By Paul N. McDaniel and Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez
Detroit’s population grew in 2024 for the second year in a row. This is a remarkable comeback after decades of population decline in the Motor City.
What explains the turnaround? One factor may be Detroit’s efforts to attract and settle immigrants.
These efforts continue despite a dramatic national shift in tone toward new arrivals. This includes executive orders from the second Trump administration targeting immigrant communities, international students and their universities, and cities in which immigrants live.
We study urban geography and immigrant integration. Despite these federal policy shifts, our own research and that of others has found that local leaders in cities across the U.S. are actively working to bring immigrants in and help them become part of local communities, generally for economic reasons.
Our recent publications on immigrant integration and immigrant community engagement show how and why cities adapt to changes in their population and economies.
Detroit and other former immigrant gateway metro areas such as Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri experienced significant immigration in the early 20th century. These population booms were followed by a period of decline in immigration numbers.
Now these cities are using branding strategies to construct inclusive identities designed to attract and retain immigrants. It may be surprising to think of a city branding itself, but local governments often work with private nonprofits to shape and manage their city’s image. They try to build a unique and desirable identity for the city, differentiate it from competitors, and attract new businesses, residents and tourists this way.
Here are three reasons why Detroit and other cities want to welcome immigrants:
1. Encouraging economic growth and attracting talent
Immigration has a positive impact on the economy, research shows.
Local leaders in Detroit recognize that in a global economy, a thriving industrial sector and robust labor market are linked to the contributions of immigrant communities. They also understand that the growth of these communities brings positive economic ripple effects.
Immigrants are more likely than the general population to own their own businesses. Organizations such as Global Detroit encourage entrepreneurship through programs such as the Global Talent Retention Initiative, Global Talent Accelerator and Global Entrepreneur in Residence and provide resources for small businesses.
Immigrants also fill labor needs, from high-tech fields such as engineering and research to manual labor sectors such as construction and food service.
The City of Detroit Office of Immigrant Affairs promotes economic development and immigrant integration through education, English as a second language programs, economic empowerment and community resources.
These efforts are paying off by attracting immigrants to the city.
This economic impact extends to tourism as well. The region’s marketing campaigns embracing diversity shape how visitors perceive the region. The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau spotlights the unique experiences the city’s diverse neighborhoods offer to tourists.
2. Enhancing community and regional resilience
Regional resilience describes a region’s ability to withstand and adapt to challenges such as economic shocks and natural disasters. Cities like Detroit that are still trying to bounce back from deindustrialization know from experience how critical this is.
Immigration contributes to regional resilience, research shows. In addition to supporting local economies and strengthening the labor force, the arrival of immigrants in Detroit has helped offset native-born population decline, stabilizing the overall population and bolstering local tax bases.
According to our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area grew by 1.2%, from a total population of 4,291,843 in 2010 to 4,342,304 in 2023.
According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the Detroit metro area’s native-born population decreased by 58,693 people during that 13-year period, while the foreign-born population increased by 109,154. The top five countries of origin for immigrants in the metro area are India, Iraq, Mexico, Yemen and Lebanon.
From 2023 to 2024, the metro area’s population gained 40,347 immigrants and lost 11,626 native born residents – resulting in a population gain of 28,721.
Efforts to welcome immigrants in Detroit and its surrounding communities contributed to this trend of immigrant population growth offsetting overall population decline.
3. Promoting social cohesion and enhanced civic engagement
Successful place brands are rooted in inclusion and a strong civil society. Detroit’s rich tapestry of cultures in areas such as Dearborn and Hamtramck creates a vibrant regional identity.
Organizations such as Global Detroit’s Welcoming Michigan actively support local grassroots efforts to build mutual respect and ensure that immigrants are able to participate fully in the social, civic and economic fabric of their hometowns.
Examples include Global Detroit’s Social Cohesion Initiative, Common Bond and Opportunity Neighborhoods. These initiatives help bring neighborhood residents of various backgrounds together to share their cultures, support each other’s small businesses and socialize. Such programs strengthen the region’s democratic foundations and enhance its appeal as a welcoming and inclusive place to live.
Forging a way forward
Detroit has found that welcoming immigrants and integrating them into the life of the city is one way to navigate the economic, political and cultural challenges it faces.
