Tag: illegal immigrants

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‘Nearly impossible’ to find jihadists among migrants, Greeks warn

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By Odile Duperry, Catherine Boitard4 hours ago

Lesbos (Greece) (AFP) – As the hunt for jihadists widens after last week’s Paris attacks, authorities in Greece warn it was virtually impossible to pick out dangerous extremists among arriving migrants, without prior intelligence.

“If they are not already registered in the database, it’s nearly impossible,” says Dimitris Amountzias, police captain in charge of Moria, Greece’s main registration camp on the island of Lesbos.

At the camp, dozens of migrants and refugees queue to give their fingerprints, have a photo taken and be quizzed by agents from European border agency Frontex.

It’s a seemingly detailed security check, but jihadists have already proven they can bypass it with ease.

The suspected architect of the Paris attacks that killed 130 people, 28-year-old Abdelhamid Abaaoud, escaped from Europe to Syria and returned without being detected.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve this week suggested Abaaoud, who was killed in a police raid in Paris on Wednesday, had passed through Greece.

https://news.yahoo.com/nearly-impossible-jihadists-among-migrants-greeks-warn-084048253.html

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Rep. Scott Garrett , “My top priority is the safety and security of the American people”

Scott Garrett Parkway Elementary School in Paramus

Rep. Scott Garrett enjoyed his recent visit to Parkway Elementary School in Paramus to discuss his job as a Congressman with the 4th grade class. As you can see by the picture, they had a lot of great questions!

Rep. Scott Garrett , “My top priority is the safety and security of the American people”Garrett Statement on the American SAFE Act

Nov 19, 2015

Ridgewood NJ, Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after voting in support of H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act.

“My top priority is the safety and security of the American people, and last week’s horrific attacks on Paris are a stark reminder that our enemies are willing to impersonate refugees and go to great lengths to commit acts of terror. Today the House voted to pause our refugee program until we can fully examine our vetting process to ensure that every refugee admitted to the United States does not pose a threat to our nation. The Syrian people seeking refuge need the continued support of the international community, and we must continue to work on a balance between helping these people and our national security.  The United States is, and will continue to be, a world leader in humanitarian aid operations, and those who are suffering from unspeakable horrors at the hands of oppressors will always have our support while we work diligently to advance policies that protect our country.”

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House defies Obama, approves bill halting Syrian refugees

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By Cristina Marcos – 11/19/15 01:57 PM EST

In a 289-137 vote, the House on Thursday easily approved legislation that requires new screening requirements on refugees from Syria and Iraq before they can enter the United States.

Forty-seven Democrats defied President Obama’s veto threat and backed the bill — enough to override a presidential veto given the six Democrats and two Republicans who missed the vote.

The 47 Democrats who voted for the bill ranged from centrist Blue Dogs, vulnerable lawmakers in tough reelection races and even one member of leadership: Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who heads House Democrats’ communications efforts.

Two Republicans voted against the bill: Reps. Walter Jones (N.C.) and Steve King (Iowa).

The outcome suggests the House could override Obama if he vetoes the measure, although there’s no guarantee that Democrats will side against the president if they are asked to sustain a veto.

The big question is whether the House will get a chance at an override vote.

The legislation will now go to the Senate, where it may face a tougher path to passage.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) vowed to block the House bill if it is considered by the upper chamber after the Thanksgiving recess.

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/260782-house-defies-obama-approves-bill-halting-syrian-refugees

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Terrorists Once Used Refugee Program to Settle in US

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By JAMES GORDON MEEK
BRIAN ROSS

Nov 18, 2015, 12:33 PM ET

Of the 31 states that have declared their opposition to taking in Syrian refugees, one state, Kentucky, has a specific reason to be wary of the background check process: previously twoIraqi refugees who settled in Bowling Green turned out to be al Qaeda-linked terrorists with the blood of American soldiers on their hands, an ABC News investigation found. Both pleaded guilty to terror-connected charges after trying to acquire heavy weapons while in America’s heartland.

The 2013 ABC News investigation also revealed that several dozen other suspected terrorist bombmakers, including some who were believed to have targeted U.S. troops, may have mistakenly been allowed to move to the U.S. as Iraq and Afghanistan War refugees, among the tens of thousands of innocent immigrants.

