Fox: 'Security is a shared responsibility'

Violence and illegal immigration on the Mexican border is not only a problem that Mexico has to fix--it's a problem that the United States has to fix, too. According to a Sept. 5 New York Times article, Mexican President Vicente Fox had this to say:

"Security is a shared responsibility." Then, referring to the United States, he said, "I don't understand that now they only cast blame and accusations, and they do not collaborate or cooperate so that together we can resolve this problem."

On the changes in immigration policy, he said: "There is will on the part of President Bush, according to what he has expressed publicly, and what he has expressed in conversations with us. So, I trust that in the coming weeks and months, we will succeed finally in arriving at a positive resolution for the benefit of both countries."

Kudos to New York

According to the Associated Press today, in New York, about 43 percent of public school students speak a language other than English at home. So instead of just ignoring these students (and the fact that the parents have to ask friends and family to translate) the school district spent $7.5 million to expand its translation and interpretation unit.

Yes, this is a good thing. But I'm sure someone out there will turn this into something negative and complain (as if their ancestors spoke only English when they came here). To you I say "wake up!"

Promises, promises

On Aug. 29, two weeks after the Democratic governors of Arizona and New Mexico declared states of emergency along the border, President Bush was in El Mirage, Ariz., defending his administration's efforts to control the nearby border with Mexico. He promised residents a huge federal campaign that will deploy more agents and provide more detention space to stop those trying to sneak into the country.

"We have an obligation to enforce the borders," Bush said. "I understand it's putting a strain on your resources. . . . What I'm telling you is there's a lot of people working hard to get the job done, but there is more we can do."

Bush Pledges Action on Borders
Southwest Is Promised Agents, Jail Space for Illegal Immigrants
By Peter Baker, Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Not many hits on this website

I'm sure there aren't many employers using Website.

According to the Associated Press, a small group of businesses is quietly testing a Department of Homeland Security program that can check immigration status with a few clicks on the Internet.

I'm sure a lot of employers don't mind hiring illegal immigrants because they can pay them below the minimum wage. And the illegal immigrants are going to keep their mouths shut because they're afraid of getting deported--and mostly, they're afraid of losing their job because below minimum wage is a lot better than what they'd get paid in their own country. And that's a shame.

Firms Testing Web - Based Immigration Check
Associated Press - Sept. 4, 2005

If the money's not yours, stay out of it

A group that claims it's the Indiana chapter of the Minuteman Project, a group of volunteers that are trying to stop illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexican border, were protesting at Bank Calumet in Hammond, Ind. yesterday. They're upset because this bank lets people with an Individual Taxpayer ID Number transfer money to friends and family in other countries, open a bank account, and apply for a mortgage. (Illegal immigrants are issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers by the IRS so they can pay taxes and file tax returns.)

On Aug. 16, Bank Calumet launched a Web site in Spanish and a Hammond couple were introduced as the first to secure a mortgage through Bank Calumet's pilot program by using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (Fifth Third Bank and Harris Bank also have done Individual Taxpayer Identification Number loans, but not in Northwest Indiana).

Almost all Hammond banks now accept the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and a Mexican-government issued identification card (a matricula consular) to open savings and checking accounts.

The Minuteman Project should keep their noses out of money that's not theirs.

Protesters at Hammond bank: No loans for illegal immigrants
Bank Calumet defends loan program, says goal is to promote home ownership
BY KEITH BENMAN