And it is not alone in embracing this strategy. Other cities practicing similar strategies include Baltimore; Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans; Pittsburgh; Roanoke, Virginia; and Salt Lake City.
Although not all cities choose to pursue such strategies, in those that do, local leaders signal a region ready for a globalized future.
Paul N. McDaniel is Associate Professor of Geography at Kennesaw State University Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez is Associate Professor of Social Work and Human Services at Kennesaw State University.
MELENDEZ says
That’s all great, and I’m always for a growing community as well as a growing economy and it’s not that all illegals are criminals but they should at least be here legally. Democrats are twisting things around and not calling it for what it is, it’s an open boarder disaster with many migrants who have a different agenda other than coming here to work.
don miller says
now they pump up census numbers with nonvoting citizens and swipe more seats in congress for Dems.
Canary says
@Melendez immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate than native born US citizens. Who is the problem, again?
LEGAL immigrant here says
As a LEGAL immigrant who jumped through all the required hoops, the photo attached to this story disgusts me.
I, and other LEGAL immigrants, had to be medically tested for disease (BEFORE even being considered for legal entry), had to prove we were educated enough to read a brochure about citizenry, had to have stringent background checks AND at the time I came into the country LEGALLY , was required to have a sponsor. A sponsor is the person who will let you live in their home, and feed you, clothe you, etc, until you can find gainful employment and support yourself.
I’m sick of hearing about this story. It disgusts me, and other legal immigrants, to no end.
Jake from state farm says
We Love Immigrants — Just Don’t Break the Law… Seriously.
Ah, yes, the great liberal narrative: “The right is anti-immigration!” Right, because we totally want to shut out anyone who’s looking for a better life. Makes total sense, right? In reality, we love immigrants. We’re all for it. But, you know, there’s this tiny little thing called “laws.” Ever heard of them? Yeah, those pesky things that say, “Maybe, just maybe, you should enter a country legally.”
Here’s the thing: America has always been a land of opportunity, a beacon of hope for people looking to escape oppression, build a better life, and contribute to society. So, no one on the right is out here saying, “Keep out!” We’re saying, “Please come! Just do it legally — like the millions who’ve already gone through the process.”
But, hey, according to the left, that’s just too much to ask. I mean, who needs borders, rules, or a legal process? Who cares if people just waltz right in without even pretending to follow the law? Why bother with the system that has allowed millions to come here and thrive? Let’s just throw it all out the window and let everyone do whatever they want, right? Sounds totally reasonable.
Here’s the thing: It’s not anti-immigrant to want the system to work. It’s actually pro-immigrant to say, “Hey, we’re all for legal immigration — let’s make sure the process is fair for everyone.” If you’re willing to follow the rules, then come on down! The American dream is literally built for you. But if you’re going to break in like it’s some kind of free-for-all, don’t be surprised when people raise an eyebrow.
So, no, we’re not “anti-immigrant” — we’re just anti-people breaking the law to get here. Big difference. But, sure, let’s keep pretending that the right is the problem here. We’re just over here asking for a little order, a little respect for the rules, and maybe a little common sense.
America’s a nation of immigrants. We just like to know who’s coming in. It’s called security.
BillC says
Meanwhile white South Africans are welcomed right in.
“Nearly 60 white South Africans were admitted into the U.S. as part of President Trump’s resettlement program. Afrikaners, largely descendants of Dutch and French colonial settlers, led the apartheid government until it ended. The White House claims a new South African law is racist and the white minority is being persecuted… President Trump even halted all aid to South Africa back in February. Applications from these white families were fast-tracked by the administration, even as it suspended the U.S. refugee resettlement program, leaving thousands of approved refugees worldwide stranded.”
— PBS May 12/06/25
Sure, it’s the law. It’s just that the law is interpreted and enforced by racists.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
These comments are great if you read them with a voice like beaker from the muppet show.
Ray W, says
A Moneywise reporter recently interviewed a DiMare family member for a June 29th story about his family’s decision to plow under 4,000 acres of tomatoes on the family’s Florida- and California-located farms.
When the acreage was planted, tomatoes were selling for $16 per box. According to the reporter, the break-even price per box is $10 to $11.