The Obama administration insists now that Syrian refugees are subjected to intense vetting before they’re allowed to settle in the U.S. and that a vast majority of the millions of refugees the U.S. has resettled since the 1970s are normal, peaceful people, but the program has had serious security problems before. In 2009, a flaw in background screening of Iraqi refugees allowed the two al Qaeda-linked terrorists to settle in Bowling Green and led to a temporary suspension of the refugee program, officials told ABC News in a 2013 investigation.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/terrorists-refugee-program-settle-us/story?id=35252500

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REPORT: 8 SYRIANS CAUGHT AT TEXAS BORDER IN LAREDO

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by BRANDON DARBY & ILDEFONSO ORTIZ18 Nov 2015

Two federal agents operating under the umbrella of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are claiming that eight Syrian illegal aliens attempted to enter Texas from Mexico in the Laredo Sector. The federal agents spoke with Breitbart Texas on the condition of anonymity, however, a local president of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) confirmed that Laredo Border Patrol agents have been officially contacting the organization with concerns over reports from other federal agents about Syrians illegally entering the country in the Laredo Sector. The reports have caused a stir among the sector’s Border Patrol agents.

The sources claimed that eight Syrians were apprehended on Monday, November 16, 2015. According to the sources, the Syrians were in two separate “family units” and were apprehended at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge in Laredo, Texas, also known officially as Port of Entry 1.

Border Patrol agent and NBPC Local 2455 President Hector Garza told Breitbart Texas, “Border Patrol agents who we represent have been contacting our organization to voice concerns about reports from other agents that Syrians crossed the U.S. border from Mexico in the Laredo Sector. Our agents have heard about Syrians being apprehended in the area from other federal agents.” Agent Garza added, “At this time, I cannot confirm or deny that Syrians have crossed, for security reasons.”

https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/18/report-8-syrians-caught-at-texas-border-in-laredo/

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Christie to Obama: New Jersey will not accept Syrian refugees

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NOVEMBER 17, 2015, 1:40 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015, 4:53 PM
BY DUSTIN RACIOPPI
STATE HOUSE BUREAU |
THE RECORD

Governor Christie on Tuesday officially notified President Obama that he will not accept any Syrian refugees following last weekend’s terrorist attacks in Paris, citing a “broken federal monitoring system” and the “very real threat” of an attack on New Jersey by the Islamic State.

Christie, who is running for the Republican party nomination for president, sent the letter a day after two dozen other governors announced they would close their states to Syrians fleeing the war-torn country. On Monday night Christie told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that he would not accept any refugees, a shift in his position from two months ago.

His refusal appears to have no authority, however. While states can refuse to offer their resources to the federal government, the Refugee Act of 1980 gives the president the power to allow refugees into the states. Florida Gov. Rick Scott also acknowledged in a letter to Congress on Monday that “it is our understanding that the state does not have the authority to prevent the federal government from funding the relocation of these Syrian refugees to Florida even without state support.” And foreign affairs, including immigration, are the responsibility of the president.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-to-obama-new-jersey-will-not-accept-syrian-refugees-1.1457066

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Homeland Security chairman: ‘Gaping holes’ on refugees

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By Julian Hattem – 11/15/15 11:36 AM EST

The head of the House Homeland Security Committee warned on Sunday that “gaping holes” within U.S. defenses make the nation vulnerable to attacks similar to Friday’s violence in Paris.

“There are a lot of holes — gaping holes,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“We have hundreds of Americans that have traveled” to Iraq and Syria, he added. “Many of them have come back as well. I think that’s a direct threat.”

McCaul has previously warned that the flow of Europeans and — to a lesser extent — Americans into the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) poses a threat to those countries when people return home.

In addition, McCaul has warned that an influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the ongoing chaos provides a perfect opportunity for Islamic extremists to slip into the U.S. or another country undetected.

“This causes a great concern on the part of policymakers, because we don’t want to be complicit with a program that could bring potential terrorists into the United States,” McCaul said.

One of the men involved in Friday’s attack across Paris, which killed 129 people, was reported to have slipped into the country by disguising himself as a Syrian refugee.

Though the Obama administration has insisted that that revelation does not affect its plans to allow thousands more migrants into the U.S., the news will surely be used by opponents of the policy.

On Capitol Hill, top intelligence and law enforcement officials have testified that “gaps” in intelligence about the refugees leave them with some worries.

McCaul on Sunday said that he had spoken with officials at the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, who “they tell me this cannot be properly done.”

“We don’t have the databases to vet them.”

 

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/260213-house-chairman-gaping-holes-on-refugees

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Hungary says migrant influx ‘stops’

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Budapest (AFP) – Hungary said Monday its shutdown of the border with Croatia had put a stop to the influx of migrants and refugees.

Only 41 people crossed into the EU member state on Sunday, the government said.

“The border closure is working, it has effectively stopped illegal border-crossing,” government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told reporters in Nagykanizsa, close to the Croatian border.

“The Hungarian government is determined to keep the measures in place as long as is needed,” he said.

