DAN STEIN // STEIN REPORT 2000-2008® | Federation for American Immigration Reform

October 10, 2002

HOUSE PANEL SAYS BETTER INS INVESTIGATION COULD HAVE PREVENTED LAX TERROR ATTACK

"A House panel debated the possible terrorist connection between Egyptian immigrant Hesham Mohamed Hadayet and an Islamic extremist group Wednesday, saying that a higher level of immigration scrutiny might have prevented the July slayings of two people at Los Angeles International Airport," the LA Times reported. "A careful examination of the immigration history of Mr. Hadayet reveals that fundamental failures in our immigration system also played a critically important part in allowing him to commit his heinous crime," CIS researcher Steven Camarota told the House investigative committee.

20 IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT TRYING TO GET LICENSES IN FLA …

"Twenty people described by authorities as Turkish, Mexican and Guatemalan nationals possibly ripe for terrorist recruitment were arrested after they tried to buy fake driver licenses from undercover officers in Collier County," the Naples Daily News reported. "Federal, state and local law enforcement officers say they are still investigating whether there are any terrorism links involving the 20 arrested. [Sheriff] Hunter said the investigation is continuing." Additionally, "Immigration and Naturalization Service agents will interview and investigate whether the 20 are legally in the United States. Officials said any who are found to be in the country illegally will be deported and indicated that most of the group would most likely be found to be here illegally."

D.C. SUBURB TO REGULATE LAWN PARKING

"Prince William will likely become the next area jurisdiction to ban residents from parking numerous cars on their property after county attorneys told the Board of County Supervisors yesterday that it has the authority to regulate parking on private property," the Washington Post reports. "In Fairfax [county] the issue largely pitted new immigrants, who see the restriction as an infringement on their way of life, against established residents who find the practice distasteful."

U.S. ADMITTING REFUGEES WHO MUTILATED DAUGHTERS TO AVOID U.S. LAW

"The United States government has finally given 12,000 Somali Bantu refugees permission to immigrate, after threatening to refuse those refugees who hurriedly performed genital mutilations on their daughters, in advance of the girls' anticipated departure for the United States," CNS news reports. "UNHCR spokesperson in Nairobi Emmanuel Nyabera confirmed that the transfer is complete, and the refugees are now being processed for resettlement in the United States."

DEMOCRATS SAY TANCREDO IS REAL VOICE OF GOP ON IMMIGRATION

Democratic party chief Terry McAuliffe told reports that President Bush was practicing "mariachi politics" by inviting Hispanic leaders to the White House. "[Hispanics] know that extremist Congressman Tom Tancredo is the true Republican voice on immigration policy," McAuliffe said. "Any time you get into a battle with the Democrats on who's going to do more for what group, and as you start dividing America up, the bidding just gets higher and higher, and I don't think we'll ever outbid the Democrats," Tancredo told the Rocky Mountain News. Calling McAuliffe a "master of the politics of division" Tancredo said, "I'd put my position up against his any day of the week for public support."

INS CATCHES CHILD ABUSER IN BOSTON

In a bright note for the INS, the agency arrested Reyson Jose Pena, who was convicted in a notorious Boston child abuse case. Pena, who is in the country illegally, was indicted on federal charges yesterday. Significantly, "Boston police arrested Pena in Jamaica Plain on a traffic violation, then turned him over to the INS the next day when it was discovered he was a convicted felon who was here illegally," the Boston Globe reports. If Pena had a consular ID card, would he have escaped notice?

GEPHARDT PROMISES AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

"The leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives Wednesday promised illegal aliens the opportunity to receive 'earned legalization,' if they give Democrats back control of the House of Representatives," CNS news reported. "Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) told a crowd of nearly a thousand people that he will introduce legislation Thursday so that '"undocumented people in our country can earn legalization.'" "Using the euphemism 'undocumented immigrant' to describe an illegal alien is like calling a bank robbery an 'unauthorized withdrawal,'" countered FAIR spokesman David Ray. "It's an absurd term that candy-coats the fact that these are people who knowingly and willingly violated our immigration laws and are now trying to change the rules of the game."

Related: Undocumented immigrants rally for amnesty in Washington (The News Mexico)

Related: Pro-immigrant groups rally, urge legalization (Tucson Citizen)

VISA RULES UPSET FOREIGN STUDENTS USED TO SLIPSHOD ENFORCEMENT

"Foreign students, especially those from Middle Eastern countries, say they have friends who will miss school this year because of months-long delays in applying for or renewing their visas. Many who remain in the United States believe they're policy scapegoats in the U.S. government's ongoing war on terrorism," the Arizona Republic says. One student, Faisal Alhazmi, says the changes mean he can't leave the country because his visa wouldn't be renewed. Of course, "Like most of the hijackers, Alhazmi is from Saudi Arabia. He has the same last name as two of the hijackers, who also had lived in Arizona. And he's studying for his airline pilot's license at Chandler-Gilbert Community College."

THE IMMIGRATION-ENERGY USE CONNECTION

Worldnetdaily reports on FAIR's latest study: Running in Place: Immigration and U.S. Energy Usage," by Dr. Donald Anthrop. "If the U.S. is forced to curtail carbon dioxide emissions, and I think we will ultimately be forced to take some steps in that direction, then unless immigration is curbed, I believe the average American citizen can look forward to a constantly declining standard of living," Anthrop said.