Forum on illegal immigration Focuses on crime

Crossposted from Morning Coffee:

From the Tennessean.com

FRANKLIN — At a town-hall meeting billed as "The Criminal Face of Illegal Immigration" Thursday, host Phil Valentine said, "People are saying that all immigrants are hardworking and come here to do jobs that Americans won't do …. And a lot of them are."

Here is some other information regarding Illegal Immigration and Crime..

And a lot of them are not. Illegal Immigrants comprise less than 9% of the US population yet make up 29% of those incarcerated in federal Prison. In Los Angeles, 95 percent of all outstanding homicide warrants are for illegal immigrants, and 75% of the Los Angeles Most Wanted list also happen to be illegal immigrants.

Gang Violence is also a major concern with the Illegal Immigrant community, with MS-13 being one of the most brutal. The FBI estimates that MS-13 has as many as 10,000 active members dispersed in 33 states. Members have been accused of burglaries, drug sales, weapons smuggling, extortion, illegal firearm sales, auto thefts, murder and rape.

"Street gangs in America have grown and expanded their influence to an alarming level, marked by increased violence and criminal activity," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has said. "These gangs pose a severe threat to public safety, and their growth must not go unchallenged."

Local and Federal law enforcement recently had some success in addressing MS-13 in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jose Santos Bonilla, 33, was arrested during a 6 a.m. raid on a southeast Richmond home. Since Bonilla came to the East Bay from San Francisco six months ago, MS-13 members have been linked to three homicides and several other shootings as they sought to carve out territory and intimidate other gangs, authorities said.

"Federal prosecution, although it's more difficult to get a conviction, brings with it a much stiffer sentence," said Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan.

Police, along with the FBI and the ICE, sought other people believed to be connected with the gang but were unsuccessful.

"There are several individuals that are fugitives now that have been identified with gang activity," Gagan said.

Bonilla is an illegal immigrant and was arrested on an immigration charge, Gagan said. Police expect to seek additional charges related to weapons possession and gang activity.

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let me know at what level you would like to participate.**

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