Watch Live: Second House Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live Blazecast Now: The Viral Videos from the IRS Hearing plus your comments

Crime

Famous Immigrant Activist Jose Antonio Vargas Reportedly Arrested in Minnesota

Oct. 5, 2012 10:08pm Jason Howerton

Former Washington Post journalist turned immigration reform activist, Jose Antonio Vargas, center, an illegal immigrant himself, speaks at an informational news conference supporting President Obama's announcement to stop deportations of younger illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, in Washington, on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. (Credit: AP)

Well known journalist and immigration activist Jose Antonio Vargas, who also happens to be an illegal alien, was arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for driving without a valid drivers license on Friday, ABC News reports, citing the non-profit organization MinnPost.

Vargas was taken into police custody on Friday morning but was reportedly released by mid-afternoon. He was charged with a misdemeanor and is scheduled to appear in Hennepin County court on Oct. 18.

From ABC News:

Hennepin County participates in the Secure Communities program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with the federal government in enforcing immigration law by checking arrestees against immigration databases. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could act if the individual is found to be undocumented. Other details about Vargas’ arrest are unknown.

Originally from the Philippines, Vargas gained national attention for his June 2011 New York Times essay titled “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant.” In the essay, he describes what living as an illegal immigrant is like in the United States, though Vargas is an outspoken critic of using the term “illegal immigrant.”

Vargas also appeared on the cover of Time Magazine along with dozens of other illegal aliens. The cover read “We Are Americans — Just Not Legally.” He publicly “came out” as an illegal immigrant last year.

(source: Time)

This story is developing and may be updated.

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (112)

woodyee
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:35pm
When I was going to elementary school, we were taught elementary subjects, like Citizenship. We learned how to conduct ourselves in public, how to properly walk on the sidewalk (stay to the right), you get it – the basics. But we also learned what the requirements were to become citizens; this was taught to ALL elementary school kids in NJ at the time. Here were the requirments as I remember them:

1. You had to have a job waiting and be able to prove it, or you had to have a sponsor willing to take financial responsibility for you until you got a job. You were not allowed entry if you had a contagious disease or were a carrier.
2. You had to be self-sufficient during your 5year waiting period. You could not apply for ANY type of taxpayer assistance.
3. You had to become proficient in the English language within your 5YR waiting period.
4. You had to study and pass a course or courses in US History within your 5yr waiting period.
5. Having met obligations 1 through 4, you had to take a written exam and pass, and pass an oral interview.
6. Having met your obligations and passed your exams, you were sworn in as a citizen. There was no such bull4h!+ as “dual-citizenship” – you cannot be loyal to two masters. NOW you could vote.

Who are Mexicans here illegally going to fight for if we go to war with “Meheeco”? There’s almost 20million of them here! They get dual citizenship.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:59pm
  Times have changed. Now days they just make trouble making illegal law breakers PRESIDENT
  
  Report this comment
- Vic Tory
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 1:03am
  I married an English woman (yes, I am a man!) in 1990 while serving in the USAF. You would not believe the flaming hoops we had to jump through to get married. Then all of the above for her to become a US citizen. Kind of makes me want to barf now. Thanks Barrack!
  
  Report this comment
- dovndce
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 1:05am
  I thought I was the only one who stayed to the right on the sidewalk. So many walking our streets weave as though they’re “high” and have no concern for others.
  
  Report this comment
- wallawalla
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 7:41am
  I was one of those immigrants when I and my family moved to this great counrty. Now all one has to do is get across the border. Illegals should be retuned back to their country of origin, one at atime and the rest will get the message.
  
  Report this comment
- oldguy77
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 9:34am
  Instead of a salute why dont illegals just give us the finger.You know express your true feelings.
  
  Report this comment
- DisposableWorker
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 11:37am
  Hi Mr. Vic Tory
  Fond memories of “HOOP JUMPING” for our foreign born spouses.
  My Korean wife had to pass a two country criminal check; a background check that was conducted by the DOD and the KNP and reviewed by the State Department and the FBI. Then she learned to speak, read and write English in 18 months to an 8th grade level (from no knowledge). Then progress to a “general High School Level” in about 3 years. She had to live with her sponsor (me) and check in at an INS office at least once to prove it. She passed an oral and written test that comprised knowledge of U.S. History. In a few years the Citizenship test required knowledge of:
  History, Civics and government , the Constitution and “good citizenship” General English and etiquette skills, Political and cultural understanding. When she took her drivers license test she wouldn’t use the foreign language version of the test. She says “if you can’t read in English, you shouldn’t be driving in an English speaking country”.
  Now she’s been a citizen for 20 years and defends our nations right to have and keep a separate and distinct cultural, linguistic and political identity from others. Both of us claim that “multi-national unions” ; such as the EU, are just a low budget attempt to invade and conquer a country.If you can’t get here legitimately; then you can’t get here. Try immigrating to any other English speaking country right now.
  
  Report this comment
- sillyfreshness
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 2:41pm
  That’s another example of how brash these leftists are. He feels entitled to drive around in a car, in a country he doesn’t even belong in. When he’s not busy throwing it in your face how he’s here illegally, he’s busy driving around on our roads.
  
