Archive for February, 2017

Two Chairs: Illegal immigration and the border – 12news.com

We sat down with people from across the Phoenix area and asked them what they thought should be done at the border.

Brahm Resnik , KPNX 10:16 PM. MST February 27, 2017

Hernan from Phoenix talks with 12 News' Brahm Resnik about immigration. (Photo: Jeff Blackburn/12 News)

There's the wall on the border. Then's there's the wall between us.

Illegal immigration is one of the more divisive issues in Arizona. It has been for years.

President Donald Trump's crackdown on the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants has made the border a national issue again.

On Tuesday night, the country will come face-to-face with Arizona's reality.

Congressmen Ruben Gallego and Raul Grijalva plan to bring the two children of Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, the Mesa woman who was deported to Mexico three weeks ago, to Trump's State of the Union speech.

We asked Arizonans in Fountain Hills, Phoenix and Tempe how they view the issue, for our "Two Chairs" segment. We set up two chairs and let people sit down and talk to us.

Renate is from Fountain Hills. (Photo: Jeff Blackburn/12 News)

"I don't even want to watch TV anymore. It makes me sick to my stomach. They'll break into your houses, they'll steal your car. You know, they'll go into Mesa and all these suburbs and I am sick of it. These people think they can get everything free. No! We didn't get anything free. Why should they get free? You know, it's wrong."

Prentice is from Tempe. (Photo: Jeff Blackburn/12 News)

Joshua is from Phoenix. (Photo: Jeff Blackburn/12 News)

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Two Chairs: Illegal immigration and the border - 12news.com

Illegal Immigrants Sue Private Prison For ‘Forced Labor’ | The Daily … – Daily Caller

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Current and former detainees, including illegal immigrants, are suing the countrys second largest private prison company, allegingthe for-profit institution forced them to work for extremely low wages or nothing at all.

A federal judge ruled Monday that inmates at a detention center in Colorado can participate in a class-action lawsuit against the private corrections company,GEO group. The prison complexholds illegal immigrants slated for deportation.

This is the first lawsuit of its kind in the history of the United States, Andrew Free, one of the plaintiffs attorneys told The Daily Beast. This is the first time that a private prison company has ever been accused of forced labor, and this is the first time that a judge has ever found that the claims can go forward under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the bans in federal law on forced labor.

Judge John Kane assigned theattorneys to legally represent all detainees held at the Aurora, Colo. center since Oct. 22, 2004, which could equal nearly 60,000 people, according to The Daily Beast.

Illegal immigrant detainees said if they refused to work, they would be threatened with solitary confinement.

GEOs Aurora facility is being run on the backs of detainees, with GEOs profits flowing from abusing this cheap detainee labor, Alexander Hood told The Daily Beast.

But GEO Group refutes theseaccusations, saying they comply with the law.

The volunteer work program at immigration facilities as well as the wage rates and standards associated with the program are set by the Federal government, said Pablo Paez, a spokesperson for the company, according toThe Daily Beast. Our facilities, including the Aurora, Colo. Facility, are highly rated and provide high-quality services in safe, secure, and humane residential environments pursuant to the Federal Governments national standards.

The judges decision to permit the lawsuit could have implications for the Trump administrations immigration enforcement strategy. Approximately 65 percent of Department of Homeland Security detainees were held in privately run facilities, according to USA Today. And if more lawsuits in the future are authorized based on precedent, then immigrant detention could potentially require more funding, whether privately or publicly.

GEO Group has a history with President Donald Trump, having donated $250,000 for his inauguration ceremony, according to USA Today. (RELATED: Zuckerberg-Led Immigration Group Opposed Trump, Then Gave Him $5,000)

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Mike Pence asks Indiana Supreme Court to stay out of his redacted emails – Indianapolis Star

The emails could reveal political strategies Republicans had in opposition to Obamas policies and set a precedent for the Indiana's executive office. Nate Chute/IndyStar

Vice President-elect Mike Pence acknowledges the crowd before the swearing in of Gov. Eric Holcomb on Monday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.(Photo: Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar)Buy Photo

Vice President Mike Pence continued to fight to keep secret a political white paper emailed to him while he was Indiana governor, petitioning the Indiana Supreme Court not to review a public records denial for the controversial papers.

