Law firm accused of racketeering

“One of the nation’s largest immigration asylum law firms was accused of working hand in hand with smugglers who bring illegal Chinese immigrants to the US and keep them as virtual indentured servants,” according to a recent Associated Press news account.

“The relationship earned the Porges law firm more than $13 million illicitly over the last seven years, federal prosecutors alleged in the first racketeering case of its kind.

“Manhattan attorneys in three-piece suits do not typically come to mind when the public pictures the criminals who traffic in human cargo and who profit in the desperation of migrants who are seeking a better life. The case illustrated the kind of ‘well organized, well planned international enterprises that have become a multibillion dollar problem.

The smugglers, known as snakeheads, charged desperate aliens $40,000 to $50,000 to sneak them into the country and held captive until the fee was paid. Interesting that the attorney is a Harvard University Law School product whose law firm represents aliens throughout the country at nearly every major INS detention center.

Gee! And for a while I thought we were at the worst end of the stick. Three-piece lawyers engaged in modern day slavery? Unheard of, yeah? Well, not quite and not according to this recent AP story!

Check out Tinian’s Website

If you are a student away from (home) Tinian, a former resident or have any affinity with this tiny isle about four miles southwest of Saipan, you’d get a thrill checking out the new website of this beautiful island: www.tinian.org/default.htm

The site includes facts about Tinian, its government, community forum and calendar, and a photo gallery. I think its photo gallery would eventually have enlargement capability to give a visitor to this site a greater appreciation of a tropical island that is all green even during the winter months.

Tiinian was named “The Island of Red Sunset” by Carolinian traditional navigators. Traditional sailors were on their way to Saipan and saw a beautiful red sunset in the horizon. Thus, the name Tinian. Anyway, check it out. You have nothing to lose but a lot to be thrilled about!

Lighter side now

Man came into a bank, pounded the counter and declared:

“I want to open a damn account in your damn bank!”

The teller (young lady) was taken aback by the man’s abusive language. She went to fetch the manager.

At the counter the manager asked the man if he could be of help.

Said the man: “I just won $50 million and want to open a damn account in your damn bank”.

Said the manager: “Is this broad giving you a hard time?”

Gee, money can certainly change even a manager’s view of his employee, yeah?

• • • •

At a nasty divorce proceeding, the estranged husband had it up to his nose with lawyers going through primary school courtroom theatrics. He asked the judge to speak. The judge allowed him to say his piece.

Said he: “Your honor, sometime we…she no come, sometime we…I come. Last year we didn’t…at all, but baby come. How come?” A` Saina!

Strictly a personal view. John S. DelRosario Jr. is publisher of Saipan Tribune.