When I was advised that Bachmann would be scurrying into town, I decided to skedaddle on over to Sheriff Joe’s office to see what she had to say, and of course to keep the mainstream media honest. I didn’t figure anyone would ask the hard questions, or at least a question that would put her on the hot seat, particularly regarding the fact that we have millions of undocumented workers in the United States. What would she do with them if she won the most prized post as leader of the world? Of course I knew she wouldn’t answer directly when asked.
Nobody wants to admit that we are completely dependent on the low skilled undocumented labor that we import from Mexico. Nobody wants to admit that we are complicit to the existence of the undocumented workers. Everyone wants to live in denial and in the houses built by these “culprits”. They want to stuff their faces with the vegetables picked by them. They want to enjoy their manicured lawns mowed and trimmed by them, and they want to enjoy their shiny cars after going through the local car wash spiffed up by these undocumented car wash employees. The list goes on and on of jobs filled by the undocumented worker that an average American absolutely will not fill, and, if they were to work that job, they wouldn’t last.
So Bachmann answered my question like any other politician would. You know? Using code words meant to incite emotion from Immigrant haters and deniers, and meant to make her appear responsible and in tune with the topic. “We have to secure the border first”, “We have to remove those magnets that draw them here.” Blah, blah, blah.
Bachmann proved she was just another talking head out of touch with the undocumented Immigration issue, seeking to fill a job she just is absolutely not qualified to fill. She did however, look like Sheriff Joe’s drooling lap dog, looking for his endorsement by touting his stardom and by winking her enlarged eyes while converting her cynical smirk to a beauty queen smile.
As for Sheriff Joe, when asked whether he would give Bachmann his endorsement, he responded by saying that he hadn’t decided yet. Ah, Sheriff Joe, always the astute politician. Why would he commit to endorsing one candidate so early in the game when he could possibly be courted by other candidates as the Republican field narrows down to two viable candidates for the Republican nomination to replace the black man sleeping in the White House.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona and the Tucson Citizen. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
The Obama administration by and through Janet Napolitano recently issued a memorandum of sorts, ordering a case by case study of the over 300,000 detainees in federal detention centers. This memo coupled with another memo issued on June 17, 2011 by the director of Homeland Security John Morton outlining the candidates for prosecutorial discretion was taken by those opposed to unlawful immigration as a back door amnesty. On the other hand, those who are pro-Immigrant ungratefully complained that it wasn’t enough demanding a shut down of the secure communities program by President Obama.
Two extreme sides that outline today’s reality regarding the precarious immigration issue. There are many who supported a broad and unrealistic immigration reform proposal tendered by Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois, 4th) last year. An unrealistic request from a congressman who claims to champion immigration reform. On the other hand the GOP and their extremist splinter called the Tea Party, label any attempt to bring forth the immigration issue as an attempt to grant amnesty to thousands of “illegals” [sic]. The same, claims, that these are illegal Democrats and that Obama will have instant voters if some sort of immigration reform were to be instituted.
The reality is that ignorance in general from both sides regarding the immigration issue lends itself to manipulation of the masses. The pseudo leaders in the Latino community tug on the immigrants heartstrings by telling them that Obama failed them and that he is responsible for Bush’s secure communities program. They have essentially placed blinders on the immigrant community and have dangled the immigration reform carrot in front of their noses, allowing them to drag them here and there. The GOP and the Tea Party has used a combination of tactics to lead the blind. In some cases they cater to the white supremacist claiming that we are being overrun by “illegals” [sic]. They can also tug on those racists heart strings by claiming that America isn’t what it used to be since the “illegals” [sic] came in. Yet others are deceived by catering to their xenophobic tendencies by claiming that “illegals” [sic] are bringing in disease and that they are like cockroaches, dirty and unkempt. They further the paranoia for all the previous categories by claiming that the immigrants breed like rabbits and that their children want to grow up to be gang members.
