Freedom Station shines the light on wounded warriors

From 1775 to the present American’s have courageously fought and lost approximately 1,343,812 soldiers. The cost of freedom is never free and no one knows that more than the U.S. military.

This is their day.

“As flags are flown throughout the country to honor the valor and courage of the brave men and women who gave their lives defending our county, let us remember that the liberties we enjoy today came at a great price,” said former Senator George Runner.

It’s been a long ten years of war in the Middle East. Today’s military personnel have been asked to serve multiple tours in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and as a result they have suffered a wide range of serious injuries.

America has improved its ability to care for soldiers when they return home from the battlefield and in San Diego wounded warriors can now turn to Freedom Station. Transitioning from the military into civilian life can be a challenge especially when warriors suffer visible wounds of war.

With the help of the Warrior Foundation, Freedom Station provides injured warriors with individual cottages to complete their transition from the military.

The center is located near the San Diego Naval Hospital and provides transportation, counseling, job training and other amenities that ensure a safe environment for warriors to heal.

Freedom Station gives injured military personnel a three-month transitional place to live before they receive their retirement papers (DD214’s). The housing units are completely furnished and provide transportation to-and-from the Naval Hospital.

Staff members at Freedom Station offer assistance to these transitioning warriors who need help acquiring permanent housing, furnishings for their new life, civilian employment, or enrollment into college.
Advertisement

Many wounded warriors face significant challenges with their injuries and often times leaving the military will mark the first time they will face life outside the armed services.

San Diego’s Freedom Station follows other military bases around the country that have successfully provided transitional housing for wounded warriors who have served in the Middle East and face obstacles their civilian counterparts will not have to deal with.

The San Diego Naval Hospital staff, active duty military personnel and warriors agree this facility provides an essential link that has been missing for wounded warriors in Southern California and it ensures they will have a quality of life that they have earned.

“These Warriors will give the ‘Greatest Generation’ a run for their money and anything we can do to provide them with a trouble-free transition will show them that we truly appreciate their service to our country,” said Sandy Lehmkuhler Director of the Warrior Foundation.

To donate or learn more about Freedom Station or the Warrior Foundation visit their websites;

Warrior Foundation; http://www.warriorfoundation.com/

Freedom Station; http://www.freedomstation.org/

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Freedom Station shines the light on wounded warriors - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/freedom-station-shines-the-light-on-wounded-warriors#ixzz1NrYgfamP

Hummer filled with narcotics nabbed by interior Border Patrol Agents

Approximately 50 pounds of narcotics were seized by interior Border Patrol enforcement agents when they spotted a Hummer H3 driver behaving suspiciously. After the agents questioned the 38-year-old driver, they called in the K-9 team who performed a cursory inspection that lead to the drugs.

Once the K-9's warned Border Patrol Agents to a positive alert, they found anomalies on the Hummer’s undercarriage and rear seats.

“Agents subsequently discovered an aftermarket compartment under the rear seats concealing a total of 23 cellophane-wrapped bundles containing 26.78 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and 23.48 pounds of cocaine with a combined estimated street value of $716, 840,” said Scott Simon Border Patrol Agent.

The driver was taken into custody in Fallbrook, just north of San Diego on Interstate 15 and will face a number of drug trafficking charges. The exact charges will come from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) once the case is thoroughly investigated.
Advertisement

This seizure is a testament to Border Patrol’s interior enforcement teams. “We tackle border-related issues using multiple tools at our disposal. The interior enforcement effort is just another one of those tools that makes our agency successful in apprehending criminal illegal aliens and seizing narcotics that would find their way onto the streets in cities across America,” said BP Agent Jerry Conlin, Information and Communications Division for Border Patrol.

The U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on major corridors of egress away from our nation’s borders in an effort to prevent illicit smuggling of humans, drugs and other contraband.Border Patrol Agents encourage citizens to report suspicious activity at (619) 498-9900.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Hummer filled with narcotics nabbed by interior Border Patrol Agents - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/hummer-filled-with-narcotics-nabbed-by-interior-border-patrol-agents#ixzz1Nfxttlio

Supreme Court rules in Arizona’s favor – E-Verify to be implemented statewide

The state of Arizona finally caught a break; the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state’s ability to require employers to use the federal E-Verify program. The decision also allows the state to revoke business licenses of companies that knowingly hire illegal workers.

The E-Verify program is a successful federal program that uses Social Security card numbers to ensure prospective employees are able to legally work inside the United States. Proponents of E-Verify would like to see this program used by all businesses in the country and say it would curtail illegal aliens from crossing the porous southern borders because they would no longer be able to get a job.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision that upholds a state’s right to revoke business licenses of companies that knowingly hire illegal workers is a giant leap in the right direction for meaningful immigration reform,” said Congressman Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Chairman of the bi-partisan House Immigration Reform Caucus. “Congress must take the next step and enact laws that end our implicit encouragement of illegal immigration and address its cause: employers who exploit illegal labor.”
Advertisement

When it comes to moving forward and dealing with the large illegal alien population currently residing in the country, lawmakers say turning off the ability for illegals to get a job needs to be at the top of the “honey do” list.

“Implementing the E-Verify system is something Democrats and Republicans must work closely together on to achieve. It is imperative that we end an employer’s ability to hire an illegal worker and that we eliminate any notion of amnesty so that illegal immigrants are without two major incentives for breaking our laws,” Bilbray said.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Supreme Court rules in Arizona’s favor – E-Verify to be implemented statewide - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/supreme-court-rules-arizona-s-favor-e-verify-to-be-implemented-statewide#ixzz1NU6fgxTW

Mr. President – Protect America First

The U.S. border security debate is contentious, loud and needed and Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu makes his case to President Obama...

President Obama says the border is more secure than ever, declared the border fence complete and said, “These people will never be satisfied, until we build a moat and put alligators in the moat.”

We don’t need a moat or alligators in Arizona – we simply need the federal government to do their job and secure the border! Last year, 219,300 illegal immigrants were apprehended in just one sector of Arizona and many with violent felony criminal records.

The U.S. Border Patrol estimates another 400,000 made it safely past them in Arizona and now reside in your community. If the majority of regular illegal immigrants can sneak into America, what does this say about the ability of terrorist sleeper cells?

The porous U.S./Mexican border is the gravest national security threat facing America. This is no longer just a political fight to stop Barak Obama from giving amnesty to over 12 million illegals, it’s also about protecting our nation from terrorist threats.

Thousands of illegal entrants hail from State Department countries of interest--Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and others. In some cases, we have confirmed their troubling ties to terrorism.

