Dominicans seized after illegal entry..headline in todays paper

ms.mathilda · #1 05-31-2002, 04:57 PM

Just read an article in the Buffalo News:
Eight illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic were taken into custody Thursday after a smuggler made two boat trips from Canada.

It also goes on to state (which I found somewhat humorous considering I don't think there are many Dominican terrorists or am i wrong?):
If there's anybody else...there's no danger to the community, no terrorist connections"

The attendant at Sturgeon Point marina spotted the people, none of whom appeared to be speaking English. Apparently the attendent saw 6 people getting out of a boat coming from Canada.

The boat was a small passenger boat without lights on at 3:30 AM.

so now i have some questions?
why would you make yourselves more suspicious with no lights on at night?
How did these people get all the way to Canada and then think they could get into Buffalo let alone the US and actually make it here?
How bad is life in the DR that these people would risk so much?!
Don't they know that Buffalo, NY is ice cold for 8 months out of the year? HELLO! (or a big part of the US is cold)
What did they think they were going to be doing here? shoveling snow out of people's driveways?
how do illegal immigrants make it especially not knowing English and with no identification.
please help me if I'm being naive

Jane J. · #2 05-31-2002, 05:06 PM

Once they get to NYC, fuhggeddaboudit - they are pretty much home free. Probably have family and friends there, and even if they don't, there's a huge Dominican community in which to disappear. That's not to say that life would be easy without all the necessary credentials, but they probably have all kinds of fantasy notions of life in the USA.

Fred · #3 06-03-2002, 10:11 AM

I personally know of some Dominicans who have legal residence in Canada, aquired visas for the US. After visiting their families in the US, could not wait to come back to Canada.

Guess the US is not for everyone. Another reason that they go there is that their relatives tell everyone how GREAT they are doing. However, in reality they are not doing so well. Reminds me of a Dominican who asked me to take a picture of him beside a new Cadillac, I am sure he told his family, look here is my car..

AZB · #4 06-03-2002, 11:06 AM

"How did these people get all the way to Canada and then think they could get into Buffalo let alone the US and actually make it here? " Ms. matilda

Let me ask you this: you don't really think that was the first boat attempt by the smugglers to bring in illegal aliens....or do you?
you see how it works is like this: these smugglers bring in people on regular bases and when they are at shore, they walk a distance to a road where a pick-up (getaway) car is waiting for them. Then they all get transported to NYC or to where-ever you desire to go. Most people pay one fixed fee for the whole trip, up to the door of the house.
This was one of the few boats that got caught, don't think if other didn't make it through.

Ken · #5 06-03-2002, 03:14 PM

As far as ms. mathilda's question about making it, there are many low paying jobs available to undocumented aliens in the big cities, whether they be Dominicans, Mexicans, or some other nationality. And for Domincans, as one of the other posters indicated, there is a major support structure in place, given the number of Dominicans already living there.

Sooner or later they master enough English to get along and more than likely obtain papers from one source or another. They then begin to move up the income scale and start sending money home to prepare for the day when they return to live in style.

In the interim, when they come back for a visit, there is no indication of the struggle they are experiencing. And the amount of gold jewelry they are wearing attests to their "success". Making the "show" possible is the fact that when one of the 4 or 5 Dominicans sharing a cheap apartment goes home for a visit, all the others loan him the few pieces of gold jewelry they have managed to acquire. The fact that most of the gold is borrowed is not mentioned, however, by the visitor. Not surprising, the stories and wealth displayed by the visitor prompts others to make the trip to Puerto Rico in a yola.

ms.mathilda · #6 06-03-2002, 04:26 PM

how much do these illegal immigrants usually pay smugglers do you think? i would think it would be in the thousands.
and no, i don't think that this doesn't happen all the time. I'm sure it does.
Ken- your reply made me laugh about all the gold! how long do you think the average illegal dominican lives here and then goes back? do you think the majority do eventually leave or try to make it here? just curious about this topic...
thanks
Mattie

Fred · #7 06-03-2002, 04:27 PM

The ones that I was talking about had legal residence in Canada, but felt that they could get a better deal in the US. However, they quickly returned.

What I would like to know is how these people caught the other day, got to Canada in the first place, visitor's visas are almost impossible to get for Canada, never mind the US. So then how did they get there?

Furthermore, why, if they already had welfare(false economic refugee benefits) would they make a bee line for the US? Did they really think that they could stay in the US, when they already had a chance in Canada?

Now there is a lesson to be learned for those wishing to live in the DR. I wonder why so many want to leave?

Ken · #8 06-03-2002, 04:49 PM

No idea what the average stay in the US is of an undocumented Dominican. But I'm sure at least some stay a long time. For example, I can recall hearing reports about the 9/11 disaster and compensation funds established for survivors and their beneficiaries that among those killed were a number of Dominicans working in restaurants in the twin towers. Many of the families of these victims, it was said, were afraid to report the deceased of a family member or seek funds for fear that they would be deported.

With respect to returning to the DR, I'm certain that nearly all of the Dominicans in the US and Canada, whether legal or not, dream of returning to live in the DR. This country has a very strong pull. There are many, many Dominicans living here who retired from jobs in offices, manufacturing plants, etc., in the US and have come back to live comfortably in the DR.

Tony C · #9 06-03-2002, 06:29 PM

I know of a few people who make quite a nice living smuggling people from the DR, Cuba and Haiti into the US. The amount of Illegals from those countries is hard to pin down but is obviously much more than what the US Gov. cares to admit.
I am sure that in NY it is as easy as in Miami to get "papers" to work and enjoy the fruits of the US economy.
As for Dominicans in the US wanting to go back o the DR...I know of quite a few Dominicans(My wife included) that have no desire whatsover of returning. They are happy to go back and visit friends and family but want to stay in the US!

Tony C.

ms.mathilda · #10 06-03-2002, 08:44 PM

the Dominicans in handcuffs that were caught. It said that they paid the smugglers 2,000 each to get here. I don't know if they had visas for Canada. The article said they face criminial charges of entry without inspection and possible administrative charges related to their immigration status. What do you think this means?
They all looked like very young men and women (early 20's maybe).
I have no idea how they got to Canada first without Visas
anyone have any ideas?
Mattie