U.S. Undocumented Taxpayers Won't Qualify For The $2T Federal Emergency Spending Coronavirus Stimulus Aid

The U.S. Congress and Trump have ignored the plight of the U.S. undocumented taxpayer in the country during the Coronavirus pandemic 2020 by not making them part of receiving any of the $2T federal stimulus aid that was passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 28, 2020

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. undocumented taxpayer (nearly 8M, about 57% of immigrants in the U.S.) and their families were not included by the U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump to receive any federal emergency stimulus aid from the Coronavirus Emergency Spending Bill that was just passed and signed into law by Trump to help U.S. citizens and legal status immigrants during the pandemic economic crisis, which millions of workers became unemployed (more than 3,283,000 unemployment claims were filed during the week ending March 21, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor reported), when businesses, corporations and etc. shut down during the 'Stay at Home' order and lock down enacted by state governors, County and municipal officials throughout the country and U.S. territories including Puerto Rico to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Most U.S. undocumented taxpayers with an ITIN, a taxing IRS number, which is an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number used as a tax processing number that was issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for those that don't have a Social Security number) have become unemployed and their families are enduring economic plight to survive as most Americans in the U.S., including those undocumented taxpayers that don't have an ITIN number, but do pay federal and state taxes and don't file for tax refunds at the end of the year.

Unfortunately, Congress and Trump didn't take into account that U.S. undocumented taxpayers are the backbone of the economic fabric of the U.S. economy.

Also, most state governors and state legislatures in the U.S. have not enacted an economic stimulus aid for the undocumented taxpayers currently unemployed and closed businesses during the pandemic.

For example: 

The Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy (ITEP) reported that,

• Undocumented immigrants contribute significantly to state and local taxes, collectively paying an estimated $11.74 billion a year. Contributions range from just over $550,000 in Montana with an estimated undocumented population of 1,000 to more than $3.1 billion in California, home to more than 3 million undocumented immigrants.

• Undocumented immigrants nationwide pay on average an estimated 8 percent of their incomes in state and local taxes (this is their effective state and local tax rate). To put this in perspective, the top 1 percent of taxpayers pay an average nationwide effective tax rate of just 5.4 percent.

• Granting legal status to all undocumented immigrants in the United States as part of a comprehensive immigration reform and allowing them to work legally would increase their state and local tax contributions by an estimated $2.18 billion a year. Their nationwide effective state and local tax rate would increase to 8.6 percent. (ITEP updated (2017) data of undocumented taxpayers in the U.S. link: https://bit.ly/39lbxBG)

• In Wisconsin, undocumented immigrants paid $21,7 million in personal income, $6.1 million in property taxes and $66.5 million in sale taxes in 2010 totaling at least $94.4M, according to the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy study.

• Undocumented workers in Texas pay $11.6B annually in taxes, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

• Undocumented immigrants paid $35B within 10 years to the Medicare Trust Fund even when they don't qualify for benefits. (HNNUSA/Hispanic News Network U.S.A.)

• The Social Security Administration reported that in the Earning Suspense File has $1.3T in taxes in earn wages, which most of it was collected from undocumented immigrants.  (The Atlantic)

• In 2014, Stephen Goss, the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration told Vice News that in the last decade, an estimated 11M undocumented immigrants reside in the U.S. and about 7M are unauthorized workers and 3.1M of those worked with fake or expired Social Security numbers and paid automatic payroll taxes to the federal government. In 2010, a $13B annual net contribution was made to the Social Security Trust Fund.

• In the last ten years (prior to 2017), unauthorized workers have paid an estimated $100B into the trust fund and most of the unauthorized workers will never benefit from their tax contributions later in life, according to Goss.  (HNNUSA/Hispanic News Network U.S.A.)

• Only 3.5% of undocumented immigrants make up a small segment of the total population in the U.S. and make up 5% of the labor force in the country (Pew Research Center)

• In 2015, Hispanics purchasing power reached $1.5T, an increase of 50% since 2010. Hispanic women control a majority of house spending. Women spend $3.3B in foot wear, according to the Nielsen report.