Yet for those we apprehend how many today live amongst us? If the border is secure, why did the feds post 15 Billboard signs in Pinal County warning American citizens; Danger – Public Warning – Travel Not Recommended, due to armed drug cartel smuggling?

This is 70 miles into Arizona, where Homeland Security confirms that no fewer than 100 of our beautiful mountains have been repurposed as lookouts for the Mexican Drug lords.

America can secure the border if we replicate the success of what was accomplished in the Yuma Sector. The Yuma Sector has now attained a 96% reduction of illegal border crossings. The Senator McCain/Kyl 10-Point Border Security Plan is developed largely from the learned successes of the Yuma Sector during Operation Jump Start.
Advertisement

This plan calls for immediate deployment of 6,000 armed soldiers for a period of two years. While soldiers are deployed, the double barrier fence is completed with video surveillance, lighting, sensors and roads to support rapid deployment of US Border Patrol.

Thirdly, fully enforce the law without any diversion option. We need focus on the solution to secure our border, not on a path to citizenship or amnesty for 12 million.

If President Obama were sincere, why did he not pass immigration reform in his first two years, when he had supermajorities in the House and Senate? Instead, in a purely politically and racially divisive manner, he says he’ll fight now when there is little hope of passage.

The President has failed to fulfill his core constitutional duty to protect America.

President Obama led us to believe he would end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We’re no closer to leaving than when he made these false promises. He bombs Libya for humanitarian reasons and yet ignores the outcry of neighboring Mexico in their war against the drug cartels, which have claimed over 35,000 lives and nearly toppled their government.

Mexico is America’s second largest trading partner and we share nearly 2,000 miles of porous border, which presents a far graver national security threat than anything we face in the Middle East.

Mexico is not our enemy. The cartels are the enemy of Mexico and America. They have brought their violence here to America. Local Sheriffs can’t fight them alone. We can address this growing threat, or we can make jokes, laugh and believe the border is more secure than ever.

Sheriff Paul Babeu is President of the Arizona Sheriff's Association and the 2011 National Sheriff of the Year.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

Continue reading on Examiner.com Mr. President – Protect America First - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/mr-president-protect-america-first#ixzz1NTwh4ACv

U.S./Mexico Border States continue to disrupt drug cartel activities

In a multi-agency operation, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office teamed up with Border Patrol’s “BORTAC Team 5” to deny, degrade, disrupt and dismantle drug and human-trafficking operations in Pinal County.

The week-long joint task force agencies arrested 60 suspects, seized 5,433 pounds of marijuana, collected $115,630 in cash, recovered five stolen vehicles and confiscated firearms.

“These multi agency details have a much greater impact than just in Pinal County,” Sheriff Paul Babeu explained. “Pinal County is the number one pass through county in America for drug and human trafficking because of the roadways and terrain.”

The Arizona Sheriff’s Office reported that the Mexican cartels have 75 to 100 lookout posts inside a known-drug and human-smuggling corridor.

“They (drug cartels) use these high vantage points to ensure their loads, whether they are humans or drugs, make it through,” Babeu said.
Advertisement

While the final destination for some of these drug loads are Phoenix, many are headed to large cities throughout the United States.

“I appreciate the assistance provided by all of these law enforcement agencies to disrupt the cartels activities. We need this continuous law enforcement presence to help protect America until the border is truly secured,” Sheriff Babeu finished.

There were more than 15 state and federal law enforcement agencies participating in the Arizona crackdown on drug cartels.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com U.S./Mexico Border States continue to disrupt drug cartel activities - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/u-s-mexico-border-states-continue-to-disrupt-drug-cartel-activities#ixzz1NNnwY4pU

Report shows African Americans suffer higher than average unemployment

Looking at the want ads in the Sunday paper is a lot tougher on the nation’s African-American community, according to the latest Bureau of Labor statistics figures which confirm higher than average unemployment for President Obama’s most loyal voting base.

The unemployment rate for black Americans remains just more than 16 percent; while their white counterparts hover around the 8 percent mark. The numbers don’t get any easier for African Americans when they compare to Latinos whose unemployment rate is 11.8 percent or Asians who enjoy the lowest joblessness of 6.4 percent.

The stubborn recession has left many job seekers crushed while searching for a good, fulltime job and as long as the nation’s joblessness holds firm, the president will have a tough time campaigning for his reelection.

Another problem job seekers face is under-employment.

A new Gallup year-long survey chart showed how unemployment and underemployment have remained within a narrow band. Unemployment, according to Gallup, has remained about 10 percent and underemployment persists near 20 percent.

Making matters worse is a recent story in The New York Times, “Only One in Four Young Black Men in New York City Have a Job.”

“The new report was prepared by the Community Service Society of New York, has other unhappy news about this group — that the unemployment rate for African-American men in New York, age 16 to 24, was 33.5 percent from January 2009 through June 2010,” the article read.

“The recession has created a landscape of the unemployed and underemployed with particular catastrophic consequences for young African-American men,” said David R. Jones, president of the, an advocacy group for New York’s low-income residents.

The new numbers have been a telling trend for African Americans in recent years that have seen lack of employment slowly creep into the double-digits.

“There is no question that black America is worse off than it has been in at least the last 30 years,” said Glen Ford, an executive editor for the Black Agenda Report.

Ted Hayes, a black activist and ardent critic of the Obama Administration, talks a lot about the black guilt this country continues to feel. “We have been bamboozled by the Democratic leaders like President Obama, Charlie Rangel, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, who continue to give us more Jim Crow politics,” he said.
Advertisement

Hayes, who also has his own radio program and website said, “blacks need to stop following the welfare agenda of the African American community leaders.”

The job idleness rate for blacks remains constant and some experts point to the decline in the housing market as a large factor in unemployment for blacks. In the past, construction jobs have been a mainstay for many young African-Americans.

Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson said blacks are “number one in high unemployment, number one in home foreclosures and number one in populating the prisons of our country.”

However, some experts contend that the large illegal alien population in America accounts for the loss of jobs for blacks. They argue the fact that the illegals, who are primarily Hispanic, will work for less money and have virtually taken over the construction workplace.

Despite this trend, the New York Civil Liberties Union joined immigrants’ and civil rights supporters in the city to protest Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s position on the New York’s Secure Communities, a federal program that runs fingerprints of those arrested against the federal immigration data base, if a match is obtained those illegal immigrants are subject to deportation.

“Governor Cuomo should demonstrate his commitment to New York’s immigrant families and withdraw the state from this destructive program,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU. “Secure Communities contradicts our state’s proud tradition of embracing immigrants and it ignores immigrants’ immeasurable contributions to New York’s economy, culture and heritage.”

