illegal immigrants & TB

[manny15]

In early November, 212 workers at a single Alabama poultry processing plant tested positive for tuberculosis. And doctors with the Alabama State Department of Public Health are still waiting on X-ray results for 165 other employees to see if they are contagious as well. Worse still, two of the poultry processing workers were found to have active TB - the airborne bacteria of which is easily spread by coughing, laughing, or even talking.

Now if you're my age, you may be surprised to hear about an outbreak of tuberculosis, a disease that's been largely eradicated in the U.S. And that's the key phrase, my friends: eradicated in the U.S. In third-world countries like Mexico, it's still quite common. Of the 212 workers who tested positive, many were Hispanic - including the two with the active virus.

It's a well-known fact that a large proportion of the work force in the poultry industry is Hispanic. And it's also a well-known (and often denied) fact that a majority of these workers are illegal immigrants.

As illegal immigration continues to run amok thanks to business and the government turning a blind eye, tuberculosis is making a comeback in the States. Reports say that over three-quarters of the TB cases reported in California were found in foreign natives.

And what's worse: Some of my colleagues in the medical community have difficulty diagnosing TB because they're unfamiliar with the symptoms. They rarely encounter this largely extinct illness, so it's tough to recognize. (If you find your furniture scratched up, you think "cat," not "saber toothed tiger," right?)

This is a telling incident. It reveals one of the least talked about issues within the larger debate over illegal immigration.

I'll be the first one to step up and get a tear in my eye about huddle masses yearning to breathe free and live "the American Dream" in this "Land of Opportunity." But the cold fact is that the people coming to America for a better life are coming here from countries with markedly lower and even non-existent health standards. In some of these countries - Mexico included - diseases that you only read about in Victorian novels (cholera, TB, typhoid, and even plague) are daily occurrences.

Let me spell this out for you: These are people with a highly contagious disease, and they're handling your food. It's more than disgusting - it's downright dangerous. And it's the least talked about and most potentially deadly danger of illegal immigration. Public health officials are not concerned enough by this. As for me? I'm terrified. Because the most frightening part of this is that there are emerging strains of drug-resistant TB being brought into the country by illegal immigrants who, of course, bypass the health screenings regularly conducted with legal immigrants.

You can probably recall stories told to you by parents or grandparents about time spent on Ellis Island when they arrived in the U.S. Today, people consider these screenings and quarantines of new immigrants the policies of a bigoted and xenophobic country. But the truth is, the government was afraid - and rightly so - of people bringing epidemics into the country.

The poultry farms in Alabama? Well, they claim that the laws don't really allow for pre-employment screening because of HIV privacy laws. Which sounds like a convenient excuse from an industry that relies on the labor of illegal immigrants to turn a profit. Any why not? The only ones at risk are their customers - everyone in the U.S. that eats chicken.

As you know, I'm not a fan of political correctness, so I'm not afraid to tell you that I think it's high time someone in our government do something to stop illegal immigration before it brings this country to its knees - and puts us all in the hospital. Put up that border fence and keep those diseases from the third world on the other side.

Protecting our borders,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

 

[oakey]

well manny i hate to tell ya dont look to the north. its up here in canada b.c. my step doughter worked in the hospital in vancouver and she picked it up at work. so heads up it not just the u.s. be safe manny. rick

 

[gilamonster8]

Involved Shooting Turns Fatal In Southwest Tucson

Weekend Officer-Involved Shooting Turns Fatal In Southwest Tucson
Weekend Officer-Involved Shooting Turns Fatal In Southwest Tucson
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Suleika Acosta, KOLD News 13 Reporter

Tucson Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting near a Circle K store at Irvington and Midvale park.

Police say Officer Douglas Dreher pulled over a van for an expired registration violation near the store. The driver told the officer he had no license and was an illegal immigrant. The van had been reported stolen.

As Officer Dreher was finishing up paperwork to impound the van, the driver and passenger ran behind the Circle K. The officer chased the driver into a wash where police say a fight erupted and the suspect grabbed at the officer's gun.

"As he's struggling, trying to maintain control of his weapon with one hand, the suspect was able to draw his baton, get it out of his carrier, his duty belt and extend it, striking the officer repeatedly," says Sgt. Fabian Pacheco.

That's when the officer drew his hand gun and told the man to drop the baton.

"This is a very violent struggle, the officer is basically fighting for his life."