36-year-old Jose Santiago Found Fatally Shot Inside Parked Vehicle In Milwaukee

Santiago was found deceased with a gunshot wound inside a parked vehicle.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 24, 2020

Milwaukee, Wisconsin- On Monday, Milwaukee police around 6:00 p.m. responded to a welfare check call indicating a man had passed out inside a parked vehicle at S. 13th Street and W. Howard Ave. When police arrived at the location, they found Jose Santiago, 36, deceased from a gunshot wound while inside a vehicle.

The Milwaukee Police Department homicide division is currently investigating the case.

Santiago was originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was also a motorcycle enthusiast and a member of the MIXFITS Motorcycle Club from Milwaukee and is survived by his wife and son.

Unemployment Rate Under The Trump Administration And The COVID-19 Pandemic Economic Crisis Will Reach More Than 30% In The U.S.

Today's unemployment rate under the Trump administration and the COVID-19 pandemic economic crisis will reach more than 30% compared to the Great Depression of 1933, which reached 24.9% unemployment.

March 23, 2020

The U.S. unemployment rate for the Great Depression of 1933 was 24.9%, in the coming months, the unemployment rate under the Trump administration and the COVID-19 pandemic economic crisis will reach more than 30% in the U.S.

In the week ending March 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 3,283,000, an increase of 3,001,000 from the previous week's revised level. This marks the highest level of seasonally adjusted initial claims in the history of the seasonally adjusted series. The previous high was 695,000 in October of 1982. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 281,000 to 282,000. The 4-week moving average was 998,250, an increase of 765,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 232,250 to 232,500, reported the U.S. Department of Labor (3/26/2020) https://dol.gov/ui/data.pdf

Source: Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

Undocumented Detainees And Children In Cages Have Been Forgotten During The COVID-19 Pandemic In The U.S., President Trump Should Release Them Now

All non-violent undocumented immigrants detained including children in cages by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, private prisons and private run detention centers should be released by Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 20, 2020

Washington, D.C. - Since the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic breakout, no effort has been made by Trump to release all non-violent undocumented immigrants including children held in cages being detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), private prisons and detention centers around the country and Texas as a health safety measure to keep them from being infected as well. According to the mainstream media, a medical staff employee at the ICE private detention center operated by CoreCivic in Elizabeth, New Jersey has tested COVID-19 positive. At least 195 undocumented detainees are currently at the facility, which has a capacity to hold 300. No confirmation has been released whether undocumented detainees at the facility had been infected with the deadly virus.

Most Americans are preoccupied by their own fate and dilemma of being out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Congress, Trump and state governors around the U.S. are working to provide resources, pay checks, unemployment compensation and economic aid to most U.S. citizens, small businesses and legal status citizens living in the U.S., but it seems that the undocumented workers in the U.S. who have paid billions of dollars in federal taxes including millions of dollars in state taxes, since after the former President Ronald Regan Amnesty passed, but actually don't file for a tax reimbursement, but by no fault of their own have become the vulnerable and forgotten taxpayers by the U.S. Congress and Trump who are paid by the same tax dollars the IRS and states have collected from the undocumented taxpayers.

The undocumented taxpayers have contributed more than 

Former President George W. Bush and former President Barack H. Obama were able to tab into the suspended IRS account of billions of tax dollars that undocumented workers paid to the IRS and the millions of dollars paid in combined taxes to states without filing yearly tax refunds, which the country was actually bailed out during the recession in early 2016.

Statistics:

Each non-criminal undocumented immigrant detained and later removed from a community will create an economic gap of about $25k to $50k in earned income including personal, sales tax, consumption of goods and property tax generated loss annually. Also, it will cost the state and the U.S. government approximately up to $10K or more in deportation costs including holding the undocumented inmate at a local county jail or Private Prison Corporations (PPC), which costs between $130 to $330 per day to hold at a PPC, in addition immigration court costs and flight costs to country of orgin.

Obama during the end of his term attempted to phase out private prisons when contracts expired, but Trump's U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recinded that memo and is promoting to continue to contract with PPCs. According to a 2015 report by the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, PPC's earned $3B for holding ICE detainees. An estimated 34,000 of undocumented immigrants are incarcerated daily costing about $159 each to hold.