There has been an effort in many liberal cities to fight the federal law banning sanctuary cities, some like San Francisco law enforcement have gone on the record saying they will not obey the law and will not release fingerprint information, even if the illegal aliens are wanted for a variety of crimes.

In the meantime, it looks like black American’s are left holding the highest unemployment prize.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Report shows African Americans suffer higher than average unemployment - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/report-shows-african-americans-suffer-higher-than-average-unemployment#ixzz1NIBszoTg

Mexican cartels turn to the friendly skies to smuggle drugs using ultralights

The Mexican drug cartels have now taken to the friendly skies using ultra-light planes in order to smuggle their illicit narcotics into the United States.

There have been reports of 30-50 ultra-light flights per week just east of San Diego near Tecate, Mexico. However, Border Patrol Agent Michael Jimenez says the numbers of official reports are lower.

By using unskilled pilots to fly low and elude radar, cartels have found another method to smuggle 150-200 pounds of marijuana into the mountainous East San Diego terrain.

Agent Jimenez says the shift in smuggling efforts is a result of tougher enforcement on the ground. “The cartels have turned to this dangerous method of transportation because border security has improved.”

He also noted that this new smuggling method is a concern and they are working with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to prosecute cases. “Our multi-agency teamwork, including the Mexican government, ensures that the U.S. is working aggressively to stop these smugglers,” Jimenez explained.

According to U.S. Border Patrol, records have been kept regarding ultralight incursions dating back to 2009. “In 2009 we had 118 confirmed events. 2010 showed an increase of ultralights to 228 and so far this year there have been 71 events through March,” he said.

Typically ultralights look a lot like hang gliders with engines attached and agents report they sound like a household lawnmower. Also these particular aircraft have been detected by U.S. Predator UAVs operated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Border Patrol Agents said they have even seen crashed ultralight planes along the U.S./Mexico border region.
Advertisement

The light-weight kit planes are easily purchased, relatively inexpensive and the cartels don’t need a combat pilot to traverse the U.S./Mexican border.

Quad City Ultralights advertises on their website that ultralights are reasonably priced at $20,000, about one quarter of the cost for a traditional plane. The only drawback for cartels is the ultralights don’t have the ability to transport drugs by the ton and most carry less than 300 pounds.

Once a novelty, ultralights have shifted the dynamic of Border Patrol tracking and smuggling rings.

Land owners along the southwest border have also seen and heard the drug cartel ultralights flying low and dropping their loads to waiting smugglers inside the U.S.

Jimenez urges residents who see or hear any unusual aircraft to call the Air and Marine Operations Center, who tracks all the radar along the southwest border, at 866-AIRBUST. All tips are kept confidential and authorities welcome information from residents along the border.

The only question remaining is who gets the frequent flyer miles?

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/secure-u-s-border-fence-fails-border-patrol-snags-7-drug-smugglers

© Copyright 2011Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Mexican cartels turn to the friendly skies to smuggle drugs using ultralights - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/mexican-cartels-turn-to-the-friendly-skies-to-smuggle-drugs#ixzz1Mp4Wbevx

Secure U.S. border fence fails- Border Patrol snags 7 drug smugglers

Seven Mexican nationals’ were arrested after U.S. Border Patrol Agents stop drug smuggling attempts in East San Diego, dismantling the myth that America’s border fence with Mexico is either finished or secure.

Diligent Border Patrol agents arrested seven men in two separate incidents in Campo and they recovered nearly 600 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $349,000.

Border Patrol Agents detected a number of smugglers with large backpacks walking north from the United States/Mexico border through the brush that were headed to a nearby highway.

According to Border Patrol Communications agent Kurtis M. Woods, “Agents responded, intercepted six individuals and discovered six backpacks hidden in the surrounding areas. The backpacks contained 27 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 337 pounds with an estimated street value of $202,000.”

Border Patrol then determined the men were Mexican nationals who illegally crossed into the country once they were taken into custody they were turned over to a multi-agency drug task force.
Advertisement

Woods also reported that another incident occurred when Border Patrol agents working near the international border in Campo observed four more individuals carrying drug-filled backpacks.

“Agents observed the subjects attempting to conceal the backpacks in the surrounding brush. Agents arrived in the area and conducted a search and encountered one male Mexican national and found four large backpacks,” Woods explained.

Border Patrol reported that three additional suspects absconded from the scene and it appeared to agents the drug smugglers were able to escape to Mexico. The recovered backpacks contained 20 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 245 pounds with an estimated street value of $147,000.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Secure U.S. border fence fails- Border Patrol snags 7 drug smugglers - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/secure-u-s-border-fence-fails-border-patrol-snags-7-drug-smugglers#ixzz1MkzgGHdS

California conceal carry gun rights case dealt another setback

A developing trend in California courtrooms has purveyors of the Second Amendment up in arms- in order to protect oneself outside their domicile gun owners must pass muster with county Sheriff Departments, according to a federal judge.

Yesterday U.S. District Court Judge Morrison England in Sacramento, CA ruled that Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto indeed had the right to choose who qualifies for conceal carry gun permits. The judge explained there was nothing unlawful about requesting applicants to prove they have a reasonable need to carry a weapon outside their home.

The reasonable need is often referred to as “good moral character” and it gives Sheriff Departments a lot of latitude in the decision making process. Typically “good moral character” scenarios include courtroom prosecutors, businessmen who carry large sums of money, victims of “stalker-like crimes” and security-related employees.

Yolo County Sheriff Prieto, who has 43 years of law enforcement experience, commented on the decision made in the Sacramento courtroom yesterday. “I think the judge made a good decision. The Second Amendment really does not give anybody the right to conceal carry a weapon. It really comes down to the safety of our community.”

Judge England, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, also pointed out in his 16-page decision that there is a California law already on the books that allows most California residents to carry an unloaded weapon with them at all times (excluding school zones), and that these firearms could quickly be loaded to use in case of an emergency.

This was little consolation to gun rights groups who hired Alan Gura, a Second Amendment attorney from Alexandria, VA who focuses on these types of cases. Gura plans to appeal Judge England’s ruling to the very liberal 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals located in San Francisco, CA.

"Obviously it doesn't do anyone any good to walk around with an unloaded gun, especially in public, because that's just an advertisement for a criminal to take it off your person," Gura explained. "They're not going to have time to start loading their handgun. Criminal events usually play out more quickly than that."

However the judge disagreed with Gura’s arguments. "Regulating concealed firearms is an essential part of Yolo County's efforts to maintain public safety and prevent both gun-related crime and, most importantly, the death of its citizens. Yolo County's policy is more than rationally related to these legitimate government goals," England said in his ruling.