The United States has been undeniably polarized by the immigration issue. In the end, just like anything else, it’s going to require a financial interest to pass immigration reform and new leaders will have to emerge. The snake oil salesmen on both sides will need to retire into obscurity allowing a responsible and more centered leadership to egress.
Finally for those pro Immigrant critics of President Obama’s policies I have linked a recent article outlining the surging effect of the Obama administration’s new policy, and for those fear mongers who claim it’s a back door amnesty, understand this, what you are seeing is a responsible and centered approach to a much needed relief for those people you currently utilize to wash your cars, cook your food, mow your lawns and build your houses.
Wait! Read the memo first!
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
I received an urgent call this morning from someone reporting that Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County Sheriff was executing a warrant at a workplace raid at the Days Inn on 7th Avenue & Camelback Rd. in Phoenix, AZ.
When I arrived I saw the familiar sheriff’s vehicles there. The mainstream media was there as well. The usual activists including Lydia Guzman was present granting her interviews to the Spanish language media. The usual garbage, preaching to the choir. Nothing new to say. You often see the same old tired faces spewing their usual nonsensical rhetoric and boring analysis of the Sheriff’s raid.
Univision tried to get Joe Arpaio to cough up information about the Obama administration’s new policy and procedure regarding prosecutorial discretion and the case by case scrutiny of the more than 300,000 detainees suspected of being in the country unlawfully. He bit his upper lip and refused to answer their question. It doesn’t matter, it would have probably been edited out by the producers or the reporter himself. When the initial story broke about the Obama administration’s change in Immigration policy, the Univision reporter did a terrible job in covering the story fairly, completely ignoring anyone supportive of the policy. Instead he focused on pessimistic Latinos who said President Obama wasn’t doing enough.
I was able to coax Arpaio in to responding to the question. It’s all in how you phrase it right? Imagine that, and I’m just a little old radio talk show host and political analyst.
Well according to what “Sheriff Joe” told me, he was looking for ten people accused of identity theft who were working at the hotel. He shared with me that they had not updated their intelligence and thought that all the employees were in full work mode when they arrived at around 8:00 AM. It turns out that because of cutbacks in hours based on the pitiful economy, they had been asked to report at 10:00 AM. Oops! misfire! Joe was only able to capture one housekeeper accused of being in the country unlawfully and usurping someone else’s identity. Wow! once again, thousands of dollars spent to capture one, or a handful of low skilled labor. Not exactly how I want my tax dollars spent.
I will note that Arpaio plans on trying to locate the AWOL employees at their homes. This is his M.O. for workplace raids. If he doesn’t locate them there, he goes to their homes. Normally they will even pursue ex-employees, if, after seizing the workplace records, they determine that previous employees were possibly using false identities.
An interesting note on this raid, is the comments that Joe Arpaio shared with me and which the mainstream media missed, was the fact that according to his investigation, this may be a good case for prosecution under the existing employer sanction law that was passed in 2007 by the legislature and that until a couple of months ago was tied up in the Supreme Court. SCOTUS upheld the employer sanction law paving the way for possible civil prosecution of employers. Something that many employers have feared since the law went into effect. We haven’t seen these employers push for immigration reform, they just invested thousands of dollars into fighting the law to avoid possible sanctions.
Could this possibly be a change in Arpaio’s strategy? Pursuing employers? I doubt it! After all these are the same people that sponsor his campaigns when reelection rolls around.
Oh, and talking about reelection, I asked Arpaio if he was preparing himself for a 2012 run for Sheriff. He was quick to correct me. “For sheriff he asked?”, “Why not for the U.S. Senate?”, “I’ve been asked to run you know?” I laughed and said “OK”, Arpaio quickly came back with ” well, either way, if I don’t run for the senate, I’ll definitely run for sheriff again.”
I do have to point out that Arpaio lashed out at me when he first saw me, stating, “I’m not happy with you”, “I saw you talking about me on TV.” “You’re getting involved in politics now” he quipped. I laughed and just shook my head. Poor guy, he forgets from one day to the next what’s going on around him. After all, I’m a radio talk show host and political analyst, that my job for God’s sake!