So, the U.S. economic stability in some urban and rural communities, which depend on undocumented labor including farm and dairy workers are faced with a loss of workers that can't easily be replaced once removed by the Trump's ICE initiative. Does Trump and his administration know that every non-criminal undocumented immigrant removed from the local and the U.S. economic system has a long lasting effect in the areas from which removed?

• In Wisconsin, undocumented immigrants paid $21,7 million in personal income, $6.1 million in property taxes and $66.5 million in sale taxes in 2010 totaling at least $94.4M, according to the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy study.

• Undocumented workers in Texas pay $11.6B annually in taxes, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

• Undocumented immigrants paid $35B within 10 years to the Medicare Trust Fund even when they don't qualify for benefits. (HNNUSA/Hispanic News Network U.S.A.)

• The Social Security Administration reported that in the Earning Suspense File has $1.3T in taxes in earn wages, which most of it was collected from undocumented immigrants.  (The Atlantic)

• In 2014, Stephen Goss, the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration told Vice News that in the last decade, an estimated 11M undocumented immigrants reside in the U.S. and about 7M are unauthorized workers and 3.1M of those worked with fake or expired Social Security numbers and paid automatic payroll taxes to the federal government. In 2010, a $13B annual net contribution was made to the Social Security Trust Fund.

In the last ten years (2017), unauthorized workers have paid an estimated $100B into the trust fund and most of the unauthorized workers will never benefit from their tax contributions later in life, according to Goss.  (HNNUSA/Hispanic News Network U.S.A.)

Trump To Declare Martial Law, Mandatory One Week Or More Quarantine For All U.S. Citizens, Deploying National Guard And Military To Prevent Uprising And Looting

Trump preparing to announce a national curfew and one or more weeks of quarantine for all U.S. citizens in all 50 U.S. States and Puerto Rico.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 19, 2020

Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday, a majority of National Guard personnel from around the U.S. received a dispatch from military command in coordination with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to pack and prepare for a 30-day nationwide mobilization deployment within days. Trump will be forced to declare Martial Law, if the COVID-19 is not controlled from spreading from state to state and each State governor is doing their best to deal with the pandemic.

The National Guard along with the military and local law enforcement agencies will be in charge of enforcing a national curfew and a one week or more of quarantine for all U.S. citizens, non-citizens in the country and in Puerto Rico, according to law enforcement and military sources.

The national curfew and the one week mandatory quarantine for all U.S. citizens and non-citizens in the country will be enacted once the National Guard is deployed and ready to assume enforcement of Martial Law to prevent any anticipated citizen uprising, rioting and looting.

No specific details have been announced by the U.S. government and the Trump administration concerning the mandatory closings of all businesses and how food, water and other items will be available to U.S. citizens, non-citizens and Puerto Rico. 

Currently in most U.S. States only bars and restaurants have been closed to prevent Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections and a limit for more than 10 people in public and private gatherings is prohibited and restaurants that have carryout have been allowed to sell food. Also, many businesses, malls  and major retail stores have voluntarily closed within the last four days.

Multiple governors, County executives and mayors of cities have declared a State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have issued Executive Orders on how to proceed with the emergency, but have failed to include a health safety net for State, County and local employees with complications with health issues as asthma and etc., which would put them at high risk for the COVID-19 infection.

In Puerto Rico (PR), Wanda Vázquez Garced, the governor is working to suspend all air flights to PR and from PR to the mainland and other destinations for 14-days.

People in the U.S. should prepared for the one week or more of a mandatory quarantine.

Cuba developed the COVID-19 vaccine (Interferon Alfa 2B) and shared it with China during the pandemic...the U.S. has yet to request the vaccine from Cuba... https://youtu.be/YST6dtmWEZ0

Also, U.S. Department of Justice under U.S. Attorney General William Barr who was placed in the position by Trump has asked the U.S. Congress to craft legislation allowing chief judges to indefinitely hold people without trial and suspend other constitutionally-protected rights during coronavirus and other emergencies, according to a report by Politico.

New York's COVID-19 Mandatory Restrictions And Containment Centers (Camps) Could Serve As A Model Throughout The U.S.