Also there is a substantial effort underway in Sacramento to reverse the “open carry” law in California. Democrat State Assemblyman, La Canada Flintridge introduced AB144, which bans residents from openly carrying a firearm, passed yesterday in the State Assembly. If signed by liberal Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, gun owners would completely lose their ability to carry firearms outside their homes.
Advertisement

This hasn’t been the first effort to ban “open carry” weapons, last year Democrat State Assemblywoman Lori Saldana’s bill AD-76 failed to pass during a lame duck session.

Reacting to yesterday’s ruling, Marc Halcon, President of California Association of Firearms Retailers put it this way; "One of the most fundamental rights we have as citizens of this country is the right to feel safe and secure, not only in our homes but within our community. Although I question the logic of carrying an 'unloaded' firearm, I understand the concern of some of our lawmakers. This entire situation would be solved in a matter of minutes if the State of California would follow the vast majority of the other states and allow for the 'shall issue' provision for law abiding citizens to carry a concealed weapon. A secondary benefit would be an increase in State revenue generated by the fees and tax's associated with allowing a 'shall issue' licensing process for law abiding citizens."

More cases are working their way through federal courts

There is also another conceal carry gun case making its way through the California court system.

The crux of this case centers on the “shall issue” versus the “may issue” status that the state of California doesn’t adhere to equally throughout the state’s 58 counties. The lead plaintiff, Edward Peruta argues he has been wrongfully declined a Conceal Carry Weapon (CCW) permit in San Diego. Peruta says that he has permits to openly carry a concealed firearm in three other states and has several letters of recommendations as well as other information to provide “good cause” that was rejected by the San Diego Sheriff Department CCW investigation.

“Every resident, taxpayer and voter of San Diego County should be outraged that the Sheriff offers the right to bear arms for “SELF DEFENSE” to the prominent, wealthy and/or well connected while refusing the same right to the average everyday hard-working law abiding residents of San Diego County,” Peruta said.

The end result was similar to the Yolo County lawsuit and Southern District of California Judge Erma Gonzalez ruled against the gun-rights groups and Peruta.

“The Second Amendment law is currently like a child who is learning to walk and the issue remains unsettled across the country and it will take time for all the cases to work their way through the courts in order to be settled,” Peruta said.

At the San Diego hearing in Federal Court, San Diego Attorney Paul Neuharth together with the Los Angeles County firm of Attorney Chuck Michel threw words out like “licensing schemes” and “preferential treatment” as to how the County of San Diego conducts business with regards to the CCW application process.

Read the complete ruling here; 16-page ruling

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: California conceal carry gun rights case dealt another setback - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/california-conceal-carry-gun-rights-case-dealt-another-setback#ixzz1MeAEwFNs

Dems push the DREAM Act and use passage as a carrot for entitlement reform

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (D) encouraged Republicans to consider passage of the DREAM Act as a good faith down payment on immigration reform; one that could lead Democrats towards meaningful entitlement reform he said.

Durbin told Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) on Fox Sunday News program that if the GOP passed the DREAM Act, Democrats would be more willing to talk about reducing the country’s spending habit. In other words, Republicans would give amnesty to illegal aliens in exchange Democrats would go along with some spending cuts. The stuff smoked-filled back rooms are made of.

The reintroduction of the DREAM Act comes after the President made a trip to the Texas/Mexico border last week and berated Republicans for moving the goal post and needing a moat with alligators in order to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform.

Republicans argue that Obama’s idea of immigration reform is nothing more than amnesty and future Democratic voters. Republican lawmakers on the Hill predict the bill will go nowhere because the Congress must focus on increasing the country’s deficit, passing a 2012 budget as well as implementing meaningful cuts to reduce the nation’s ballooning $14 trillion deficit.

However, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, that would grant millions of illegal immigrants in the country amnesty is a dream that never dies for those on the left. The Democrats simplistic plan says that offering illegal children a college education or the option to join the military as a means to join the legal immigration ranks will be an economic boom for the U.S.

Others, like Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) disagree.

“It (the DREAM Act) grants illegal aliens ‘conditional’ permanent resident status upon the receipt of a high school diploma, or simply enrolling in a college program or the military grants aliens normal LPR status (green cards) upon finishing two years of college or service in the military—requirements the Obama Administration can waive. It also authorizes states to give illegal aliens in-state tuition so that your tax dollars will openly be subsidizing illegal immigration; and it makes newly amnestied aliens eligible for numerous taxpayer-funded student loan programs,” FAIR contends.

Some states, including in Illinois and California, have already passed initiatives to help illegal young people to finance college. Both these states are facing billion dollar deficits because a large part of their population resides in the country illegally. They also have well-paid education employees.

According to the San Diego Tribune, “The average district teacher receives more than $64,000 a year, 27 percent more that the median salary in San Diego County, and gets 16 weeks of paid time off. This teacher also gets a 10 percent annual contribution to retirement from the district and state; automatic raises based on years on the job and for additional education; and pays nothing for health insurance, including for his or her dependents, with just $10 medical co-pays. Teachers also get tenure after only two years of employment, with a cursory employment review every five years.”
Advertisement

Raise your hand if you want to be a teacher.

Programs to assist Latinos in college already exist

The CA Political News reported that, “The federally funded College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), thrives at the California State Universities as well as across the country. CAMP describes itself as ‘a supportive service program that provides recruitment, academic, personal, career, cultural, leadership and retention services.’”

The program is only open to potential university students whose parents have worked in agriculture for at least 75 days during the past two years.

“Why are these kids more worthy of solicitude than, say, children of factory workers? Because farm workers are mostly Mexican, of course,” CA Political News post says.

They contend that programs like CAMP ensure that universities increase its Hispanic student population, and provide statistical proof that “social justice” is practiced on college campuses.

“This obsession with ethnic and racial diversity perverts the traditional idea of a liberal education and aggressively pursuing a superficial diversity of skin tones or surnames means lowering admission and evaluation standards in order to achieve the desired ethnic and racial mix,” City Journal’s Bruce Thornton said. “Hence the CAMP program offers its clients ‘academic’ and ‘retention’ services, which shepherd the underprepared through their courses to graduation.”

DREAMs future

During the lame duck session last year, five Senate Democrats voted against the DREAM Act and there is no guarantee that they will flip their vote if the legislation makes its way through Congress.

The DREAM Act died last December by a vote of 55-41 and many lawmakers on either side of the aisle say they won’t tackle the divisive amnesty issue during the 2012 election cycle.

Durbin says, “We're not giving up," on the DREAM Act. "We should not punish children for the actions of their parents. That isn't what the American people want us to do. It isn't the American way."

