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Exclusive: The Connection between Illegal Immigration and Organized Crime
August 14, 2008 - Bruce Martin, MPP
This article is written as I return from an annual ethnic religious festival held in Carthage, Missouri. (The event, known as Marian Days, is the same one that involved a fatal crash of a busload of Vietnamese parishioners who were en route there as well.)
Law enforcement officers have learned that ethnic celebrations such as Marian Days are good times to make observations regarding crime and cross cultural trends, as well as identifying “who knows who.” Over the past 20 years, the Marian Days Asian Crime Task Force, of which I have been a participating member, has been very effective in providing assistance to the local law enforcement officials in Carthage, Missouri. Several known Vietnamese gangsters have been arrested, stolen cars recovered, weapons and drugs confiscated, and violent crimes prevented. Additionally, intelligence information, photographs and gang indicia have been shared with local, state and federal law enforcement officials across the nation.
Human migration has occurred forever, and immigrant crime groups are nothing new to America. Their impact has been known for decades, if not generations. Historically as a nation we have encountered such groups from Ireland, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Korea, El Salvador, Columbia, China, Cuba, Vietnam, Mexico, South Africa, and countless other nations.
As can be expected, crime groups normally begin by following the wealth and specialize in committing crimes within their own communities. More and more, however, they are spreading out across the continent. As stated by former New Orleans Police Lieutenant Jack Willoughby, “The placement or location of the victim coupled with the methodology of the criminal activity is an essential part of law enforcement understanding.” Unless properly addressed by law enforcement, their impact on society can be significant, and those who are victimized will lose confidence in the capability in their government to protect them.
With greater sophistication of international organized crime, narco-terrorist syndicates, immigrant crime groups, etc., it is ridiculous for anyone to suggest that countries such as the United States should cease border protection efforts. Their quest for power, control and money is so great that they could potentially overwhelm any society. This has been seen in Russia which, despite possession of rich natural resources, is a second-tier power due to its overall rampant control by organized crime groups, and accompanying government corruption.
Promotion of open immigration will certainly accelerate the serious economic and social problems we are experiencing in this country. While most immigrants arrive here with a strong work ethic, there are large numbers of those who are career criminals, or who have received previous training in guerilla fighting tactics, money-laundering techniques, unbounded criminal conspiracies and murder, as well as operating clandestine drug laboratories, prostitution rings, theft rings, drug distribution networks, etc. Continuing to allow them to have unfettered opportunity to enter the United States would pose continued, unacceptable threat to our security.
Furthermore, as has been witnessed several times since the 9/11 “Attacks on America,” illegal aliens have had unrestricted ability to enter/access various secure facilities such as airports and maritime ports, highly technical industries (including some defense contractors), etc. The fact is, with our current disorganized and uncontrolled immigration, we in the law enforcement community have no idea who these people are until they are well established here. Add the factors that they generally cross multiple jurisdictions, and utilize the internet to establish a worldwide range of collaborative criminal relationships.
While the prospects for success in complete interdiction of illegal immigration are low, it is nevertheless clear that the two most important considerations for any constituted government are: the protection of its citizens and the security of its borders. The maintenance of an armed force of Border Patrol Agents is therefore a just cause in the government’s efforts to provide that protection from those who attempt to enter this country for criminal activity.
Yet, unfortunately, “do-gooders” around the country are sending the wrong message in this matter. This includes politicians such as presumptive Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama who exclaimed that “ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is terrorizing Hispanic neighborhoods.” Comparing our dutiful and hardworking federal law enforcement officers with the likes of terrorists such as Mohammad Atta is definitely sending the wrong message.
POLICY:
First of all, citizens across the United States should take the time to increase their awareness of the immigration problem in general, and immigrant crime groups in particular. By taking the time to listen to immigration experts, law enforcement officials, etc., people will learn that those being discussed here are not “nice” and “passive,” but rather are violent criminals. Citizens will further gather an intuitive understanding of the scope of the problem and insight into the immediate need for a workable solution.
Next, the voters of this nation must demand that both of the principal candidates for the office of President of the United States provide in clear and unambiguous terms their ideas on direct action-steps they will take within the first 100 days of office relative to immigration. The premium should be on a well-designed, efficient policy, which is right for the nation, and which includes complete consistency and which is developed in the context of current world economic and political considerations.
My own policy proposals related to direct removal of those illegal aliens who can clearly be shown to be members of immigrant crime-groups would utilize the capabilities of the more than 800,000 local, county and state law enforcement officers who come into contact with such individuals every one of their work-days. If the federal government gave them cross-designation immigration enforcement authority/powers, the result could be immediate detention holds on violators, and prompt deportation upon judicial order.
Since there are likely millions of people within this category, no law enforcement officer anywhere in the country would need to actively search for them. In fact, specific legislative prohibition on conducting active searches could be included. Officers would instead be able to rely on those lawful, legitimate contacts which occur every day, to include:
· Traffic stops
· Traffic collisions
· Family disturbances
· Bar fights
· Local ordinance violations
· Misdemeanor and felony criminal investigations
Within just a few months, such action would result in up to half-a-million people per month being deported. Within three months, this would total 1.5-2 million people no longer in our country and no longer a threat to society. Those who could not be deported would face state or federal criminal conspiracy violations, the conviction of which would result in long prison sentences and 100% forfeiture of all assets.
At the same time, our federal immigration officials can work towards proposing a more organized immigration policy, with protection of our citizens and borders being the primary focus. We could engage in strategic recruitment of foreign nationals willing to move here in order to contribute to American society, and adapt/assimilate as capably as the more than 60,000 Vietnamese I encountered during the past week have.
This policy will treat those discussed here like the criminals that they are. It will send out the message that, “If you are here illegally, keep a low profile and obey all of this nation’s laws!” It will also alert “Sanctuary Cities” such as San Francisco, California, and others, that the citizens of the United States will not tolerate such defiance of the nation’s will. The expectation will be that such designations will be repealed, or else face loss of all state and federal funding for every government program.
The ongoing presence of immigrant crime groups (certainly worthy opponents) creates an unacceptable danger to this nation’s law-abiding citizens. The possibility exists that in the future (if not currently a practice) such crime group members would be willing to assist an international terrorist intent on harming the United States by assisting them with smuggling activities (to include weapons, drugs, human beings).
The development of immigration policies to provide the security necessary for our protection will continue for the rest of the campaign period. It is arguably the principal existentialist concern for this country.
FamilSecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Bruce C. Martin, MPP, is the commander for the Marina (California) Police Department Support Services Division and a professional firefighter. Feedback: editorialdirector@familysecuritymatters.org
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