COVID-19 mandatory restrictions and containment centers (camps) in the State of New York could serve as a model throughout the U.S.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 18, 2020

NY: At least 10K people were tested and 1,700 tested positive for Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) with 12 reported deaths in the state including 7 in NYC and 20% of the people infected needed to be quarantine (hospitalized) in New York City as of Tuesday. NY will setup containment centers in each county affected with a high percentage of those quarantine with the help of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. No family members will be allowed to visit those in quarantine, according to NY state sources.

So far, there is at least 50% of the government workforce active and bars including restaurants are closed for indoor and outdoor dining. Carry out only food service will be allowed.  

The NY Department of Motor Vehicle stop providing in-person service and only online service available.

All NY public and private schools up to grade 12th are close and could remain closed until the end of the school year.

A mandatory restriction of more than 10 people in a gathering is prohibited throughout the state. People are advised to stay home and restrict travel unless shopping for food, medicine and water.

Also, it is believed that it will take between 45 to 60 days when the Coronavirus pandemic will peak.

The feds, state, county and municipal officials are expected to implement similar model mandatory restrictions in other counties throughout the states depending on the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Within months, it is expected that more the 55K will be infected with the COVID-19 in the U.S. Tens of thousands of people in the U.S. are believed to have been infected already and could be carriers, but might not be aware, since the symptoms take more than 14 days to appear.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of March 17, 2020 reported (https://bit.ly/2U0kawU): 

• Total cases reported: 4,226 

• Total deaths: 75

Jurisdictions reporting cases: 53 (49 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands)

The White House confirmed that every U.S. state has reported COVID-19 cases with infections.

Those young people that are infected with the COVID-19 and survive would live with a damage lung or organ, according to Prabhjot Singh, a physician and health systems expert at Mount Sinai Health System and the Icahn School of Medicine (Hill dot com).

More than 180K COVID-19 cases have been reported with more than 7,100 deaths worldwide.

Clifton A. Blackwell Who Doused Muhad Villalaz, Originally From Peru With Chemical Acid During An Alleged Racially Motivated Attack In November Placed On GPS Ankle Monitoring

Blackwell was released on GPS ankle monitoring, he was charged in connection with the chemical acid attack of Muhad Villalaz on November 1st in Milwaukee's Southside.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 11, 2020

Milwaukee, WI - On March 5, 2020, Clifton A. Blackwell, 62, was in court and his bail was modified and continued on GPS ankle monitoring under the following conditions per week, the defendant is permitted release for medical, meetings with Attorney, 1 trip to check cashing, 2 trips to grocery store of choice, all with verifications in connection with the chemical acid attack of Muhad Villalaz 42, on November 1st in Milwaukee's Southside, according to Milwaukee County Court records. 

Villalaz is originally from Peru and became a U.S. Citizen. According to Villalaz, Blackwell called him an "illegal", including other racial slurs and told him that he should go back to his country.

On March 3, 2020, the Justice Point dot Org. notified Villalaz that Blackwell has been released on GPS ankle monitoring on February 13, 2020, as a condition of bail. Blackwell was prohibited by Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glenn H. Yamahiro from coming within 500 feet from Villalaz's home.

Blackwell was charged on November 6, 2019 in Milwaukee County with one felony count of 1st- degree reckless injury with a hate crime enhancer including use of a dangerous weapon in connection with the November 1st chemical acid attack of Villalaz. If convicted, Blackwell is facing up to 25 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines.

Blackwell's next court hearing is on April 8.

Villalaz in November was hospitalized after he was attacked by Blackwell with the chemical acid during a verbal dispute at the 2600 block of  S. 13th Street in the Southside of Milwaukee, according to the criminal complaint. 

Villalaz had just arrived at the Taqueria La Sierrita restaurant located at S. 13 and W. Cleveland when he encountered Blackwell and got into a verbal dispute over a parking spot near a bus route 19 stop before the suspect threw the chemical acid at Villalaz, after telling him to go back to his country including using other verbal racial slurs and then fled on foot.

Blackwell and Villalaz's verbal dispute including Blackwell dousing Villalaz with the chemical acid was recorded by an outdoor video surveillance camera from the restaurant. Blackwell was taken into custody by police shortly after the incident. Police had an encounter with Blackwell for a prior unrelated incident in the area. 