Just like the movie Friday the 13th and its endless sequels, the DREAM act seems to be one of those pieces of legislation that is taken off the shelf, dusted off and put in front of lawmakers when pandering to Latinos reaches a boiling point.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Dems push the DREAM Act and use passage as a carrot for entitlement reform - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/dems-push-the-dream-act-and-use-passage-as-a-carrot-for-entitlement-reform#ixzz1MXkzFlYH

Fantastic news Obama’s immigration speech says the border fence is finished

President Obama stood before thousands of Texas Democrats and La Raza (The Race) supporters and told a whopper of a lie- “They (GOP) wanted a fence. Well, that fence is now basically complete.”

This is welcome news for those who live near the 2,000-mile southern border; unfortunately it is another propaganda-type lie.

Let’s educate Mr. Obama regarding what exactly is a fence. According to Webster’s Dictionary, a fence is a barrier that serves to enclose an area; an inclosing structure of wood, iron, or other material, intended to prevent intrusion.

Keeping this in mind, the President’s claim that the fence is “basically complete” is untrue. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) February 2011 report says Border Patrol does not control the border. In fact Border Patrol only has the ability to control or prevent illegal entry for 129 miles of the 1,954-miles of U.S./Mexico shared border.

To date the GAO report concluded that Homeland Security has only built 646 miles of border fence. Of this very little was the “two layers of reinforced fencing” that was required by the Secure Border Act. Also included in this secure fence number was 347 miles of pedestrian fencing as well as 299 miles of vehicle barriers.

"Pedestrian fencing is designed to prevent people on foot from crossing the border and vehicle fencing consists of physical barriers meant to stop the entry of vehicles," said Richard Stana, director of homeland security for GAO.

In March, Stana told the committee that Homeland Security had only improved the total length of border fence by three miles last year.

The GAO goes on to reveal that an additional 744 miles of border region gives the Border Patrol power to stop an illegal entry at "distances of up to 100 miles or more away from the immediate border."

Add those numbers up and that leaves 1,081-miles of America’s southern border open and means Homeland Security has no "operational control" along much of the border.

That doesn’t sound secure.

The president also alluded to the fact that border cities are the safest cities in all of America.

Lie number two.

Looking at an annual statistical report put out by the Executive Office for the United States published in 2010 highlighted the violence on the border.

"The violence along the border of the United States and Mexico has increased dramatically during recent years and the violence associated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations pose(s) a serious problem for law enforcement," the report indicated.

It continues to describe that "Illegal immigration provides the initial foothold with which criminal elements, including organized crime syndicates, use to engage in a myriad of illicit activities ranging from immigration document fraud and migrant smuggling to human trafficking. Federal prosecution of border crime is a critical part of our Nation's defense and federal jurisdiction over these offenses is exclusive."

Even President Obama's own Justice Department, says there were more than two-and-a-half-times as many criminals (8,435) charged in federal court in Western Texas, coincidentally El Paso is located in this sector, than in the combined districts of Southern New York (1,959), which includes Manhattan and the Bronx, and the Eastern New York (1,377), which includes Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island, according to CNSNews.

There are other issues and expenses attached to the mass amnesty President Obama is recommending.
Advertisement

“An amnesty would cost taxpayers millions, if not billions of dollars—at a time where debt is at its ceiling and budgets are busted. It would also reward those who broke the law and came to the U.S. illegally over those who came to the U.S. the legal way,” explained Jena McNeil of The Heritage Foundation.

“Winning Hispanic votes is his (Obama’s) end game,” Israel Ortega says. “It's obvious that political calculations are driving the President's push for immigration reform in light of his all-time-low support among Hispanics. President Obama's advisors remain convinced that immigration reform will guarantee their support, despite polling that indicates that unemployment and education are issues that keep most Hispanics up at night.”

Congressman Brian Bilbray (R-CA) who represents a San Diego community directly affected by illegal immigration thought Obama’s speech was overly optimistic.

“The President provided plenty of good examples for success stories of legal immigrants in his campaign speech. But exploiting their success stories as justification for amnesty to an estimated 11-20 million illegal immigrants who have violated our nation’s laws and cut in line is completely irresponsible,” Bilbray said. "While the crime rate and number of illegal crossings along the border is down, the federal government has still not done enough to address the source of the problem – employers who use illegal labor.”

Congressman Bilbray along with many immigration-minded lawmakers also favor a nationwide implementation of E-Verify to ensure all employers play by the rules and hire only those legally able to work in the U.S.

“The President mentioned holding employers accountable for hiring illegal workers but he has yet to join me in the call for nationwide implementation of the E-Verify system. I call on President Obama to join with members of the House Immigration Reform Caucus to implement a nationwide E-Verify program to hold employers accountable,” Chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus finished.

Meanwhile, south of the border in Mexico the warring drug cartels continue to step up their brutal murderous ways; this week in Durango, Mexico six human heads were left at the entrance of a secondary school forcing classes to be cancelled because the scene was too gruesome. Authorities conducted an extensive search for the bodies without any success; unfortunately these gruesome scenes are the rule- not the exception.

With scenes like this playing out around the savaged Mexican country, it’s not hard to understand that Mexicans’ want to run the border and grab a better and safer life, but none of the proposals included in President Obama’s comprehensive immigration reform plan addresses the rush of illegal aliens leaving Mexico and other Central American countries.

If America moves forward with an immigration reform plan without addressing the drug cartels and massive corruption in the Mexican government, it will only be a matter of time before the second and third wave will head north looking for that “better life” courtesy of the American taxpayer.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Fantastic news Obama’s immigration speech says the border fence is finished - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/fantastic-news-obama-s-immigration-speech-says-the-border-fence-is-finished#ixzz1M5Z7Iwjs

San Diego Border Patrol snags $786k of cocaine, meth and marijuana

Border Patrol agents at the I-8 checkpoint near Pine Valley/San Diego prevented three drug smugglers trying to bring Mexican drugs into the U.S. The net resulted in the seizure of more than 220 pounds of illicit drugs and the arrests of four suspected drug smugglers.

“The first smuggling attempt was stopped when agents arrested a 24-year-old male United States citizen and his 19-year-old male United States citizen passenger on Friday,” said Scott Simon, Border Patrol Agent for the San Diego Sector communications department. “Agents encountered the men at approximately 11:45 a.m., as they arrived at the checkpoint driving a gray 2002 Nissan Xterra. During inspection, agents became suspicious of the men’s nervous demeanor and referred them for a secondary inspection. A Border Patrol K-9 team performed a cursory inspection of the vehicle resulting in a positive alert to the rear cargo compartment.”