  Report this comment
- daniel3839
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 2:07am
  This country is headed to civil war. If not with the Mexicans, The Muslims and ISLAM. Just a matter of time with the spineless jellyfish running this nation. The people are going to get sick if of it and fix the problem themselves.
  
  Report this comment
DetritusScreener
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:17pm
Mr. Vargas has all the time necessary to complete his paperwork to become a U.S. Citizen. Additionally, in order for him to have been in the U.S. and working for as long as he has been, he has had to repeatedly break laws. I am all for honest hard working immigrants to become lawful Citizens of the United States. However, this man has worn out his welcome as an ‘Illegal Immigrant’ and needs to be charged for his crimes and be deported. He is now intentionally violating our Constitution and our laws for the purpose for being disrespectful to make a point. He could have accomplished the same point by attempting to follow our legal immigration process and probably have been given all necessary support to make it happen. He is now no longer welcome.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:54pm
  Very well put. Deport him. If he comes back he goes to gitmo without rights and detained for life.
  
  Report this comment
- Kenszen
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 2:54am
  And don’t you just love that Time cover? HEY, SEÑOR VARGAS! ***You are NOT an American if you are NOT LEGAL!***
  
  That cover and that attitude is just plain offensive. I want to burn it. I’ve emailed him (get his email address from his website) and told him as much, but no reply.
  
  Report this comment
- steelpanther
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 1:11am
  Doesn’t this mean the Washington Post is guilty of hiring illegal workers?
  
  Report this comment
- Chuck Stein
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 4:19am
  @ Kenszen
  I think that Vargas is Filipino, not Hispanic (despite the Spanish surname).
  
  Report this comment
- Wyerd_001
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 10:44am
  CHUCK, I understand your point, but he could be a Martian and if he did not come here legally (and it is possible to do as many of us know) or even correct it after the fact in the years he has lived here, then he is just a plain criminal.
  
  Report this comment
capitalismrocks
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:07pm
Good!!! In jail, just where an illegal alien belongs….

NOW DEPORT HIM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Honestybefore truth
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 4:44am
  Not only should this man be deported, we need to have Time magazine shuttered until the can be fully audited to see how many other illegal aliens the have employed, and jail the management for hiring an illegal. Then make sure any of this man’s family or friends who are also illegal are also deported.
  
  Report this comment
- Mapache
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 5:03am
  And put his photo on the cover of TIME, “Home AT LAST”
  
  Report this comment
coizinho
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:05pm
Add your comments

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- oldguy77
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 9:32am
  To Woody;Just to broaden your explination a little. “The ability to read,write,and speak ordinary english.”Also If he was driving with an ivalid licence that means he had no insurance.If your ever in an accident with a “latino” make sure he sticks around till a cop gets there.
  
  Report this comment
coizinho
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:04pm
I guess now he just loose his chance to became legal in this Country. Obama said that he would give a opportunity for those who never had breaking the law, so, he is a criminal now, send him home.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- JoMo
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 12:31pm
  Nope, he would have had to commit a “violent” felony to be considered for deportation….misdemeanors are acceptable, shouldn’t being here illegally be a felony??
  
  Report this comment
koz226
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:02pm
How did he fraudulently get his ID? As a true citizen, If I did what he did, I’d still be in jail now.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
statutoryape
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:47pm
Vargas, you spit in the face of America and kept pushing your luck. I wouldn’t deport him; rather, I’d send him to Gitmo just for the hell of it. We need to make an example out of this guy. Just water board him a few times a day. He’s not a citizen so he’s got zero rights.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- woodyee
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:56pm
  It only makes sense that since he’s still illegal after all these years, not only is he not entitled to Constitutional Rights, he ought to be investigated as to his intentions and then deported. However, we have a lot of un-American scombegs sitting as judges who differ with us, and with common sense.
  
  Report this comment
woodyee
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:45pm
Why are “American” journals covering for and employing a known radical illegal alien?

Why is ICE and the Federal gobblement allowing a law-breaker free reign across our Country to protest against laws he’s broken?

Why isn’t this seditious illegal alien in jail?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
HURRICANEPAUL
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:45pm
The Liberals say “Arresting the illegal aliens for ‘low-level crimes’ (misdemeanors) only causes family members to be ‘seperated’ when the convicted criminal has to go to jail or is deported.

So I say, “WHY ARREST ANYONE for ‘low-level crimes’?”

For that matter, poor, jobless, bank robbers are “just trying to provide for their families”, right?

If we arrest THEM, how is THAT going to benefit their families?

LOL

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- woodyee
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 11:21pm
  Nice! Mrs. Woodyee and I had that conversation today, because the POS police chief of Los Angeles, Charlie Beck, has K.Y’d his buttcrack for political correctness, and decided he’s going to enforce law AGAINST the wishes of ICE (only a sight better than Beck). We discussed “What kind of message does this send to his officers – that it’s okay to be selective when enforcing laws? So it’s not okay to smoke pot on duty, but when off duty, hey!
  