Since President Trump announced on and off tariffs on a number of Mexican goods, including tomatoes, Mexican farmers have been flooding the American market with tomatoes while the tariffs are on pause, dropping the per box price to as low as $3 or $4. The DiMare family decided to plow under its crop.
Said Heather Moehling, president of the Miami-Dade County Farm Bureau:
“You can’t even afford to pick them right now. … Between the cost of labor and the inputs that goes in, it’s more cost-effective for the farmers to just plow them right now.”
Make of this what you will.
Me?
If sufficient Mexican-grown tomatoes have flooded into the American produce marketplace during a pause in the imposition of tariffs sufficient to cause the farm price for tomatoes to drop from $16 per box at time of planting to between $3 and $4 per box now, why haven’t local grocers moderated tomato prices?
Ray W, says
About a week ago, the Washington Post published an article on American demographic trends after delving into recently released Census Bureau data and seeking comment from demographers.
Here are a few bullet points from the Post story:
– “From 2023 to 2024, the number of Americans 65 and older climbed by 3.1 percent while the population under 18 declined by 0.2 percent.”
– “White Americans accounted for 57.5 percent of the total population last year but for 47.5 percent of the population under age 18. By comparison, Hispanic people accounted for 20 percent of the total population and 26.9 percent of children.”
– “… [A] historic rise in immigration, particularly among Hispanics and Asians, has counteracted some of [the decline in births]. The Hispanic population in the U.S. rose by about 9.7 percent from April 2020 to July 2024, including both immigration and births, while the Asian population grew by about 13 percent.”
– Brookings Institution senior demographer, Bill Frey, told the reporter:
“A sharp drop in the number of White children is a major factor in the declining number of American children overall, and that decline has been partially offset by the rising number of non-White youth.”
– Said Steven Martin, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute:
“There is a gradual change in the racial and ethnic profile of America’s children. … But a more useful way of thinking about it is the age structure of the population is changing for everybody, and it’s changing in a way that the retired population is increasing rapidly for everybody.”
– The reporter wrote:
“Eleven states — including Maine, Vermont, Florida, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia — had more older adults than children in 2024. In 2020, there were only three such states.”
Make of this what you will.
joe says
“But, hey, according to the left, that’s just too much to ask. I mean, who needs borders, rules, or a legal process? Who cares if people just waltz right in without even pretending to follow the law? Why bother with the system that has allowed millions to come here and thrive? Let’s just throw it all out the window and let everyone do whatever they want, right? Sounds totally reasonable.”
Nice straw man you’ve built – Who among the “left” has seriously suggested or advocated for: no borders, no rules, no legal process? Who has seriously suggested that people be allowed to “waltz in without even pretending to follow the law? Who has advocated for “throwing it all out the window and let everyone do what they want” ?
Do you not know that a comprehensive immigration bill was worked out by Congress months ago? It included some of the most conservative members – but it never passed – why??? Because Trump ordered that it be killed so he could campaign on the immigration “crisis” –
Sherry says
ICE agents often do their raids wearing “Street Clothes and Masks”. . . “Showing NO ID or Warrant”. . . using “Unmarked Cars”!!!
That is “kidnapping”. . . NOT legal arrest procedures!!!
A Quick Google Search Reveals that ICE Raids also result in arresting those “In That LEGAL Immigration Process” that Maga cult members keep harping about:
Reports indicate that some individuals involved in the process of obtaining citizenship or legal residency have also been detained during ICE raids.
Key Points:
Probable Cause:
.
ICE can detain individuals if they have a reasonable belief that the person is deportable and likely to flee.
NOT Always Criminal:
.
While ICE often targets individuals with criminal records, detentions can also occur during routine enforcement actions or based on information from other agencies.
Citizenship Status NOT Always a Factor:
.
ICE’s primary focus is on immigration status, NOT necessarily citizenship status. If someone is undocumented or has a removable offense, they can be detained EVEN IF they are in the process of becoming a citizen.
DUE PROCESS CONCERNS:
.
There are concerns that some individuals are being detained without proper due process, and that ICE raids are sometimes conducted without sufficient justification.
