[Guest post by DRJ]

Yesterday, Rhode Island’s Governor Carcieri announced a six-point executive order to address illegal immigration because the federal government won’t:

“Governor Carcieri yesterday signed a six-point executive order he said will enable “a vast array of state government agencies” to address illegal immigration in Rhode Island.

He said he did so because the federal government has dropped the ball on immigration reform and left state taxpayers to pick up what he said are the considerable costs of illegal immigration.
***
“The motive is to get control of an issue that has to be dealt with,” he said. “If you’re here illegally, you shouldn’t be here.”

The measure will require state agencies and vendors to verify the legal status of all employees; allow the state to inform people whose identity has been stolen; and directs Rhode Island State Police and Department of Corrections to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “to ensure federal immigration law is enforced.” The agreements between the state police and the DOC have yet to be worked out.

“Unfortunately, over the last few decades, the federal government has consistently ignored the complex issue of illegal immigration,” said Carcieri. “As a result, the flow of illegal immigrants has become epidemic, with the consequential costs being borne by state taxpayers.”

The governor said the Pew Hispanic Center currently estimates there are 40,000 illegal immigrants in Rhode Island, more, he noted, “than the population of most of our state’s cities and towns. This puts a tremendous strain upon our public schools, hospitals, state and local human-services organizations and law enforcement agencies.”

The Governor said the first focus will be to deport criminal aliens:

““We are not going to businesses and places of employment looking for people. That’s not our role. We focus more on criminal aliens — those who are in the country illegally, committing crimes,” O’Donnell said. “We understand it’s a volatile issue but that’s our opinion — whatever is illegal … we can’t turn our backs on it. On the flip side, we could be found criminally or civilly liable for failure to act.”

Remind you of something? I’m thinking Deport the Criminals First.

— DRJ

[posted by Justin Levine]

DRJ has already posted about the story. Michelle Malkin now supplies just a small fraction of the appropriate amount of outrage.

How can such total and complete corruption exist in our government? I continue to be astonished by what utter scumbags our so-called leaders have proven themselves to be time and time again.

– Justin Levine

[Guest post by DRJ]

Texas authorities believe they have removed all of the children from the FDLS-Jeffs’ ranch in Eldorado, Texas – a total of 416 – and today in court the FDLS attorney acknowledged the state has an interest in investigating claims of abuse:

“An attorney for a polygamist sect conceded in court today that the state has an interest in searching its compound because of allegations of physical and sexual abuse.

San Antonio attorney Gerald H. Goldstein argued, however, that the search should be conducted in a way that doesn’t denigrate the religious beliefs of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

State District Judge Barbara Walther — who earlier granted the search warrant and agreed to allow the state to take temporary custody of 416 children — encouraged lawyers for the church and the government at today’s hearing to come to agreement on several issues involving the way the search is conducted.

The lawyers agreed to set up a procedure to protect confidential matters involving attorney-client privilege before the state examines computer records and other items seized during the search. A special master will be appointed and all seized items will be sealed.”

All 416 children have been interviewed and authorities have filed court affidavits alleging a “pervasive pattern and practice” of forced marriage and sexual abuse:

“There is a pervasive pattern and practice of indoctrinating and grooming minor female children to accept spiritual marriages to adult male members of the YFZ Ranch resulting in them being sexually abused,” according to the sworn statement by Child Protective Services investigator Lynn McFadden.

“Similarly, minor boys residing on the YFZ Ranch after they become adults are spiritually married to minor female children and engage in sexual relationships with them,” the affidavit states.”

Texas authorities have completed their search and all of the children have been accounted for except the 16-year-old girl who sparked the search. As noted in the first link, authorities fear for her safety.

UPDATE 4/9/2008 – Fox News reports:

“Young teenage girls at a polygamist compound in West Texas were required to have sex in a soaring temple after they were married in sect-recognized unions, according to newly unsealed court documents.
***
The affidavit unsealed Wednesday mentions a 16-year-old girl who has four children.“

Related posts here, here, here, and here.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

San Francisco is the only American stop for the Olympic torch as it makes its way to China. Unfortunately for the supporters and protesters, the route was rescheduled to places where no one expected it. As SFGate reported, it was “a much more low-key event than anticipated:”

“San Francisco leaders surprised thousands of supporters and protesters today by rerouting the Beijing Olympic torch run from its advertised route to a picturesque course that avoided the throngs of demonstrators along the Embarcadero.

