Note: there are 159 counties and 535 municipalities in Georgia. The number of other official agencies that administer Public Benefits is unknown. Because of language in HB 2, 2009, there should soon be a list of these “other” agencies from which to measure compliance.
SAVE users – and pending applicants for SAVE use – in Georgia as of 1 November, 2010 as copied from a list provided by SAVE Program, Verification Division,U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security INFO ON PUBLIC BENEFITS AND MANDATED USE OF SAVE HERE
ACTIVE USERS (300) (see pending below)
Organization NameActive As Of
Appling County Board of Commissioners 18-Oct-2010
Bacon County Commissioners 6-Apr-2010
Baldwin County Board of Commissioners 23-Sep-2010
Barrow County Board of Commissioners 28-Apr-2010
Bartow County Government 1-Jul-2010
Bibb County Government 13-Apr-2010
Bleckley County Commissioners Office 25-Feb-2010
Board of Commissioners of Candler County 27-Aug-2010
Brooks County Board of Commissioners 13-Apr-2010
Bryan County Board of Commissioners 26-Mar-2010
Bulloch County Board of Commissioners 20-Nov-2009
Calhoun Co. Board of Commissioners 20-Feb-2010
Camden County Board of Commissioners 15-Sep-2010
Carroll County Board of Commissioners 15-Dec-2009
Cherokee County Board of Commissioners 27-May-2009
City of Barnesville 28-Oct-2010
City of Acworth 1-Oct-2008
City of Adel 5-May-2010
City of Albany 27-Sep-2010
City of Alma Georgia 28-Apr-2010
City of Alpharetta 25-Jun-2010
City of Americus 16-Apr-2010
City of Arabi 3-Mar-2010
City of Arcade 3-Sep-2010
City of Auburn 20-Feb-2010
City of Avondale Estates 23-Oct-2009
City of Bainbridge 20-Nov-2009
City of Ball Ground 29-Apr-2010
City of Baxley 27-May-2010
City of Berkeley Lake 29-Dec-2009
City of Bethlehem 10-Aug-2010
City of Blackshear 25-Jun-2010
City of Blairsville 4-Nov-2009
City of Blythe 24-Jun-2010
City of Bogart 22-Oct-2010
City of Bowdon 23-Aug-2010
City of Buford 4-Feb-2010
City of Byron 5-May-2010
City of Cairo 3-Mar-2010
City of Calhoun 5-Mar-2010
City of Camilla 29-Jul-2010
City of Canton 14-Jan-2010
City of Carnesville 23-Sep-2010
City of Carrollton 15-Jan-2010
City of Cartersville 7-Dec-2009
City of Cave Spring 4-Feb-2010
City of Cedartown 5-Feb-2010
City of Chamblee 6-Nov-2009
City of Chattahoochee Hills 29-Sep-2010
City of Clarkston 25-Feb-2010
City of Cleveland 16-Apr-2010
City of College Park 17-Feb-2010
City of Commerce 4-Feb-2010
City of Conyers 17-Feb-2010
City of Coolidge 29-Sep-2010
City of Cornelia 1-Oct-2010
City of Covington 14-Oct-2010
City of Cumming 17-Sep-2010
City of Dahlonega 27-Sep-2010
City Of Dallas 29-Apr-2010
City of Dalton 10-Sep-2009
City of Davisboro 15-Dec-2009
City of Dawson 29-Sep-2010
City of Dawsonville 24-Jun-2010
City of Decatur 30-Apr-2010
City of Dillard 15-Apr-2010
City of Donalsonville 24-Aug-2010
City of Doraville 8-Jul-2010
City of Douglas 25-Mar-2010
City of Dublin 13-Mar-2010
City of Duluth 20-Nov-2009
City of Dunwoody 29-Dec-2009
City of Eastman 29-Dec-2009
City of Eatonton 3-Mar-2010
City of Edison 12-Aug-2010
City of Elberton 12-Aug-2010
City of Emerson 25-Jun-2010
City of Fairburn 29-Mar-2010
City of Fairmount 27-Sep-2010