Jake from state farm says
@Joe… You officially owe me a brand-new keyboard. I made the critical mistake of reading your reply while drinking, and now my poor keyboard has drowned in coffee thanks to the uncontrollable laughter you caused.
So let me get this straight — you’re still clinging to the fairytale that we needed some sort of “Comprehensive Immigration Bill” to stop the flood of illegal crossings? Really? That’s adorable. Turns out, all it actually took was a president who could form the word “stop.” Not even a full sentence! Just a single, solitary word. Who knew?
And voilà! Like magic — or maybe just actual policy enforcement — the crossings slowed down. But no no, let’s keep pretending there’s some elaborate legislative puzzle that only a mythical bipartisan unicorn could solve. Because clearly, common sense is just too boring.
joe says
Something to keep in mind re: immigration enforcement:
“Being in the US without legal status is generally a civil infraction rather than a criminal violation.
Nonetheless, despite its claim that the immigration crackdown is mainly meant to rid the US of violent criminals, the White House has maintained that anyone in the US who lacks legal status is a criminal subject to deportation.”
Ed P says
Joe,
Fact checking your post that just being in our country without legal status is a civil infraction. On the surface that is true.
However, crossing the border without authorization is both a civil and criminal offense in the United States. While it’s a civil violation to be physically present in the country without proper authorization, illegal entry is a federal crime, specifically defined under 8 U.S.C. § 1325.
The first time someone crosses the border without authorization, it’s typically a misdemeanor.
In essence, the act of crossing the border without authorization is a crime and they are subject to deportation. That’s the law. Are we a law abiding nation or not?
It’s not j walking or blowing a stop sign. It’s just not. Spin it, soften it, say it a million times and it’s still not the same inference.
And finally, borders are necessary for any nation to be sovereign and to protect the citizens.
Sherry says
Statistical data from the CATO Institute indicates less than 8% of ICE detainees had criminal records for violent crimes:
June 20, 2025 11:19AM
65 Percent of People Taken by ICE Had No Convictions, 93 Percent NO Violent Convictions
By David J. Bier
New nonpublic data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicate that the government is primarily detaining individuals with no criminal convictions of any kind. Also, among those with criminal convictions, they are overwhelmingly not the violent offenses that ICE continuously uses to justify its deportation agenda. ICE has shared this data with people outside the agency, who shared the numbers with the Cato Institute.
As of June 14, ICE had booked into detention 204,297 individuals (since October 1, 2024, the start of fiscal year 2025). Of those book-ins, 65 percent, or 133,687 individuals, had no criminal convictions. Moreover, more than 93 percent of ICE book-ins were never convicted of any violent offenses. About nine in ten had no convictions for violent or property offenses. Most convictions (53 percent) fell into three main categories: immigration, traffic, or nonviolent vice crimes. The appendix table at the end of this post has data by detailed crime and broad crime categorization.
Ray W, says
Hello Ed P.
Thank you once again for your exercise of intellectual rigor. And I believe that you are right to point out that improper entry is not jaywalking or blowing a stop sign.
But that raises an important question of distinction. Just what is improper entry under the law, if it is not comparable to jaywalking or blowing a stop sign?
8 U.S. Code Section 1325, titled “Improper entry by alien”, to which you cite, is indeed the operative statute.
And the penalty for a first conviction for improper entry is not more than six months imprisonment and fine listed in title 18, plus civil penalties to include at least a payment of $50 or more, up to $250.
What compares, then, to improper entry.
A very long time ago, when talking about another matter, I asked a federal prosecutor I knew about his office’s policy towards prosecuting a spate of nude sunbathing cases out of the Canaveral Seashore that had made the local news; he told me that the Orlando division of the Middle District was indeed prosecuting such cases, though he did not really think it was that important to prosecute the nudists; he did it because it was office policy to do so.
Recalling this very old conversation, I looked up the potential maximum sentence for nude sunbathing in federal parks.
It turns out that not every federal park has a prosecution policy on nude sunbathing, but rangers assigned to a Cape Cod national seashore were still investigating and referring for prosecution incidents of nude sunbathing as recently as 2011, from an article that I found. The maximum sentence at the time was six months of incarceration, plus a fine of up to $5000.
The major reason I type this comment is that MELENDEZ, in the first FlaglerLive comment in this thread, insisted that Democrats are twisting things around and not calling things as they are.