Border Patrol Agents continued their inspection and discovered a non-factory compartment in the roof of the SUV that contained 25 bundles of cocaine that weighed 59.66 pounds with an estimated street value of $596,600.

In another stop Border Patrol Agents arrested a 21-year-old male U.S. citizen for attempting to smuggle more than 5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was a Border Patrol K-9 team that alerted agents to a passenger side door and tire during the inspection. “A search of the undercarriage of the vehicle revealed the crystal methamphetamine concealed in the differential casing. The narcotics are valued at nearly $95,000,” according to Border Patrol.
Advertisement

Finally agents arrested a 21-year-old female American citizen who arrived at the I-8 checkpoint trying to smuggle 159 pounds of marijuana. Again the BP K-9 team positively alerted agents to the dope located at the rear of the car. Agent’s uncovered 48 green cellophane-wrapped marijuana bundles weighting 158.99 pounds and had an estimated street value of $95,400.

All the suspected smugglers and illicit drugs were all taken into custody and subsequently turned over to a multi-agency drug task force and the vehicles were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.

Border Patrol Agents encourage citizens to report the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs and other suspicious contraband by calling 619-498-9900.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: San Diego Border Patrol snags $786k of cocaine, meth and marijuana - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/san-diego-border-patrol-snags-786k-of-cocaine-meth-and-marijuana#ixzz1LxxFbnAP

Pinal County SWAT team discover drug cartel lookout posts

Despite pronouncements from Department of Homeland Security’s big “sis” Janet Napolitano that the southern U.S. border is “secure as ever,” the Pinal County SWAT team found several drug cartel lookout posts on the American side of the border.

The Pinal Regional SWAT team conducted a Desert Operation that focused on the interdiction of individuals/groups involved in smuggling of illicit drugs, illegal aliens, stolen vehicles, weapons, money and supplies for these activities.

Pinal County Sheriff’s Office remains aggressive in their approach to slow the trafficking of drug cartels as well as human smugglers. “This operation was in support of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to secure the area of the Sawtooth Mountains in preparation for a trash clean up,” said Tim Gaffney, media relations for Pinal County Sheriff Office.

During the operation, Pinal SWAT members assisted BLM employees by hiking to a suspected observation point that was being used to assist illegal smuggling organizations. “Once at this location, SWAT members located a sleeping bag, radio, two cell phones and associated trash,” Gaffney explained.

At another location SWAT members discovered a “load out area” (a meeting place where illegals gain transportation in the U.S.) along Interstate 8. The operation also led SWAT team members to another observation point that was used by suspected drug cartels.
Advertisement

The desert operation that Pinal SWAT conducted also netted four “marijuana backpackers,” who turned out to be undocumented aliens. The SWAT team turned the apprehended illegal aliens over to the U.S. Border Patrol for processing.

The successful mission remains a big part of the Pinal County Sheriff Office’s plan to curtail drug and human smuggling rings that continue to plague Arizona’s sparse desert.

“We will continue to apply as much pressure as possible to disrupt, dismantle and destroy cartel activities in Pinal County,” said Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu. “The citizens of Mexico are not our enemy but rather the Mexican drug cartels that have little regard for their own government and even less respect for our laws. We will continue to conduct these operations to protect our citizens until the Federal Government does their job and secures our border.”

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Pinal County SWAT team discover drug cartel lookout posts - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/pinal-county-swat-team-discover-drug-cartel-lookout-posts#ixzz1LsXiO4x0

Osama mission eerily imitates 2003/04 Operation Dark Heart (part 1 in a series)

On Sunday the world collectively sighed when news broke the most wanted terrorist and brainchild of 9/11 was finally killed. Osama bin Laden was hiding in plain sight-in a Pakistan town with major military bases, academies and neighbors.

After nearly 10 years of searching for bin Laden, U.S. intelligence agencies finally put the puzzle pieces together and it doesn’t reflect well on Pakistan.

According to the Obama Administration, higher-up boots on the ground in Afghanistan determined last summer that Pakistanis may not be helping U.S. and NATO forces, but instead assisting the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists by providing safe havens and tipping them off to planned missions led by the Coalition forces.

However, to make that statement plausible, means someone in the military or intelligence didn’t do their homework, because in 2003/04, a plan was hatched by Army Lt. COL Anthony Shaffer entitled “Operation Dark Heart.” He reported that Pakistan officials were not friends of the U.S., and they were playing both sides of the war efforts.

In the midst of Intel gathering, COL Shaffer, who was running the Defense Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan, discovered credible intelligence that Pakistan was home to the “al Qaeda Hotel.” Multiple intelligence officers pin-pointed the town of Wana, located in Pakistan about 20 miles from Afghanistan, as a base where the Afghan insurgency would hold-up and re-group.

COL Shaffer and others determined the “al Qaeda Hotel” was much more than a resting point, “it was a full-blown military headquarters for insurgents.” The problem was the facility was located in Pakistan and the U.S. respected their sovereignty too much to cross the border without permission. And permission would have meant the insurgents would be tipped off to the U.S. raid.

Armed with this new information, COL Shaffer decided to draw up a mission- that became known as “Operation Dark Heart.” “I was hopeful that my superiors would give me a thumbs up to implement Dark Heart, especially since there was strong likelihood the site housed a high value target (HVT).” COL Shaffer said that HVT was al Qaeda’s number two leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian-born doctor who adheres to the radical Islam theology and most likely contender for the al Qaeda top job.

During a preliminary presentation, COL Shaffer was given the green light to develop Operation Dark Heart. Shaffer says it only took about two weeks to draw up detailed plans. And only a few days gain approval from U.S. commanders in Afghanistan. “It was good news,” he thought.

While COL Shaffer was planning the offensive he remembered his hero, George Patton’s statement; “In war, the only sure defense is offense and the efficiency of offense depends on the warlike souls of those conducting it.” With that in mind COL Shaffer put together a plan to break the back of the insurgency.

Operation Dark Heart seemed to be on the road to becoming a reality, in fact, COL Shaffer learned the Coalition General, supported the operation was confident that COL Shaffer’s approach would lead to success. However, the General would leave Afghanistan before Shaffer’s plan was operational.

The new General in charge of the Afghan War didn’t share the enthusiasm for Dark Heart and informed COL Shaffer it was over and the U.S. would not cross the Pakistani border without permission. Operation Dark Heart was being shelved.

During the planning stages of Dark Heart Shaffer feared the CIA would inadvertently leak the details regarding the operation to the ISI. “Once the Pakistanis knew, the Taliban would find out,” COL Shaffer stated.