  I compard it to Bratton and Giuliani when they were in NYC. They operated under the “broken window” principal. Crack down on minor crimes in order to prevent larger crimes. It worked!! But that won’t work in L.A., where the sissified police chief Beck answers the calls and beckons of his sleezbag mayor, Tony Villar. Incidently, it’s rumored that L.A. Sleezbag Tony Villar wants to run for the presidency in 2016.
  
  Report this comment
FightingBear
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:44pm
Why is this man still in the USA? He came out flaunting his illegal status….and we do absolutely nothing to uphold the laws of our land.

It is disgraceful that this man had the opportunity to drive without a proper DL. He should have been deported the day his NY Times essay came out.

By the way Jose, no matter how much you don’t like the term “illegal”….that is exactly what you are…ILLEGAL.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:44pm
And, I thought that Vargas was famous for using Paasche` airbrushes for his artwork.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
garbagecanlogic
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:42pm
Betcha he is not turned over to ICE over this!!

Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8

The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Ivan in Phoenix
  Posted on October 7, 2012 at 1:49am
  ICE let him go. It’s time for the States to bite the bullet and start flying illegals back to their home countries. Especially if Obama is re-elected. To pay for the plane tickets, seize all their assets such as cars, bank accounts, and remaining paychecks they have coming to them. So when Sheriff Joe raids a business, any illegals caught will forfeit their pay checks to the State of Arizona to help cover the costs of returning them to their countries and the remainder can cover the of incarcerating illegals who are in jail for felonies. Time to get serious about this.
  
  Report this comment
Hadituptohere
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:38pm
hello!! was he flying?? how’d he get a boarding pass without proper id?? TSA ?? hello???

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:47pm
  He’s an illegal alien. He doesn’t need ID even to vote. Just ask “0″ or Holder.
  
  Report this comment
Chromo200
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:32pm
He is not an American because he does not believe in the Constitution. He is not a true american because he lives off the earnings of others. He is not an American because he wants to be an elitist and control others. He is not an American because the rules of this nation are not his to obey.

He is an illegal alien and should be deported. I figure driving without a license should be enough to be sent back.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- justangry
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:39pm
  “He is not an American because he does not believe in the Constitution. ”
  
  By this definition most of Washington, and all of our presidential candidates aren’t Americans.
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:49pm
  JUSTANGRY, Man, do I ever have to agree with you on that one!
  
  Report this comment
- marine249
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:51pm
  @JUST
  you may be right.
  or at least half right.
  
  Report this comment
dealer@678
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:30pm
Send him home before he and she start breeding like Cane Toads. And they will too

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:25pm
If he can afford that suit,he can afford to be a legal citizen.And another Oregon License.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
dealer@678
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:24pm
He was arressted in the morning and released by noon for being a criminal illegal alien driving without a license. The same dam thing would have happened if he ran a red light and killed an American child

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- wallawalla
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 7:45am
  I worked for a small police department and not once would ice pick up an illegal in my custody. We are lost.
  
  Report this comment
Brasil2520
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:23pm
The same day he was arrested, ICE should have sent him back to the Philippines

Liberal courts = High crime

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:22pm
MAKE him become legal. Why hasn’t he tried to beome lrgal since outing himself? We paid for the roads he is driving on and the services he is using, he can damn well start paying taxes, too.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
marine249
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:22pm
ship his ****.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
americansfightingforcommonsense
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:19pm
Oh heaven forbid he be deported for breaking our laws and coming here illegally. NO, we can’t do that. That would be cruel. This is why we are in such a bad state of affairs here in America. They come here and take from our system and demand even more and we think we are being mean if we say no. Well I say NO. Go home to your own country and come here legally if you want to, but get in line.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
BJC
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:18pm
This illegal alien needs to be deported. He doesn’t fall into any of the freebies Obama gave the young illegals. Deport the sorry SOB.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
hersey10
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:14pm
These “secure communities” are an absolute JOKE. We have them here in MA as well.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
korbin
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:14pm
Puke, we are sucking the American dream dry, welfare, free schooling, food stamps, crimes, lowering housing costs, taking jobs, AND we ARE illegal………….Worst of all most of the illegals DO NOT assimilate into the American idea of being an American. USA first the homeland you fled second. Flt our flag, speak our language and stand in line… I welcome all legal inmmigrants that want to be Americans… Legally

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
RossPoldark
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:12pm
I guess he feels since he is illegal, our laws do not apply to him, since he is not an American

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- korbin
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:19pm
  Obviously, he was let out of jail and not deported. I wonder what would happen if I drove without a license and was arrested? I guarantee the penalties would be significantly higher being a tax payer US citizen…
  
  Report this comment
- OlefromMN
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:22pm
  I am surprised that Minneanoplace actually detained him. Maybe there are a few good “cops” left up there. Wait for the result. The officer will be reprimanded.
  
  Report this comment
- oldguy77
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 2:29pm
  Maybe we should bring back the draft like they did for Korea. Then our young men and women could give there lives so the wet backs could persue the american dream.All kinds of job openings.
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.