Houston Policeman Killed

[lily]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2487004&page=1


Sept. 25, 2006 - The shooting of a Houston police officer has sparked a new
battle over immigration.

Juan Leonardo Quintero, an illegal immigrant, has been charged with killing
a Houston police officer last week after a routine traffic stop.

Police Chief Harold Hurtt blamed the federal government for failing to
secure U.S. borders.

Quintero allegedly shot Officer Rodney Johnson four times in the head while
in handcuffs in the back seat of his patrol car.

Johnson arrested Quintero during a routine traffic stop for speeding but
apparently missed the suspect's gun in a pat-down search.


Following the shooting, a video showed Houston police officers pulling open
the back doors of Johnson's patrol car and yanking the suspect out of the
back seat.


"It's very easy to make a mistake. I am not saying a mistake was made," one
Houston police officer said. "Unfortunately, we are in the business where a
mistake can kill you."

The suspect should not have been in the United States.

Quintero was deported in 2004 after a conviction for indecency with a child.

"The subject was deported, and yet he came back, so if the government
fulfilled their responsibility of protecting the border we would probably
not be standing here today," Hurtt said.

The Houston Police Department has been struggling this year to deal with the
influx of Katrina evacuees and an immigration problem that is only getting
worse.

Border Patrol said thousands of illegal immigrants crossed into the United
States each month.

Johnson received a commendation for valor for pulling several children from
a burning building.

He leaves behind a wife who is also a police officer and their five
children.

[bobbylien]

This is why we need to make a decision on these illegal immigrants. If we are going to ignore the fact that they are illegal then why are they illegal in the first place? I don't think deporting them all is a reasonable solution(although itd be just fine with me). I think we are going to have to declare an amnesty for those who wish to actually stay and live in our country. That way we can focus on scum like this guy.

[BoogyMan]

Do we declare car thieves innocent when the % of them gets high enouh? No, why should we do so with people who have intentionally broken the law in the way that they got into this country?

[Labrocca]

And at one point if you didn't wear a seat belt..well you were a criminal...boo hoo! Laws change...what's more important? That they got here illegally or that we work harder on violent immigrants with a criminal background victimizing people. If abortion ever become illegal again do we lock up every doctor that has ever performed an abortion ..of course not.

The argument that all illegal immigrants are criminals is a weak one to use. Sure..technically they are illegal hence criminals..so what. Maybe if more immigrants were legal they could catch the ones we really don't want here like this guy.

It makes sense amnesty...it happened before and the results were fine. It will happen again and shit won't change much. Get over it and eat a burrito.

[BoogyMan]

And at one point if you didn't wear a seat belt..well you were a criminal...boo hoo!Â*Â* Laws change...what's more important? That they got here illegally or that we work harder on violent immigrants with a criminal background victimizing people.Â*Â*If abortion ever become illegal again do we lock up every doctor that has ever performed an abortion ..of course not.

The argument that all illegal immigrants are criminals is a weak one to use.Â*Â*Sure..technically they are illegal hence criminals..so what.Â*Â*Maybe if more immigrants were legal they could catch the ones we really don't want here like this guy.

It makes sense amnesty...it happened before and the results were fine.Â*Â*It will happen again and shit won't change much.Â*Â*Get over it and eat a burrito.


Did I say that all illegals are criminals?!?!? Egads, I don't know where you dug that one up. I said they got here illegally and need to leave. You come here legally or don't come.

[Mayberry]

criminal  /ˈkrɪmənl/ Pronunciation[krim-uh-nl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective 1. of the nature of or involving crime.
2. guilty of crime.
3. Law. of or pertaining to crime or its punishment: a criminal proceeding.
4. senseless; foolish: It's criminal to waste so much good food.
5. exorbitant; grossly overpriced: They charge absolutely criminal prices.
–noun 6. a person guilty or convicted of a crime. They are, by definition, criminals. I agree, deportation is not a total solution. Prosecution of employers who hire illegals would send them packing due to lack of work though. Amnesty is by no means a solution, nor should it even be considered. It is a slap in the face to everyone who's ever entered this country legally, spent the time, effort, and money to do it right. Then just hand legal status to illegals who have violated the law and snuck in here. That sir, is criminal.

[Alonzo]

They are, by definition, criminals. I agree, deportation is not a total solution. Prosecution of employers who hire illegals would send them packing due to lack of work though. Amnesty is by no means a solution, nor should it even be considered. It is a slap in the face to everyone who's ever entered this country legally, spent the time, effort, and money to do it right. Then just hand legal status to illegals who have violated the law and snuck in here. That sir, is criminal.

The whole point is there are criminals, the ones we want to protect ourselves from (thieves, murderers etc.) and then there are "criminals", the ones who violate laws, but laws (whether they're good or bad laws) that, when broken, don't necessarily harm anyone.