As he got into his brand new Chrysler Joe shouted, “hey, do you anyone that can get me a good deal on a 300?” Referring to the Chrysler 300 he used to be chauffeured in by his favorite deputies.
“Nope, I yelled, besides that, you might check their legal status knowing you.” He responded with a chuckle, “yeah, they might drive off with my car”, and off he went to chase more cooks, car washers, landscapers, housekeepers, bread makers, butchers, did I miss any of his recent raids?
Thousands of dollars spent, to chase that labor force that Arizona desperately needs, hired by hypocritical employers that hold a double standard.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
If you look up the word hypocrisy in the dictionary nowadays, you’re likely to find a picture of the Republican logo. What’s worse, is that they are shameless. They don’t care that they originally opposed stem cell research and that they now support it. They don’t care that the very wealthy pay less taxes than the poor. They don’t care that their representatives in Congress claim they are not part of the establishment while they’re sitting in Washington like fat cats stuffing their faces at luncheons and being lobbied by special interest. They are simply shameless liars. They claim one thing and do another.
I never have liked the Republican party, whom I affectionately call the Rethuglicans. There has always been this air of arrogance about them,and the hypocrisy is deeply embedded, but the new Republican and their aggressive and extreme splinter, the Tea Party, has taken hypocrisy to new heights.
Frankly, I don’t know how they look at themselves in the mirror in the morning, with what all they are doing to this country daily.
The Republicans have actually been successful in convincing many of those in the middle or lower class to shoot themselves in the foot. To watch your average American fighting for tax loopholes for the wealthy is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. It’s just plain unadulterated ignorance. They are kept wallowing in their ignorance by their political leaders and the millionaire pundits who benefit from those same tax loopholes these poor imbeciles are fighting for.
The Republicans scream class warfare as if the wealthy have to be protected from an attack. The wealthy are the ones calling the shots, funding political campaigns, buying favors and ruining this great country. Class warfare? Unbelievable!!!
The conservatives controlled by the very wealthy are the one’s hell bent on eliminating the middle class. They yearn for a class system that is defined by the very rich and the very poor. So, every time I hear a wealthy political pundit or a conservative politician scream class warfare I can’t help but see that “H” tattooed on their forehead, and every time I hear a conservative blue collar worker say the same in order to protect the very wealthy, I cringe, shake my head and wonder if this person realizes that he’ll be next in the soup line.
You may be wondering, hypocrisy? What is the actual definition? I’ve helped you out a little below.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
The answer is simple. You have no choice! The major corporations want you to, and if you don’t do it, you won’t get the service you’re looking for.
Stop blaming it on the Mexicans! Blame it on the corporations who are desperately trying to capture every red cent or greenback. They don’t give a damn about the skin color of the person who’s spending the bucks, all they want is the bucks.
It’s hilarious the way songs are created and blogs are written about how a true American shouldn’t have to press 1 for English. You hear the usual crap, like, “learn the language”, or “if you want to live in the U.S., you best learn the language buddy.” (Said with an accent from Alabama.)
These corporations could give a damn how much you hoot and holler about having to press one for English. You might as well get used to it and shut the hell up. Just press one for English and move on, unless you’re bilingual like me then I can press either one.
Hey you facilitated this monster. You’re the Tea Bagger or “Conservative” who wants to continue giving tax cuts to these major corporations who do what any good capitalist would do, capture the market. Right?
So the next time you call that corporation and you are told to press 1 for English, remember, pressing 1 facilitates another market to press 2 which creates more profits for the major corporations which according to you, creates more jobs for people like us.
So grin and bear it Mr. capitalist, conservative, Tea Bagging complainer. It’s capitalism 1-0-1.
Press 1 For English, Press 2 For Capitalism
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
I think the obvious answer is yes. Well, let’s clarify what president I’m referring to. I’m in fact referring to Russell Pearce, Arizona’s senate president. According to Pearce, in a letter sent out to his supporters, he calls himself the senate Tea Party president. What an absolute joke. This man is like a leech on an a jack-ass’ arse. He’ll bleed anything around him so long as he can survive and fill his spineless body with that much needed blood.