Blackwell is a U.S. military Veteran and served in the U.S. Marines, which his family says suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In 2006, Blackwell was convicted for a felony charge in Rusk County for pointing a weapon at an individual. 

Blackwell is a Trump supporter, according to a woman that operates a local business, which Blackwell used to frequent and is considered a racist just like Trump himself.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett condemned Blackwell's acid attack on Villalaz and blamed Trump's anti-immigrant and hate rhetoric including his attempt to divide the country. 

So far, none of the Wisconsin Latino MAGAs (Make America Great Again/Keep America Great/Latinos for Trump) who are local Trump supporters that created a fake Latino MAGA Facebook page to promote hate and Nazi propaganda to target Latinos in the Hispanic community and to also raise campaign donations for Trump in the state, including the Republican Party of Wisconsin and Republican State legislators in control of the state legislature have not come forward publicly to condemn the racially motivated acid attack of Villalaz by Blackwell.

Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales Says That The Milwaukee Police Department Has To Work With U.S. ICE On The Latinos En Milwaukee 93.7FM Radio Program

Chief Morales told the listening Latino audience of the Latinos en Milwaukee 93.7FM weekend radio program that the Milwaukee Police Department has to work with U.S. ICE because it's a federal law enforcement agency without adding or making it clear that in December 2019, the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission unanimously approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 130, which prohibits police from assisting ICE agents when enforcing immigration law without having a federal or state warrant signed a by court judge to detain a suspected undocumented immigrant in the City.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 7, 2020

West Allis, Wisconsin - On Saturday, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales was interviewed in the popular Latinos en Milwaukee 93.7FM radio program where he discussed various issues, crime stats, human trafficking, domestic violence, gun violence and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collaboration with the Milwaukee Police Department. The Latinos en Milwaukee radio program was hosted by Victor Huyke and Yussef Morales. Yussef asked Chief Morales about immigration enforcement including police and any changes or if new policies (or laws) for immigration enforcement that have been enacted involving the MPD, since the program has a large Mexican community listening audience. Chief Morales responded by saying, "It's a federal thing...our job, local law enforcement, which Milwaukee police is a local law enforcement agency, our job and goal is to connect with the community...we work with the feds and if we have to work with ICE, it's because it's part of our work, but the work of the Milwaukee police is to grow in relations, in all the neighborhoods, help the people that need help and that's our primary work..."

In his response, Chief Morales didn't directly explain to the listening audience, especially to the undocumented immigrant community, that they need to continue to trust police and report crimes that they witness without being afraid of being detained for deportation, by simply mentioning that in December 2019, the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission unanimously approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 130, which prohibits police from assisting ICE agents when enforcing immigration law without having a federal or state warrant signed a by court judge to detain a suspected undocumented immigrant in the City. 

If Chief Morales continues to ignore to mention the new SOP-130 policy, when asked if any new policies have been enacted concerning ICE, its immigration enforcement and police assisting ICE, it could be construed that police are continuing to assist ICE agents in detaining undocumented immigrants without a warrant.

According to Chief Morales:

• 45% of gun violence occurs in 14 neighborhoods from 190 Milwaukee neighborhoods and 20% of gun violence last year was contributed to domestic violence, more than 17 homicides were related to intimate partner domestic violence. Last year, 100 less homicides were reported from previous years.

• In the Southside neighborhoods, Lincoln Village, Mitchell Street and the West end of Walkers Point where the Milwaukee 2nd Police District Station serves, the largest drop of non-fatal shootings percentage wise compared to other neighborhoods in the City, which was reported in the last two years compared to previous gun violence

• Human traffickers in Milwaukee target girls as young as 12 and than move them around (prostitution).

• In 2015, an FBI statistic report indicated that the "LGN" route or W. Lincoln Ave., W. Greenfield Ave. and W. National Ave. corridor strips in Milwaukee's Southside were known nationally as a human trafficking area.

Editors note: According to Paul Mozina, a Community Advocate, he confirmed that the FPC has still not attached the Final version of SOP 130 -- Foreign Nationals Diplomatic Immunity Immigration Enforcement, including the Changes Voces de la Frontera got approved at the December 18, 2019 Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission meeting to Legistar. See FPC19081 at https://bit.ly/2QceI8f nor has the MPD updated the version of SOP 130 on their Code of Conduct website at https://bit.ly/2TuKMGi Almost three months after approval...

