WASHINGTON (March 19, 2009) — On December 12, 2006, Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel raided six meatpacking plants owned by Swift & Co. in the largest immigration enforcement action in U.S. history. The plants are located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, and Utah. A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies examines the raids and their aftermath. It notes the historical context of an industry whose workers have seen a dramatic decline in wages over the past 30 years as well as the raids’ economic effects. The report also discusses both positive and negative reactions in these six communities.

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WASHINGTON (February 17, 2009) – The Center for Immigration Studies has prepared a detailed employment breakdown for immigrants and native-born Americans based on December 2008 data, the latest publicly available. (The Department of Labor generally does not separate out unemployment statistics for immigrants and the native-born.) Among US-born blacks and Hispanics without a high school degree, unemployment is 24.7 percent and 16.2 percent respectively — two to three times the national rate.

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WASHINGTON (January 27, 2009) – In the 2004 general election, President Bush garnered perhaps 39 or 40 percent of the Latino vote. Four years later, after extensive debate on immigration, Sen. McCain received approximately 32 percent of the Latino vote. Some have suggested that the GOP’s stance on immigration has hindered political gains among Hispanic voters.

The Center for Immigration Studies has released a new Backgrounder challenging that assertion. “Latino Voting in the 2008 Election: Part of a Broader Electoral Movement,” by Prof. James G. Gimpel of the University of Maryland, argues that GOP losses in the election were not limited to Hispanic voters and not affected by the immigration debate.

Among the findings:

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By Douglas Farah*

This interesting study by the U.S. Army’s Strategic Studies Institute of the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel wars offers some important insights not only into that conflict, but why Hezbollah matters and how their actions can affect how future wars develop.

The study, first brought to public attention by the Haaretz newspaper, concludes that Hezbollah fought the war not as an “information age guerrillas,” but as a prototype of a new hybrid force that also relies on conventional tactics and structures.

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

The border fence being built along the U.S.-Mexican border is stemming the tide of illegal immigrants into America, despite claims to the contrary. The U.S. cannot absorb the political and economic problems of Latin America, nor is it obligated to do so. Some people in the politically-correct crowd oppose the border fence, probably because they feel guilty about living well while millions suffer in the developing world. Their feelings of guilt may be very real, but these emotions are based on faulty assumptions. America is doing its part on the world stage.

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By Andrew Cochran*

This morning, the U.S. Treasury is announcing a new designation of the Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI) for providing or attempting to provide financial services to Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). The Iranian regime is allegedly using the EDBI as a financing mechanism as a substitute for Bank Sepah, whose international financing capabilities have been sharply curbed since the Treasury designated it in January 2007 and persuaded our allies to join in that freeze. Contributing Experts Jonathan Winer, Matthew Levitt, Victor Comras, Michael Jacobson and I have written extensively on the series of international sanctions against Sepah and other elements of the Iranian financing system. The Treasury statement alleges that “EDBI has facilitated the ongoing procurement activities of various front companies associated with MODAFL-subordinate entities.” The Treasury designated MODAFL and associated entities in October 2007 for activities to promote Iran’s ballistic missile program.

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

The Absolut Vodka company recently ran an ad campaign which re-drew the map of North America, showing California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Texas as re-conquered by Mexico. The Absolut ad’s sentiments coincide with radical Latino groups who expouse “anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, homophobia and other expressions of hatred.” Absolut has apologized for its ridiculous ad, but too little, too late. Vote with your wallet — buy SKYY Vodka, made in the USA:

… In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican-America War (1846-1848). With the signing of this treaty, the United States gained control of what was to become the Golden West, including California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and parts of Colorado and New Mexico. Today, SKYY® Vodka, the number-one vodka produced in the United States, spoke out against suggestions by Absolut® Vodka to disregard that treaty, as well as the joining of Texas to the Union in 1845, as depicted in Absolut’s recent advertising.

“Like SKYY Vodka, the residents of states like California, Texas and Arizona are exceptionally proud of the fact that they are from the United States of America,” said Dave Karraker, SKYY Vodka. “To imply that they might be interested in changing their mailing addresses, as our competitor seems to be suggesting in their advertising, is a bit presumptuous.” …

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

So now, “THE Absolut vodka company has apologised for an advertising campaign depicting the south-western United States as part of Mexico…” This “depiction” is the same sentiment advocated by the Nation of Aztlan, which “calls for the United States to return ‘Aztlan’ territory - Aztlan being the mythic homeland of the Mexican people, or Aztecs, which according to legend is found in the American Southwest or Northern Mexico. The group’s nationalist message is blurred by frequent appeals anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, homophobia and other expressions of hatred.” Isn’t that special? Absolut sure has a strange (offensive? hateful?) — idea of its target audience. Here’s an example of the Absolut campaign imagery:

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

Mexican local and national government seems unwilling to crack down on continual gang-related drug violence. Certainly, many illegals are just seeking jobs in the U.S., but when did America become responsible for solving Mexico’s rampant corruption and unemployment problems? Certainly, a good number of illegals are drug gang members seeking to acquire turf and revenue in the U.S. Read the following, then think about whether the U.S. should have an open-door immigration policy:

Mexican medical investigators are working to identify four burned bodies discovered on a ranch near the Mexican border town of Palomas, which is across the border from Columbus, New Mexico. …

The latest violence in the border town of 8,000 came the day after the town’s chief of police requested U.S. asylum saying that he feared for his safety.