It’s obvious Jan Brewer is stepping up to the plate for Pearce because she owes him big time. After all it was his anti-immigrant legislation SB1070 that propelled this inept, ex secretary of state, and worthless ex legislator to the top. Brewer has never denied it. Brewer is in fact the “sitting” governor of the state of Arizona, and that’s about as far as it goes. She is allowed to sit on the throne, but Pearce is actually our defacto Arizona governor. Pearce made his position very clear during a Sunday Square Off interview in which he said he was a co-partner in running this state and that, according to Pearce, “you can’t ignore the fact that senate bill 1070 had an impact on the governor’s race.” Anyway you want to spin that comment, politically it means one thing, you owe me big time guv.
So now that Pearce is in trouble, well, let me rephrase that, now that he has been placed in the predicament of a hasty election in November, Janice is groveling for money for her “dance partner”, of course he’s taken the lead as any self respecting chauvinistic Tea Party politician would in this political tango.
In any event Jan Brewer’s intervention in the upcoming November 8, 2011 election is barefaced and unapologetic, after all, she owes a debt. It’s quid pro quo time and Pearce has called in his chips, and Brewer has diligently responded like any cheap ballerina would with, what’s your song of choice Mr. Pearce? (make sure you read that with a southern drawl)
Pearce takes the lead in this political tango
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM and every Saturday from 9-11 AM on KXXT 1010 AM Phoenix or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
Frankly I’m disgusted with the behavior of these so called conservatives. They aren’t conservatives. They’re hypocrites. Two face, double dealing liars, labeling themselves as Republicans. Many of them claiming to be Christians. I call them domestic terrorists. They’re not only responsible for allowing the worst attack on U.S. soil under their idol George Bush’s regime, but they have systematically ruined this country. The Republican’s behavior is appalling and disgusting.
Why are we putting up with these worthless traitors that call themselves Americans? They empower themselves by wearing guns strapped to their waist and flaunting their large cache of weapons. Why don’t we all do the same? They fly the American flag as if it only belongs to them. Why aren’t we taking back patriotism. We own patriotism just as much as they do, and don’t you forget it. Why aren’t we using the same rhetoric as they are? In fact, let’s do it! Lock and load! Don’t retreat, reload! Fight fire with fire! We have allowed these bottom feeders to take over this country, and for what reason? Because we want to take the high road? There is no high road nowadays. There is just one road! It’s one lane, and we shouldn’t move over! Let’s walk, drive, barrel right over these road hogs. Let’s take this country back from these parasitic mutated creatures called Republicans.
If we don’t do something now, we will certainly see a communist country brought to you courtesy of the cockroaches after they finish George Bush’s dirty work by selling the country off to China. Hell, they own our debt, they just about own our land.
These Republican leeches idolize Ronald Reagan and preach from the no tax bible, and yet Reagan raised taxes 11 times when he was in office. Half of these parasites don’t possess critical thinking skills, let alone the ability to actually do any research. They follow the monkey see monkey do mentality, if they heard it from another primate, they repeat it themselves regardless of the consequences to themselves, their family or their country.
They’re so willing to be right, that they sink this country and unfortunately the left will actually apologize! Let’s put a stop to this mayhem, the next time you hear a loudmouth lying Republican open his lying trap, set him straight and send him packing.
As far as I’m concerned, as long as they keep stomping on the right side of the scales, I’m going to stomp on the left, hell, I’ll go one further, I’ll push them of the scales! Politically of course! It’s nothing different than what they’ve been doing to us and this country.
Oh, and for you Republicans that are pitching a fit right now, calling me a hater, and an inciter of violence, and so on and so forth. Please, don’t take this out of context. It’s all just related to politics and not meant to be offensive.
