Anti-immigrant group forms

Every tax is a pay cut. Every tax cut is a pay raise.
Citizens for Limited Taxation

Anti-immigrant group forms Friday, November 14, 2003

Peter Reuell Metrowest Daily News

FRAMINGHAM -- Joe Rizoli wants to make one thing clear -- he is not a bigot.
Last night, though, he compared most of the town's Brazilian population with "litter" and thieves and insisted Framingham has been "raped" by immigrants.
Rizoli last night presided over a rollicking, two-hour first meeting of Concerned Citizens and Friends of Immigration Law Enforcement, an anti-immigration group he helped found.
About a dozen residents turned up at last night's meeting, most of which was dedicated to a laundry list of complaints and sketched out where and how the group should make its message public.
"These are people who don't care about what's happening in this town," Rizoli said. "We are going to lose Framingham. Period.
"We've got immigrants coming here...they're looking at Framingham as the Wild West. This is what they do: they steal (gas service), they steal electricity, they drive without licenses."
Part of the meeting was also dedicated to a video, highlighting how illegal immigrants affect the nation.
Along with statistics claiming more than a quarter of the federal prison population is made up of illegal immigrants, the video prominently features the Sept. 11 terror attacks and how "illegal immigrant John Malvo...terrorized Washington, D.C., area, allegedly killing 10 people."
Accompanied by ominous music and graphic images of men grabbing their crotches, the video's narrator explained how immigrants "often gather on street corners, harassing and taunting American citizens," and "run down American neighborhoods with graffiti and ignore housing and sanitation codes."
Rizoli insisted, however, his reasons for forming the group were not racially motivated.
"We are not out as a racist thing, but we want fairness," Rizoli said.
As far as some members were concerned, America is under attack.
The Brazilian immigrants who land in Framingham send thousands of dollars home each month, draining the local economy, yet tap dozens of social programs for support, complained one man, who refused to give his name.
"Framingham is a beachhead," he said. "Don't think of it as an attack with guns, they attack us economically."
What is more, every illegal immigrant, once established in the United States, serves as the host to others, Rizoli said.
"What happens is they catch on," he said. "They know a good thing when they see it. It's a planned rape of Framingham. They have literally raped Framingham. They have literally come in and opened the doors and said come on down."
Often the connection comes through local Brazilian churches, which will harbor, or even assist illegal immigrants in finding housing once they arrive in the United States, other members said.
One even suggested using federal racketeering laws to prosecute churches. "It's a network that's corrupt," Rizoli said.
In the short term, he said, the group will focus on efforts closer to home, like protesting Framingham's "sister city" program, writing letters to legislators and town officials and pushing Brazilian merchants to display the U.S. as well as the Brazilian flag.

Anti-immigrant group forms	Friday, November 14, 2003
Peter Reuell	Metrowest Daily News
FRAMINGHAM -- Joe Rizoli wants to make one thing clear -- he is not a bigot. Last night, though, he compared most of the town's Brazilian population with "litter" and thieves and insisted Framingham has been "raped" by immigrants. Rizoli last night presided over a rollicking, two-hour first meeting of Concerned Citizens and Friends of Immigration Law Enforcement, an anti-immigration group he helped found. About a dozen residents turned up at last night's meeting, most of which was dedicated to a laundry list of complaints and sketched out where and how the group should make its message public. "These are people who don't care about what's happening in this town," Rizoli said. "We are going to lose Framingham. Period. "We've got immigrants coming here...they're looking at Framingham as the Wild West. This is what they do: they steal (gas service), they steal electricity, they drive without licenses." Part of the meeting was also dedicated to a video, highlighting how illegal immigrants affect the nation. Along with statistics claiming more than a quarter of the federal prison population is made up of illegal immigrants, the video prominently features the Sept. 11 terror attacks and how "illegal immigrant John Malvo...terrorized Washington, D.C., area, allegedly killing 10 people." Accompanied by ominous music and graphic images of men grabbing their crotches, the video's narrator explained how immigrants "often gather on street corners, harassing and taunting American citizens," and "run down American neighborhoods with graffiti and ignore housing and sanitation codes." Rizoli insisted, however, his reasons for forming the group were not racially motivated. "We are not out as a racist thing, but we want fairness," Rizoli said. As far as some members were concerned, America is under attack. The Brazilian immigrants who land in Framingham send thousands of dollars home each month, draining the local economy, yet tap dozens of social programs for support, complained one man, who refused to give his name. "Framingham is a beachhead," he said. "Don't think of it as an attack with guns, they attack us economically." What is more, every illegal immigrant, once established in the United States, serves as the host to others, Rizoli said. "What happens is they catch on," he said. "They know a good thing when they see it. It's a planned rape of Framingham. They have literally raped Framingham. They have literally come in and opened the doors and said come on down." Often the connection comes through local Brazilian churches, which will harbor, or even assist illegal immigrants in finding housing once they arrive in the United States, other members said. One even suggested using federal racketeering laws to prosecute churches. "It's a network that's corrupt," Rizoli said. In the short term, he said, the group will focus on efforts closer to home, like protesting Framingham's "sister city" program, writing letters to legislators and town officials and pushing Brazilian merchants to display the U.S. as well as the Brazilian flag.

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