“We are continuously monitoring the situation at the Slovenian, Croatian and Serbian borders, and are ready to react to any situation which might develop.”

The figure of 41 represents a new daily record low in 2015 for Hungary, which witnessed up to 10,000 people stream across its borders daily since the summer.

The country has been a key transit point on the western Balkan route used by thousands of people who have fled violence in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

https://news.yahoo.com/hungary-says-migrant-influx-stops-114617312.html

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IRS Scammers Caught !

IRS Scam

Quick thinking on the part of an observant bank teller and an immediate response by Ridgewood PD Patrol Officer Paul Dinice saved a local resident from becoming a victim of the increasingly pervasive “IRS Scam.” photo by Boyd Loving 

N.J. pair accused of bilking more than $150K from at least 70 people in 32 state-IRS scheme
SEPTEMBER 15, 2015, 7:59 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015, 12:12 PM
BY JIM NORMAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

LEONIA – A man and a woman living in Middlesex County were arrested and charged with bilking at least 70 people in 32 states out of more than $150,000 by persuading them that they owed back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service and would be arrested if they did not pay up immediately, authorities said Tuesday.

Leonia Police Chief Thomas P. Rowe said a man identified as Akash Satish Patel, 32, and a woman identified as Nikita Natvarlal Patel, 25, were arrested in Union as they arrived at a CVS store to claim the proceeds of a MoneyGram sent to them by one of their victims.

Rowe said the pair were not related, although they have the same last name and they both reside at the same address in Iselin, in Middlesex County.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-pair-accused-of-bilking-more-than-150k-from-at-least-70-people-in-32-state-irs-scheme-1.1410485

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698K Native-Born Americans Lost Their Job In August: Why This Suddenly Is The Most Important Jobs Chart

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Submitted by Tyler Durden on 09/08/2015 06:14 -0400

After the Fed admitted over a year ago that the US unemployment rate (which in 2012 was supposed to be a rate hike “threshold” once it hit 6.5% and is now at 5.1%) has become irrelevant in a country where a record 94 million people have left the labor force, and with the Fed poised to hike rates even though US hourly wages have not only not increased for the past 7 years, but for the vast majority of the labor force continue to decline, some have asked – is there any labor-related chart that matters any more?

The answer: a resounding yes, only it is none of the conventional charts that algos and sometimes humans look at.

The one chart that matters more than ever,has little to nothing to do with the Fed’s monetary policy, but everything to do with the November 2016 presidential elections in which the topic of immigration, both legal and illegal, is shaping up to be the most rancorous, contentious and divisive.

The chart is the following, showing the cumulative addition of foreign-born and native-born workers added to US payrolls according to the BLS since December 2007, i.e., since the start of the recession/Second Great Depression.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-09-07/698k-native-born-americans-lost-their-job-august-why-suddenly-most-important-jobs-ch

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Report: More than half of immigrants on welfare

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Alan Gomez, USA TODAY12:08 a.m. EDT September 2, 2015

More than half of the nation’s immigrants receive some kind of government welfare, a figure that’s far higher than the native-born population, according to a report to be released Wednesday.

About 51% of immigrant-led households receive at least one kind of welfare benefit, including Medicaid, food stamps, school lunches and housing assistance, compared to 30% for native-led households, according to the report from the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for lower levels of immigration.

Those numbers increase for households with children, with 76% of immigrant-led households receiving welfare, compared to 52% for the native-born.

The findings are sure to fuel debate on the presidential campaign trail as Republican candidates focus on changing the nation’s immigration laws, from calls for mass deportations to ending birthright citizenship.

Steven Camarota, director of research at center and author of the report, said that’s a much-needed conversation to make the country’s immigration system more “selective.”

“This should not be understood as some kind of defect or moral failing on the part of immigrants,” Camarota said about the findings. “Rather, what it represents is a system that allows a lot of less-educated immigrants to settle in the country, who then earn modest wages and are eligible for a very generous welfare system.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/01/immigrant-welfare-use-report/71517072/

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How Trump won summer of 2015

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By Jonathan Easley – 08/31/15 07:37 PM EDT

The summer belonged to Donald Trump.

The billionaire businessman and reality TV star cemented his standing as the GOP frontrunner in August, kicking off the month with a feisty and unapologetic debate performance and closing it out with direct attacks to Jeb Bush.

He heads into the fall with momentum after having orchestrated what Republicans are describing as a months-long clinic in the race for the presidential nomination.

Trump is leading in the polls; blanketing the airwaves; relishing the role of attack dog against his opponents and the media, and forcing the other candidates to adapt to a race that’s being run on his terms.