He speculated that his intelligence regarding Wana, home of the al Qaeda Hotel had eventually been shared with the Pakistanis, who then “let al-Zawahiri escape…probably deliberately during the Battle of Wana,” Shaffer told Playboy magazine.

Specifics regarding Operation Dark Heart, which could have led Americans to the capture of Al Qaeda’s number two leader, Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, were eventually panned by Coalition Lieutenant General David Barno.

While Shaffer’s Dark Heart plan to penetrate the so-called “al Qaeda hotel” in Wana, Pakistan was shot down, his Intel proved to be on target. Ultimately the Pakistani Army engaged Taliban forces in Wana and surrounded one of bin Laden's deputies.

However, Dark Heart weighed heavily on COL Shaffer and the U.S.’s inability to fight the war effectively led the Colonel to write a book detailing his Afghanistan War experiences. The book aptly titled “Operation Dark Heart” chronicled gritty details regarding Pakistan’s and U.S. complicity with insurgents and the contents eventually led to the Pentagon stepping forward, objecting to the recount of the war and trying to quash the tell-all book.

That book, which was originally approved by Department of Defense, would become a battle royal last summer. In the end the DoD would purchase all 10,000 first editions from the publishers, St. Martin Press, forcing them to re-release a heavily-redacted book. The orgional contents of the book even caused a bidding frenzy on eBay, many wanted to know what the Pentagon was trying to cover-up.
Advertisement

Flash forward to the bin Laden raid in Abottabad, Pakistan. As details of bin Laden's demise emerged one couldn’t help but compare many of the principles behind Dark Heart to the raid on the Osama compound over the weekend.

When COL Shaffer was asked about the similarities he replied with humbleness. “It took awhile and I don’t know how much of my Operation Dark Heart plan they used, but I’m honored to have played a small role in bin Laden’s demise.”

Shaffer says, “It never came out in the book, because they made me lose it, but if Operation Dark Heart hadn’t been stopped, we might have broken the back of Al Qaeda…my guess is that the DIA forced the cuts [from my book] to minimize this incredibly bad call on a mission that might have led to the capture of Al Qaeda’s number two.”

If the military followed through with Shaffer’s plan to break the back of al Qaeda one wonders how many lives could have been save?

Pakistan’s role in the War on Terror

It appears that sometime in the past few years the major players in the military and intelligence fields finally came to the conclusion that Pakistan could not be trusted.

In a report released by the London School of Economics last year, the authors provided specific details that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were closely aligned with Afghan insurgents. Perhaps even more troubling is a report from the United Nations that illustrates that the ISI is currently working with jihad groups inside Afghanistan trying to undermine the U.S./NATO operations.

In recent months many high-ranking U.S. officials have accused Pakistan of collaborating with terrorists in the region. Admiral Mike Mullen, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman said earlier this year that, “It’s fairly well known that ISI has a long standing relationship with the Haqqani network (a faction of the Taliban). And Haqqani is supporting, funding, training fighters that are killing Americans and killing coalition partners…that’s the core (issue) that I think is the most difficult part of the (Pakistan) relationship.”

As war dragged on it became increasingly clear that Pakistan was not forthright about their ties to terrorist networks. In an interview with NBC’s Brian Williams, Leon Panetta, Director of the CIA, acknowledged that Pakistan was kept in the dark about the bin Laden operation.

“The Pakistanis did not know…And that was deliberate on our part that this would be conducted as a unilateral mission. President Obama had made it very clear to the Pakistanis that if we had good evidence as to where Osama bin Laden was located we were going to go in and get him,” Panetta said.

Perhaps even more concerning about the complicity Pakistanis have with insurgents inside their country is the fact bin Laden’s hide-out compound is home to many of Pakistan’s premier military bases and retired military residences- it’s hard to believe they didn’t noticed something strange about the million-dollar hide out bin Laden lived in for the past five years.

The bottom line is that after meticulous preparation by U.S.military Special Forces - America got bin Laden. And the message being spread around the world today is the elite U.S. military and intelligence officers will not stop hunting terrorists and there is no place to hide.

In the end, COL Shaffer agrees with Panetta on a few points. American intelligence and the Obama Administration learned from the failed and disastrous Iran hostage rescue as well as the Somali Black Hawk Down missions.

“(Those events) were clearly part of the debate,” Panetta said. “This was a risky mission…and the President obviously felt that we had that obligation to act.”

The gamble certainly paid off, but if America wants to keep the momentum going, COL Shaffer says it’s much like electoral politics in America it’s, “Ohio, Ohio, Ohio.” And in the Middle East it is “Pakistan, Pakistan, Pakistan.”

Up next: Navy SEALs get the job done.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Bipartisan effort to terminate Mexican cross-border trucking program

Responding to mounting criticism from Americans and the U.S. trucking industry two Congressmen will work together in a bi-partisan manner to terminate President Obama’s stamp of approval that allows Mexican trucks to operate in the United States.

A letter addressed to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, from Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) as well as 42 bipartisan lawmakers urged the Secretary to immediately terminate the cross-border trucking program. The plan was established more than 10 years ago under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that will open U.S. roadways to Mexican truck carriers.

Hunter and Lipinski highlighted safety, security and cost concerns with the program, as reasons to leave the current system limiting Mexican carriers to a defined commercial zone in place.

“The cross-border trucking program clearly puts foreign interests above our own,” said Congressman Hunter. “It’s bad for the American economy. It’s bad for American truckers and the entire commercial trucking industry. And it’s bad for border security. Simply put, the cross-border trucking program is a straight handout to Mexico at the expense of American jobs, taxpayer dollars and security.”

Hunter continued to point out that Mexican trucks are the big winners. “They will soon have unrestricted access to U.S. roadways, leaving their American counterparts at a serious disadvantage. Adding insult to injury, American taxpayers will be expected to buy the required Electronic On-Board Recorders for Mexican trucks, while American truckers will need to purchase the same equipment themselves. There is nothing good about this agreement for the U.S., which is why it needs to be terminated immediately.”

Congressman Lipinski added, “Past inspection failures and gaps in security at the border show that opening our roads to Mexican truck traffic could result in the entry of unsafe vehicles and drivers that pose a threat to the safety of the public. Furthermore, inviting trucks from Mexico to freely transport goods throughout the U.S. provides drug traffickers with another potential avenue to exploit at a time when crime and violence in Mexico are on the rise. The fact that the agreement would also require taxpayers to subsidize required equipment for Mexican truckers that American truck operators would have to pay for themselves is yet another reason that it should be rejected.”
Advertisement

Another problem associated with the Mexican trucks is the pesky environmentalists who want those trucks to operate within U.S. standards. Lucky for the Mexican truckers, the U.S. taxpayer will pick up the tab to upgrade foreign-owned trucks ensuring their emissions meet environmental standards.

