The nationwide debate over illegal immigration came to Cherokee County Tuesday night, with people on both sides of the debate weighing in on a controversial proposal to target landlords who rent to people in the United States without permission.
About 130 people crowded into a meeting room for a hearing on a proposal that stirred strong but restrained emotion, with spectators applauding speakers pro and con.
Supporters saluted the commissioners and spoke of the need to uphold the rule of law, while opponents questioned the ordinance's legality and said illegal immigrants contribute to the economy.
The arguments mirrored those made nationwide, as local governments increasingly find themselves grappling with an issue that has resisted quick fixes in Congress.
—Staff writers Christian Boone and Mark Bixler contributed to this report.
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Faced with nowhere else to sleep, many of the migrant workers who were evicted last week from illegal encampments in McGonigle Canyon reportedly are bedding down in other parts of the Rancho Peñasquitos canyon.
“The workers are sleeping wherever night finds them,” said attorney Claudia Smith of the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation.
On Friday, about 180 men living in the canyon on developer DR Horton's land were told to pack up and leave or face arrest.
The effort between landowners and police to close the encampments had been in the planning stages for months, but it was enacted suddenly a day before a widely publicized protest was to take place on the property.
Police say a handful of private landowners now are enforcing “No Trespassing” warnings posted around the property between Carmel Valley and Rancho Peñasquitos, as well as paying security guards to look for intruders.
Some say the eviction only has led the men to sleep in other parts of the canyon to stay near the tomato fields, where many work.
“There's still a harvest going on, so they have to stay nearby,” said Smith, director of the foundation's border program. “By accelerating this shutdown of the encampments, all that's going to happen is they are going to crop up somewhere else.”
Gerald Katz, who lives at nearby Rancho Glens Estates, said migrants have begun to cross into the canyon near his neighborhood at dusk.
Katz said many gather at a food cart parked at Rancho del Sol nursery and wait for nightfall before going through a hole in the fence and back into the canyon.
Julie Adams, a longtime critic of the encampments who lives a mile from the canyon, said she hasn't noticed as many migrants since last week.
“It seems quieter, but there are obviously still guys in there,” Adams said. “Unless the property owners enforce it, (the migrants) are all just going to come back.”
San Diego police Capt. Boyd Long said he has not received complaints from the landowners about trespassers since last week.
“It's important that we keep on top of it, but we've received no complaints at this point,” Long said.
Police will meet with the landowners, city officials and residents next week to discuss how to prevent the camps from jumping to the next canyon.
Enrique Morones of Border Angels has been receiving several donations of blankets, food and water to distribute to the displaced workers over the past week.
“We are as concerned as always that people live in these conditions, and we are working and praying to get them out and into decent housing,” Morones said.
Most Americans believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to become guest workers and eventually U.S. citizens, but Congress should do more to close the border to stop more illegals entering the country, according to a new poll published on Tuesday.
The nationwide poll, conducted by Quinnipiac University, found that by a margin of 69 percent to 27 percent, American voters say illegal immigrants should be allowed into a guest worker program with the ability to work toward citizenship over a period of several years. Such a guest worker program had wide support among voters of all political stripes.
But 71 percent of voters said Congress must do more to deal with illegal immigrants entering the country.
Farmers Branch is telling illegal immigrants that they can't live in the Dallas suburb. They can still work there, though.
City councilmembers in Farmers Branch passed a controversial immigration resolution late Monday night.
The decision not only makes English the official language but also starting Jan. 12 renters must prove to landlords or apartment managers that they are U.S. citizens. Violators will be fined up to $500.
Tempers flared outside city hall.
Several advocacy groups have started or are considering lawsuits.
From Farmers Branch to the State Capitol: immigration reform hits a nerve for people in Texas.
In the last two days, several different lawmakers have submitted immigration bills including one that challenges the constitution.
KXAN NBC Austin's political reporter Jenny Hoff tells us what it could mean for the millions of immigrant children in Texas.
