I first noticed this after the killings by Cho Seung-Hui, who was described as a "native of" rather than an "immigrant from" Korea. If he'd been a valedictorian, you can be sure he'd be described as an "immigrant."
Here are some recent examples. This is an immigrant from Jordan, boarding a plane with an illegal gun in checked luggage.
Jordan native was arrested at JIA before flight to Chicago.
By TIMOTHY J. GIBBONS, The Times-Union
A native of Jordan was arrested Monday at Jacksonville International Airport after federal screeners found a semi-automatic handgun with the serial number scratched off stashed in his checked luggage.
This is an official news release describing the arrest of an immigrant from, no, I’m wrong, it says here a "native of" El Salvador.
July 3, 2007 — Houston police homicide investigators have identified a suspect in the fatal stabbing of a woman at 4306 Canal #3 on December 24, 2006.
The suspect, Mario Luis Conrado (H/m, DOB: 01-25-65), a native of El Salvador, is charged with murder in the 338th State District Court.
The victim, Martha Vega Penaloza, 32, of 4306 Canal #3, suffered multiple stab wounds and died at the scene.
Here’s a really fascinating international story, about a man named Rakesh Saxena, who’s an immigrant from India. He emigrated first to Thailand, where he is accused of stealing $88 Million dollars, then to Vancouver, Canada, where he’s under house arrest, but apparently that hasn’t slowed him down much.
With all its international implications, this story doesn’t contain the word immigrant.
Saxena, 55, is a native of India. In the early 1990s, he worked as treasury adviser to the Bangkok Bank of Commerce where he allegedly embezzled $88 million, then moved to British Columbia.
In 1996, he was arrested by the RCMP at the Chateau Whistler while lunching with Thai police officers. He was carrying a briefcase stuffed with $100,000 cash, which, he readily admitted, he intended to use to bribe the officers.
He was initially released on bail, but in January 1998, the RCMP re-arrested him after he allegedly obtained a phony passport and threatened a witness.
In June 1998, his lawyer persuaded then-judge Wally Oppal (now B.C.’s attorney general) to approve a novel form of house arrest: Saxena would stay at his luxury condo and pay for his own 24-hour security to ensure he didn’t leave.
This left Saxena free to pursue his business dealings. In one instance, he began negotiating with a South African-based mercenary force to stage a counter-coup in Sierra Leone when a rebellion interfered with business ventures there. The plans were put on hold when word leaked out[ Bank robbery suspect turns to stock scam? By David Baines The Vancouver Sun, July 9, 2007
Here’s a real winner:
Man faces a mental evaluation By Sara Israelsen Deseret Morning News PROVO — The mental health of a man who bought high-powered guns illegally and told his roommates he wanted to kill police officers and U.S. soldiers will be reviewed against his wishes.
During an appearance Thursday in 4th District Court, prosecutor Donna Kelly asked Judge Gary Stott to order a mental-competency review for Kiddus Chane Yohannes, 20, who was arrested June 8 after police learned he had purchased guns illegally and was threatening violent attacks if given a chance.
"We have some concerns that he has mental-health issues, which raise questions as to his competency," Kelly said.
…
Yohannes, a native of Ethiopia, is accused of purchasing several guns in October, including AK-47s, at pawn shops in both Orem and Provo, using false alien registration numbers.
Sounds like "Immigrant Mass Murder Syndrome" waiting to happen, doesn’t it? And note how they describe him simply as "Man" — that tells us a lot. Not about the suspect, but about the editor.