City of Fayetteville 13-Mar-2010
City of Fitzgerald 19-Mar-2010
City of Flemington 30-Sep-2010
City of Flowery Branch 20-Feb-2010
City of Forest Park 3-Sep-2010
City of Fort Oglethorpe 9-Sep-2010
City of Gainesville 10-Aug-2010
City of Garden City 5-Mar-2010
City of Glennville 20-Nov-2009
City of Gray 28-Apr-2010
City of Grayson 8-Dec-2009
City of Greenville 18-Mar-2010
City of Griffin 19-Feb-2010
City of Guyton 29-Jan-2010
City of Hamilton 15-Oct-2010
City of Hampton 2-Apr-2010
City of Harlem 13-Sep-2010
City of Hawkinsville 8-Jul-2010
City of Helen 15-Jan-2010
City of Hephzibah 29-Apr-2010
City of Hinesville 25-Feb-2010
City of Homeland 25-Mar-2010
City Of Ivey 4-Feb-2010
City of Jackson 13-Mar-2010
City of Jenkinsburg 5-May-2010
City of Johns Creek 29-Jul-2010
City of Kennesaw 17-Sep-2010
City of Kingsland 13-Apr-2010
City of LaFayette 13-Mar-2010
City of Lakeland 25-Aug-2010
City of Lavonia 15-Oct-2010
City of Lawrenceville Planning and Zoning 18-May-2010
City of Lenox 23-Sep-2010
City of Louisville 10-Aug-2010
City of Lula 3-Dec-2009
City of Luthersville 25-Feb-2010
City of Lyons 24-Aug-2010
City of Macon 5-Feb-2010
City of Madison 21-Jan-2010
City of Manchester 17-Sep-2010
City of Marietta 11-Sep-2008
City of McDonough 29-Apr-2010
City of McRae 12-Aug-2010
City of Metter 29-Jul-2010
City of Millen 15-Sep-2010
City of Monroe 5-May-2010
City of Morrow 29-Jan-2010
City of Moultrie 17-Aug-2010
City of Mountain City 4-Jun-2010
City of Nashville 8-Sep-2010
City of Newnan 25-Mar-2010
City of Nicholson 15-Oct-2010
City of Norcross 19-Mar-2010
City of Oakwood 24-Aug-2010
City of Offerman 29-Jul-2010
City of Omega 3-Sep-2010
City of Orchard Hill 4-Feb-2010
City of Oxford 6-Apr-2010
City of Parrott 4-May-2010
City of Patterson 4-Mar-2010
City of Perry 13-Apr-2010
City of Pinehurst 15-Jan-2010
City of Pooler 4-Nov-2009
City of Portal 15-Apr-2010
City of Rebecca 15-Mar-2010
City of Rincon 4-Jun-2010
City of Riverdale 17-Feb-2010
City of Rome 8-Oct-2010
City of Rossville 16-Jun-2010
City of Roswell 13-Apr-2009
City of Royston 13-Mar-2010
City of Rutledge 30-Dec-2009
City of Sandersville 7-Dec-2009
City of Sandy Springs 8-Dec-2009
City of Sardis 5-Oct-2010
City of Savannah 17-Feb-2010
City of Scotland 21-Sep-2010
City of Shady Dale 29-Sep-2010
City of Sky Valley 25-Aug-2010
City of Smyrna 6-Jan-2009
City of Snellville 29-Jul-2010
City of Springfield 18-Aug-2010
City of St Marys 25-Feb-2010
City of Statesboro 15-Jun-2010
City of Statham 17-Aug-2010
City of Stockbridge 24-Aug-2010
City of Stone Mountain 25-Feb-2010
City of Sugar Hill 7-Dec-2009
City of Suwanee 8-Dec-2009
City of Sycamore 10-Sep-2010
City of Sylvania 13-Mar-2010
City of Thomasville 14-Oct-2009
City of Tifton 1-Sep-2010
City of Toccoa 20-Oct-2010
City of Ty Ty 15-Sep-2010
City of Tybee Island 3-Dec-2009
City of Union Point 20-Nov-2009
City of Varnell 2-Apr-2010
City of Vidalia 16-Mar-2010
City of Walnut Grove 13-Mar-2010
City of Walthourville 22-Oct-2010
City of Warner Robins 7-May-2010
City of Waynesboro 16-Feb-2010
City of West Point 8-Dec-2009
City of Winder 4-Feb-2010
City of Winterville 20-Feb-2010
City of Woodstock 29-Jan-2010
