A story put out by supporters of illegal aliens that three day laborers had been kidnapped in Rancho Cucamonga by Minuteman Project members, handcuffed, driven across the Mexican borders and dropped off in Tijuana was all a false story and a hoax says the illegal aliens who started the story.

Daily Bulletin

A day laborer who claimed he and two other men were kidnapped from a street corner and taken in handcuffs to Tijuana has admitted he made up the story.

When San Bernardino County sheriff's investigators talked to Jose Feliz Gutierrez by phone, he said the kidnapping story he told to his sister was a lie.

"Jose stated he had left on his own accord," said Detective Jesse Venegas in a statement released Wednesday. "The entire event was a fabrication.

"Jose stated that he was scared to stand at the corner and look for work because of recent events such as the tragic accident that took the life of a fellow day laborer."

Jose Fernando Pedraza was killed May 5 when a car lost control and crashed into him at a spot where laborers gather at Grove Avenue and Arrow Route.

The kidnapping claim added fuel to an already fiery debate over day laborers and immigration that led to strong demands from people on both sides of the immigration issue.

This story was trumpeted across the whole of the open border lobby as proof that there are racists and hate groups in California targeting illegal aliens and that they were parts of mainstream patriotic groups like the Minuteman Project.

Councilman Rex Gutierrez expressed his disdain with the group.

"Last night, we saw the true face of the Minutemen, which is spiteful and hateful," he said.

Minuteman national rally spokesman Raymond Herrera said the group had serious doubts about the kidnapping claim from the start.

...

"The Minuteman group knew that from the start," he said. "It just didn't add up."

So will Councilman Rex Gutierrez now come out and express his disdain for day laborers, illegal aliens and groups that would viciously attack American citizens who want the rule of law upheld? I doubt it. It's okay to villainize and criminalize those you disagree with before all the facts are known it seems according to the Rancho Cucamonga city council.

As recently as May 15, 2007, Jose Calderon, professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College and president of the Latina and Latino Roundtable, released the below Press release which states that the kidnapping was a fact and indicted members of Save Our State and the Minuteman Project as being responsible for a day laborer who was struck and killed in the street during a protest. Neither Save Our State, nor the Minuteman Project were at that location when the event occurred. All of this is an obvious smear campaign by some individuals with absolutely no credibility now that all their claims have been proven false.

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 15, 2007

CONTACTS:
Jose Calderon: 909-952-1640
Marco Amador: 213-215-0738

Day Laborers Demand Proper Response to Kidnapping of 6 Day Laborers and Death of Worker Leader

WHAT: Press Conference
WHERE: City Hall, 10500 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
DATE: Tuesday, May 16, 2007
TIME: 6 p.m.

...

On May 9, 2007, near the corner of Grove Avenue and Arrow Highway between Rancho Cucamonga and Upland a sports utility vehicle approached and offered workers a job. Three accepted, entered the vehicle, and were taken to a location near the Ontario Convention Center. Here, these workers were joined by three other workers picked up at another, unknown, location. All six were placed in a different vehicle and their hands were tied. They were driven to Tijuana, Mexico, where they were abandoned. This information comes from one of the kidnapped men, who called his sister, an Upland resident, to explain what happened. His sister went to the Upland police department to file a report. Upon explaining the facts that she knew, she was asked by police if the kidnapped workers had legal documentation to reside in the United States. It was not until she and her husband pressured the police did they agree to file a report.

...

This incident comes at a time when day laborers in Rancho Cucamonga, as well as other locations throughout Southern California, are being targeted by anti-immigrant, vigilante groups.

...

Just last week, day laborers on the corner near the alleged kidnapping were targeted by protestors from Save Our State and the Minutemen. [Minutemen Project and SOS were NOT onsite this date] As workers remained longer than usual to peacefully defend their corner, one of their leaders and fellow workers, Jose Fernando Pedraza, was killed when a collision caused a car to veer into their corner, striking several and killing Jose Fernando.

As can be read above all of these incidents were placed at the feet of "anti-immigrant vigilantes". The kidnapping was a hoax and the day laborer who was killed was as the result of a car being struck and then being driven into the day laborers on the corner. So it was an accident.

This all wouldn't have happened of course if these illegal aliens weren't on the corner in the first place. And it's not their corner it is the corner of taxpayers. Or are they suggesting that they are a gang marking their territory?

So what does Jose Calderon have to say about all his complaints being false? Well he tries to spin it of course. Don't expect a Press Release from him apologizing for all of the false claims he made.

The news that the kidnapping story was a lie is regrettable, said Jose Calderon ... [who] joined the National Day Labor Center in calling for an investigation. ...

He calls the kidnapping tale an unfortunate distraction from the real issues, but said there had to be an investigation.

It seems to me that the only unfortunate part of this whole slanderous action is that innocent Americans have been blamed for actions which either didn't occur or were accidents.

Yes, these are the people we are dealing with in this country my fellow Americans. Illegal aliens and their supporters will do anything to paint patriotic Americans as racists, vigilantes and anti-immigrant when in reality the accusers are the ones who are racist, hateful and anti-American. Don't believe a word that they say.

Now if only the truth would come out about the Los Angeles Police Department MacArthur Park incident where elite squad members were put on suspension and reassigned after slanderous lies by supporters of illegal aliens just like in the above case. Why are we allowing these criminal illegal aliens to remain here and accuse law enforcement and Americans of crimes that didn't occur?

I call for an investigation.

Oh yeah and give that liar Jose Calderon a call at 909-952-1640

Tipped by: Gilchrist's Minuteman Project