Monday, are a last-ditch effort to limit punishment for Calhelha, 47, a Portuguese-born millionaire who lives in Guilford. The government claims Calhelha lured at least six Portuguese men to the United States to manage his chain of Dunkin’ Donuts stores, promising them high wages and a path to citizenship, but instead treating them little better than slaves. But Calhelha insists he is a hard-working businessman who merely misunderstood immigration law; the filing says he never mistreated anyone and instead treated the men like members of his family. The government charged that a raid conducted by Dunkin’ Brands uncovered that most of the employees at his 10 stores were also undocumented, and were mainly immigrants from Mexico and Ecuador. The Portuguese managers "were directed only to hire other undocumented aliens because Mr. Calhelha told them that Americans are lazy," the government’s motion says.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18269927/ The tornado went appx. 100 yards south of Swift and turned due east across US287 and then north again destroying the town. Power was out in Cactus and Dumas. The Red Cross and others setup shelters in Dumas but without power it was nearly pointless. In a small town about 15 miles away, Sunray TX, they had power and likewise setup shelters. They had food, some clothing and hot coffee etc. The town sent 5 Buses, school and church, to Cactus to pick up people that were stranded. But the people would not go. They wouldn't get on the buses in fear of being deported. It was buses that hauled them away in the December raids. Out of several hundred all that went were 70 people. The rest stayed behind and hid.

Yes, you're suppose to have sympathy for them.