Thanks Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and the rest of you right wing demagogues, I took a page out of your book.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
Within the next couple of weeks the Arizona Department of Corrections will be recommending the company or companies that will be awarded a contract with the State of Arizona. That private detention corporation(s) will be charged with building a couple of new facilities to house inmates.
Although we’ve seen a decline in crime and a decline in a need for new facilities, the private prison industry continues to expand their operations in Arizona by and through relationships like the one they maintain with Chuck Coughlin who owns and runs High Ground Public Affairs and who in turn lobbies for Corrections Corporation of America. Coughlin, amazingly enough, is Governor Jan Brewer’s top political adviser. Although much of this may be a refresher course for many of you, it’s crucial to set the foundation for those who may not be aware of these very highly publicized facts.
In a declining market, a bad economy, and desperately trying to pull out of a recession, we find that the private prison industry has established ties that have allowed it to continue profiting to the tune of 5 billion dollars per year. Like a game of chess, the pawns were put in place while many Arizonans were sleeping on the political job. Once established these private corrections corporations have been able to maintain many states in a virtual checkmate.
As an example of failed policies and unneeded private prisons or as many of us call them, concentration camps, we need to look at Littlefield Texas who bought into the idea of building a private prison. Hell the idea seemed good enough. The private corrections corporation would build the prison at their own cost. There would be no subsidiaries in the form of taxpayer money and everything would be done up to code. Once built, profits would be shared, it would create jobs, it sounded like a great plan, especially given the fact that many of these prisons depend on undocumented Immigrants to fill them, and of course, officials in Littlefield are well aware of Texas’ stand on illegal immigration and the enacting of laws that are aimed at the undocumented Immigrant, therefore creating more prisoners to fill those jails.
Somehow the perfect model collapsed and Littlefield is stuck with a private prison that nobody wants and that is actually costing them money to maintain. In fact for the last couple of years Littlefield is having to dish out $65,000.00 a month to pay the note on the prison. The corrections corporation giant GEO bailed out and the contractors and snake oil salesmen all made their money leaving Littlefield holding the jailer’s keys.
What Littlefield and those in the private prison industry did not take into consideration is the fact that creating these laws would cause panic amongst their potential dweller, which would in turn caused a massive exodus from those states who would most likely benefit from incarcerating these potential inmates.
Another factor not considered by the private prison industry or those seeking to profit from the incarceration of Immigrants is the fact that securing the border has swayed many from making that dangerous trek across our border. Therefore denying the private prison industry of the desperately needed fodder for their private prisons.
I would imagine that there must be a behind the scenes struggle between the private prison industry who seeks a porous border in order to allow their favorite customers in and the Tea Party driven politician who insists that they want an even more secure border further damaging profits for private corrections purveyors.
In any event, Arizona is hell bent on building more private prisons. They have a commitment to those correctional giants and by golly they plan on keeping their word. So who’s going to be building these new prisons? Who get’s the latest contract? They’ve all got horrible track records, from escape, to abusing inmates, although, I don’t think Clarence Thomas would object to the latter, seeing as how he has displayed his support for inmate abuse by rendering dissenting opinions on such matters from the SCOTUS bench, however, that’s another story for another time. Let’s take a look at the bidders’ track record.
The bidders
Those companies are:
- Geo Group Inc., of Boca Raton, Fla. A publicly-traded company, Geo operates about 80,000 prison beds at 116 federal, state and local prisons and treatment facilities in the U.S. and three other countries. It reported $62.8 million in net income on $1.27 billion in revenues for its most recent fiscal year ending Jan. 2. It operates three prisons under contract with the Arizona Department of Corrections: the Central Arizona Correctional Facility (medium security) in Florence, and the minimum-security Phoenix West and Florence West prisons.
Geo has had at least 27 escapes in the past seven years, according to press accounts, including one three years ago that led to a murder in a convenience store in Houston. In 2007, Texas canceled an $8 million contract with Geo and closed the Coke County Juvenile Justice Center, citing filthy conditions. The company is currently fighting a suit by the American Civil Liberties Union alleging the use of excessive force, and unconstitutional and barbaric conditions at its Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility in Walnut Grove, Miss. Meanwhile, the FBI and a federal grand jury are investigating alleged illegalities in the appropriations and the construction of Geo’s $120 million Blackwater River Correctional Facility in Florida. The company did not respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment.
