El Paso Times: Hannity in El Paso: City Ground Zero for Immigration Crisis

[DeepModem Mom]

Sean Hannity in El Paso
Radio host: City 'ground zero' for immigration crisis
Ramon Bracamontes
El Paso Times


Calling El Paso "ground zero for illegal immigration," national radio and TV talk show host Sean Hannity visited the city Thursday to expose a region that, he says, is vulnerable to homeland security breaches.

"Fifty yards from the border is a rail yard, and 500 yards away is a major interstate and a bus station. Anyone wanting to illegally enter can be on their way in a matter of seconds," said Hannity, who co-hosts the "Hannity & Colmes" show on the Fox News Channel. "This is why this town is well-known for being a major crossing point."

Hannity broadcast his radio show Thursday afternoon from the studio of KTSM-AM (690). During his TV show, which aired live from the Sunland Park desert, he showed footage of people attempting to cross into El Paso illegally, and he focused on the Border Patrol's attempts to stop them....

***

Though part of what Hannity is portraying in the national media may be true, that isn't the entire border story, said Father John Stowe, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of El Paso. The diocese offers several immigration services, classes and other types of assistance.

"It would be sad if the only impression that people across the country have of the border region is one of violence, Minutemen, drugs, poverty and problems," Stowe said. "Those are certainly border realities, but the vast majority of border residents recognize the richness of our bilingual, binational and multi-cultural interaction and celebrate its history and diversity."...


http://www.elpasotimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050819/NEWS/508190351/1001

[Roland99]

1. I wonder how many tunnels there are under the border.

[Sub Atomic]

2. I'm in San Diego

and they find several a year here.

[sdfernando]

5. None, or not many at all.

I don't think you'll find many tunnels there. The Rio Grande river is the boarder marker. Any tunneling would have to go under the river. I don't belive this is lined with concrete so there would be a lot of seeping water. You'd have to dig pretty deep to avoid that.

I'll be in El Paso on Labor Day weekend. My Dad is selling his first home there and the rest of our family is going to visit relatives. I haven't set foot in El Paso since 1970 and figure this is the last time I'll ever visit again. It doesn't really compare well with San Diego where I live now.

[Roland99]

6. I was wondering about the border, in general, not just El Paso

Here's an example:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1846367.stm

And I remember one of those primetime news shows doing a story on a complex tunnel that opened up into some warehouse somewhere in TX.

[TlalocW]

3. In 2000

The Bush campaign had no problem with Mexican nationals in El Paso. Members of his campaign team talked to some who were attending UTEP during the day before going back to Juarez after classes. They asked them if they wanted to participate in a non-partisan political activity - travel, room, and board all paid for. They weren't dummies, and they wanted to learn more about American politics so they said yes.

The non-partisan activity was to be herded onstage during the 2000 GOP convention when they were bringing up the various minority groups on stage to talk about what a great guy W. was. They stood in the background looking confused while W's Mexican-American nephew, George P., talked about his uncle.

I met these guys at a Hispanic Leadership Conference in October 2000.
I always thought it interesting that they couldn't find enough Latino supporters for him that they had to trick some foreign college kids into going on stage for him.

TlalocW

[DeepModem Mom]

4. That is an amazing story, TlalocW! nt

[readmylips]

7. Must be Hannity came to America on the Mayflower.....

How stupid can they be. People, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas were all Mexican soil. You are standing on Mexican soil Hannity which means, Mexicans were here long before you...little bastard.

[DeepModem Mom]

11. You're right, rml, and what's more, El Paso is a little blue corner of TX

with a population that's something like 85% Hispanic. I'm surprised Hannity wasn't run out of town.

[Canuckistanian]

8. Pssst! Hannity! Shrub doesn't like what you're doing!

If Duh-bya had his way, there would be an open border with free beer.
Big business types LURVE them low-wage earnin', uneducated peasants
They don't expect much money, they don't start unions, they just aren't any trouble at all, labor-wise.

[area51]

9. Actually...

Hey Sean Insanity, try getting upset about the real thieves of American jobs: offshoring & inshoring by republinazi companies. Try getting exercised over the H1-B & L-1 permits which allow non-Americans to steal American jobs.

[Orion The Hunter]

10. Please deport Sean Hannity - eom

[CatholicEdHead]

12. Hannity is Irish Catholic I believe

"Though part of what Hannity is portraying in the national media may be true, that isn't the entire border story, said Father John Stowe, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of El Paso. The diocese offers several immigration services, classes and other types of assistance."

I guess he conviently forgot this part of the church works.

[VegasWolf]

13. So is Bill O'liely, I see a pattern! :) nt