flynn23 wrote:
] I think you missed my point. While all this is going on, you
] don't think they've grabbed a couple of suspects or
] ne'er-do-wells and hauled them off for questioning? A good
] diversion is always a great tactic to hide when you're going
] to do something really nasty.

If that was the plan then they wouldn't have arrested so many people, because doing so will make this tactic less effective in
the future. If you want to create distractions, you ought to create ones that people are likely to go to.

] ] 1. I don't have a problem with the round up, only with the
] ] arrests.
]
] well, they were illegal. Frankly, it's about time that the INS
] actually did their job of policing non-citizens.

Thats the thing. They weren't illegals. A few might have been. Most were not. You don't voluntarily show up for an INS round up if you don't have a visa. Furthermore, failing to file a change of address form, or having a traffic warrant, no more makes you an "illegal alien" then a typo on your W-2 makes you guilty of "tax fraud." Many people were arrested for things that had absolutely no relationship to INS law.

] I think it's about time they started caring. It's one thing if
] you're going through the naturalization process and intend to
] become a citizen. It's another when you're here partaking of
] resources and not following the rules.

These people voluntarily showed up to be counted. They are trying to comply. Furthermore, if INS "cared" about compliance they would have asked for the women and children to show up too.

This country has conservative immigration policies and relatively poor social services. If you live in northern mexico it might seem like a good place to go "partake of resources" because its the only available option. People who come here from over-seas have a different set of goals. There are several options available to them that are easier to immigrate to and provide easier "resources" to partake in. What people are looking for in coming here is a good education, a good credit system, and a strong economy. They are looking for a place that doesn't have systemic barriers to their making meaningful contributions and living full lives. They are doctors, lawyers, engineers, students, and businessmen. They aren't migrant workers. You can't get in from overseas if you're a migrant worker.

] ] 4. All they had to do with the people who had paper work
] ] problems is give them an opportunity to fix things. This
] would
] ] serve the purpose of stirring up the community enough to
] ] notice the odd man out, it would get the INS paperwork in
] ] order, and INS ends up looking like someone you can trust.
]
] now who's overestimating our government bureaucrats?! INS is
] run about as well as the IRS. It's a mountain of garbage.

You said it. Now tell me what part of having difficulty dealing with that mountain of garbage makes you an "illegal alien."

] Who's to say whether it was necessary or not.

Is this the least forceful means of reaching the stated goal of getting the INS records in order? I think its obvious that it
isn't.

RE: Yahoo! News - Hundreds of Muslim Immigrants Rounded Up in Calif.