- Management & Training Corp., of Centerville, Utah. A privately-held company, MTC operates 20 prisons in seven states, with a capacity of 26,000 prisoners. It does not publicly release financial data. It began in 1981 operating federal Job Corps centers. MTC operates two prisons under contract with the Arizona Department of Corrections, a medium/minimum security facility in Kingman and a minimum-security facility at Marana.
MTC currently faces lawsuits over the deaths of an Oklahoma couple killed after three inmates escaped from its Kingman prison last year. The company has also had escapes from prisons it operates in Texas and Utah. In two separate instances, it has been ordered by the U.S. Department of Labor to repay a total of more than $650,000 in back wages to officers from whom it withheld overtime pay in Texas and four other states. MTC spokeswoman Issa Arnita noted that the Utah escapees were inmates working outside the prison. And she said MTC added razor wire – not then required by Texas at minimum-security facilities – after the Texas escapes. She said that after the Department of Labor determination, MTC voluntarily audited all its facilities and compensated any employees who were due back wages.
- Correctional Corp. of America, of Nashville, Tenn. CCA is the largest private-prison company in the U.S., housing about 80,000 federal and state prisoners in 66 facilities across 19 states and the District of Columbia. A publicly-traded company, CCA reported net income of $157 million on $1.67 billion in revenues for 2010. It has no contracts with the Arizona Department of Corrections, but houses federal inmates and inmates from Hawaii, California and Washington at six prisons in Eloy and Florence.
CCA has had at least 21 escapes at various facilities over the past decade, including several that have led to assaults and other crimes. CCA also faces several lawsuits over its Idaho Correctional Center, dubbed the “Gladiator School” for allegations that guards and supervisors there regularly allowed violent inmates to assault and beat other inmates during 2009 and 2010. In January 2010, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear ordered hundreds of female prisoners removed from CCA’s Otter Creek Correctional Complex after a series of charges that guards regularly sexually assaulted female inmates there. CCA did not respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment.
- Emerald Correctional Management, of Lafayette, La. A privately-held company, Emerald operates about 3,800 beds at six federal, state and local prisons. It has no contracts with the Arizona Department of Corrections, but operates the San Luis Regional Detention Center south of Yuma in partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It has had at least five escapes in the past decade.
Last year, the Houston Chronicle, reporting on the death of a Cuban immigrant, investigated the company’s Rolling Plains Regional Jail and Detention Center in Texas. It noted that the company had no doctors to care for more than 500 immigration detainees at the facility, using only poorly supervised vocational nurses. Emerald did not respond to calls for comment.
- LaSalle Southwest Corrections, of Ruston, La. A privately-held company, LaSalle operates about 7,700 beds at 12 prisons in Texas and Louisiana. It has no contracts with the Arizona Department of Corrections. It has had eight escapes in the past six years, including three of minimum-security prisoners who walked away while on work crews outside the prisons.
Source: www.azcentral.com
The corporate giant’s on this list have successfully bought their way into Arizona politics utilizing the hot button issue nowadays “immigration”, while funding local corrupt and profoundly racist politicians. I really doubt that Arizona will end up with a Littlefield, Texas problem, especially given the fact that if anything does go wrong, Arizona’s Republican led administration will ensure that you, the tax payer, flip the bill for their mistakes.
Welcome to Arizona, where everything is for sale to the highest bidder, from the Arizona State Capitol Building that’s already been sold, to the politicians contained within that are bought and sold daily, to our Immigrant labor that can be used for profit by corporations involved in manufacturing, agriculture, food, or the latest, the correctional industry.
