We're struck this morning by the reception met by two stories in today's Worthington Globe. One tale is probably old hat for most of our readers by now: ICE releases arrest numbers. But it's unlikely readers have learned much about the other article, Oberloh speaks on immigration panel.
The lead to the first story.
"A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Monday that 36 people from Worthington, Pipestone and Sioux Falls, S.D. were arrested and taken into custody late last week.
The three-day operation ended Thursday and resulted in 19 arrests in Worthington, four in Pipestone and 13 in Sioux Falls. Of the 36 arrested, 13 were fugitive aliens, and the other 23 were immigration violators encountered by the ICE Fugitive Operations Teams during the targeted arrests. Six of those arrested have criminal convictions in addition to their administrative immigration violations.
The majority of those arrested are from Guatemala, with two from Mexico, two from El Salvador and one from Honduras. Eight are women.
Those targeted in the operation had been ordered deported. . . ."
This is the story that's been picked up by the Associated Press and discussed in the blogosphere, both on the rights and the left. Some, like this blogger, are connecting the arrests with the tragic bus accident and a certain member of congress's calls for action by Immigration and Customs enforcement:
Do you think it was the public anger over an illegal criminal alien killing four children, then more trouble with identification, and most likely fraud? Or do you think the catalyst was Michele Bachmann cracking the whip?
How unfortunate for that blogger that editors at WCCO, and many of the other media outlet running the story didn't get to read the full version of the story in the Worthington Globe. Find out why connecting the raids with the crash is a post hoc fallacy below the fold.
Near the end of the article, this passage :
. . .[ICE representative Tim Counts] wanted to make it clear that the latest operation had nothing to do with the recent Cottonwood bus accident.
“In some quarters, people are saying they are somehow connected, which is not the case,” he stated. “This operation we started planning more than a month ago, and the timing to the bus accident was completely coincidental.”
A shorter report at MPR repeats Counts' statement. But it's clear the arrests are what the state's media deems newsworthy. The Globe story that's not getting picked up elsewhere today is Oberloh speaks on immigration panel. It begins:
Worthington Mayor Alan Oberloh participated Monday in a discussion panel about immigration hosted by the Minneapolis Foundation.
“Embracing Immigration” focused on some of the issues the U.S. and Minnesota are facing regarding the issue.
Other panel members included Centro Legal executive director Gloria Contreras-Edin and Concordia University business professor Bruce Corrie. José Gonzalez, program officer of the Bush Foundation, served as moderator.
The purpose of the meeting:
Before the panel discussion began, Sandy Varges, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation, said the purpose of the meeting was to have a balanced dialogue and bring up new facts.
“Whether we embrace or reject immigrants will define who we are as a people,” she stated. “Coming up with solutions is not impossible together.”
It's an interesting, in depth feature. And, so far as we can tell, the Worthington Globe and the West Central Tribune, another Forum chain paper, are the only news outlets to cover the meeting so far--which, according to the Minneapolis Foundation's web site, took place in Minneapolis.
Perhaps people talking about solutions just isn't as newsworthy--or scary--as stories about arrests and ICE sweeps.
Here's a description of the event from the foundation's web site:
Immigration has become the most hotly debated domestic issue in America and Minnesota is on the forefront of the debate. For this program, a panel of leaders on immigration issues will discuss:
- The impact of federal immigration policy and enforcement on Minnesota< businesses and communities.
- The role immigrants play in our economy, especially in Greater Minnesota.
- Civil rights issues faced by immigrants and communities of color in the current environment.
- How both newcomers and long-time residents of Minnesota can participate in creating a more welcoming and productive environment for everyone.
The Minneapolis Foundation's web page provides links and resources about the issue.
The contrast in coverage reminded us of the Dana Yost's blog post today at the Marshall Independent's web site. He writes in the Editor's Blog: March 4:
Another horrible road incident has created more grief and questions in Lyon County.
On Friday, a 72-year-old rural Taunton woman, Norma Traen, was killed — apparently as she walked on the county road near her home.
A 32-year-old Taunton man, David Breyfogle, was charged Monday with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one charge of driving after his license was canceled.
The kicker is that he his a 32-year-old white man, born and raised in Lyon County.
This makes for an interesting and important comparison to the Lakeview School bus crash, where the driver of the van that struck the bus on Feb. 19 has been charged with six criminal counts, including driving without a license, and also is accused of being an illegal immigrant.
By and large, there has not been much public outcry or outrage in this area over the woman's immigrant status, and that says something about the intelligence and decency of this area. But there has been plenty of complaint and discussion in other areas — notably the Twin Cities, the blog-o-sphere and, apparently, talk shows.
Sad as it is, I hope the Taunton case helps people keep a level head about their judgment of others.
Just as we would not want to judge all white men in Lyon County based on the charges Breyfogle faces, we should also not judge all immigrants/minorities based on the charges the van driver already faces. . . .
Go read the rest at the Independent. For the record, in past columns and blog posts, Yost has stressed that he neither advocates comprehensive immigration reform nor immigration reduction.
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