ICE Raids Bay Area Taqueria Chain

El Tecolote, News Brief, Rose Arrieta, Posted: May 02, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO -- On the heels of the May Day / Immigration Rights march, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided a chain of taquerias in the Bay Area May 2.

ICE agents fanned out across 11 Taqueria El Balazo restaurants and detained 60 workers.

“It was not a random enforcement action,” stated Virgina Kice, western regional spokeswoman for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “We were gathering evidence as part of an ongoing investigation, and while doing that we did encounter 60 individuals who did not have authorization to work in the U.S.,” she said.

Larisa Casillas, director of Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition said she believes otherwise.

“I don’t think it is a coincidence that this happened a day after May Day. It wreaks havoc on the community,” she said, adding, “When they hit a popular taqueria with a series of raids it sends a message, and our message back is that we need immigration reform. These are people who are working and contributing to the economic health of our region,” she said.

Related Articles:

Immigration Raids Can Cost L.A. Millions

ICE Plans to Deport All Undocumented by 2012

Movie Shines Light on Dark Side of Detention


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User Comments


aaron aarons on May 05, 2008 at 02:23:11 said:

The "massacres by out-of-control street gangs"? You mean the killings of thousands of Iraqis every month by the United Snakes Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, Blackwater mercenaries. and such? I guess you don't, since you refer to gangs that "threatens anybody who STEPS IN their neighborhood" [emphasis added] and the gangs that I just mentioned threaten anybody who COMES WITHIN 10,000 MILES OF their neighborhood.


Brittanicus on May 04, 2008 at 18:30:45 said:

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, California's governor and the bunch of sheep in city hall, who timidly follow without question. They all bow to the special interests groups, that run a monopoly in Los Angeles. They illegally strangled proposition 187, then added added the Sanctuary city ordinance (Special order 40). Its consequences has been the massacres by out-of-control street gangs, that threatens anybody who steps in their neighborhood. It killed a young black man, whose only crime was to be on their turf at the wrong time. 'Jamiels Law' should be enacted to protect innocent citizens and Chief of Police Bratton's Special Order 40 should be eradicated and leave the police enquire the status of anybody they question.
If California citizens demand their Democratic lawmakers co-author the pending federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) it will not only strengthen other state laws, but also remove the obnoxious stain from Los Angeles called a SANCTUARY CITY. Los Angeles city government needs a good cleaning and its putrefaction should be emptied down the gutter and washed away with the other waste.

Copy & past and distribute freely.


GlassTopUS on May 04, 2008 at 10:45:49 said:

Bunch of Cowards going after working people... what about the WMD in Iraq? the Soaring Gas Prices the Housing Crisis, and Everyone else why is this Bigotry and Racism directed to the Mexicans... Very Hateful people trying to justify why they hate people who are working and contributing to this country... I would say your all just plain and simply EVIL people. got to hate something or someone cause you can't love the person in the mirror. Why the Mexicans Chinese own your asses? Middle Easterner's out number and probably outsmarted you (all your tech jobs are now their tech jobs) Evil has come to California there is no doubt. Mexicans have been here for a very, very long time so it's obviously not them. Go Find the WMD that way you can bilk the American's out of more $$.


aaron aarons on May 03, 2008 at 23:05:04 said:

Again I'll point out the hypocrisy of U.S.-ians who are silent when their fellow countryscum invade and/or bomb other countries and kill sometimes millions of people, but who get their panties in a knot when people from another country peacefully enter "their" country to do useful work. I don't expect any of the AmeriKKKan-chauvinist trolls to answer this point, but I'll continue to make this and related points to dilute the impact of their fecal verbiage.


Fred on May 03, 2008 at 21:30:23 said:

funny how most of our grandparents, great grandparents, and even some parents did it (immigrated) the hard way but the right way, not to mention legally, and not to mention learned English and did not partake of free medical care or welfare to have their babies. And for the most part, a sponsor was required before they even set sail! That said, the excuses heard in the current situation are not viable. The government has been and continues to be remiss. One of the things I hear often..."well we really need this cheap labor to...pick apples, cherries, harvest crops"...etcetcetc. It is SO easy...all we need is a central computer system wherein the U.S.growers could request farm labor during season, applications could be taken from willing laborers from Mexico, (as well as the U.S.!!!) work permits issued, along with fingerprints, photo ID's, DNA also, then laborers airbused to locations, and when season is over, airbused back to Mexico. I recently read that Spain, with a similar situation to the U.S. but with the Albanian illegal immigrants resolved this by allowing only MOTHERS to be given work permits. They were given decent housing. Not allowed to bring their children. When seasonal harvest was over, they had to return to Albania, and did so willingly to return to their children. Why are we in the U.S. SO stupid???? I could go downtown in my town and pick 5 people randomly off the street who could make better, wiser, decisions that all of the politicians in office put together. Not to mention the dodo birds spending trillions and owned by the big corporations, pharmas, lobbyists -running for the big cheese job...what are we to DO?
If you have any doubts about this mess, log onto one of the news alerts, such as Yahoo News Alert, selecting illegal immigration, drug cartels, border violence as topics for Alerts. Tons of cocaine, marijuana get into the U.S. daily from Mexico. Columbia has taken a back seat. Do you want your kids, grandkids, neighborhood kids to have access to these drugs? Well, inform yourself, and then make yourself heard. Don't speak Softly! Speak Loudly AND carry a big stick!!!If you don't hire the illegals, and don't patronize those businesses who do, the problem will solve itself without the stupid government wimps. Arizona has done a great job of passing laws...but our jails are loaded with illegals, the street corner hiring locations are filled with dozens and dozens of illegals waiting to be picked up for a days work. So where are the "teeth" in these lofty new laws? YOU can make a difference...think about it. I personally will not patronize a restaurant hiring illegals (yes, I call first and ASK) nor will I purchase chicken, as an example, from such companies as Pilgrims Pride who hire hundreds and hundreds of illegals...if all of us observed such principles it would have a mighty impact. Meanwhile, in this economy, jobs are SCARCE...there are young, capable college graduates working at places like Wal-Mart checking out groceries. We've got our own problems, big time...why should we take on Mexico's? The Mexican government needs to take on this problem. I am NOT against immigration...our nation was built on this premise. I AM against illegal immigration which preys on the fair and just laws of this country as well as taking advantage of the safety nets in place for our elderly and displaced legal citizens. And WE, YOU, all who pay taxes are supporting this situation with your hard earned dollars!!!
One more thing...take notice of those speaking loudest as "advocates" of illegal workers...usually they are those who profit greatly by taking advantage of cheap cheap cheap labor! I could name a few in Arizona that you would immediately recognize names, even if you never got out of North Dakota.
Luz y Paz. Bless our Country.


nwkerr2005 on May 03, 2008 at 08:06:04 said:

Go ICE Go! We support you. If you vote Democrat this year, you are voting for open borders and La Raza. We need to fine the crap out of employers of illegals, mayors of sanctuary cities, and close our borders. We also need to call congress and urge them to vote for the SAVE act.


aaron aarons on May 03, 2008 at 01:26:15 said:

I suppose that if, instead of coming here peacefully to work, Mexicans came to the U.S. the way AmeriKKKans came to Iraq, and behaved similarly when here, they'd be treated with a lot more respect.


aaron aarons on May 03, 2008 at 01:15:26 said:

I suppose that if, instead of coming here peacefully to work, Mexicans came to the U.S. the way AmeriKKKans came to Iraq, and behaved similarly when here, they'd be treated with a lot more respect.


Edgar on May 02, 2008 at 20:17:03 said:

The illegal panderes cry wolf because ICE is enforcing the law. So what if its after May Day! ICE should have rounded up all the illegals that were marching.
Kudos to every ICE agent!


Vincent on May 02, 2008 at 19:37:02 said:

United States war veterans know we need immigration reform. It is called enforcement, apprehension,and the quick deportment of every person who is in the United States illegally.
We get sick in the stomach to watch our nation's invasion, after all we have done and sacrificed to keep America safe for it's citizens. Many have paid the ultimate price of life itself. Nobody who is not a citizen should be allowed to be here with impunity.
Our government does not govern when it sets aside laws by refusing to enforce them.
Demand enforcement of U.S. immigration law.
Your turn, Mr. Citizen. Throw the traitors out of office and elect people who will enforce our laws!


Stephen on May 02, 2008 at 18:27:49 said:

ICE needs to make California a priority! We have over half of all illegal aliens in the nation. We have worthless traitors in office that don't care about American citizens. ICE needs to have 1,000 raids daily in order to clean up the problem that our politicians and corporations have caused. Vote out all traitors and don't do business with anyone hiring illegal aliens. The free ride is over. Be legal or be gone!


Brittanicus on May 02, 2008 at 17:33:48 said:

Immigration has direct massive negative consequences on today's and yesterdays economy. It is all encompassing your Jobs and economic growth, energy independence, health care access, education and an overcrowded prison system. All these issues are impacted by the 12 to 30 million illegal immigration invasion. This issue is all encompassing because illegal aliens are no longer taking jobs Americans wont do. Remember the new President will enact a massive AMNESTY, then that promotes an open-door for millions more to come; compliments of the Globalists.

A few states now are representing the American taxpayers, such as Arizona, Georgia, Oklahoma and Rhode Island, instead of the special interest lobby. It's taken forty years of complete inattention or betrayal by Washington and timid Governors, Mayors and their lieutenants. Now they must face up to the fact that the majority of taxpayers are sick and tired, of being a welfare system for big business who hire cheap illegal labor.
Find out the unsuppressed truth at these websites: GRASSFIRE, NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIAL WATCH, LIBERTY POST, IMMIGRATION NEWS INDEXER, UNIPAC and VDARE.

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