Ironically, it is MELENDEZ who is the one twisting things around and not calling things for what they are.
The potential punishment for improper entry into the country is, considering both potential imprisonment and potential fine, somewhat less harsh than that for nude sunbathing in Cape Cod, at least as of 2011.
Please note that I have never argued that immigrants who commit new crimes while residing in the country should not be deported.
And please note, that I have repeatedly commented on the difference between malum in se crimes, in which malice inheres in the act, and malum prohibitum crimes, in which there is no malice inhering in the act. Florida law defines malice as “ill-will or hatred directed to the person or property of another.” Like nude sunbathing amid seashore dunes, which cannot ever be said to consist of a malicious act toward the person or property of another, improper entry is not an act in which malice toward anyone inheres.
Making the offense of improper entry anything more than what it actually is under the law is simply twisting matters out of their proper proportion.
Decades ago, our federal legislature passed an act deeming improper entry into the U.S. a minor misdemeanor, one that involves no malice toward anyone. And it made residing in the country after that improper entry a civil infraction with no possible criminal sanction at all. Presuming that our federal legislature knew what it was doing when it passed the act, who is anyone to say that improper entry is anything more than a minor non-malicious misdemeanor offense, unless one wishes to twist the facts?
Let’s face it. Prosecutors possess a measure of discretion in how cases should be prosecuted. And judges possess a measure of discretion in how cases should be judged and sentenced.
Not all non-malicious misdemeanors need be prosecuted and not all non-malicious misdemeanors need be harshly judged and harshly sentenced.
Without twisting things further than you already have, MELENDEZ, should a 50-year-old woman who was brought into the country when she was two, an age at which no one can form malice toward anyone, be prosecuted for improper entry 48 years after the fact, when she may have excelled in school, excelled in marriage, excelled in faith, excelled in family life, excelled in work, excelled in her community, and on and on?
Just who is twisting what when anyone argues that someone such as she needs to be shackled and detained, that she needs to be removed from her family and her church and her community, that she needs to be deported to a country she has never known, all without due process of law? Is this cruelty? Does the punishment fit the crime?
A number of FlaglerLive commenters repeatedly characterize improper entry as an “invasion”, which obviously must involve, at the very least, an act of malice, if not an act of war. Again, just who is twisting what, MELENDEZ?
As an aside, after the eight German saboteurs who landed on American soil in 1942 (four in Ponte Vedra and four more on Long Island) had been arrested, the wartime government discovered that the maximum available punishment under the criminal laws of the day were deemed less harsh than desired. And the Geneva Convention limited the treatment of captured soldiers to POW status, though they were dressed in civilian clothes, so it was questionable whether the Geneva Convention rules applied. Faced with unsatisfactory choices, FDR decided to create a military tribunal operating under an ancient and non-codified concept of “Law of War”. He issued Proclamation 2561, which read in part:
“[T] safety of the United States demands that all enemies who have entered upon the territory of the United States as part of an invasion or predatory incursion, or who have entered in order to commit sabotage, espionage, or other hostile or warlike acts, should be promptly tried in accordance with the Law of War.”
Every FlaglerLive readers should note that the proclamation was limited to “enemies.” Those many immigrants who today engage in the non-malicious misdemeanor offense of improper entry are not now and can never be deemed “enemies.” Anyone who thinks they are enemies is simply twisting the truth and making of something that which it is not.
The better argument, if not the only valid argument is that immigrants come here to be free, that they want to make for themselves a better life, that they want to survive, and to thrive, if possible. They have no malice toward anyone, except perhaps in response to those who bear malice to them.
I ask all FlaglerLive readers to see the truth for what it is, and to refrain from twisting things into what they are not, starting with MELENDEZ.
If, after improper entry, an immigrant commits a misdemeanor crime of malice, deport them.
As a second aside, up until earlier this year, by administrative order, an undocumented immigrant who had been in the country for 14 days or less when caught within 100 miles of any border could be expelled without any sort of hearing. Today, anywhere in the country is fair game, but this applies only to those who have been here two years of less. Anyone residing here for more than two years is entitled to a due process hearing at which he or she can present affirmative defenses and extenuating facts. In addition, federal prosecutor can also seek misdemeanor-based sanctions, but he or she does not have to.
