Reporting Illegal Aliens: A Citizen Takes Up Arms For His Country
Articles
On Tuesday, September 23, I paid a visit to the Atlanta office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE]. My mission: to report the illegal aliens who had been featured on the front page of my local newspaper, the Marietta [GA] Daily Journal. [Immigrants faced peril in pursuit of better lives, August 24, 2003, By Beth Anderson.]
In this 6-page (!) article, there were photos and quotes from three illegal aliens from Mexico. Two of them (Juan and Araceli Murillo, now of Austell Ga.- an Atlanta suburb) described the discomfort of their illegal journey across our borders ("it was too hot") and told the sympathetic Ms. Anderson how they were apprehended on the first attempt, deported, and then were successful on their second crossing.
The other illegal was one Jube Corona, who said he is a waiter at the El Ranchero restaurant in Marietta. Jube told Ms. Anderson that he has "no plans on leaving Cobb County."
The article mentioned nothing about the pesky fact that entering our country illegally - not once, but twice - is a federal crime. [Email a reminder to the Marietta Daily Journal's Beth Anderson. Or email a Letter To The Editor.]
As is employing those illegals.
When I used the buzzer of the always-locked ICE office, the answering agent asked what I wanted. I told him that I wanted to report some illegal aliens. He looked very surprised and told me to wait in the hallway of the Federal Building.
After a wait of 45 minutes, I was taken into a separate office by Special Agent Alicia Ferra, and asked again what I wanted. When I replied that I wanted to report some illegal aliens, Agent Ferra asked me how I knew that they were illegal. I handed her a copy of the Marietta Daily Journal that had the front-page story, quotes and photos of the Murillos. Agent Ferra remarked that "that seems kind of bold" and read the articles while I watched.
The information that I gave Agent Ferra was recorded on a yellow legal pad. At my suggestion, she also made a copy of the front page photograph of the smiling Murillos, late of Mexico, now of Austell, Ga., USA.
Agent Ferra informed me that the information would be transferred to a report form, and forwarded to another agent to determine "whether it warranted further action."
I was assured that this matter would be "looked into," but that there was no way for me to get a follow up or progress report on any investigation - if one does occur.
Ferra told me that the I.C.E. office had a "resource problem" and that there were only 33 agents in her office.
Then I asked Agent Ferra about the illegal alien demonstration demanding driver's licenses at the Georgia Capitol building the previous week - 6 blocks away from the I.C.E. office. She told me that she only found out about it the day of the event, and was not aware of it beforehand.
I offered to send her and her office a newsletter keeping them informed of the future events of this nature, and gave her two NumbersUSA pocket cards with immigration information on them.
I then asked her if she knew if there were any plans to have an ICE presence at the upcoming "Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride" bus arrival in Atlanta, due Monday, September 29, and the accompanying illegal alien protest - again, a demand for driver's licenses.
Ferra did not know what I was talking about. She had never heard of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, and was totally unaware of the upcoming protest march by the illegals. I supplied her with the time, place and driving directions that I had obtained from the local Hispanic on-line newspaper Atlanta Latino. (Which, incidentally, was the only Atlanta paper to interview last week's counter-demonstrators from Georgians for Immigration Reduction.)
I was assured that she "would pass it on" to her superiors.
She told me that Special Agent Michael Higgins headed the Atlanta office and that she would ask agent Higgins to call me. I gave her a personal business card.
It may shock some to learn that I have received no phone call from agent Higgins. The phone number at the Atlanta ICE office is 404 331-2762 extx 5346, 5301 and 5315. The fax number is 404 730-2027, the e-mail address is atliceduty@dhs.gov.
While ever hopeful, I am not convinced that the illegal aliens that I reported will be investigated, arrested or punished.
I am further fairly certain that the protest and arrival of the illegal aliens and their enablers in the "Freedom Ride" Monday will have the protection of the local police - and that there will be no action from the federal law enforcement agency that is charged with enforcing our immigration law.
Even the French had a resistance in the 1940s.