• 
  

LAMAR Billboard Price Gouging Exposed When Attempting To Place Several Bernie Medicare For All Advertising In The Milwaukee Area For The April 7 Presidential Primary Election In Wisconsin

A Wisconsin local Bernie supporter created a GoFundMe to raise at least $2,200 funds to place "Medicare For All" billboard advertising for several weeks from March 11 to the April 7, 2020 Presidential Primary Election in Wisconsin, according to the LAMAR website advertising pricing, it would cost between $2,200 to $7,500 for four weeks in the Milwaukee area, but it turned out, the price to advertise with LAMAR skyrocketed to $26,000 to $45,000 depending to the proximity of the Milwaukee downtown area where the Democratic National Convention (DNC) will take place in July 2020, which is called political pricing gouging. The Bernie supporter GoFundMe received $2,350 by donors.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 6, 2020

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Price gouging by LAMAR advertising exposed by Amy Thomas, a Bernie 'Medicare For All' supporter who created a GoFundMe to raise donations to place several Bernie billboard advertising for Medicare For All with LAMAR who operates billboard digital and print advertising in the Milwaukee area and Wisconsin. As it turned out, Thomas has decided to contract with LAMAR to place a Bernie Medicare For All billboard advertising closer to the Wisconsin-Illinois border, since it would be at as lower price instead of actually paying between $20,000 to $45,000 for four weeks in the proximity of the Milwaukee downtown area where the DNC will take place in July. But, Thomas wants to place the Bernie Medicare For All billboard advertising three months before the DNC takes place in Milwaukee.

The LAMAR website current price to advertising in the proximity of the Milwaukee downtown area before the DNC 2020 is between $2,200 to $7,500 for four weeks in the Milwaukee area, but since it's a Bernie political ad, the price to advertise between March to April skyrocketed, according to Thomas, who actually posted on her Facebook account that she reached out to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to let him know of the LAMAR price gouging.

Thomas added an update in her GoFundMe that, "I am signing a contract this afternoon to move forward on one near the Wisconsin, Illinois border--- Between Chicago and Milwaukee. It will run for a total of 4 weeks, March 11 - April 7th."

"The cost will be $1,400. I am also looking for a second location in Green Bay for one week leading up to April 7th."

Thomas also posted yesterday in her Facebook account, "When I posted my billboard fundraiser my goal was to post the billboard in Milwaukee county. My goal was two weeks. $2400 was the going rate on their website and the similar cost for the exact same billboard in South Carolina and in Ohio." 

"Unfortunately, because businesses can do whatever the hell they want, they have decided two weeks would cost over $20,000. I have gone back and fourth with them, contacted local news stations and reached out to Mayor Barrett. 

"Due to this nonsense, I am moving the billboards outside of the city to less expensive locations. 

"I will have one near the Wisconsin and Illinois border, just between Chicago and Milwaukee. It will be up for four weeks. I will also have one up in Green Bay for the week leading up to our primary on April 7th. 

"I am attaching the email from Lamar stating the reason they are price gouging me," Thomas wrote.

Federal Jury Awarded Victim Jimmy Harris More Than $1.6M For Unlawful Stop And Excessive Use Of Force By Milwaukee Police Officer Forilan Santiago

In November 2010, then Milwaukee Police Officer Santiago, today a detective illegally stopped Harrison and used excessive force after the victim claimed he had recently went through a shoulder surgery.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 5, 2020

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, a federal jury in the Jimmy Harris, Plaintiff v. City of Milwaukee et al., Defendants Case No. 14-CV-1002 (presiding U.S. District Court Judge Lynn S. Adelman, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin) found that on November 19, 2010, then Milwaukee Police Officer Forilan Santiago today a detective, made an unlawful stop without reasonable suspicion and proceeded to engage in excessive use of force with assault including battery against Harris and awarded him more than $1.6M for his injuries resulting from excessive use of force, assault and battery, according to federal court records made public by Paul Mozina, a Community Advocate who covered and reported on the three day trial on his Facebook account. Also the federal jury found that Police Officer Santiago arrested Harris without probable cause and Officer Walter McCullough (Sergeant Supervisor) failed to intervene and prevent the illegal arrest of Harris. Two other Milwaukee Police Officers Steven Stelter and Mark Kapusta (Sergeants today) involved in the 2010 incident were found that they did not engage in excessive force along with Santiago.