Beatrice and her children came to the United States two years ago. Four months ago, in Austin, she gave birth to Brian. He's now a U.S. citizen and Beatrice's link to staying in this country.
Beatrice is scared to show her face, but tells us she just wants to give her family a chance.
"I want him to be able to study, go to college, and we just want to be able to send some money back to Mexico," Beatrice says through a translator.
One politician says, these "anchor babies" -- children born to illegal immigrants, are costing the state too much money.
Beatrice's older children go to school at Metz, a bilingual elementary school where about half of the children's parents are illegal immigrants. Lawmakers say it's programs like these that are draining state money.
Republican Leo Berman of Tyler, Texas wrote a bill that would deny the children of illegal immigrants any state benefits.
"One of the most lucrative benefits is the ability to come across the border and give birth in a hospital and become citizens free of charge, despite the fact that they're violating our most basic federal law, and that is of our sovereignty," Berman said.
"The constitution says if you're born on U.S. soil, you're a U.S. citizen. That's the way it's always been. And, a lot of us, that's exactly how our forefathers got their citizenship," said Chris Jimmerson with Political Asylum Project of Austin.
Berman hopes that's what his bill will challenge. He wants it to force the Supreme Court to clarify the 14th Amendment and possibly deny Brian the rights his mother thinks he automatically has. Berman says the proposed bill would not be retroactive. It would only affect children born after the bill went into law.
Berman also filed a bill that would tax any money sent from Texas to Mexico, Central or South America. Other legislators have filed bills demanding the federal government pick up the $2 billion tab Texas pays for illegal immigrants every year.
Rep. Burt Solomons of Carrollton says Texas should be able to sue the federal government to recover costs associated with illegal immigrants.
He says these undocumented illegals put a burden on our healthcare system, our judicial and criminal systems and law enforcement. All of which is ultimately paid for by the citizens of Texas.
If you have questions for your representative, we can help. Political reporter Jenny Hoff is planning to take your issues and ideas straight to local lawmakers.
Just send her an e-mail at , and watch KXAN News at 6 for the answers.
The political earthquake in Washington has knocked loose some of the big obstacles to fixing the immigration system. A decent solution is now there for the taking, if President Bush and the newly Democratic Congress are willing to grab it.
It won’t be easy. Some of the debate’s loudest shouters, liars and dead-horse beaters were ushered by voters from the room — people like J. D. Hayworth and Randy Graf in Arizona, John Hostettler in Indiana and Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania. But the public is still in a prickly mood. All those shrill Republican ads about Mexicans stealing your Social Security failed as an electoral strategy, but that doesn’t mean politicians always lose by being immigration hawks. Voters approved tough ballot measures. In Arizona, they made English the official language and restricted illegal immigrants’ ability to sue, receive bail and qualify for benefits.
And except for the losers on the border-fixated fringe, not many in the restrictionist camp seem particularly chastened by the election. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, an opponent of the comprehensive reform bill that passed the Senate this year, won his race, as did several new Democrats who ran as immigration hard-liners. Local lawmakers in Texas and other states are still going after illegal immigrants with fervor.
By DEREK L. KINNER Staff WriterPALM COAST -- Three illegal immigrants are facing possible 25-year prison terms and 37 others could be on their way home after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents raided the Ocean Towers construction site at 3 Ocean Crest Drive this week.
ICE spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez said the 40 people arrested are from Honduras, Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico and Peru. They were working for two subcontractors -- Owen Electric Co. Inc. of St. Augustine and Weston Coatings of Daytona Beach, Gonzalez said. She said agents still were investigating the case Thursday.
"All facets of the incident are being evaluated," Gonzalez said. "In general, if a company knowingly hires an illegal alien, they are subject to criminal prosecution."
The three men facing possible prison terms -- Andres Melgar, Julian Nieto and Cesar Quintanilla, all of Honduras -- were charged with felonies because they returned to the U.S. after being deported, officials said.
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