He has perfected a style and message that resonates with the conservative base’s long-simmering frustration with party leadership. And he’s owned the hot-button issue of immigration, successfully driving the policy discussion to the right.

While Trump finished the month of July atop the polls nationally, few political watchers took his rise seriously.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/252379-how-trump-won-the-summer-of-2015

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N.J. Supreme Court ruling a lifeline for young immigrants

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AUGUST 26, 2015, 12:58 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015, 11:46 PM
BY SALVADOR RIZZO AND MONSY ALVARADO
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD

Young people living in New Jersey who entered the United States illegally as minors have the right to apply for a federal amnesty program geared toward those under 21 who were battered or abandoned in their home countries, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The court handed a victory to three immigrants who walked across the U.S.-Mexico border — one young man from India now living in Passaic County and two teenage girls from El Salvador now in Elizabeth — who argued that they could not return home because they faced life-threatening conditions such as extreme poverty and rampant gang violence.

In a 6-0 decision, the high court ordered new hearings before New Jersey family judges to determine whether the three were abused, neglected or abandoned in their home countries and whether their “best interest” is to stay in the United States.

No matter the outcome, they then may apply to federal authorities for “special immigrant juvenile status,” the court said. Only the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can make the final decision whether to grant them legal status — and, in the case of the two girls, to stop or continue their deportation proceedings, the court said.

Writing for the court, Judge Mary Catherine Cuff also found that the young man was subjected to gross negligence by his mother, his sole caregiver in India, where he was born. That finding, which reversed a lower-court ruling, could help him persuade federal officials to grant him legal status.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-supreme-court-ruling-a-lifeline-for-young-immigrants-1.1398481

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Poll: Most Hispanic Voters Don’t Think A Path To Citizenship Is Solution

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RACHEL STOLTZFOOS
Reporter

More than 60 percent of registered Hispanic voters do not think a pathway to citizenship for illegals would benefit the country, and most do not see it as the best way to solve the country’s immigration problems, a new poll shows.

Of the 62 percent who felt a pathway to citizenship for illegals would not benefit the country, 33 percent felt it would hurt the economy, 7 percent felt it would overly burden public schools and 10 percent felt it would create public safety issues,the McKeon & Associates Wednesday poll found.

See the poll : https://www.mckeonandassociates.com/pdfs/MCKEON-HISPANIC-NATIONAL-SURVEY-2015-07-15.pdf

“The economy is still the issue,” Michael McKeon told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “When 33 percent think immigration will hurt the economy, that’s what’s on their min

Read more: https://dailycaller.com/2015/07/17/poll-most-hispanic-voters-dont-think-a-path-to-citizenship-is-solution/#ixzz3gGFRWk7P

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Is Your City a Sanctuary City? This Map Has the Answer

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Fort Lee, NJ. was improperly included due to an error on the Sanctuary City map by Apsan Law Offices,  our sincerest apologies 

 

PJ Blogger and the Staff of the Ridgewood blog

 

 

New Jersey Sanctuary cities

Camden, NJ (Added in 2007; latest source: Camden, Immigrant Haven?, By Lauren Feeney, City Paper, 7-16-08)
Hightstown, NJ (Added 5-30-07)
Jersey City, NJ.
Newark, NJ (Added 6-3-07)
North Bergen, NJ.
Trenton, NJ.
Union City, NJ.

More items…

List of Sanctuary cities – Apsan Law Offices

www.apsanlaw.com/law-246.List-of-Sanctuary-cities.html

Kate Scanlon / @scanlon_kate / July 10, 2015

Is your city a sanctuary city?

The Center for Immigration Studies has released an interactive map depicting cities, counties and states that are “sanctuaries” for immigrants who are in the country illegally.

>>View interactive map here

The map shows over 200 sanctuary cities, counties and states nationwide.

Sanctuary cities are cities or jurisdictions where local authorities have chosen not to act in accordance with federal immigration laws.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, “these state and local jurisdictions have policies, laws, executive orders, or regulations allowing them to avoid cooperating with federal immigration law enforcement authorities”:

[The cities] ignore federal law authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to administratively deport illegal aliens without seeking criminal warrants or convictions from federal, state, or local courts. Although federal law requires the cooperation, the Department of Justice has never sued or taken any measure, including denying federal funds, against a jurisdiction.

According to the map, North Dakota and Rhode Island are sanctuary states.

David Inserra, a research assistant at The Heritage Foundation, said that it is a “no brainer” for local and state officials to aid federal agencies in enforcing federal laws.

“Not enforcing the law results in lawlessness,” Inserra said.

https://dailysignal.com/2015/07/10/is-your-city-a-sanctuary-city-this-map-has-the-answer/