Former Washington Post Reporter: My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant

On a side note, the whole "my tax dollar" argument is predicated on the assumption that illegal immigrants pay no taxes, which is entirely false.

 

Yeah. One of them might be paying social security taxes for your mom, if her social security number happens to be on his card.

Another win-win!

 

The State of Washington canceled his drivers license:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015684571_vargas22m.html

 

Jose Antonio Vargas, the writer and activist who went public last year with his status as an undocumented immigrant, was arrested for a driving infraction in Minnesota on Friday, but federal immigration authorities did not detain him or take any other action, officials said Saturday.

Vargas, a former Washington Post reporter who revealed his status in The New York Times Magazine and touched off a debate in the journalistic community, was initially pulled over by a state trooper for driving while wearing head phones, Eric Roeske, public information officer for the Minnesota state patrol, told POLITICO.

“He did produce a Washington driver’s license” after being pulled over, Roeske said. “When the trooper ran the license, it showed the status [of the license] was canceled. It also indicated there may have been fraudulent activity associated with the license. That’s why [it might have been] canceled. That triggered the trooper to look into that further and contact ICE (U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement).”

Roeske, who had no details about the possible “fraudulent activity” regarding the license, said Vargas, who was in Minnesota for a speaking engagement that he ended up missing, “spoke to our captain that works with ICE, he had some conversations with Mr. Vargas.” Roeske said he didn’t “know what the nature of that conversation was.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82109.html#ixzz28g3rP775

 

Detained and released:

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Agents operating at McAllen-Miller International Airport encountered Mr. Vargas and apprehended him after he stated that he was in the country illegally. Mr. Vargas was transported to the McAllen Border Patrol Station where he was processed and provided with a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge. He was released on his own recognizance after consultation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Mr. Vargas has not previously been arrested by ICE nor has the agency ever issued a detainer on him or encountered him. ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes the agency’s resources to promote border security and to identify and remove criminal individuals who pose a threat to public safety and national security.”

According to DHS officials, a foreign passport is an acceptable primary form of ID for travel. TSA verifies that the name on the ID substantially matches the name on the travel document and does not check immigration status.

http://wapo.st/1nDBSjq

 

Just a quibble and it's not my primary area of expertise, but how can a person who holds a valid passport from another country be described as "undocumented"?

 

I believe it's his presence or entry into the country that isn't documented. People from many countries need a visa just to enter the country and everyone needs one to work.

 

Isn't the McAllen area where they are having all the border problems?
Seems like an odd place to travel to at this time.

 

If you're asking if h went there as a stunt - yes.

 

I feel bad for Rhody that this thread got bumped.

 

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