America Tangled In The Private Prison Industry
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
On June 17, 2011 the Director of the Department of Homeland Security issued a stunning memorandum to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The memo in part read as follows:
This memorandum provides U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel guidance on the exercise of prosecutorial discretion to ensure that the agency’s immigration enforcement resources are focused on the agency’s enforcement priorities. The memorandum also serves to make clear which agency employees may exercise prosecutorial discretion and what factors should be considered.
The turnabout in change and policy is a win for President Barack Obama and helps neutralize those who have been critical of his administration regarding Immigration policy and in particular enforcement, especially when it comes to the secure communities program placed in effect under the Bush administration, but that has continued in force under the Obama administration.
Pro Immigration advocates have been extremely critical of President Obama calling for a halt to deportations and immediate relief from congress in the form of the controversial legislation titled “Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act”, commonly referred to as the Dream Act. The Dream Act was originally penned and presented in August of 2001 and subsequently reintroduced once again to the Senate in May of 2011.
The memo issued by Morton addresses “Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion Consistent with the Priorities of the Agency for the Apprehension, Detention, and Removal of Aliens.” Which includes the following:
• settling or dismissing a proceeding;
• granting deferred action, granting parole, or staying a final order of removal;
• agreeing to voluntary departure, the withdrawal of an application for admission, or other action in lieu of obtaining a formal order of removal;
• pursuing an appeal;
• executing a removal order; and
• responding to or joining in a motion to reopen removal proceedings and to consider joining in a motion to grant relief or a benefit.
Morton’s memo makes it clear that certain factors should be taken into consideration while excogitating prosecution of individuals in the United Stated unlawfully. The memo refers to the first set of these as positive factors. These individuals would essentially be given priority in expediting their cases for possible immediate release or deferral of arrest or prosecution.
The following positive factors should prompt particular care and consideration:
• veterans and members of the U.S. armed forces;
• long-time lawful permanent residents;
• minors and elderly individuals;
• individuals present in the United States since childhood;
• pregnant or nursing women;
• victims of domestic violence; trafficking, or other serious crimes;
• individuals who suffer from a serious mental or physical disability; and
• individuals with serious health conditions.
The next set is equally as important and further specifies those who would once again qualify for immediate release or deferral of arrest or prosecution.
The factors utilized for the following set would be what would essentially offer an escape valve for what are commonly referred to as the Dream Act students or for spouses of individuals married to U.S. Citizens or legal permanent residents who currently don’t qualify for relief under the existing Immigration statutes. Amongst those categories are the following:
• the agency’s civil immigration enforcement priorities;
• the person’s length of presence in the United States, with particular consideration given to presence while in lawful status;
• the circumstances of the person’s arrival in the United States and the manner of his or her entry,particularly if the alien came to the United States as a young child;
• the person’s pursuit of education in the United States, with particular consideration given to those who have graduated from a U.S. high school or have successfully pursued or are pursuing a college or advanced degrees at a legitimate institution of higher education in the United States;
• whether the person, or the person’s immediate relative,has served in the U.S. military, reserves, or national guard, with particular consideration given to those who served in combat;
• the person’s criminal history, including arrests, prior convictions, or outstanding arrest warrants;
• the person’s immigration history, including any prior removal, outstanding order of removal, prior denial of status, or evidence of fraud;
• whether the person poses a national security or public safety concern;
• the person’s ties and contributions to the community, including family relationships;
• the person’s ties to the home country and condition~ in the country;
• the person’s age, with particular consideration given to minors and the elderly;
• whether the person has a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, child, or parent;
• whether the person is the primary caretaker of a person with a mental or physical disability, minor, or seriously ill relative; ;
• whether the person or the person’s spouse is pregnant or nursing;
• whether the person or the person’s spouse suffers from severe mental or physical illness;
• whether the person’s nationality renders removal unlikely;
• Whether the person is likely to be granted temporary or permanent status or other relief from removal, including as a relative of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
• whether the person is likely to be granted temporary or permanent status or other relief from removal, including as an asylum seeker, or a victim of domestic violence, human trafficking, or other crime; . and .
