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Supporters rally in Anne Arundel against illegal immigration arrests
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Supporters of the 46 people arrested Monday in Anne Arundel on illegal immigration charges lashed out at the so-called “terrorist action” taken and immigration policies at a rally Tuesday.
“We want the government to reform the system and quickly because the situation is becoming unbearable,” said the Rev. Luis Cremis, of Our Lady of Pompei Church in Highlandtown, in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office at Hopkins Plaza in Baltimore.
“They only scare people with these raids,” Cremis said. “They are terrorizing the neediest and poorest members of society.”
ICE officials arrested 36 men and 10 women Monday — some of whom worked for Annapolis Painting Services — in Anne Arundel, where County Executive John R. Leopold has taken a hard stance against illegal immigration.
About 100 people attended the rally, and some carried signs critical of him, such as “John Leopold, we are not criminals,” “painting is not a crime” and those asking Leopold to “cease celebrating the division of families.”
“Illegal means illegal,” Leopold said.
Anne Arundel Police Chief James Teare Sr. said the arrests would serve as a strong deterrent to other businesses that hiring illegal immigrants will not be tolerated.
Many relatives of those arrested were afraid to attend the rally, according to CASA de Maryland, a Silver Spring-based pro-immigration group.
Several of the 46 are expected to be deported to their native lands, including Mexico and Central America.
“For too long, Congress has merely fiddled while the immigration system is burning,” said Jonathan Greene, liaison for the Washington, D.C., chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, a nonprofit that supports pro-immigration initiatives.
The country needs a immigration policy to provide sufficient visas to meet demands, he said. Under the law, 5,000 annual permanent visas are allowed for low-skill, “essential” workers when demand is about a million.
“These are just victims of the broken immigration system,” said Liza Zamd, a CASA lawyer. “... It is breaking families apart.”
jkowalkowski@baltimorexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
Are most citizens of Maryland aware of the fact that immigrants break the law of "one family per dwelling" so that almost ten children can come from one address to attend Montgomery County Public Schools, but due to districting a teacher cannot have his/her own son/daughter attend the high school he/she teaches at, even if he/she is a resident of Montgomery County?
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Brandon said:
John Leopold isn't doing much besides the job that citizens elected him to do, but in this day and age, that's enough to be a hero.
2 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The immigration system in this country is broken. Even for legal migrants, once they become citizens of the US, depending on the country they came from, they can maintain the citizenship of their birth. This should have never happened. People can only have allegiance to one country. People with dual citizenship should not be allowed to vote in either country.
3 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
You don't understand! Stupid gringos! If we don't do this who will? We need to spend the tax dollars every year or it will be considered income for our non-profit corp. Thanks, Gus, Kerry, Kim, and Liz. P.S. We like living in Potomac much better than Central America!
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Debbie said:
I read all comments and all were against the illegals, as am I. They deserve to be deported. So c'mon people - If we are all in agreement, lets use our numbers to influence your local elections and make sure that the illegal lovers are not re-elected. Part of the reason nothing ever changes is because we keep the same people around forever. Look at our Congress, some of those people have been there 50 years and have been bought off years ago. We have the power to elect people who will represent Americans, instead of big business or lobbyists. Although, we are screwed with either Obama or Juan McCain cause all they want is to legalize all the illegals and get their vote. I wish they would care more about Americans than the illegals. Sad.
6 agree | 2 disagree
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Maggie said:
“Illegal means illegal,” Leopold said. Nuff said! Leopold for Governor!!! We need raids like this in Frederick County also~ Hopefully, that is already in the works.
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
100 people show up to protest the arrests. 3 Angry Fat White Men show up to protest illegal immigration. Do you get the picture?
2 agree | 1 disagree
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Auntie Illegal said:
Illegal means illegal. Keep up the good work, the more uncomfortable they are the faster they will self-deport. Call your senators and congresspersons and let them know to BUILD THE FENCE contact grassfire.org and learn how congress is trying to stop the fence from being built ALERT ALERT if Obama is elected these people will be free to roam our country, food stamps and all the things that hard working taxpayers can't get including free medical. Contact your congress and say enough is enough. If you don't speak up nothing happens Contact your non violent minutemen organizations and help stop this invasion
4 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Now, can if ICE can come over to Los Angeles and clear out some the illegal aliens and their pvoverty, I'll be happy.