Clay County Board of Commissioners 27-May-2010
Clayton County 13-May-2010
Cobb County and Douglas County Community Services Board 19-Aug-2008
Coffee County Board of Commissioners 25-Feb-2010
Colquitt County Board of Commissioners 18-May-2010
Columbia County Board of Commissioners 5-Oct-2010
Columbus Consolidated Government 7-Dec-2009
Cook County Board of Commissioners 29-Jul-2010
Coweta County 6-Nov-2009
Crisp County Board of Commissioners 14-Jun-2010
Dade County Commission 21-Jan-2010
Dawson County Board of Commissioners 12-Mar-2010
DeKalb County 13-Mar-2010
Dodge County Board of Commissioners 29-Jul-2010
Dooly County Commissioners Office 20-Sep-2010
Dougherty County Board of Commission 30-Apr-2010
Douglas County Board of Commissioners 11-Nov-2009
Early County Board of Commissioners 20-Sep-2010
Effingham County Board of Commissioners 29-Jul-2010
Emanuel County Board of Commissioners 10-Aug-2010
Fayette County 13-Mar-2010
Floyd County Board of Commissioners 8-Sep-2010
Forsyth County Board of Commissioners 4-May-2009
Franklin County Board of Commissioners 25-Aug-2010
Fulton County Managers Office/ Board of Commissioners 25-Feb-2010
City of Union City 12-Sep-2007
Cobb County Government 13-Jul-2007
Georgia Department of Driver Services 22-May-2006
Georgia Department of Human Resources, Family and Children Services 21-Apr-2004
Georgia Dept of Labor 1-Apr-2004
Georgia Secretary of State/PLB Division 7-Jul-2008
Georgia Composite Medical Board 6-Feb-2009
Georgia Mountains Regional Commission 25-Mar-2010
Gilmer County Planning and Zoning 20-Nov-2009
Glynn County Board of Commissioners 8-Jul-2010
Gordon County Board of Commissioners 7-Jul-2010
Grady County Board of Commissioners 18-Aug-2010
Greene County Board of Commissioners 25-Feb-2010
Gwinnett County Bd of Commissioners 2-Jul-2008
Habersham County Board of Commissioners 14-Oct-2010
Hall County Board of Commissioners 15-Oct-2008
Harris County Commissioners 13-Apr-2010
Hart County Board of Commissioners 25-Feb-2010
Heard County Board of Commissioners 8-Dec-2009
Henry County Government 11-Sep-2009
Houston County Board of Commissioners 19-Mar-2010
Jackson County Government 5-May-2010
Jeff Davis County 1-Oct-2010
Jenkins County Board of Commissioners 13-Aug-2010
Johnson County Board of Commissioners Office 2-Jul-2010
Jones County Board of Commissioners 10-Aug-2010
Lanier County Board of Commissioners 29-Jul-2010
Laurens County Commissioners 17-Aug-2010
Lawrenceville Police Department 15-Apr-2009
Lee County Board of Commissioners 27-Sep-2010
Liberty County Board of Commissioners 7-Jul-2010
Lumpkin County 3-Sep-2010
Macon County Board of Commissioners 29-Oct-2010
Madison County Government Board of Commissioners 5-Mar-2010
McIntosh County Board of Commissioners 19-Mar-2010
Mitchell County Board of Commissioners 3-Mar-2010
Monroe County Board of Commissioners 13-Apr-2010
Montgomery County Commissioners 23-Aug-2010
Morgan County Board of Commissioners 15-Dec-2009
Murray County Government 15-Oct-2010
Newton County Board of Commissioners 30-Apr-2010
Oconee County Board of Commissioners 15-Jan-2010
Paulding County 21-Jan-2010
Peach County Board of Commissioners 25-Feb-2010