Sherry says
Thank you Ray W. ! It’s precisely that kind of “human” reasoning that separates us from robots.
Ray W, says
Hello Sherry. Thank you.
I saved this story some three weeks ago on the subject of whether the punishment fits the crime. Please tell me of your thoughts.
And before I go further, I repeat what I continually say: Commit a serious misdemeanor offense like DUI, criminal mischief, battery, assault, indecent exposure, larceny, embezzlement, fraud in the inducement, conversion, etc. while an undocumented immigrant? Commit a felony offense while undocumented? Deport if after a hearing the immigration magistrate deems it proper!
Some 30 or more years ago, the young Moises Sotelo entered “the rolling hills of Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country” seeking work. According to Sotello family members, he came to Oregon in the early 1990s.
In the mid-1990s, Mr. Sotello worked alongside Anthony Van Nice, who described himself to a reporter associated with The Guardian as a “cellar rate” at the time he worked alongside Mr. Sotelo. Now, Mr. Van Nice owns a vineyard.
Mr. Van Nice said to the reporter:
“Moises is well-known in our community. … There’s countless other people that we don’t know. We don’t know their names, we don’t know how many have been detained, and they’re just lost in this system, which seems designed to make them disappear.”
Over the decades, Mr. Sotelo married and raised a family. Now 48 years-of-age, he also belongs to his church family as well as to his marital family. And he long ago became entrenched in the Willamette Valley wine industry.
He began managing wineries and in 2020 he was awarded the “Vineyard Excellence Award” by the Oregon Wine Board. In 2024, he formed his own business managing vineyards and began hiring employees.
This all changed in the early morning hours of June 12th. As Mr. Sotelo left his home for work, he was followed by an unmarked vehicle. In front of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, he was stopped, then detained, then stripped of his watch and ring, and then chained about his feet. First taken to Portland, he was soon transferred to Tacoma, Washington. At the time of the writing of the story, an ICE detainee locator had him in a privately-run Florence, Arizona “service processing center.”
An ICE official would tell a local reporter that Mr. Sotelo had entered the country in 2006 and that he had later been convicted of DUI in his home community of Newburg, Oregon. The Yamhill County district attorney’s office would tell local reporters that there is no record of his ever being prosecuted by that office for DUI.
A GoFundMe fund as of publication of the story has over $100,000 in donations from the community.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
A probable teenager when he entered the country without documentation some 30 to 33 years ago, there is ample evidence to support the argument that Mr. Sotelo worked his way up by his bootstraps to own a business with multiple employees who supervised other people’s vineyards. No one can argue that he is not trusted in his community.
After those 30 to 33 years in the country, Mr. Sotelo gets arrested for a misdemeanor improper entry offense that is less serious than nude sunbathing under the law. He is then shackled and transferred from detention center after detention center, ending up 1500 miles from his home.
There can be no argument that improper entry is a crime of malice, nor is it a crime of specific intent in which malice inheres. It is a crime that the legislature made out of thin air.
There was a time all across the country when driving without a driver’s license was not a crime. At some point long ago, the legislatures of every state decided to create the crime of NVDL and each applied misdemeanor sanctions to the new crime.
There was a time in Florida when it was not illegal to allow cows to wander about the countryside sans fencing (yes, I represented a rancher who was being prosecuted for cattle at large after someone cut his wire fencing). At some time in the late 40s or early 50s, Florida’s legislature decided to make it a crime to fail to fence in cows.
Almost every year, new crimes are created by legislatures, some serious, some minor. Yet, year after year the federal legislature keeps the penalty for improper entry the same: Improper entry of any of the four described methods is a minor misdemeanor offense and remaining in the country without documentation a civil infraction.
Mr. Sotelo has a family, in addition to his church family, he has the respect of his neighbors and his chosen industry, he has a life.
Despite ICE claims to the contrary, which on other occasions pertaining to other people, have been proven to have been made up, the local prosecutor has no record of ever prosecuting him for a DUI. Most FlaglerLive readers should know by now that DUI records in Florida just don’t up and disappear.
Back to the story.
