GOP Rep. Goodlatte: Mexican asylum-seekers are lying about fearing for their lives

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Raw Story

GOP Rep. Goodlatte: Mexican asylum-seekers are lying about fearing for their lives
By David Ferguson
Friday, August 23, 2013 13:04 EDT

Virginia congressman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) called for investigations into the asylum claims of Mexican citizens seeking to escape that country’s catastrophic drug war. According to Huffington Post, Goodlatte said that too many asylum seekers have been “coached” about what to say to U.S. officials and he believes they’re lying when they say that to remain in Mexico puts them at risk for their lives.

“I am concerned that credible fear claims are being exploited by illegal immigrants in order to enter and remain in the United States,” he wrote in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A finding of “credible fear” of returning to one’s country on the part of an asylum seeker is the first step to in the process of seeking asylum.

Citing statistics that Huffington Post noted were from “unspecified press accounts,” Goodlatte said that the number of asylum seekers appearing at U.S. borders and points of entry is “increasing exponentially” and that most people who initiate requests for asylum never complete the process.

Huffington Post said that according to the DHS, 91 percent of requests to the U.S. for asylum by Mexican nationals are denied, but not necessarily because the claims are fraudulent. Legal experts say that the bar for a successful asylum claim is inordinately high, and applicants can sit in legal limbo for long periods of time.


Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/23/gop-rep-goodlatte-mexican-asylum-seekers-are-lying-about-fearing-for-their-lives/

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Rep. Bob Goodlatte[/center]

[NickB79]

1. Trying to have it both ways. Assholes

On the one hand, they argue that it's not THAT dangerous to live in Mexico and that the risks are overblown and the refugees clearly coached on what to say, so asylum-seekers should be turned back.

On the other hand, we apparently need to turn the border into a militarized 21st century Berlin Wall, with guard towers, machine gun nests, razor wire, and 24/7 drone coverage because it's a fucking blood bath civil war just south of us.

Which one is it, you two-faced fucks?

[cstanleytech]

6. Confused here.

"On the other hand, we apparently need to turn the border into a militarized 21st century Berlin Wall, with guard towers, machine gun nests, razor wire, and 24/7 drone coverage because it's a fucking blood bath civil war just south of us."

I thought they wanted to build the wall and do that stuff because they were bigoted assholes?

[AsahinaKimi]

2. What is this Republican thing about

Fear, Terror!!! Terror?

Baka! Doji! Manuke!

[sakabatou]

8. Of course

Otherwise he wouldn't be a gokuaku (scumbag).

[EC]

3. These guys are really petty... n/t

[Xipe Totec]

4. 2011 San Fernando massacre, also known as the second massacre of San Fernando

was the mass murder of 193 people by Los Zetas drug cartel at La Joya ranch in the municipality of San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

...

Reports mentioned that female kidnapping victims were raped and able-bodied male kidnapping victims were forced to fight to the death with other hostages, similar to a "gladiator fight from ancient Rome," where they were given knives, hammers, machetes, and clubs to find recruits who were willing to kill for their lives. In the blood sport, the survivor was recruited as a new hitman for Los Zetas; those who did not survive were buried in a clandestine gravesite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_San_Fernando_massacre

In 2010, the state had an estimated 1,200 organized crime murders. In 2011, Nuevo Laredo was listed as the 28th most dangerous city in the world according to murder rate. Kidnappings have also plagued the state, as it typically ranks high in those reported.


In May of this year, an American journalist went missing in Nuevo Laredo after shooting a crime scene. No ransom or clues have emerged in the case.

A car bomb was detonated in June near the city hall of Nuevo Laredo wounding multiple people. In May, a car bomb was detonated at a hotel, and several nightclubs were set ablaze in Nuevo Laredo. Also in May, 23 alleged Gulf Cartel members were murdered and put on display in the city.

In January of this year, an all out prison brawl near Altamira, Tamaulipas between Zetas and Gulf Cartel members left 31 dead.

http://www.hellonearthblog.com/2012/07/tamaulipas-drug-war.html

[truebluegreen]

5. Why am I not surprised.

The government decides to export their totally-failed drug war to Mexico, causing a mind-boggling increase in lawlessness and violence, and then reich-wingers try to maintain that all those brown people are just lying about the danger.

Effing assholes.

[MyNameGoesHere]

7. Simple solution

Get on a boat and land in Florida, say you're Cuban, and we give you a big hug and welcome to the USA. Problem solved, stupid Grand Ole P^$$! police won't know the difference.

[Judi Lynn]

9. I hope a lot of people do that. There's no excuse for the difference in treatment.

The Cuban immigrants who manage to arrive here on dry land, through their own resources, without being caught at sea by the US Coast Guard, benefit from a full spectrum of perks available only to them: instant legal status upon arrival (no hiding from Border agents, etc.), work visa, social security, free medical treatment, food stamps, Section 8 Housing (financed by U.S. taxpayers), financial assistance for education, etc., etc., etc.

There's no reason at all for the crazy mistreatment of Mexican immigrants on one hand, and the Cuban immigrants taxpayer-assisted sponsorship on the other.

[alp227]

10. Bob, YOU live in Mexico then, see if you come back alive

or at least not shot.