Beserk Gunman of the Month

[lilpup]

check out this story from NPR today:

On Feb. 24, when armed immigration agents raided Yamato Engine Specialists, a small company that rebuilds car engines in Bellingham, Wash., 28 workers were led away in handcuffs. They were illegal immigrants, most of them from Mexico, and they faced quick deportation. It was the first big immigration raid under President Obama, and it came as a shock to many in the Hispanic community.
<snip>
Now, one month later, 27 of the 28 workers have been released. One of them — Luis Ramos — says he can't get over how nice the immigration agents have become.

"They treat us wonderfully," Ramos says. "They even say, 'do you want a soda from the machine?'"

The government is offering them temporary work permits, and immigration agents are even giving the Mexicans free rides to Seattle to file the paperwork. Now the anger at Obama is coming from the other side of the immigration debate.
<snip>
On Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials came back, but this time, it wasn't after workers — the blue-jacketed immigration officials had a warrant to search the company's files. They set up special gear to copy the contents of Yamato's computers, and company manager Shirin Makalai watched the process with an air of strained cordiality.
<snip>
Rebollar [one of the released Mexicans] says he thinks Yamato treated him well, but he and his colleagues say they'll provide the government with evidence, if necessary. They have good reason to cooperate. Their work permits are valid only as long as there's a case against Yamato. Once they're no longer useful to investigators, they again face deportation.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=102723012

[Bigb23]

I have no problems with skilled foriegn workers, as long as they abide by our National laws already in place. But this opens a can of worms, just like the last forum thread. Proper visa's and documentation would be an integeral part of the plan. Don't we have skilled engine builders out of work here in the Detroit area ? So some of us can't live on $7.50 an hour? I can't. Float the Nation, for better trade and buying power.

[ccbatson]

Never blame the predator/lunatic's circumstances for the evil that they do.

[lilpup]

Isn't it a little surprising, in a way, that there hasn't been anything major like this here? Here it's maybe a disgruntled worker or ex-spouse taking out one or two people, or it's a bar fight or a neighborhood argument that escalates, but no major high number takedowns. You'd think with our situation this would be ground zero.

[firstandten]

I'll say it again, we do not have a illegal worker problem, we have an illegal employer problem and the sooner we deal with it the better off we'll be.

[lilpup]

On the surface, no, but it likely did. Or are you assuming the gunman picked a bunch of immigrants to spare them the hell that is the truth behind the golden American dream they came here for?

According to news accounts the gunman, too, was an immigrant, here for many years, and recently let go from IBM.

[lilpup]

Immigrant ≠ illegal worker

Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but when jobs are few the latter tends to become the focus .

[lilpup]

No. People equate all immigrants with illegal workers and this must stop.

No, really? Let's start with those who intermix all immigrant statuses in with their arguments for protecting illegal immigrants.

There is no evidence that "illegal workers" motivated the shooting and why should it? The shooter himself was an immigrant [[NOT illegal), so why would he resent other immigrants? That makes zero sense.

Until his recent job loss is considered in today's atmosphere.

Since he took classes there, the likelihood that this was personal - my bet is that his ex-girlfriend will turn out to be one of the victims - and to turn this into some discussion of the immigration debate is silly.

How recently was he taking classes there? He'd reportedly already been in the country for 28 years!