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Chavez apprehended at Mexico - US border
Former Labor nominee denies, then admits identity 
"OK, I did it," said Linda Chavez, admitting to smuggling immigrants across the Mexican border. (AP)
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By Wrenda Correll
Tomorrow Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 04, 2001 TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION, ARIZ.-- Linda Chavez, President Bush's controversial former Secretary of Labor nominee who stepped out of the running after it was revealed she housed an undocumented Hispanic worker, was caught brown-handed at the US-Mexico border Saturday night. She is alleged to have helped a group of immigrants attempt to enter the United States illegally. Officials from the Tohono O'odham Nation and the US Border Patrol apprehended Chavez and 13 Mexican nationals deep in the Arizona desert at around 8:50 PM Mountain Standard Time, they said. Chavez attempted to pass herself as one of the immigrants so that the group would be sent back to their country of origin, according to tribal border agent Danial Garcia. But the scheme quickly unraveled as authorities were tipped off by Chavez' pathetic Spanish accent. "Once I heard her say 'Mi nombre soy Linda,' I knew immediately who she was," said Garcia. "That crazy chica can't speak Spanish." Disguised in a poncho and clothes she said she bought at Wal-Mart, Chavez at first refused to acknowledge herself. But the illegal aliens eagerly gave up the identity of their selfless benefactor so that Americans and the liberal press who vilified her could see what a great person she is, they said. "Linda, she has been very good to me," said Manuelita Ortega, 31. "She let me stay at her house last year, take care of her children, wash her clothes, do her dishes, and she didn't even worry about paying me." "Linda is a great person, worthy of a Cabinet position in any country," concurred Jesus Trujillo, 25. "Its just too bad that she became the victim of the politics of fear. Instead, she could be helping countless other Mexicans like myself who only wished they could labor under a Secretary so gracious." "Linda cares," added Esteban Gomez, 18. Surrounded by her alien friends, Chavez eventually admitted her late-night run for the border was just one of many excursions made in recent months. According to her estimates, she has helped bring over more than 3,000 immigrants from Mexico and Central America since January. "What can I say?" wondered Chavez. "I just can't bear the thought of these people working for someone other than myself. If it is a crime to employ immigrants who don't have proper residence documentation, then I am guilty." Officials said they had in fact been tracking Chavez' scheme for several weeks. Operation Loca Linda, they termed it, was responsible for hundreds of border-crossings until they shut it down this weekend. "We're just happy she's been stopped," said Garcia. "She will terrorize this country no more."
© 2001-2002 Indian Country Tomorrow
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