Pickens County Government 23-Sep-2010
Pierce County Board of Commissioners 14-Jun-2010
Pike County Board of Commissioners 16-Dec-2009
Putnam County Board of Commissioners 21-Sep-2010
Rabun County Board of Commissioners 13-Apr-2010
Seminole County Board of Commissioners 13-Apr-2010
South Georgia Community Service Board 17-Aug-2009
Spalding County Board of Commissioners 16-Apr-2010
Stephens County Board of Commissioners 8-Jul-2010
Sumter County Board of Commissioners 25-Aug-2010
Talbot County Board Of Commisssioners 13-Apr-2010
Teachers Retirement System of Georgia 13-Aug-2010
Terrell County Board of Commissioners 17-Sep-2010
Thomas County Board of Commissioners 2-Jul-2010
Tift County Board of Commissioners 14-Oct-2010
Toombs County Board of Commissioners 29-Sep-2010
Town of Alto 20-Apr-2010
Town of Braselton 13-Mar-2010
Town of Lyerly 2-Sep-2010
Town of Mount Airy 3-Mar-2010
Town of Ochlocknee 24-Sep-2010
Town of Pine Mountain 2-Aug-2010
Town of Riverside 15-Sep-2010
Town of Sumner 8-Sep-2010
Town of Tallulah Falls 2-Jul-2010
Town of Thunderbolt 17-Feb-2010
Town of Tignall 15-Apr-2010
Town of Toomsboro 15-Sep-2010
Town of Tyrone 17-Aug-2010
Town of Woolsey 13-Mar-2010
Troup County Board of Commissioners 21-Jan-2010
Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County 6-Feb-2009
Unified Government of Webster County 8-Oct-2010
Union County 19-Mar-2010
Upson County Board of Commissioners 25-Feb-2010
Walton County Board of Commissioners 4-Feb-2010
Ware County Board of Commissioners 29-Jul-2010
Warren County Board of Commissioners 1-Jul-2010
Washington County Bd of Commissioners 19-Mar-2010
Wayne County Board of Commissioners 29-Jul-2010
White County Baord of Commissioners 16-Apr-2010
Whitfield County Board of Commissioners 29-Jan-2010
Wilkes County Board of Commissioners 1-Oct-2010
Wilkinson County Board of Commissioners 19-Feb-2010
Worth County Board of Commissioners 3-Sep-2010
Total 300
PENDING (111)
Organization Name
Atlanta Development Authority
Bartow-Cartersville Joint Development Authority
Ben Hill County Commissioners Office
Board of Commissioners of Turner County
Brantley County Board of Commissioners
Burke County
City of Abbeville
CIty of Adrian
City of Atlanta
City of Attapulgus
City of Austell
City of Chatsworth
City of Colbert
City of Cordele
City of Crawfordville
City of Culloden
City of Danielsville
City of Demorest
City of Dudley
City Of DuPont
City of Eton
City of Fargo
City of Folkston
City of Fort Valley
City of Grantville
City of Hagan
City of Hapeville
City of Hiawassee
City of Higgston
City of Hoboken
City of Holly Springs Community Development
City of Homerville
City of Hull
City of Jefferson
City of Jonesboro
City of LaGrange Community Development
City of Lake City
City of Leslie
City of Lexington
City of Lilburn
City of Lincolnton
City of Loganville
City of Meansville
City of Milton
City of Montezuma Georgia
City of Pearson
City of Pelham
City of Porterdale
City of Powder Springs
City of Quitman
City of Reynolds
City of Richmond Hill
City of Rockmart
city of Smithville
City of Social Circle
City of Soperton
City of Sparks
City of Sparta
City of Surrency
City of Sylvester
City of Talmo, Inc.