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Examiner Reader said:
These people have no idea of what a crime is and that is scary. When someone steps over our border without being invited, (by using proper channels) they ARE criminals, period. This reverand cremis is the one out of touch with his community and the law. It is much worse than coming into my home without being invited. They abuse our schools, take away jobs, do not pay taxes, use our medical institutions, etc. Leopold for Governor.
4 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Reverand Cremis perpetuates irrational thought with statements like, "They are terrorizing the neediest and poorest members of society". Subliminal terrorism is being disseminated when citizens have gang members as neighbors; citizens see their livelihood undercut by immigrants who pay no taxes; and immigrants who have no emotional investments in their communities. By the very definition, immigration means a schism of families. The immigrant chose to "divide their families" and "break apart their families".
9 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Too bad Mr. Leopold isn't our Governor. Then maybe there would be some hope for the State of Maryland.
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Examiner Reader said:
“painting is not a crime” No but using forged or false documents IS a crime. “They only scare people with these raids,” No, they also arrest them! GOOD! The SHOULD be scared to death. They DO NOT BELONG HERE. GO HOME and come back LEGALLY and you WILL be welcome with open arms.
6 agree | 3 disagree
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A giraffe dies said:
A big part of the problem is that unions support illegal immigration and unions support Democrats. Unions support illegal immigration because that is a new source of funding for them. Democrats support illegal immigration because it is more votes for them. Bush and McCain support illegal immigrants because they are stupid, me too, idiots looking for a legacy that will not occur or votes that are already going to Democrats.
4 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
So, when are they going to start enforcing the laws on aiding and abetting? Groups like Casa and La Raza are overstepping their territory when they openly aid illegals.
14 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
You don't understand! If we don't do this who will? We need to spend the tax dollars every year or it will be considered income for our non-profit corp. Thanks, Gus, Kerry, Kim, and Liz.
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
CASA soaks up taxpayer dollars like so many of these bleeding hearts organizations. They refuse to see the human misery that unlimited massive illegal immigration has cause in this country. Stop supporting these organizations, and vote the bleeding hearts out of office. Save our Country. Get rid of the illegals.
8 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
What ever happened to obeying the law? Illegal is illegal. I am incensed at CASA, which receives tax payer funding thanks to the OMalley administration, is sponsoring this rally. People who openly advocate breaking the law should be arrested along with the lawbreakers.
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Rocko said:
“We want the government to reform the system and quickly because the situation is becoming unbearable,” said the Rev. Luis Cremis. I agree, we need to reform the system and round up and deport every single illegal immigrant in this country. If you are here illegally, you get deported. If you hire illegals, you go to jail and you have to turn over all profits gained through the use of illegal immigrants as workers. Then, take those profits and divide them up among those of us hard working taxpayers.
9 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Seriously?! People in this state are crazy. If you are here ILLEGALLY you do not have the right to stay here and take jobs away from the rest of us. Especially if you are here ILLEGALLY and are not paying back into the system. GO HOME and come back when you have a VISA or a GREEN CARD!
5 agree | 3 disagree
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livewire said:
I don't feel sorry for any of these lawbreakers. If the families are seperated temporarily, they can all voluntarily deport themselves so they can be together again. I wonder how many laws I would be able to choose to follow and get away with it. Since it would benefit MY family if I kept all my TAX money, maybe I can try and get a few fake papers drawn up and skip paying taxes. I wonder how long a US citizen would get away with that? These people CHOSE to put themselves in these situations when they CHOSE to break our laws. Go home and get in line like all the other immigrants have to! People are not stupid about this issue. Just ask congress how many calls they got when they tried to pass off AMNESTY as "reform". Until there is a new immigration bill, nobody can be allowed to pick and choose the laws they follow.
