Arizona Daily Star — Tucson

Border program has vague goals, little oversight

AA federal program touted as a model for using local law enforcement to help control our borders is handing out $165 million — but with little tracking of how the money is spent, no clear objective and no benchmarks for success, an Arizona Daily Star investigation has found…

HERE

Michelle Malkin

Obama’s statement on the Christmas Day jihadi attack…

…Obama doesn’t bother to wear a tie. He hastily reads a belated statement describing the incident like a small-town sheriff’s deputy rather than the leader of the free world. He ticks off investigative steps in a perfunctory, plodding, bloodless manner. “We will continue to every element of our national power…”

HERE

ABC News

Officials: Only a failed detonator saved Northwest flight

Officials now say tragedy was only averted on Northwest flight 253 because a makeshift detonator failed to work

properly. — Bomb experts say there was more than enough explosive to bring down the Northwest jet, which had nearly 300 people aboard, had the detonator not failed… HERE

El Paso Times

Mexican military: Visa sale scheme lasted 5 years

A ring accused of renting stolen U.S. immigration documents to people wanting to cross the border had been running their lucrative scheme for five years in downtown Juárez, Mexican military officials said. — Mexican soldiers early Wednesday morning arrested the ringleader and three other men outside the Coper hotel in downtown Juárez…

Authorities said the ring would buy stolen U.S. border-crossing documents such as laser visas, legal-resident cards and passports for $200 each from thieves.

In downtown Juárez, the ring would offer its services to people from the interior of Mexico, mostly from the state of Durango. In a room at the hotel, the customers were matched up with a document that had a picture of someone similar in appearance.

Before crossing the border, the customers had to pay $900. After walking across the Paso del Norte Bridge accompanied by a ring member with legal documents, the person was charged the other $900 and had to return the rented document.

For an additional fee of $800 in Downtown El Paso, the ring would put the immigrant in contact with a person who would take them to truck drivers who would then smuggle them to their destination.

HERE

El Paso Times

Mexican military: Visa sale scheme lasted 5 years

A ring accused of renting stolen U.S. immigration documents to people wanting to cross the border had been running their lucrative scheme for five years in downtown Juárez, Mexican military officials said. — Mexican soldiers early Wednesday morning arrested the ringleader and three other men outside the Coper hotel in downtown Juárez…

HERE

San Bernardino County Sun

Immigration activists seek quicker access to Medicaid

Immigrants rights groups are seeking to change federal law so that legal immigrants won’t have to wait five years before becoming eligible for Medicaid. — Critics say such a change could make the U.S. a magnet for infirm immigrants…

HERE

Arizona Daily Star — Tucson

Assailants shoot, injure Border Patrol officer near Rio Rico

A Border Patrol agent was shot in the ankle Sunday evening south of Tucson, officials said. — The shooting happened at about 5:30 p.m. near Rio Rico in the Ramanote Canyon area, said Omar Candelaria, a Border Patrol spokesman…

HERE

Salt Lake Tribune

New law requires Utah drivers to prove legal status

No more renewing your driver license from the comfort of home. — Starting Jan. 1, Utahns accustomed to renewing their licenses every five years online or by mail will have to line up at Utah Driver License Division offices and prove anew their identity and legal presence in the United States to get a new license…

HERE

Immigration bill dismantles enforcement, increases pressure on American workers

JURIST

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Immigration bill dismantles enforcement, increases pressure on American workers
4:39 PM ET

Dan Stein [President, Federation for American Immigration Reform]: “Reading through H.R. 4321, Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP), what is immediately evident is that the bill will deliver neither reform, nor security, nor prosperity for Americans.

The legislation introduced December 15 by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) would dismantle whatever vestige of meaningful immigration enforcement that the Obama administration has been unable to eviscerate by executive fiat. While calling for enforcement against employers who hire illegal aliens, CIR ASAP would eliminate the only existing – and highly effective – employment eligibility verification system, known as E-Verify. E-Verify would be replaced by some yet to be developed system that could take decades to implement. Also eliminated by CIR ASAP would be the ability of state and local law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement, except in extenuating circumstances.

With some 25 million Americans unemployed or underemployed, CIR ASAP would also make millions of illegal aliens immediately eligible to compete for every available job in the United States. Introduced one week after the Washington Post presented alarming evidence that the children of recent immigrants not only aren’t prospering, but are falling farther behind other Americans, CIR ASAP would add countless millions more people who are likely to be mired in poverty.

In addition to amnesty for many millions of illegal aliens, H.R. 4321 would vastly increase both family-based and employment-based immigration in the future. These increases are designed to meet the demands of immigrant advocates and business interests, irrespective of the impact these policies might have on American workers, taxpayers, or any other consideration important to the American people.

Americans have grown distrustful of their government because much of what goes on in Washington often seems to put the interests of the American people as an afterthought. In CIR ASAP, the interests of the American people are given no thought at all.”

Opinions expressed in JURIST’s Hotline are the sole responsibility of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of JURIST’s editors, staff, or the University of Pittsburgh.

HERE

Merry Christmas everyone !