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I Really, Really Needed My Camera Today

March 6, 2008, 9:15 pm

I was driving back to Phoenix today from San Diego on Interstate 8 and I really needed my camera. 

As many of you in this area will have observed, the INS is out in force, setting up roadblocks and checkpoints on highways to look for illegal immigrants.  On top of our current rules requiring employers to act as immigration agents, our labor force is drying up in Arizona, making the search for workers harder.  That is why I thought it was hilarious that at the INS checkpoint near Yuma, the INS had a big sandwich-board type sign out front on the road saying "We're hiring!"

Tags: , , ,
Category: Government

3 Comments

  1. Gandydancer:

    During the Mariel Boatlift of the 1980's when many residents of Miami were attempting to bring in their Cuban relatives, the Border Patrol set up a roadblock on US 1 (the only highway connecting the Florida Keys to the mainland. This caused backups over 10 miles long. The mayor of Key West stated that if the Feds were going to treat the keys residents as 2nd class citizens, then they should "secede from the Union". Thus was born the "Conch Republic" (old time keys residents are called "Conchs" after the conch shell. You could purchase "border passes" (bumper stickers), passports, and even the "official" Conch Republic flag. This generated tons of free publicity and turned a bad situation into a great public relations coup. Driving into the keys today, you still see the Conch Republic flags!

    March 7, 2008, 7:47 am

  2. Jim Collins:

    We used to fly out of NAS Jacksonville to NAS Key West all of the time in the mid 80's. Almost every car in out squadron had a Conch Republic bumper sticker and a flag hung in out ready room.

    March 7, 2008, 1:17 pm

  3. Foxfier:

    I don't think anyone could pay me enough to be one of those guys checking for illegal immigrants... Not only do you have a chance to be shot, stabbed and otherwise assaulted, but the folks who ARE legal are going to give you trouble for slowing them down!

    I was willing to risk being shot or bombed, but not a CHANCE would I take that thankless job!

    March 7, 2008, 3:09 pm