9 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
They sure are criminals. Illegal entry is a crime; first offense is up to 6 months in jail, second is felony and can go as high as 20 years in jail. ID theft is a felony. Driving without a license is a misdemeanor. Using forged documents is a felony. Evading taxes is a felony. Ignorning court orders is a felony. But all this enforcement is just a con..Bush, McCain, and the Neo Cons, and Obama want to be able to say in Jan 2009 that the border is secure (LOL) and they are enforcing the law (LOL - where is e verify for all business, to check all employees, and set up to catch people who are using stolen ID? No where to be seen.)so that they can give 36 million people amnesty and encourage the illegal flood to keep coming.
8 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Yeah John Leopold, now the employer must be given some serious jail time. One way to stop illegals is to dry up the underground emlpoyment they are seeking. Do this by toss this employer in jail for 7 years, and let the rest know if you hire illegal immigrants and get caught you will be sitting beside him in Jessup.
8 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The first paragraph in this story is funny."The cousin of the one of the 46 illegal immigrants arrested Monday in Anne Arundel said his relative was not a criminal, but he was in the country illegally" "HE WAS A CRIMINAL IF HE WAS HERE ILLEGALLY" !!!!!!!!!!!!!WHY CANT THESE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION OF ILLEGAL
7 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hooray for John Leopold! We need more politicians like him!
4 agree | 2 disagree
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lccat said:
HEAVY FINES and FELONY JAIL time for the ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS! Remember Robert Camp another ILLEGAL EMPLOYER from Houston, "his" ILLEGAL EMPLOYEE murdered a Houston Police Officer by empting a completely loaded handgun into the Police Officer's back and the back of his head!
4 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
It makes me sick how these people get away with breaking the law. In Baltimore they no longer enforce the number of occupants that can live in one house because the city doesn't want to stop illegal’s shacking up. 1500 block of Ramsey, there are houses that are 3 bedrooms that have 10 adult living in them. and the city will not do anything because they want them to stay. SICK
8 agree | 2 disagree
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purgatory said:
I just love the way these "bleeding heart protesters" say this is so unfair, these people are part of a family. you are breakign up families. Tough! Big Deal they are also criminals. The business owner is a criminal. If these illegals didn't want to go to jail in the first place, then they should not have stole into this country and broke our laws. What, I can go out and commit crimes and then just say I am part of a family, this is unfair, release me! I have no pity for them at all. Good job AA County and ICE!! They need to do this in every county in this state.
12 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
It's time for ICE to show up in Rockville Maryland were many of ILLEGAL ALIENS gathered to disturb the peace of the CITIZENS,please hurry up and DEPORT them all.
5 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The bright side of this story is there are 46 job openings for LEGAL aliens and citizens!
8 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
It's about time ICE did their job and got these lawbrakers off the streets. Now lets go thru the state and get the rest of these illegals of the streets and send them back to their mother lands. I propose a coller that they should wear, and if they cross the boarder again they explode.
8 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When these illegal aliens are finally deported, their girlfriends and babies, if they have not already been deported, should immediately be deported with them. Thank you, Mr. Leopold. You're doing a great job. This state and this country need more people like you.
6 agree | 2 disagree
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Jen W said:
Way to go Leopold and ICE!!! CASA de Maryland -where do you get the NERVE to think that people can come here ILLEGALY, on the tax payer dime, with no consequences???? It infuriates me that these illegals blatently ignore our laws and think they are entitled to be here! We are not an annexation of Mexico!
7 agree | 2 disagree
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Delaware Bob said:
"“His baby will have no daddy. It’s like so many Spanish children with no mother and father,” Hey, these ILLEGAL ALIENS put their ANCHOR BABIES in this situation. DO NOT break up the family! Send the ANCHOR BABIES back with the parents. FANTASTIC JOB, ICE! Keep up the good work.
14 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
like i said there all crooks,dixon.the gov.and the city coun. they dont like rules.no bid contracts,give money to friends take gift cards meant for poor,and give more and more contracts to other crooks.our state is out of control........
5 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
It is about time. Only 12 million more to go!
15 agree | 3 disagree
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