The result was a much more low-key event than anticipated.

Some protesters caught up to the run along its surprise route, but most stayed at Justin Herman Plaza, where a closing ceremony was planned. That ceremony was canceled in lieu of a quieter affair at San Francisco International Airport. The torch is expected to leave for Buenos Aires on a China Airways flight.”

Like a weary tourist who just wants to get home, the torch tour was cut short (presumably at the request of city officials) and they may even have skipped the “quieter affair” at the airport:

“Officials say the Olympic flame was taken directly to a plane at San Francisco International Airport, skipping an appearance at the closing ceremony.”

I’m glad no one was hurt but the visit turned out to be a pointless gesture and a waste of time and resources. Sadly, I’m not surprised that it happened in our PC City by the Bay.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Congratulations to the JD family on the birth today of beautiful Madeline Grace.

PW’s Dan Collins has already posted on the big news so I’ll add our online best wishes.

JD, I hope you spend some time every night teaching Madeline to comment and blog.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Campaigning in Pennsylvania, Barack Obama was asked about Hillary Clinton’s call to boycott the opening of the Olympic Games in China and ABC reports he ducked the question:

“ABC News’ Sunlen Miller Reports: Barack Obama doesn’t seem to want to talk about the Olympics or Senator Clinton’s call for a boycott of the opening ceremonies on August 8, 2008.

At a town hall in Malvern, Pennsylvania, Obama, D-Ill., was asked about U.S. policy toward Tibet and Darfur, especially in light of the forthcoming Olympics in Beijing this summer.

Obama has not followed Clinton’s lead in calling for an opening ceremony boycott to protest China’s human rights abuses in Tibet and Darfur.

“It’s very hard to tell your banker that he’s wrong,” Obama said, after talking about the need to restore America’s stance in the world, “And if we are running huge deficits and big national debts and we’re borrowing money constantly from China, that gives us less leverage. It give us less leverage to talk about human rights, it also is giving us less leverage to talk about the uneven trading relationship that we have with China.”

Obama never once mentioned the Olympic Games in his response.

He did say the United States has not been “consistent enough and tough enough” toward “pushing (China) to deal with Tibet properly.”

ABC states that Obama has a “particularly tricky balancing act” because Chicago is bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games and Obama’s campaign advisor and friend, Valerie Jarrett, is vice chair of the bid committee.

It’s hard to believe that a President Obama would get tough with China given his view that China is the world’s banker and “it’s very hard to tell your banker when he’s wrong.” Apparently Obama won’t even risk offending the Olympic selection committee for the 2016 games. Is there anyone he’ll get tough with?

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

The family of Jamiel Shaw Jr., the Los Angeles High football star who was shot last month, has asked the LA City Council to do more to identify and deport criminal aliens. Jamiel’s alleged killer is an illegal immigrant who had been released from jail:

“The attack on the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Order 40 — which limits when officers can ask about the citizenship status of suspects — has come largely but not exclusively from anti-illegal-immigration forces.

But now the order has a new and potentially potent foe: the family of Jamiel Shaw Jr., the Los Angeles High football star who was killed last month. Police have charged a gang member who was in the country illegally with Shaw’s slaying.

Jamiel Shaw Sr. and his wife, Anita, a U.S. Army sergeant who has been serving in Iraq, appeared before the City Council on Tuesday arguing for changes to the 30-year-old Los Angeles Police Department policy as it pertains to gang members suspected of being illegal immigrants.

Shaw Sr. proposed that LAPD policy be changed so officers would routinely check the immigration status of known gang members who are crime suspects — which he said would make it easier to immediately deport them.

“If you’re a gang member who is suspected of committing a crime, why can’t they check a database at the police station to see if you’re here illegally? Why can’t they check a database at the jail?” Shaw asked.”

Why can’t they, indeed?

— DRJ