When the man advanced toward him again, Officer Dreher shot him several times. The 35-year-old man was pronounced dead minutes later.

"It's an unfortunate thing. I wish we had zero officer involved shootings," adds Pacheco.

Detectives caught up the passenger late Saturday. They questioned him and released him without charges.

Officer Dreher is on routine administrative leave. He's been with Tucson police two years.

TPD's Homicide Unit and Internal affairs will investigate. Pima County Attorney's Office will also look into the case.

Tucson police did not release the officer's picture, citing he was a "victim."

 

[gilamonster8]

KOLD News 13 Newsroom

New information Friday regarding a deadly hit and run accident. The accident happened November 18, 2007at about 4 a.m. Sunday near Grande and Mission Lane.

Operations Division Downtown Officers responded to the 300 block of S. Grande Ave. for a report of a single vehicle hit and run. The vehicle was found in a dirt lot in the 900 block of W. Grandview. The driver had fled on foot and was not located.

Dianna Cabrera,15, who was one of the five passengers in the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities. The other passengers included a 17-year-old Hispanic male, a white 16-year-old female, a 17-year-old Hispanic female, and a 16-year-old black male, all of which suffered serious injuries.

Traffic Detectives were called out to investigate and learned the 1996 Honda Prelude was travelling north on Grande at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control and struck a power pole on the eastside of the roadway.

Detectives are asking for the public's help in identifying the driver who goes by "Changuis". He is described as a Hispanic male, possibly an undocumented alien, 18 to 25-years-old, and 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing slacks, a multi colored shirt and tan lizard skin pointy-toed cowboy boots. He is believed to be associated with the St. Mary's and Grande area.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

 

[gilamonster8]

Posted: Nov 15, 2007 09:35 PM MST

Southern Arizona Security Alert









By Som Lisaius, KOLD News 13

The Arizona-Mexico border is so much more than just an international line. Depending on who you are or where you're coming from, it's a passageway of hope, opportunity or asylum.

But since 9/11 the Arizona-Mexico border has become something more, a possible point of entry for the very people who hate us most.

KOLD News 13 asks, "As a member of our society, do you believe this is something people need to be aware of, need to be notified of?" Jack Gresham says, "I believe it is, I believe it is, yes."

KOLD News 13 is the only news outlet to obtain this FBI urgent report outlining a possible terrorist threat right here in southern Arizona. It speaks specifically to Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista.

The document gives no timetable or explanation of how the threat will be carried out. But does say, "a group of Iraqis may have entered the United States through tunnels from Mexico into Arizona," and those same "Iraqis are believed to be the ones who will perpetrate the attack on Fort Huachuca."

Lt. Colonel Matthew Garner of the United States Army says, "The military is always a target, I believe."

For security purposes, Lt. Col. Garner wouldn't tell us what's been done or what's being done to stop the threat. But he did say the U.S. Government takes this very seriously.

And that Fort Huachuca is fully aware and prepared for anything that comes its way.

Lt. Col. Garner says, "We operate within that knowing that we are always a target, and then we take all precautions necessary whether it's a general threat or a specific threat like the one you're talking about."

According to the report which cites sources and sub sources within the DEA, the Iraqis may currently be located on an "unidentified Indian reservation" in Arizona.

The Tohono O'odham nation is one possibility, with more than 2 and half million acres that start near Casa Grande and continue south all the way to the Mexico border.

William Bevill says, "The fact that it's somewhere closer to Tucson makes it more of a concern."

Audrey Gresham says, "Why didn't we know about this? It's pretty scary that they could be coming. It's like who else is coming?"

Gresham says, "It's pretty scary, pretty scary that they're using tunnels to come through, you know."

Opinions aside, not everyone views the report as an imminent threat.

One former Congressman, who asked not to be identified for this report, said the document seems "dubious" and "without merit." Not only that, it's dated May 14th, 2007.

That was six months ago.

And Fort Huachuca hasn't seen an attack yet.

Ashleen O'Gaea says, "The administration has given us a lot of convenient information before which has proved to be less than accurate."

O'Gaea says, "Whether that be honest misunderstanding or deliberate deceit is up for debate."

Still, what's most troubling about the report is the mere possibility - and nobody's disputing the fact this could happen.

Lending fuel to that possibility, the report says, is an arsenal of weapons already in the United States.

They include two Milan--surface to surface, anti-tank missiles; some Soviet made surface to air missiles; and an unspecified number of grenade launchers.