If opened, the communicationscould reveal a slewofRepublican political strategiesthat Pence and dozens of other U.S.governors devised to fight former President Barack Obama and an executive order of his concerning immigration.

If the justicestake the case, the court also could redefine the bounds of open, publiccommunication forIndiana's executive office.

What's Mike Pence hiding in his emails?

The case stems from a public records request made in December 2014 by Indianapolis attorneyWilliam Groth, a Democrat, who was gathering information about the former Republican governor'suse of outside counsel for the immigration litigation and its cost to Indiana taxpayers.

Pence produced the requested emails but those documents included substantial redaction,including awhite paper the governor failed to produce, according to court records.

The white paper in question contains legal theories used by many governors in their decision to joinState of Texas et al v. United States of America,which challenged the Obama administration'sexecutive order regarding immigration.

After Groth filed suit in Marion CountySuperior Court, a judgeruled in favor of Pence, saying the redactions the administration made to thepublic record were "proper."

The ruling left open thepossibility that the executive branch could claim that its redactions were nonjusticiable, a legal term that means not for the court to decide. That finding was based on an earlier Supreme Court rulinginCitizens Action Coalition, et al. v. Indiana House Rep.about redactions made by the legislature.

Groth appealed thedecision in April. This January, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled thatGrothdoes not have the right to view the political white paper, but disagreed withthe governor's contention thatit would violate the separation of powers doctrine for the judiciary tosecond guessthe redactions.

Pence's legal team argues to keep email secret

Mike Pence prevails in email secrecy suit

That was an important finding to advocates of government transparency, who feared a Pence victory in the suit could set a broader precedent that would embolden future governors to refuse to disclose or heavily redact public documents with no court oversight.

Earlier this month, Grothpetitioned theIndiana Supreme Court to take up the case.

Indianapolis attorney GregBowes filed the 19-page petition on behalf of Groth claiming the appeals court erredin determining that the white paper did not have to be released because it was"deliberative material" for the purpose of preparing for litigation.

Groth is arguing the Court of Appeals improperly applied the attorney-client relationship doctrine because the white paper wasemailed to a wide range of people outside of the attorney-client relationship. He is also asking the court whether the court of appeals improperly created a "deliberative materials exception" tostate public records.

Calling Groth's lawsuit "unfounded" in court documents, Joseph Chapelle, Pence's attorney from Indianapolis law firm Barnes& Thornburg, last week filed the 30-page response.

Pence's legal team argues to keep email secret

Chapelle told IndyStar that the appellate court majoritys decision should stand and that if the Supreme Court takes on the case, "it will be an opportunity for the court to clarify the separation of powers doctrine."

In the latest court documents, Chapelle maintainsthat Pence will use executive privilegeas a defense in the future."There are policy reasons for executive privilege," Chapelle said.

Groth told IndyStar Sunday that he wants to seetransparency in government.

"Hoosiers are entitled to and should continue to demand more, rather than less, openness from all governmental officials, but especially from their governor," he said.

Call IndyStar reporter Fatima Hussein at (317) 444-6209. Follow her on Twitter:@fatimathefatima.

More on Mike Pence:

With Pence gone, fellow Republicans undo his work in Indiana

Who is Mike Pence? 8 things to know about Donald Trump's vice presidential pick

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Mike Pence Seals The Deal For Jewish Republicans – Forward

Establishing his role as President Trumps unofficial envoy to the Jewish community, Vice President Mike Pence found himself in Las Vegas on Friday, delivering greetings from the President at the Republican Jewish Coalitions Shabbat dinner.

I wanted to say Shabbat shalom to you all, Pence opened, moving on to a carefully crafted speech that touched on all issues Jewish Republicans may feel uneasy about: anti-Semitism, Israel, and the future of the Middle East. By doing so, Pence managed to disarm any lingering concerns while winning over the crowd made up of Jewish donors, activists and politicians gathered for the event.

The gathering, a first chance for Jewish Republicans movers and shakers to convene since the elections, brought together a group that had been slow to hop on the Trump train but is now working its way to the presidents camp. Trumps dealings with the outburst of anti-Semitic incidents across the U.S. since his election have raised concerns among some Jewish Republicans, but the presidents denunciation of anti-Semitism this week and Pences subsequent visit to the vandalized Jewish cemetery in Missouri, helped quell these concerns.

