Last month a swerving bus was pulled over, on North Garfield Avenue, by the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's office.
Turns out the driver didn't have the appropriate documentation (like a CDL) and instead offered law enforcement a Mexican Voter ID card and a consular card. Subsequently, and due to a language barrier, the U.S. Border Patrol was contacted.
The bus driver was identified as an employee of Dutchman Tree Farms in Manton, MI. (The tree farm owners repeatedly refuse to comment to the media and concerned taxpayers about this incident.)
Body cam of the encounter can be seen here.
Long story short: The 19 bus occupants, illegal aliens, were taken to the Soo to be processed at the Border Patrol station. According to the Michigan News Source, "They were processed and served a Notice to Appear before being released." Catch and release.
Photos of some of the young male bus occupants, allegedly, showed them shopping at a Meijer in the Soo. Where they will end up is anybody's guess. Who they are is anybody's guess.
But one thing is clear: Northern Michigan is not exempt from experiencing some of the chaos and crime that is occurring as a result of an unsecure border. Every town, after all, is now a border town.
This post is so good and so sad I am going to appropriate it for my own blog.
Did the people on the bus have legal farm worker documentation? It is up to our Congress to create and pass a new immigration bill that addresses the legalization process for farm workers and their families. It is obvious that Michigan needs these seasonal workers who contribute to food security, help our farmers and strengthen our economy. Tell Representative Bergman to get to work on this.