Saturday, December 2, 2017

DOJ files arrest warrant for illegal immigrant acquitted in Kate Steinle case


The Department of Justice unsealed an arrest warrant Friday for Jose Inez Garcia Zarate on Friday, the illegal immigrant acquitted this week in Kate Steinle’s murder trial.
Zarate was found not guilty of murdering Steinle on a pier in San Francisco in July 2015. Steinle was walking with her father and a family friend when she was shot, collapsing into her father's arms. 
Zarate had been released from a San Francisco jail about three months before the shooting, despite a request by federal immigration authorities to detain him for deportation. The case sparked a national debate over illegal immigration and sanctuary cities.
He was acquitted of first- and second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and found not guilty of assault with a semi-automatic weapon. He was found guilty of posessing a firearm by a felon.
DOJ WEIGHING FEDERAL CHARGES IN KATE STEINLE MURDER CASE, AFTER NOT GUILTY VERDICT
The arrest warrant was originally drafted in 2015 and amended this week to include violations related to the charges of a felon in possession of a firearm, involuntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon, all of which were filed after the defendant's initial arrest, according to Friday's warrant.
Officials at the Department of Justice told Fox News that there is an existing federal detainer that requires Zarate to be remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals to be transported to the Western District of Texas pursuant to the arrest warrant.
After the verdict, U.S. immigration officials announced late Thursday that Zarate would be deported.
"Following the conclusion of this case, ICE will work to take custody of Mr. Garcia Zarate and ultimately remove him from the country," U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.
KATE STEINLE MURDER CASE EXPLAINED, FROM TRUMP'S COMMENTS TO DOJ ARREST WARRANT
Illegal immigrant not guilty of Steinle's death. Video

Steinle verdict reignites sanctuary city debate

ICE Deputy Director Tom Homan added, "San Francisco's policy of refusing to honor ICE detainers is a blatant threat to public safety and undermines the rule of law. This tragedy could have been prevented if San Francisco had turned the alien over to ICE, as we requested, instead of releasing him back onto the streets."
San Francisco is a sanctuary city, with local law enforcement officials barred from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. President Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding to cities with similar immigration policies, but a federal judge in California permanently blocked his executive order last week.
Trump tweeted late Thursday night calling the Steinle verdict "disgraceful," adding "No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration."
SANCTUARY CITIES: WHAT ARE THEY?
He tweeted again early Friday morning saying, "The Kate Steinle killer came back and back over the weakly protected Obama border, always committing crimes and being violent, and yet this info was not used in court. His exoneration is a complete travesty of justice. BUILD THE WALL!"
Attorney General Jeff Sessions also released a statement saying that despite California's attempt at a murder conviction, Zarate was able to walk away with only a firearm possession conviction because he was not turned over by San Francisco to ICE.
"When jurisdictions choose to return criminal aliens to the streets rather than turning them over to federal immigration authorities, they put the public's safety at risk," the statement said. "San Francisco's decision to protect criminal aliens led to the preventable and heartbreaking death of Kate Steinle."
at No comments:

Democrats sat out the tax fight. It may prove to be an epic policy and political blunder


Democrats have a lot to say about the Republican tax-reform plan, including that it is a “middle class con job” and is going to cost the GOP its congressional majorities. That’s quite the bold claim, coming from the party that is in fact in uncharted tax-politics territory.
Americans have short political memories, which means it is no longer possible to remember a world in which Democrats didn’t hate tax cuts. And in the mainstream media—which shares the left’s penchant for class warfare—it’s also no longer possible to read an analysis that doesn’t assume Democrats are on the right side of history, that these tax cuts are “unpopular,” and that this reform holds grave political risks for Republicans.
In short, there is very little to suggest Democrats benefit politically from sitting out this tax debate—beyond their saying so. And they’ve certainly done themselves no favors from a policy perspective.
Based on what? Democrats certainly have no modern evidence of these propositions, since they’ve never uniformly opposed tax cuts. In fact, it’s been 16 years since the party even engaged in a big tax brawl, during George W. Bush’s first year as president. What’s striking is just how many Democrats enthusiastically signed on to Mr. Bush’s tax bill, and just how far off the political rails the party has gone in the intervening years.
While the Bush tax package was hardly as sweeping as today’s reform, it contained similar provisions. It cut marginal rates across the board, even knocking nearly 5 points off the top marginal rate for the 1 percent. It cut capital-gains taxes and lowered the estate tax to zero in 2010, before the reductions expired. These are all cuts that House and Senate Democrats today uniformly decry as giveaways to the rich and powerful.
Keep reading Kimberley Strassel's column in the Wall Street Journal.
at No comments:

Senate passes major tax reform package


Saturday's tax bill vote brought victory closer for President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.  (Associated Press)
The U.S. Senate voted just before 2 a.m. ET Saturday to pass a sweeping tax overhaul worth roughly $1.4 trillion, putting the Trump White House a big step closer to its first major legislative victory – and many Americans closer to a tax cut.
The vote was 51-49, with Republican Bob Corker of Tennessee the only member of the GOP to side with the Democrats in opposition.
Not long after the vote, President Donald Trump tweeted his reaction:
"We are one step closer to delivering MASSIVE tax cuts for working families across America," the president wrote. "Special thanks to @SenateMajLdr Mitch McConnell and Chairman @SenOrrinHatch for shepherding our bill through the Senate. Look forward to signing a final bill before Christmas!"
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also responded, calling the legislation a "betrayal of the American middle class."
“The GOP tax scam is a product of haste, carelessness and cruelty," Pelosi wrote. "It was written on Republicans’ trickle-down delusions, not analysis or facts.  It was written first and foremost for the wealthiest one percent, not middle class families trying to get ahead."
The bill is not yet finalized. Saturday's vote means the Senate and House have passed similar tax reform plans, but negotiators from both chambers will start meeting Monday to agree on a single piece of legislation that both chambers must approve before it is sent to the president for his signature.
Here’s how the latest legislation would affect you:
What deductions can I claim under the Senate bill that just passed?
The Senate bill does away with federal deductions for state and local income and sales taxes, but allows deductions of up to $10,000 in local property taxes. The legislation originally eliminated federal deduction for all state and local taxes, but the property tax exemption was later added at the insistence of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said she was “delighted” about the change.
What about personal deductions?
Like the House bill, the Senate bill nearly doubles the standard deduction level to $12,000 for individuals (up from $6,350) and $24,000 for couples (up from $12,700).
Any other deductions I could claim?
The Senate bill retains the current limit for the home mortgage interest deduction to interest paid on the first $1 million of the loan. (The House bill reduces the limit to $500,000 for new home purchases.) The Senate version also preserves the deduction for medical expenses not covered by insurance (the House bill does not), but ends deductions for moving expenses and tax preparation.
Why does the Senate bill allow deducting medical expenses not covered by insurance?
Because the Senate bill also repeals ObamaCare’s individual mandate, while the House bill does not. If ObamaCare’s mandate is repealed, thousands of people are expected to drop their health insurance, raising the cost for those who decide to keep it.
And the personal exemption?
The Senate and House bills both eliminate the $4,050 personal tax exemption.
Will the tax brackets change at all?
The Senate bill keeps seven tax brackets, but reduces them to 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35 and 38.5 percent. (The current brackets are 10, 15, 25, 28, 33, 35, and 39.6 percent.) The House measure condenses seven brackets to four: 12, 25, 35 and 39.6 percent.
I own a small business. What would this mean for me?
The Senate bill allows owners of so-called “pass-through” businesses (that is, businesses that aren’t incorporated) to deduct 23 percent of their earnings, and then pay at their personal income tax rate on the remainder. This issue was a key concern of Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Steve Daines, R-Mont., both of whom announced this week that they would support the bill.
What about corporate tax rates?
Like the House bill, the Senate bill cuts the current 35 percent rate to 20 percent, but the Senate bill calls for a one-year delay in dropping the rate.
When will tax reform take effect?
President Trump and congressional Republicans have vowed to make tax reform law before the end of the year. If that happens, most of the provisions would come into force on Jan. 1.
Will tax reform affect my returns for this year?
The changes will not have any impact on your taxes for 2017, which are due to the IRS by April 17, 2018 (you get an extra 48 hours to file because the traditional April 15 due date falls on a Sunday).
So when will the differences in the bills be hashed out?
The House will vote on a motion to go to conference on the tax bills on Monday evening. The Senate is expected to vote on a similar measure soon after. Congress is scheduled to adjourn for its Christmas break on Dec. 15, but House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he will keep the House in session beyond that date if necessary to get tax reform passed.
at No comments:

Friday, December 1, 2017

Francisco Sanchez Murderer Cartoons





at No comments:

Sen. Cotton: Ending Chain Migration a Necessary Part of Any DACA Deal


The White House says it has broken down, country-by-country, how many migrants were admitted to the United States through family preference, or as immediate relatives of migrants already admitted into the country.
According to the Department of Homeland Security data, the U.S. permanently resettled approximately 9.3 million new immigrants on the basis of family ties between 2005 and 2015, which represents more than 70 percent of all new immigration in that period.
President Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on so-called "chain migration" as part of his efforts to tighten and reform existing immigration laws.
"Seven out of every ten immigrants who come to this country, they don't come because of their job skills or their education. They come simply because they had a family member come here five or ten or 20 years ago," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said on "Special Report."
He added that only one in five green cards is issued based on a migrant's skills, according to the Department of Homeland Security's numbers.
He said that's one of many reasons why he's sponsoring the RAISE Act, which would limit the family path to spouses and minor children, as opposed to extended and adult family members.
"You wouldn't be bringing in so many unskilled workers who are going to compete for American jobs and drive down American wages," Cotton said.
He echoed comments from Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that ending chain migration is necessary in exchange for any deal on DACA.
"It's a necessary condition, maybe not the only condition, but a necessary condition," Cotton said. "If you give amnesty to one or two million illegal immigrants who were brought here through no fault of their own as kids, you're going to have at least a couple of negative effects. And one of those negative effects is you're going to create a whole new chain of chain migration. The way to control for that negative effect is to stop chain migration."
at No comments:

White House releases 'explosive' tally of green cards issued in 'chain migration'


For the first time, the White House said, the federal government has counted the green cards issued between 2005 and 2015 to migrants admitted through family preference, or as immediate relatives of migrants already admitted into the country in perhaps the fullest portrait of “chain migration” ever developed.
“For years, we've known that large numbers of immigrants have been coming based on petitions from previous immigrants,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Lee Cissna told Fox News. “But this is the first time we really kind of see the whole scope of the problem. And legislators or policymakers at DHS can do what they need to do address the problem.”  
During the ten-year time frame, officials said, the U.S. permanently resettled roughly 9.3 million new immigrants on the basis of family ties.
That’s more than 70 percent of all new immigration in that period, the White house said, adding it is also the primary driver of low-skilled workers’ entry into the U.S. A phenomenon analyst say most directly hurts American minority groups with comparable skills.
“These numbers are explosive. They show that American immigration skews almost entirely towards family-based admissions,” said a White House official who briefed Fox News on the data.
Mexico is at the top of the list with 1.7 million admissions, India and the Philippines each have more than 600,000, and Iran has more than 80,000.
President Trump has urged congressional Democrats to address chain migration in any compromise on the so-called “Dreamers” immigrants brought here as children who will face deportation in March if a deal on their disposition is not reached.
Republican Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia have proposed eliminating the preference afforded to extended and adult family members.
“We have current immigrants determining who future immigrants will do – will be, independent of their ability to be contributory to our economy,” Perdue told Fox News.
The group “New American Economy,” compromised of 500 mayors and business leaders committed to comprehensive immigration reform notes that 40 percent of America’s Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children.
“Could we do it better? Should we have more focus on merit? Absolutely,” said the group’s Executive Director Jeremy Robbins. “But that doesn’t mean in the least that we don’t want to be reuniting families, strengthening communities and bringing more people here.”
On Fox News Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed the President's call to end chain migration in exchange for any deal on DACA. McConnell explained that last year's Presidential election gave lawmakers a mandate to enact the pro-American immigration reforms that the President campaigned on. McConnell also warned that it would be "dumb" and political suicide for Democrats to shut down the government and endanger national security over unrelated legislative policy matters, such as granting work permits to illegal immigrants.
at No comments:

Hannity: 'It Was San Francisco's Sanctuary City Policies That Killed Kate Steinle'


In his open monologue tonight, Sean Hannity reacted to the acquittal of Jose Ines Garcia Zarate and said San Francisco's sanctuary city laws is what killed Kate Steinle.

"It was San Francisco's sanctuary city policies that killed Kate Steinle," Hannity said Thursday. "They did not obey the law. They followed these ridiculous liberal policies, and because of their stupidity and their 'form of justice' and caring more about the rights of illegal, convicted felons, tonight Kate Steinle is dead and her family has received no justice."

President Trump tweeted about the result: "A disgraceful verdict in the Kate Steinle case! No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration."


Former FOX News Bill O'Reilly, who covered the case for years and was a champion for 'Kate's Law,' also weighed in on the acquittal on Twitter. O'Reilly said it is now up to Jeff Sesions to charge Jose Ines Garcia Zarate. The commentator called it a "litmus test" for the U.S. Attorney General.





Trump's tweet:
at No comments:

Trump calls Kate Steinle verdict 'disgraceful,' says 'no wonder' people are 'angry with illegal immigration'


President Trump late Thursday tweeted that the not guilty verdict in the Kate Steinle murder trial was “disgraceful,” highlighting his apparent frustration at the resolution of a case he had cited during his presidential campaign as a justification for tougher immigration enforcement.
“A disgraceful verdict in the Kate Steinle case!” Trump tweeted after the jury rejected possible charges ranging from involuntary manslaughter to first-degree murder. “No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration.”
Jim Steinle, who was walking with his 32-year-old daughter when she was killed, echoed Trump’s sentiments, telling the San Francisco Chronicle the family was saddened and shocked by the verdict.
"There's no other way you can coin it. Justice was rendered, but it was not served," he said in what he called the last interview he would do about the case.
A jury earlier Thursday found Jose Ines Garcia Zarate not guilty in Steinle’s killing on a San Francisco pier during the presidential primary campaign in 2015.
U.S. immigration officials said they will deport Garcia Zarate, who had been deported five times and was wanted for a sixth deportation when Steinle was fatally shot in the back while walking with her father.
The killing touched off a fierce national immigration debate, and was used by then-candidate Trump to push for a wall on the Mexican border.
"From Day 1 this case was used as a means to foment hate, to foment division and to foment a program of mass deportation. It was used to catapult a presidency along that philosophy of hate of others," defense attorney Francisco Ugarte said after the verdict. "I believe today is a day of vindication for the rest of immigrants."
The case spotlighted San Francisco's "sanctuary city" policy, which limits local officials from cooperating with U.S. immigration authorities.
Politics, however, did not come up in the month-long trial that featured extensive testimony from ballistics experts. Defense attorneys argued that Garcia Zarate was a hapless homeless man who killed Steinle in a freak accident. Prosecutors said he meant to shoot and kill her.
Garcia Zarate did not deny shooting Steinle and said it was an accident.
Jurors did find him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, meaning he knowingly had a firearm but there was no intent for him to hurt or shoot anyone. Public Defender Jeff Adachi said the count carries a potential sentence of 16 months to three years behind bars.
The family did not attend the reading of the verdict. Jurors left without comment and the judge sealed their names.
Before the shooting, Garcia Zarate finished a federal prison sentence for illegal re-entry into the United States and had been transferred to San Francisco's jail in March 2015 to face a 20-year-old charge for selling marijuana.
at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

CartoonsDemsRinos