I cannot even begin to express how proud I am of these ladies. They are the light in the darkness for many scared families and children. I hope that one day one or all of them decides to run for elected office, because this is what civic engagement is all about. It makes me proud to be an American, a Californian and a resident of Mountain View!

What a shock. Yet another story conflating Legal and Illegal immigration. I know and have shared a home with quite a few legal immigrants an NONE of them has the slightest fear of an ICE raid or being deported.

In my opinion, the Voice should plainly state that they are in favor of unfettered illegal immigration and give the reasons why. After all, most people that live in the Bay Area are pretty highly educated and we know that when the newspapers talk about 'immigrants', they are exclusively talking about people who came here illegally or overstayed their visas.

Where are the stories about the people who have come here legally, worked hard, obeyed the laws, and are struggling because they don't have a slew of politicians and special interest groups to help them out?

Don't get me wrong, I think what Listos Mountain View is doing is admirable. Helping people always is. What I take issue with is that the local media and some politicians continue to try to hide the fact that they have an agenda to promote illegal immigration by using misleading terminology, rather than openly arguing their case.

In the section about ICE the writer says "Last week, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement announced it had completed a four-day immigration roundup specifically targeting so-called sanctuary jurisdictions". What do you mean "so-called sanctuary jurisdictions"? The cities and counties call themselves that, it's not some derogatory term someone made up to describe them.

In the same paragraph the author writes:

ICE officials claimed that cities and counties that adopt sanctuary policies, such as limiting local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration agents, are protecting "dangerous criminal aliens" and undermining public safety.

The author then provides quotes that make it seem that the primary role of ICE is to merely scare and intimidate immigrants (again no delineation between legal and illegal), without any coverage whatsoever of the documented cases where illegal immigrants have murdered citizens or other illegal immigrants because sanctuary cities refused to cooperate with ICE.

One example is a young Latina volunteer at the Central American Resource Center who was murdered by an illegal alien wanted for deportation after the Sheriff's department removed his ICE ankle bracelet! ( Web Link )

Here is another example of an illegal immigrant who murdered his girlfriend after he was released because ICE was only given 16 minutes to pick him up ( Web Link )

I am sure some people will try to say that I think all people here illegally are murderers or bad people. I don't. But I do think that a well run immigration system that prevents bad people from entering the country illegally while providing an orderly system of entry for those who want to work or live here without being exploited or subjected to Human Trafficking would be the best possible system. Such a system would make sanctuary cities and ICE obsolete; and actually SOLVE the immigration problem.


Jim Neal
Old Mountain View

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

@@Jim Neal - Do you disagree with me wanting to end exploitation of migrants? Do you disagree with me wanting to end Human Trafficking? Do you think that rapists and murders should be allowed into the country and set free after they are caught? How are those positions inhumane or lacking a conscience? I find it much more inhumane to support a system that encourages people to illegally enter the country so they can be exploited, or allows the borders to be so porous that people can be brought in against their will to be used as sex slaves or other human trafficking operations. No, I am not ashamed to fight for TRUE human dignity and freedom.

Since you insinuated that I was posting 'Fake News', here are the same stories with two different LOCAL links SFGate ( Web Link ) and KTVU ( Web Link This is part of the point that I was making about how these types of stories are not widely publicized, which in turn makes it more difficult to have an informed conversation.

Also, I live in a house full of immigrants, so it is hilarious that you would call me a 'nativist'. I simply have studied enough history to see that in 150 years of illegal immigration (from China to Ireland to Mexico and many others), conditions haven't improved AT ALL for those who enter the country. Wouldn't you agree that 150 years of exploitation is enough?

Lastly it really amazes me that people continue to respond to reasoned arguments with personal insults. For many people, winning a political seat is everything and they will do anything to get it. I wouldn't. I ran a clean campaign that I was proud of; and was the first Black Man in the history of Mountain View to run for City Council. Jesse Jackson didn't win his party's nomination when he ran for President, but he was the first Black man ever to run for that office. Ben Carson also did not win in his bid for President although he is arguably one of the world's most talented neurosurgeons. Some people may not think that Black men should run for any office, or should do so from only one party. I think that Black people should be represented at all levels and in all parties because Black people are all different. I'd rather 'fail' with integrity, than win without it.


Jim Neal
Old Mountain View

Well said, @Jim Neal; thank you for your posts.

"I find it much more inhumane to support a system that encourages people to illegally enter the country so they can be exploited"

...exploited directly, and in the case of DACA kids, allowed to build up false hope. We enable all the heartbreaking cases of these kids by allowing them to grow up here, go to school, participate in activities and generally build a life, but all the while keeping them in "illegal" status. When did we become a country of hypocrites that treats people like that? We need to decide what we want and be consistent about it. Either everyone is allowed to enter the country, bring their children, raise them and put down roots here, in which case we need to give legal status to everyone who wants it, or we enforce our immigration laws and don't allow people without proper documentation to live, work and go to school here. One or the other. This wishy-washy middle ground we've chosen hurts everyone.

Laura H, I agree, once we made a promise to those DACA recipients, we should keep it. Unfortunately, the Republican party and its leader, Donald Trump, have chosen to go back on our word. They could propose clean legislation today granting visas and a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and the Democrats in Congress would be on board. The Democrats even worked out a deal, but Trump and the Republicans backed out (hm, a common pattern?).

@ Love Your argument is partisan. President Obama made a promise that he was not allowed to make. President Trump is simply following the law, which President Obama should have done. If President Obama wanted to change the plight of the Dreamers (many of whom are ADULTS), he should have done so with persuasion and law. Then there could have been no going back on it. Sounds like your guy is the one who cared more about political expediency than the people he claimed he wanted to help.

My argument is purely factual. Prosecutorial discretion is a long-held power of the Executive branch. Trying to wash the Republican party's hands of this is the partisan act here.