Let me be clear: we condemn these vile acts of vandalism and those who perpetrated them in no uncertain terms, Pence said. Hatred and anti-Semitism have no place in America.

We got answers, they made their position clear, said Shantal Razban Nia, a college student participating at the event after listening to Pences speech. Razban Nia, who describes herself as young, Jewish, and conservative, said that the statements by Pence and Trump on anti-Semitism, have made her very hopeful.

RJCs executive director Matt Brooks expressed his hope that Pence and Trumps remarks will put all questions to rest. There is a professional complaining class in the Jewish community that no matter what President Trump will say or do, they will attack him, Brooks said. Those who have an open mind will find that he is responsive in a very positive way.

The annual RJC leadership meeting took place at Sheldon Adelsons Venetian hotel and casino, where top Jewish Republican donors and activists can add a traditional poker game to their schedule of meetings and speeches, and where Elvis impersonators cross path with former administration officials and aspiring politicians. Organizers estimated the participants at 500-600, slightly more than in previous years, and several members noted the younger profile of the crowd and the abundance of Orthodox participants, distinguished by their kippahs. More than 100 of them took part in Shabbat services before the dinner.

Speaking at the CPAC conference on Thursday, Pence celebrated the victory of conservative values and the new direction America will be heading under Trump, promising a roaring conservative crowd that this is our time. His message Friday night, however, was tailored to Jewish Republicans who tend to identify less with the conservative social values but care deeply about Israel.

Let me assure you of this, Pence said. If the world knows nothing else, the world will know this: America stands with Israel. The vice president did not offer much in terms of details on how the Trump administration will back Israel. Pence mentioned Trumps intention to advance peace between Israel and the Palestinians and noted that he himself had discussed the issue with Adelson before the dinner. Trying to walk around Trumps pre-election promise to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Pence offered a new formulation, stating that the administration is assessing when the embassy should be relocated.

The best thing about this new administration is that I dont have to wake up every day and worry about what [former White House press secretary] Josh Earnest said about Israel, said Mark Levenson, a New Jersey Jewish activist who stated he is still a registered Democrat, but on Israel, my views are where Republicans are.

Adelson, RJCs chief sponsor, was Trumps biggest Jewish donor and is responsible, to a great extent, for bringing Jewish Republicans to coalesce behind Trump despite their early reservations. Speaking at a private dinner he hosted Thursday for RJC board members and top Republican politicians, Adelson reportedly said Trump is likely to be the best president for Israel ever. Adelson was joined by fellow Jewish casino magnate and Trump supporter Steve Wynn in a conversation that focused mainly on business and their experience in Vegass gambling scene. Among the participants at Adelsons home were Nevada Senator Dean Heller, House Foreign Affairs committee chairman Ed Royce and RNC ChairRonna Romney McDaniel.

One year ago many of us only dreamed we will keep our majority and win the White House, but sometimes dreams come true, said RJC board member Michael Epstein. Pence, in his speech, thanked Jewish Republicans for their support, ignoring the fact that many of them were not on board with Trump until after the elections. You all took a lot of flack for your courage, but you stuck with us, Pence said, then turning director to Sheldon and Miriam Adelson sitting and praising them for their patriotism and leadership.

Adelson, who lists Israel among his top interests in politics and in philanthropy, met with Trump at the White House days before the president hosted Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Attending RJCs gathering were also some of the other early adopting Jewish donors who stood alongside Trump before the elections, including Lew Eisenberg who chaired the Republicans finance committee, Mel Sembler and Elliott Broidy.

The RJC announced Friday the installment of its new top lay leader. Former Minnesota senator Norm Coleman will take over as national chairman, replacing David Flaum. In a statement, Coleman praised the recent RJC electoral achievements. Beyond a unified Republican government, this past election cycle, the RJC helped double the number of Republican Jewish voices in Congress. By doubling the number, Coleman was referring to the number of Jewish Republicans in the House of Representatives increasing from one to two.

Contact Nathan Guttman at guttman@forward.com or on Twitter @nathanguttman

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Mike Pence Seals The Deal For Jewish Republicans - Forward

Chris Matthews and SPLC Fall for Hoax Even the NYT Says Is a Lie…Again – American Thinker

Chris Matthews and the Goofy Looking Dude from the Southern Poverty Law Center have a point: We do nothave any evidence Donald Trump did notpersonally knock over 200 headstones in a Jewish graveyard in St. Louis.