City of Temple
City of Thomson
City of Unadilla
City of Villa Rica
City of Watkinsville
City of Waycross
City of Whitesburg
City of Woodbine
City of Woodbury
City of Wrens
City of Wrightsville
City of Young Harris
City of Zebulon
Clarke County Tax Commissioner
Clayton Center
Clayton County Water Authority
Clinch County Board of Commissioners
Cobb County Tax Commissioner
Dalton Utilities
Divison of Child Support (Georgia)
Echols County Board of Commissioners
Evans County Board of Commissioners
Fannin County Board of Commissioners
Georgetown-Quitman County
Georgia Department of Human Resources
Georgia Municipal Employees Benefits System
Georgia Student Finance Commission
Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner
Haralson County
Jefferson County Board of Commissioners
Lamar County Board of Commissioners
Lowndes County Board of Commissioners
Oconee Center
Ogeechee Behavioral Health Services
Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners
Screven County Board of Commissioners
Supreme Court of Georgia Office of Bar Admissions
Tattnall County Board of Commissioners
Town of Alston
Town of Brooklet
Town of Buckhead
Town of Deepstep
Town of Girard
Town of Homer
Town of Talking Rock
Town of Trion
United Government of Cusseta-Chattahoochee County
Walker County Commissioner
Wheeler County Board of Commissioners
Total: 111
The danger to the tea-party movement has always been that Washington insiders would attempt to hijack it for their own purposes and political agenda. — One man who has clearly attempted to do that is former House majority leader Dick Armey with his well-funded organization FreedomWorks…
The three-day Kennesaw State University immigration conference that was apparently a very well kept secret was sponsored by the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies, the Center for Regional History and Culture, and the Maya Heritage Community Project at Kennesaw State University and by the Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies at the University of South Carolina, and the Centro de Investigaciones Sobre America del Norte of the Universidad Nacional Aut noma de Mexico, and by Emory University’s Sociology Department and Women’s Studies Department.
I don’t know how many tax dollars have been spent to hold this sham that includes the ACLU, but I am confident of the agenda and the outcome. “Multi-culturalism, amnesty and open borders good.” “Controlled, regulated legal immigration and enforcement of immigration laws … bad.”
I hope that when it comes to cutting the state budget again next year that legislators take a long, hard look at Georgia’s universities and the fringe open borders elements who are indoctrinating our youth. Especially at KSU. Georgia can do without a Maya Heritage Community Project and a Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies at Kennesaw State University without any trouble at all.
Do they have a Norwegian, Austrian or Greek studies program?
I am outraged that the out-there rabid left has taken control of yet another Georgia college and that I have dim expectations of seeing a conference that features real heroes who stand up for the majority of Americans who want to stop the invasion and see a return to traditional levels of sustainable immigration.
When will Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren, Dustin Inman Society founder D.A. King, state Senator Chip Rogers and speakers from mainstream immigration control groups in Washington be invited to advance what King so accurately calls the “pro-American” agenda of assimilation, the rule of law and immigration enforcement?
A rhetorical question. I won’t hold my breath.
KSU President Dr. Dan Papp strikes again.
John Litland
Marietta
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Why no KSU conference featuring Warren King
The GOP Plan to Investigate Obama: The first four potential investigations
Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Lamar Smith (R-TX) have been attacking the Obama administration since pretty much the day Barack Obama took office. Until now, as just the ranking members of two powerful House committees and members of the minority party, their criticisms of administration officials and their decisions have been mostly limited to issuing press releases…
Neither rookies nor seasoned veterans were spared in Tuesday’s House Democratic bloodbath, which saw Republicans defeat three major committee chairmen and at least seven lawmakers who claimed 20 years’ seniority or more in Congress. — While the losses of 16 freshmen “Obama babies” — those elected during the president’s 2008 sweep — were expected…..
I wholly support an immigration policy designed to enhance the economic, social and cultural well-being of the United States of America. As a member of both the Immigration Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee and the Immigration Reform Caucus, I take very seriously the responsibility for crafting the immigration and naturalization policy that was delegated to Congress by our Constitution. I am concerned about recent rise in the level of immigration in this country, as well as the enforcement of immigration laws within our borders.
Border Security
As a sovereign nation, we must control our borders. We must ensure that terrorists do not infiltrate the United States. We must tighten and strengthen border control efforts so that illegal aliens and drug smugglers do not enter our country. The first step in achieving these goals is to build a reinforced barrier along the southern border, using fencing, technology, vehicle barriers, cameras, and agents. There is no simple solution to securing our borders, but utilizing a combination of these tools will provide an effective deterrent.
I have made several journeys to the southern border. In many regions along this border, a solid, cost-effective human barrier, a wall, is a practical way to protect our border from terrorists, drug smugglers and illegal aliens. I recently testified before the Homeland Security Committee and Government Reform Subcommittee about a concrete border wall proposal that I personally designed. I have 35 years of experience in the earth-moving, drainage, and concrete construction business which gives me the background to design an effective wall.