Luna County deputies and border patrol officials said that Chief Emilio Perez was under the protections of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Also last week, Colmbus Mayor Eddie Espinoza reported he had been getting a root canal in a Palomas dental office when two armed man burst in and robbed the dentist.

Officials believe the surge in violence in and around Palomas signals an escalation of a turf battle by rival drug gangs along the U.S-Mexico border.

DOH! Notice that the Palomas police chief didn’t ask the Mexican government for asylum.

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by Michael Rubin*

While the United States has focused its attention on Iranian activities in the greater Middle East, Iran has worked assiduously to expand its influence in Latin America and Africa. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s outreach in both areas has been deliberate and generously funded. He has made significant strides in Latin America, helping to embolden the anti-American bloc of Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua. In Africa, he is forging strong ties as well. The United States ignores these developments at its peril, and efforts need to be undertaken to reverse Iran’s recent gains.

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

… Chavez’s use of the words “for now” in his concession speech echo a statement he made after his failed attempt to overthrow the government in 1992. After that, “for now” became a rallying cry for his supporters. …

El Jefe Chavez lost yesterday’s election, but don’t think he’s given up on becoming Venezuela’s dictator-for-life. He blamed his own supporters for defeat, even after he tried to buy their votes. But the majority of Venezuelans saw through his cynical pandering, and instead rejected Chavez’s more megalomaniacal proposals. In the final analysis, Chavez’s election grandstanding (his big mouth) — threatening to “cut off exports of oil to the U.S., Venezuela’s biggest trading partner” — seemed to convince a majority of voters that he was a danger, not an asset, to the country.

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

The Left would have you believe that opposing illegal immigration makes you a “racist,” but according to a story in the Albuquerque Journal, “Many Hispanics are among the strongest opponents of illegal immigration.” Here’s more:

…But more than half of Hispanics say that the United States has too many immigrants from Latin America. …

These viewpoints have a voice on the national level with You Don’t Speak for Me, a Hispanic group appalled at what they see as anti-American acts by the pro-immigration movement.

Al Rodriguez, a retired U.S. Army colonel, said he started the organization in May 2006 when he saw pro-immigrant marchers take down American flags.

“That’s what really hurt me as I’m a military retiree,” he said. “I said, ‘Well, wait a minute, these folks aren’t speaking for us.’ ”

Rodriguez said his group quickly grew to more than 5,000 members. …

Of course, the usual suspects label people like Rodriguez as “traitors” (Uncle Toms).

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

Hero. Rebel. Revolutionary. These are words one often hears in association with Ernesto Che Guevara. …

- BBC

These are words one often hears about Che from historical illiterates and wannabe, middle class “revolutionaries.” You know, the ones who walk around wearing Che t-shirts; the ones whose entire belief systems are solely based on the t-shirt they are wearing. Yesterday, Cuba “officially” commemorated the 40-year anniversary of Che’s execution. This sham pageantry was in reality a commemoration of dictatorship; a reminder of the prison in which most Cubans live. Here’s a historical reminder of what Guevara really stood for:

…Che himself admitted to ordering “several thousand” executions during the first year of the Castro regime. Felix Rodriguez, the Cuban-American CIA operative who helped track him down in Bolivia and was the last person to question him, says that Che during his final talk, admitted to “a couple thousand” executions. …

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

President Hugo Chavez threatened on Monday to take over any private schools refusing to submit to the oversight of his socialist government, a move some Venezuelans fear will impose leftist ideology in the classroom. …

- Associated Press

First of all, there’s nothing “socialist” about Hugo Chavez’s Venezuelan government. Marx and Engels wanted to create a utopian “state in which the working class and poor peasantry exercised direct control on management of industry and society through democratically elected soviets or councils.” Chavez is concentrating all power in his own hands. He’s clamping down on the free press and is paling around with the very anti-Semitic Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Chavez has taken direct control of Venezuela’s oil wealth, as well as the country’s electrical and telecommunications companies. The money will certainly go into his own pockets. Most recently, Chavez has moved to take direct control of Venezuela’s central bank and military, and is busy editing the constitution to make himself president for life.

There is nothing “socialist” going on in Venezuela, just the exploits of another cheap thug following in the Castro/Mugabe/Milosevic tradition: absolute power forever. Will Venezuelan students be able to differentiate between Chavez’s megalomania and Marx and Engels’ teachings?

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By Mark Krikorian*

(Click here to read “Fixing Immigration”)

I was delighted to see Yuval Levin engage the issue of immigration, particularly its most basic element — the shape of our policy for legal immigration — rather than the conceptually simpler matter of enforcement. I also welcome some of Mr. Levin’s specific recommendations, especially that family-based immigration should extend only to the nuclear family and that assimilation into American society should be given a higher priority.

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