But they were sure if Trump did not do it, then some of his supporters did and everyone knows that.

The further from St. Louis you get, the less insane that sounds. Because in St. Louis, large-scale vandalism and criminality is a black thing --not a political thing.

The Trump tombstone desecration was just the warmup.Chris and the Goofy Looking Dude said Trump and his ilk have been responsible for gajillions of acts of hatred and violence against everybody except white men, starting the day after the election.

In most newscasts, this is usually the time when they run a video that supports at least a little bit what they said. This they did not do, at least not at first.

But when they did get around to giving a specific example of this nationwide tsunami of hatred and violence, the Goofy Looking Dude from SPLC reminded Chris how a woman in a hijab in a New York subway was attacked by the Trump acolytes on a mission of hate: 37 percent of the perpetrators, as you said, either named President Trump by saying something like --you know --yelling toa woman wearing a hijab you go back to your country, now Donald Trump is President. That kind of thing.

Chris nodded in knowing satisfaction.

That was the only specific example the Goofy Looking Dude could come up with. And it was a lie. A fabrication. A hoax.

Even the New York Times had to admit that in the headlines, no less: Muslim Woman Made Up Hate Crime on Subway, Police say.

A few details for the truth- and memory-challenged folks at MSNBC: This happened way back in December 2016.Yasmin Seweid --if you need help remembering, you could always pronounce it seaweed --told every cop and reporter should could find that three white men screaming Donald Trump! attacked her on Dec. 1 on an uptown No. 6 train at East 23rd Street, said the Times.

Over at the Daily Beast, aka Newsweek, they passed along the phony baloney details just as quickly as Seaweed could manufacture them:

On Thursday night, an 18-year-old college student who wears a hijab was on the subway after a Women in Business Style Your Success fashion show when three apparently drunk men began shouting, Donald Trump! Donald Trump! Donald Trump!

The men then zeroed in on her.

Look, a f---ing terrorist. Get the hell out of the country! You dont belong here!

They yanked her bag and the strap broke.

Can you please leave me alone? she asked.

They responded with laughter and followed as she tried to walk away from them. They tried to pull off her hijab.

Take that rag off your head!

What made it all the more nightmarish was that none of the many other people aboard the train sought to help her. Passengers looked at her and at the men and clearly understood what was happening, but then just looked away without offering so much as syllable in her defense.

It breaks my heart that so many individuals chose to be bystanders while watching me get harassed verbally and physically by these disgusting pigs, she posted on Facebook afterward.

The studentYasmin Seweidwrote of the incident itself as someone who is American born and raised: Trumps name was repeatedly said & it finally clicked in my head. No matter how cultured or Americanized I am, these people dont see me as an American.

Hundreds and hundreds of other mainstream outlets followed the story with glee.

And when police unmasked the hoax --every bit of it was a lie, including if, and, and but --thousands of other outlets reported that too, and wondered why so many reporters were so eager to believe these fake stories about Trump.

Others wonders why these same reporters refused to write about the violence against Trump supporters, which really did happen. On real video. In the real world. Just a few of which you can find onthis playlist.

Maybe Chris and the Goofy Looking Dude did not get that memo. Or they just forgot about it.

My hands are not entirely clean here: Shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing, the Goofy Looking Dude gave me the same treatment on the Rachel Maddow show.

GLD of the SPLC said my stories and books about black violence and journalistic denial created a climate of hate that caused the bombing.

Yes: Good ol Colin caused the Boston Marathon bombing. Im looking forward to including that in the scrapbook at my next high school reunion.

So far, no federal agents have knocked on my door to investigate. And neither has Rachel Maddow repeated it again. So I appear to be off the hook. This time.

But this must also be said: I do nothave any evidence that Goofy Looking Dude is nota full-time occupant of a mental hospital, diagnosed with an extreme cased of batshit craziness; and that he wears a white straitjacket all day, only to be removed for the occasional appearance on MSNBC.

Ditto for Chris Matthews, now that I think about it.

So it must be true.

Colin Flaherty is the author of the best selling books Dont Make the Black Kids Angry and White Girl Bleed a Lot. You can subscribe to him on YouTube too.

Chris Matthews and the Goofy Looking Dude from the Southern Poverty Law Center have a point: We do nothave any evidence Donald Trump did notpersonally knock over 200 headstones in a Jewish graveyard in St. Louis.