My concrete wall functions as both a human and vehicle barrier, inspired by the success of the concrete wall in Israel. The wall has a footing with a cut-off wall that is five feet deep to reduce tunneling. This footing is slotted to receive pre-cast, tongue and grooved concrete panels to allow for fast, modular construction. The wall extends twelve feet above the ground, and can be topped with electric or razor wire. It can be supplemented with ground sensors, lights and camera fixtures. My design is cost efficient, easy to construct, and impenetrable. A concrete border wall of this caliber could not be cut through, tunneled under, or driven over. Such a design would funnel illegal traffic to our ports of entry and areas that can be reasonably controlled by our nationās customs and border patrol agents.
Remove Jobs Magnet
To reduce illegal immigration, we must get rid of the job magnets that have drawn millions here in the first place. In response to this growing problem, I introduced H.R. 3580, the New IDEA (Illegal Deduction Elimination Act) which protects jobs for legal workers. New IDEA makes wages and benefits paid to illegal aliens nondeductible for federal tax purposes. This would encourage employers to hire legal workers which would make more jobs available for legal and American workers. Currently, H.R. 3580 is in the House Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
New IDEA takes the guesswork out of hiring legal workers. It gives employers āsafe harborā if they use the current Basic Pilot program to verify the employment eligibility of their workers. The Basic Pilot program is already in existence and can be used by employers today. A participating employer can confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees using the Basic Pilot and will not be liable if an illegal employee was not detected when the verification program was used. This Basic Pilot program takes the guesswork out of the process for employers when they review documents to make sure they are genuine during the I-9 process. The Basic Pilot involves verification checks of the Social Security and Department of Homeland Security databases, using an automated system to verify the employment authorization of all newly hired employees. Participation in the Basic Pilot Program is voluntary, and is free to participating employers.
Eliminate Incentives
In addition to interior and workplace enforcement, our nation must eliminate needless incentives that encourage illegal immigration and cost taxpayers millions of dollars each year. I do not believe it is in the best interest of our nation to continue tolerating the practice of illegal aliens giving birth to children in the U.S. in order to obtain citizenship for the child, then moving back to their country of origin with the hopes of achieving uninhibited access to our country for as many family members as possible. I also believe awarding in-state college tuition to illegal aliens would be unjustified and extremely expensive to the legal, tax-paying residents of our country. As public universities across the country increasingly limit enrollment, increasing the intake of illegal aliens into these schools will mean fewer opportunities and less aid for United States citizens and legal immigrants. I support elimination of the visa lottery, which gives randomly selected individuals visas when many law-abiding would-be immigrants are waiting to have their applications approved. I believe States should pass lawful presence requirements when issuing drivers licenses, to ensure that illegal aliens are not endangering Americanās lives and property on the road by their lack of car insurance. Ultimately, giving special treatment to illegal aliens is fundamentally unfair to legal immigrants who have invested a great deal to comply with our immigration laws or obtain legal citizenship. We should not reward those who have broken our immigration laws with the same benefits as those who have made an effort to respect the law.
Assimilation
Immigrants have made, and will continue to make, a valuable contribution to our nation. I will work to develop an immigration policy that aids in the assimilation of newcomers by ensuring that the United States does not admit more immigrants than it can reasonably accommodate. Assimilation is valuable to immigrants who benefit from our shared American culture of personal responsibility, freedom, and patriotism. The values shared by our civilization, founded on a heritage of western civilization religious freedom and free enterprise capitalism, serve immigrants and native-born alike. I am concerned that the recent rise in immigration levels in this country will make it difficult for newcomers to assimilate and find jobs. We must ensure cultural continuity for our great nation.
As Americans, we should promote a naturalization process that promotes American values, the responsibilities of citizenship, and our Constitutional principles. We must be careful to admit only as many newcomers as we can accommodate with jobs so that our society will not be burdened by unemployed immigrants.