When we showed the report to Tucsonans, many of their reactions were the same. They were definitely concerned and disturbed about the possibility- but even more so by the idea. This may very well be taking place, and nobody brought it to their attention, until now.

"I don't know why we haven't heard about it sooner, according to Gresham.""It's pretty scary, our kids are here. This is where we live."

Bevill says, "If this is being kept confidential, something so close to here, I think this of more importance than what we're doing in Iraq. Seems like the kind of information that would benefit everybody here."

FBI officials wouldn't speak to us on camera, but said in a prepared statement: "The information in this report was disseminated to law enforcement and intelligence partners for situational awareness, even though it had not been completely evaluated."

They went on to say, "There is no information to state this is a credible threat. We remind people to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to their local authorities."

That, more than anything is what officials want people to remember.

Threats can and do exist and that's why reporting suspicious activity is so important. We all hope something like this never happens.

But if it does awareness and vigilance may be what's needed most in such a time of crisis.

KOLD News 13 would like your comments on this story. Click here to post your feedback.

 

[gilamonster8]

Archives > News
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BLM report shows border trash is major issue for So. Arizona land
By Jonathan Shacat/WICK COMMUNICATIONS
Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 10:03 AM CST
BISBEE - It's a long-standing concern of border-security proponents: Illegal immigration and smuggling cause significant environmental damage, says a report recently released by the Bureau of Land Management.

The annual report for fiscal 2006 details efforts by the bureau and partner organizations to mitigate the impacts on lands in Southern Arizona.

Deborah E. Stevens, public affairs specialist for the Bureau of Land Management, said the purpose of the report is to build public awareness and get attention to the issue.

"Tremendous numbers of people and organizations are doing work. We kind of want to let people know what we are doing and what kind of project work is going on," said Shela McFarlin, special assistant for international programs for the bureau.

More than 225,000 pounds of trash related to smuggling were collected, according to a press release on the report. Another 900,000 pounds of litter that resulted from both smuggling and illegal dumping were removed.

About 24 million pounds of trash cover thousands of acres of public and tribal lands. The most visible items are drinking bottles, clothing and food refuse.

Illegal roads and trails cause damages to resources on the landscape. There are also damages to infrastructure, such as gates, ranges, fences and water tanks.

Also as a result of the project, more than 75 projects were completed, ranging from cattleguard repair to re-vegetation. The project also involved rehabilitating more than 100 routes and maintaining 26 miles of roads.

Also removed were more than 130 abandoned vehicles and 1,902 abandoned bicycles. Removal of the vehicles, which are often burned, is difficult and expensive because care must be exercised to avoid further damage to the environment.

"Across federal and tribal lands in southern Arizona, significant natural and cultural resources are also being damaged, along with sensitive wildlife habitats," says the release.

W. Richard Hodges, a rancher who owns property along the border, said the impact of illegal immigration is also evident on his private land in Cochise County. "The migrant trails are substantial," Hodges said. "I can run 30 head of cows, and they can go to different points on my pasture, and a cow path will be 18 to 20 inches wide, and it's six or eight inches deep."

"Where the illegal immigrants walk, I've got a path that is 36 inches wide," he continued. "Nothing grows along it and there is every kind of piece of garbage you can imagine."

He has found numerous items on his land, including cell phones, baby diapers, plastic bottles, backpacks and clothing.

The BLM report is online: blm.gov/az/st/en/info/newsroom/undocumented_aliens.htm.

Sierra Vista Herald Reporter Jonathon Shacat can be reached at 515-4693 or by e-mail at [email protected].





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[B_F_E]

Hey Manny, Wetbacks need love too

 

[gilamonster8]

Potential Tuberculosis Risk At Arizona Cancer Center
11-27-2007 8:37 AM

(Tucson, AZ) -- More than two-thousand patients at the Arizona Cancer Center will have to be tested for tuberculosis after a dangerous mistake. The UMC-sponsored center was put at risk when workers did not notice that a patient being treated for cancer also had tuberculosis. The disease could have been spread to others who had visited the cancer center between January and August of this year, during the time when the TB patient was there. Officials with UMC say testing will begin later this week for about 24-hundred people. They also say that the likelihood of someone getting TB through simply being in the same building with a TB carrier is minimal at best. The people who are at the greatest risk are employees and doctors at the center, who had spent much more time with the undiagnosed individual. UMC has already sent letters out to the people who need to be tested.