One of his employees, Victoria Reader, told the reporter she worked for Mr. Sotelo as a vineyard manager: “He took me under his wing and guided me and made Oregon feel like home. … If he did that for me then there’s so many other countless people that he’s done that for.”
Ms. Reader told of being in a car with a co-worker when agents who would not identify themselves seized a co-worker. As a vineyard manager, she has other employees; she said: “I’m doing the best I can to keep my crew safe and protected, but there’s only so much I can do. … But long term, this isn’t sustainable for human life, it’s not sustainable for business, it’s not sustainable for this industry, it’s not sustainable for agriculture and this country.”
This is for the gullible among us who tend to twist things far beyond what they really are. We are no longer focusing solely on the worst of our undocumented immigrants among us, including, perhaps, the 308 convicted murderers that the Cato Institute says the Trump administration released from ICE detention into the countryside during his first administration.
Our current administration is now casting its net wide enough to ensnare the best of the immigrants among us, without discretion.
There is no competent evidence from this story that Mr. Sotelo invaded our country when he entered without documentation.
There is no competent evidence from this story that he intends now or ever intended then to terrorize the community.
Given the numbers of misdemeanor offenses that are filed with the Clerk’s office each year in Flagler County, there are likely thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of Flagler County residents who have prior misdemeanor convictions, some from forty or so years ago, some far more serious than improper entry into the country. Most of those persons likely have only one such entry, as one was enough for them.
As a matter of law, I will repeat over and over again, improper entry is a relatively minor misdemeanor.
As a matter of political necessity for one of our two political parties, however, the misdemeanor offense has been twisted into an invasion by an enemy that necessitates the imposition of cruelty at every step of the process.
Just who is twisting what in this scenario?
Sherry says
Thank you so much for this story Ray W. A perfect example of the horrific “injustice” displayed daily by trump’s Gestapo kidnappers.
Unfortunately, while such a story “should” be compelling in its reasonable logic of why the actions of ICE are “cruel and unusual”, sadly my observation is that the people who could benefit the most from your words simply choose not to read them. Or, they immediately reject and argue the details. . . often missing the entire point.
Sadly, so many people are fear filled, insecure and morally corrupt now. Their minds are closed tight to the possibility that they could possibly have erred in their assessment of the way a “good” person should relate to others. In my opinion, that kind of person is so fundamentally flawed, they are “toxic” to me.
While I would like to think that publishing such stories have a chance of waking thousands from their seeming stupor of trump worship, if your effort opens just one mind, well, that is but one small step in their path to better critical thinking. Each one of the “still thinking” can but just “try” to help our fellow citizens back to “fact based” reality the best we know how.
Thank you, Ray W., for your effort. . . futile as it may be.
Skibum says
Thank you, Ray, for that story about Mr. Sotello. I know there are many, many others just like him who have been in this country for decades, being law abiding people like they should be, and are being rounded up like they are some kind of terrorists. Prior to my retirement, while working in law enforcement in WA state, I became friends with a great guy who was brought to the U.S. as an infant by his parents who wanted a better life here in America. This friend graduated from high school and obtained a college degree, and when I first met him he was just starting his own funeral home business. He is now nearly 50 years old, a very successful business owner, never been arrested in his life, and he is terrified, justifiably so, that he could at any time be yanked off of a street or from inside his home or business and taken away to be deported to a country that he has never known for his whole life. His story is a common one.
It is disgusting, disturbing, and actually horrifying to me and so many other Americans that good, decent people like my friend are being targeted as some kind of danger that must be removed from our country when the REAL danger to America are people like the more than 1,500 maga mob insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol building, beat police officers with a variety of weapons, were identified/arrested/convicted/incarcerated… then pardoned and released by their leader who is a convicted felon with the power to pardon extremist white insurrectionist attempted murderers of police officers. None of those dangerous people should be out walking the streets of America or referred to as “patriots” for the felonies they committed in the name of the felon who sits in the WH, especially while innocent, good people like Mr. Sotello, my unnamed friend or countless others who are NOT out there committing felonies are being arrested and deported for no reason. This is insanity, and it smacks of blatant racism by white extremists who’s ultimate goal I believe is to try to rid our country of ALL non-Caucasian residents just as Hitler’s nazi party wanted to do by the total annihilation of the Jewish population.