Candidates for naturalization should be proficient in the English language. For centuries the English language has been the uniting force in this great nation, knocking down ethnic and religious barriers to make us truly one nation. A common language has enabled generations of Americans to realize the dream of American opportunity and freedom. Studies continue to prove those who know English acquire better jobs, earn higher wages and receive better health care than those who cannot speak the language. As a result, an emphasis on English decreases reliance on the federal government. For these reasons, I introduced legislation to make English the official language of the United States Government in the 111th Congress as H.R. 997.
ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News uncovered a report that raises questions about the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s own goals for stopping the illegal flow of people into the United States along the Mexico border.
Justin Farmer traveled to Arizona to continue his investigation into the security threat along the border. He joined border agents on a night patrol near Arivaca.
Border agents use infrared technology that can scan 10 miles in any direction. One camera spotted a group of smugglers on the move. Farmer followed the agents as they tracked the group for three hours, but the smugglers got away.
Seventy miles north in Pinal County, Sheriff Paul Babeu told Farmer heavily-armed drug cartels are operating in the desert, not far from Phoenix.
“Squad-size elements, every day and every night coming through our border. Heavily armed (groups) that out-gun and out-man my deputies.”
In a recent Government Accounting Office report, the Homeland Security Department listed its performance goals for 2008-2010. Those goals include to “detect and apprehend 30 percent of major illegal activity and criminals at ports of entry.”
Retired immigration agent Michael Cutler said that is unacceptable. “How would you like to get on an airplane where they tell you, you have a 30 percent chance of arriving alive at your destination?”
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano knows the border well. She served as attorney general and governor of Arizona. During recent U.S. Senate hearings, she said it is possible that terrorists could cross the southwestern U.S. border.
Napolitano also shocked many people in a CNN interview when she said, “crossing the border is not a crime per se. It is civil.”
Title 1325 of the U.S. code states those who enter the United States illegally are committing a crime punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine.
A spokesman for Napolitano said she has retracted her statement.
State Sen. Russell Pearce wrote Arizona’s bill 1070. It required that illegal immigration laws be enforced. He says the issue has become personal to him since his son, who is a sheriff’s deputy, was wounded while serving a warrant on an illegal immigrant near Phoenix.
“Government is responsible for that,” he said. “For their failure to secure our borders and enforce the law.”
ATLANTA — The U.S. Border Patrol has captured thousands of people they say are classified as OTM which stands for “other than Mexican.” Documents show many of them are from terrorists nations like Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan and Yemen. Federal authorities call those groups SIAs, which stands for “special interest aliens”.
Federal officials have offered few details about the number of actual terrorists caught along the border.
Retired immigration agent Michael Cutler says the actual threat is being covered up. “Incredibly the government is attempting to keep the citizens like a bunch of mushrooms. Keep us in the dark and feed us a bunch of manure.”
Government officials have denied that terrorists have crossed our open border. Still, Channel 2 Action News has proof they have. Channel 2 Anchor Justin Farmer found documents filed in federal court in San Antonio, Texas, in May. They show an indictment against Ahmed Muhammad Dhakane for allegedly smuggling hundreds of people from Brazil to Mexico, then into the U.S. The federal indictment states it includes some Somalis from the terrorist group Al Shabob. Terrorism experts say the group is responsible for terrorist attacks and suicide bombings worldwide.
“To this day we do not know where those 300 Somalis are,” said Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas. “We do know they are in the United States.”
A 2009 Government Accounting Office report confirmed agents have picked up three known terrorists who crossed the southwestern border of the United States. No other information was released.
“There are many people not only being apprehended, but slipping through the cracks on our southern flank that are very dangerous,” said McCaul.
Intelligence officials have admitted on record there is a terrorism threat. In 2007, former National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell told the El Paso Times that terrorists have been crossing the border. He said there are many situations where people are alive today because the terrorists were caught.
Sheriffs along the southwestern U.S. border also are aware of the threat.
“There is (intelligence) we have that is very troubling”, said Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Ariz. “Things are not getting better, they are getting worse.”
The Republican class set to sweep into the House after Tuesday’s midterm elections could include several freshmen who have some real world experience cracking down on illegal immigration. — Candidates like Lou Barletta, mayor of Hazleton, Pa., promise to pressure Republicans already in Congress to make sure immigration doesn’t get lost among all the talk about creating jobs…