Illegal immigrants, pot smokers, loiterers etc. fall into the latter category. The laws may be good, but the "criminals" who break them aren't necessarily dangerous to you or me.

[lily]

We really do need to face reality. As much as I hate to say it, Bush is right on this one. There is no way that we can deport over 11 million people.

What gets me the most, was this man was already deported once, for child molestation. What wasn't mentioned in this article, but in others was he was let go, on condition that he come back to court......I know there is a word for this, but I'm having a brain fart and it isn't coming to me.

There needs to be better border security......and fences ain't going to do it. If it has to be done, by private companies, like in the article I posted last week, so be it........but something has got to give.

[Mayberry]

There is no way that we can deport over 11 million people We don't have to. Like I said, crack down on employers, cut their welfare, and they'll deport themselves. there are "criminals", the ones who violate laws, but laws (whether they're good or bad laws) that, when broken, don't necessarily harm anyone. They may or may not harm us physically (illegals- pot smokers, etc. I could care less) but they harm us financially, in a HUGE way.

[Labrocca]

Well basically they only way they will leave on their own is if we make life here worse than in Mexico. Cracking down on employers might be good but it's not realistic. The risk/reward would still have employers doing it just being more careful. Illegal papers may become more popular in this case so the employers would look free of guilt.

Yeah amnesty sounds frightening to some but hey..they are already here. Sure it's an invasion...yeah tacos and burritos in school are so terrible and that cheap labor is just destroying the unemployment rate (NOT). So truly what's the argument against illegal immigrants? I just don't see it. I personally have never met a mexican illegal immigrant that I didn't like. They are for the most part non-threatening family people that want a better living for their families. I think Americans can learn from them. They set a good example of what hard work can obtain you.

[Mayberry]

So truly what's the argument against illegal immigrants? I just don't see it. They are BREAKING the LAW. What's not to understand? They also take jobs from Americans. Regardless of what people say, illegals aren't just doing the jobs that "Americans won't do". Building houses used to be a good job. Not anymore, illegals have driven down the wages. I know several people that used to do landscaping, and made a good living at it. Now they can't afford to compete with illegal labor's cheap rates. Boat building was a good job. You can't find a builder here that doesn't employ illegals, who drove those labor rates down. Would you grind fiberglass for $8.00 an hour? I know a guy who built boats in the early 80s and got $10 an hour back then. These are just a few examples. Maybe the rest of the country doesn't see it as much, but here in South Texas illegals make a huge negative impact.

[Anti-Racism]

Regardless of what people say, illegals aren't just doing the jobs that "Americans won't do". Building houses used to be a good job. Not anymore, illegals have driven down the wages. I know several people that used to do landscaping, and made a good living at it. Now they can't afford to compete with illegal labor's cheap rates.

And the quality of houses has declined. Get paid $4/hr, well, work isn't your first priority, I guess. There are many socialized costs as well. Our hospitals and schools are clogged with problems resulting from this cheap labor.

[lily]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15062039/

Worker shortage hurting farmers, profits
Border crackdown, lure of better paying jobs keep farm laborers away
J. Allen Carnes talks about the need for immigration reform as he walks
on his family farm in Batesville, Texas. Growers say tightened border
security and longer lines for day crossers have cut the numbers of farm
workers who cross the border legally or illegally.

Updated: 2:11 p.m. ET Oct 1, 2006
BATESVILLE, Texas - J. Allen Carnes needed 200 workers for the onion harvest
this year on 500 acres of South Texas fields. The onion business is big in
the area, and with only two months to harvest, there's little room for
delay.

But Carnes ended up with less than 100 workers and fell two weeks behind,
with bits and pieces of the fields unpicked. His income fell about $150,000,
a significant loss.

"It's become increasingly tight over the last three or four years," said
Carnes, president of Winter Garden Produce in Uvalde, 80 miles west of San
Antonio. "Companies are jockeying back and forth (for workers). Last year it
was just short all around."

Growers say tightened border security and longer lines for day crossers have
cut the numbers of farm workers who cross the border legally or illegally.
Illegal immigrant workers who used to travel the country picking different
crops as the seasons changed are hesitant to migrate for fear of being
caught. And the lure of higher paid jobs with better working conditions,
such as construction, are keeping some farm workers away.

[Mayberry]

Damn, guess that means he'll have to pay more and hire Americans. lure of better paying jobs keep farm laborers away We'll have to do the jobs the illegals won't do.:rolleyes:

[Rider]

Illegals building homes here in North Texas aren't getting $4 and hour. They're getting $8-10 an hour. Don't kid yourself.

[Anti-Racism]

There is no way that we can deport over 11 million people.


We don't need to.

Deny them jobs/welfare, and they go away.