• whether the person is currently cooperating or has cooperated with federal, state or local law enforcement authorities, such as ICE, the U.S Attorneys or Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, or National Labor Relations Board, among others.
It’s clear that Morton’s memo was a directive from the White House to Janet Napolitano the Secretary of Homeland Security, and was meant as a form of relief for what many see as an unjust prosecution of young adults who were brought to the U.S. as children by their parents.
It’s important to note that many of the adult Immigrants currently residing in the United States have been here most of their lives and have been integrated into the existing workforce that the U.S. desperately relies on for their low skilled labor.
The broadening of the prosecutorial discretion suggested in this memorandum will provide relief for a large majority of those currently listed as part of those 12 to 20 million undocumented Immigrants currently believed to be in the United States and could very well be a changing trend in how DHS deals with unlawful Immigrants that do not pose a security threat to the Unites States or its citizens, potentially setting the tempo for Comprehensive Immigration Reform within congress.
Carlos what do you think about those saying no support for Obama until he stops deporting?
My response may make some of you angry, but at least you know I am honest. I say what many of you think, but are not willing to say. By the way, the Rethuglicans need not jump on board. You are what’s wrong with Arizona and the United States.
So here is my response to the aforementioned question:
It’s the typical shoot yourself in the foot mentality. Let’s see what’s the alternative? Romney? Nah, don’t think he’ll stop the deportations! Oh, I know, Herman Cain, oh…he is afraid of Muslims and he said they shouldn’t permit birthright citizenship for children of undocumented parents, Ron Paul said the same! So he’s not the guy! Should I go on?
We all know there won’t be opposition from the Dems in the primary, so……. It’s Obama and whomever the Rethuglicans nominate. So would we want any of those thugs sitting as Commander in Chief. Will they stop the deportations? NO….We know how much the GOP uses the undocumented people issue to rev up their base!
All these nay sayers are hurting because of what is happening to our people. I am too. Believe me I advocate every day and have been arrested and threatened and my wife was even assaulted, However, I’m a pragmatist while still allowing myself to dream at least a little. These nay sayers that claim they won’t support President Obama should just stop with their support of the Rethuglicans! Oh, did I say that out loud?
Any negative feedback for President Obama lends credibility to the right’s complaints and fuels the fire. It’s time the Dem lights and the failed leaders shut up! They didn’t do a damn thing when Bush was in office! Most of these policies, including the “secure communities” program were put in place under Bush’s administration.
These pseudo leaders and pseudo activists ran their non-profits, marched people in the streets and refused to register them to vote. Then they expected to bully their way through the political system. For years they profited from the oppressed who yearn for CIR. They have failed to properly lead and meet the needs of our beloved undocumented friends and family members. They didn’t stop to realize that the Blacks were in line, the gays were in line, the people demanding health care were in line, the Dems with power who supported Obama were in line. Everyone had and has had their hand out. No! They’ve had their fists out! They have been pounding it, insisting they will bail out on any support for President Obama if he doesn’t cough up what they want.
Victoria, just stop and think, if each state would have had the proper leadership, and had they been pragmatists when they saw what Bush was doing and how Immigrants were being used as scapegoats, they could have and should have prevented this attack at a state level.
However, you see these same activists in bed with the police chiefs who are more harmful with their police forces than Joe Arpaio! Daily they detain and arrest our people for things that are absurd, e.g. broken tail lights, broken windshields etc. They then take them to the local jail for processing through the 287g program. You have never seen these pseudo activists or pseudo leaders go after the local politicians, such as the mayors who hold hands with these police chiefs. They don’t go after the city council members who pass city rules that deny the acceptance of the matricula consular as an alternative identification to present to police officers, like they did here in Phoenix many years before the actual matricula law was passed this legislative session.
No Victoria, this is a much more complex issue. The local pseudo leaders and activists in each state and each “Latino” organization like to point fingers and yell at President Obama.
In the end, it diverts attention from their failed leadership.
In solidarity,
Carlos E. Galindo
What's your option? A Rethuglican?
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