According to air-quality regulators, state or federal agencies cannot force trucks purchased and manufactured in Mexico to operate within the much-higher air-quality standards inside the U.S.

So clearly another problem with NAFTA presented itself. However, the folks at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) decided to implement a new program.

They decided to approach Mexican truck drivers with a compromise, the U.S. taxpayer will pay the approximately $1,600 to install a new catalytic converter that will reduce the harmful diesel emissions by 30 percent and the Mexican truck drivers can drive in the U.S. knowing they are not unnecessarily polluting the environment.

“It’s about establishing this relationship on environmental issues,” says ADEQ Director Henry Darwin. “It’s especially important on air quality because you can’t stop the air from moving across the border.”

Darwin says the best solution is to use the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) money to fix the Mexican big rigs.

However, independent U.S. truckers are not entitled to the same deal.

“If I don’t pass my smog test I have to pay to fix my truck in order to get it registered,” says Tom Matthews of San Diego. “Not only are these rigs getting taxpayer money to upgrade their trucks, but they are competing with me for work. That’s just plain wrong.”

While Mexico does very little to protect the environment, it remains to be seen if retro fitting their fifth-wheeler trucks will change anything in the grand scheme of things. For example Mexico still burns its trash and the majority of the cars on the road are big-time polluters.

But Darwin contends, “That it’s really the first step.”

Matthews just wishes he could get the same deal.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Maritime illegal alien smuggling ring busted in San Diego

A six-hour large-scale operation that started in San Diego on Friday and ended in Orange County resulted in the capture of four illegal aliens accused of smuggling illegals along the Mexico/California coastline.

According to Border Patrol, “The smuggling investigation leading to the arrests shifted into high gear at around 7 a.m. Friday after the Carlsbad Police Department located an abandoned panga-style boat near Ponto Beach in Carlsbad, Calif. Local authorities alerted federal agents from the Los Angeles Border Enforcement Security Task Force (LA BEST) and U.S. Border Patrol who had been tracking the movements of this smuggling organization for several weeks.”

Authorities reported that they were monitoring a van in a Ranch Palos Verdes neighborhood suspected of being involved with the smuggling ring. But they abandoned the vehicle surveillance at sunrise when nobody showed up.

“Investigators say the Ensenada-based vessel that came ashore in Carlsbad was originally supposed to make landfall farther north. However, the smugglers had to abort the plan after the boat developed engine trouble,” according to San Diego Border Patrol.

However, BP Agents caught a break when the panga-style boat came ashore in Carlsbad and authorities alerted LA BEST and Border Patrol who then resumed their surveillance and tracked a van to an Anaheim apartment complex.

“When investigators entered the (apartment) residence, they encountered nine illegal aliens from Mexico whose clothes were still wet and caked with sand from the morning’s boat landing. Agents also detained four alleged members of the smuggling ring, including one of the organization’s suspected leaders. Those charged in the case are:

Mario Echeverria, 24, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Tijuana, Mexico. Echeverria is suspected of being one of the ringleaders of the maritime smuggling organization; Javier Gomez-Dominguez, 30, of Mexico, the alleged caretaker of the Anaheim drop house; Jose Sevilla, 26, of Mexico, the suspected captain of the smuggling boat; and Fernando Medina-Gonzalez, 43, of Mexico, the alleged smuggling boat navigator and fuel man.”

The men are being charged with conspiring to bring, transport and harbor illegal aliens and face up to 10 years in prison.
Advertisement

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security say, “Friday’s events offer further evidence that maritime human smuggling has expanded from the San Diego area into Orange and Los Angeles counties. In recent months, suspected human smuggling boats have come ashore as far north as Malibu.”

The U.S. maritime enforcement team has been collaborating with the Mexican government to curtail the illegal smuggling of aliens and drug trafficking along California’s coastline.

“The surge in maritime smuggling here in the Los Angeles area poses a significant security and safety threat, which is why it demands an aggressive response,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in Los Angeles. “We know these criminal organizations’ clients include previously deported felons and others we don’t want in our communities. Beyond that, there are serious safety issues for the smuggled aliens themselves, who are being transported in overloaded, often unseaworthy boats, risking injury or even death.”

Federal law enforcement agencies point to this case as proof multiple departments can and do work well together.

“The arrests made in Anaheim are the outcome of exceptional collaboration within the federal law enforcement community,” said U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Rodney S. Scott. “Our efforts to fuse intelligence and operational planning capabilities have and will continue to produce successful results in deterring illegal maritime border crossings. We will continue to disrupt, dismantle and defeat the transnational criminal organizations operating within the San Diego Sector area of influence whose criminal activities endanger both our citizens as well as those who are smuggled through treacherous ocean waters.”

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Maritime illegal alien smuggling ring busted in San Diego - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/maritime-illegal-alien-smuggling-ring-busted-san-diego#ixzz1LJSnwgMs

Osama bin Laden killed by Navy Seals ending a decade-long hunt

The founder of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, dead at the age of 54.

Senior White House Officials reported the walls closed in for bin Laden last year when actionable intelligence determined the founder of al Qaeda was indeed residing in Pakistan. With that knowledge intelligence agencies began work with the military to formulate a plan to kill the world’s most wanted man.

"Osama Bin Laden's death at the hands of American forces is a fitting end to the world's most notorious terrorist,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista, CA), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and previously a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence from 2006 until 2009.

Ironically, information gathered at the controversial “secret prisons” was used to paint a picture of bin Laden’s inner circle and, as a result, the U.S. was able to locate and kill bin Laden.

Scholars have always contended that history is written by those who win the battle and America won this battle.

“History will record that bin Laden’s death came at a time of great movements toward freedom and democracy, at a time when the people across the Middle East and North Africa are rejecting the extremist narratives and charting a path of peaceful progress based on universal rights and aspirations. There is no better rebuke to al-Qaida and its heinous ideology,” said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Advertisement

The daring operation carried out by Navy Seals as well as CIA operatives took less than 40 minutes to execute. No members of the U.S. team were killed, no local Pakistan authorities assisted in the raid, four men were killed (including bin Laden, his son and two couriers), and one woman was killed while she was being used as a human shield. Several other women and children on the Pakistan compound escaped injury.

Now American intelligence agencies will focus on disrupting any retaliation efforts posed by al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Osama bin Laden killed by Navy Seals ending a decade-long hunt - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/osama-bin-laden-killed-by-navy-seals-ending-a-decade-long-hunt#ixzz1LDX4zcha