But they were sure if Trump did not do it, then some of his supporters did and everyone knows that.

The further from St. Louis you get, the less insane that sounds. Because in St. Louis, large-scale vandalism and criminality is a black thing --not a political thing.

The Trump tombstone desecration was just the warmup.Chris and the Goofy Looking Dude said Trump and his ilk have been responsible for gajillions of acts of hatred and violence against everybody except white men, starting the day after the election.

In most newscasts, this is usually the time when they run a video that supports at least a little bit what they said. This they did not do, at least not at first.

But when they did get around to giving a specific example of this nationwide tsunami of hatred and violence, the Goofy Looking Dude from SPLC reminded Chris how a woman in a hijab in a New York subway was attacked by the Trump acolytes on a mission of hate: 37 percent of the perpetrators, as you said, either named President Trump by saying something like --you know --yelling toa woman wearing a hijab you go back to your country, now Donald Trump is President. That kind of thing.

Chris nodded in knowing satisfaction.

That was the only specific example the Goofy Looking Dude could come up with. And it was a lie. A fabrication. A hoax.

Even the New York Times had to admit that in the headlines, no less: Muslim Woman Made Up Hate Crime on Subway, Police say.

A few details for the truth- and memory-challenged folks at MSNBC: This happened way back in December 2016.Yasmin Seweid --if you need help remembering, you could always pronounce it seaweed --told every cop and reporter should could find that three white men screaming Donald Trump! attacked her on Dec. 1 on an uptown No. 6 train at East 23rd Street, said the Times.

Over at the Daily Beast, aka Newsweek, they passed along the phony baloney details just as quickly as Seaweed could manufacture them:

On Thursday night, an 18-year-old college student who wears a hijab was on the subway after a Women in Business Style Your Success fashion show when three apparently drunk men began shouting, Donald Trump! Donald Trump! Donald Trump!

The men then zeroed in on her.

Look, a f---ing terrorist. Get the hell out of the country! You dont belong here!

They yanked her bag and the strap broke.

Can you please leave me alone? she asked.

They responded with laughter and followed as she tried to walk away from them. They tried to pull off her hijab.

Take that rag off your head!

What made it all the more nightmarish was that none of the many other people aboard the train sought to help her. Passengers looked at her and at the men and clearly understood what was happening, but then just looked away without offering so much as syllable in her defense.

It breaks my heart that so many individuals chose to be bystanders while watching me get harassed verbally and physically by these disgusting pigs, she posted on Facebook afterward.

The studentYasmin Seweidwrote of the incident itself as someone who is American born and raised: Trumps name was repeatedly said & it finally clicked in my head. No matter how cultured or Americanized I am, these people dont see me as an American.

Hundreds and hundreds of other mainstream outlets followed the story with glee.

And when police unmasked the hoax --every bit of it was a lie, including if, and, and but --thousands of other outlets reported that too, and wondered why so many reporters were so eager to believe these fake stories about Trump.

Others wonders why these same reporters refused to write about the violence against Trump supporters, which really did happen. On real video. In the real world. Just a few of which you can find onthis playlist.

Maybe Chris and the Goofy Looking Dude did not get that memo. Or they just forgot about it.

My hands are not entirely clean here: Shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing, the Goofy Looking Dude gave me the same treatment on the Rachel Maddow show.

GLD of the SPLC said my stories and books about black violence and journalistic denial created a climate of hate that caused the bombing.

Yes: Good ol Colin caused the Boston Marathon bombing. Im looking forward to including that in the scrapbook at my next high school reunion.

So far, no federal agents have knocked on my door to investigate. And neither has Rachel Maddow repeated it again. So I appear to be off the hook. This time.

But this must also be said: I do nothave any evidence that Goofy Looking Dude is nota full-time occupant of a mental hospital, diagnosed with an extreme cased of batshit craziness; and that he wears a white straitjacket all day, only to be removed for the occasional appearance on MSNBC.

Ditto for Chris Matthews, now that I think about it.

So it must be true.

Colin Flaherty is the author of the best selling books Dont Make the Black Kids Angry and White Girl Bleed a Lot. You can subscribe to him on YouTube too.

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Chris Matthews and SPLC Fall for Hoax Even the NYT Says Is a Lie...Again - American Thinker