According to Mozina's reporting, on the second day of trial, the Blue Wall/Code of silence ruled in Room 390 of the Federal Courthouse today as Sergeants Kapusta and Stelter and Detective Santiago took turns testilying (all three were officers at the time of the incident back on 11/19/2010).

All three said they had not received any training at the Academy regarding whether or not you could base a traffic stop solely on the color (or perceived color as the case here) of the car not matching that on the report from the License Plate check.

All three agreed that if officer Santiago had noted Jimmy's name listed as the owner of the vehicle when he looked up the license plate and then compared it to the name on Jimmy's driver's license, that it would have been obvious that the vehicle was not stolen.  Detective Santiago had extremely lame excuses for not doing this basic police work, which is SOP (Standard Operating Peocedure) for traffic stops.  Santiago never confirmed who Jimmy was.  Never told him why he was being arrested or cuffed.

All three agreed that if suspect asks for a supervisor that they should immediately call for one but all three claimed neither Jimmy nor Charita Sims (passenger in Harris vehicle) had made any such request.

All three said that they did not see anyone kick, punch or knee Jimmy, although officer Kapusta did confess that he "tripped" over Jimmy.

Sergeants Kapusta and Stelter said they perceived no evidence that Detective Santiago was intoxicated and that they had not smelled alcohol on his breath (Jimmy would testify to the contrary later).

All three had no explanation for why Jimmy's partner, Charita Sims was not interviewed at the scene or later.  Nobody told them too was the best they could come up with.

None of the LEOs could remember what the others were doing during the time the three of them were trying to roll Jimmy onto his stomach so they could cuff his arms behind him.

None of the three LEOs could remember finally putting the cuffs on Jimmy — perhaps Jimmy put the cuffs on himself.  

Jimmy's attorney Nate Cade exposed numerous examples of Detective Froilan Santiago, the one who made the stop, contradicting himself.  If the jury was paying attention, they would know he is not a credible witness.  Santiago denied dashing Jimmy's phone on the pavement or threatening the bystander who was starting to record the incident with arrest if they didn't stop (both statements contradicted by Charita Sims testimony).  Santiago claimed he smelled marijuana, that Jimmy told him he smoked marijuana and that there were roaches and roach clips in the vehicle (but none were taken into evidence?  Jimmy and Charita contradict this).

Mr. Brian Landers expert witness for the plaintiffs gave devastating testimony regarding many examples of police actions that day that were totally against best practices, incompetent and dangerous.  He said there was no legal justification for the stop nor for getting Jimmy out of the vehicle — the whole thing should have never happened and was easily avoidable, many opportunities for de-escalation missed. 

Jimmy Harris finally took the stand around 4:00pm.

Had his drivers license and registration ready when Santiago arrived at driver's side door.  He asked Santiago why he was being stopped.  Santiago asked for D.L. and registration and after barely looking at them said "This is a fucking stolen car — the plates don't list." (because he thought car was black and license plate check said vehicle was gray)

Jimmy told Santiago that he just had rotator cuff surgery, that he had already been through this with the police regarding the color of the car and he asked for a supervisor.

To which Santiago respond 'If you don't fucking believe me you can come back to the fucking squad and see for yourself.' (don't have the exact quote but that was the gist of it)

Jimmy took pride in his 1999 Chrysler Sebring.  It was a special convertible model and he kept the car spotless clean, did NOT allow anyone to smoke anything in it and that there were no marijuana roaches or roach clips in the vehicle.

He agreed to get out the car in the hope that he could straighten it out and he was surprised when Santiago turned him around behind his car and started to pat him down.  He did not consent to be searched.

He reminded Santiago that he had recent shoulder surgery and at that time noticed a strong smell of liquor on Santiago's breath.   Again he asked for a supervisor and said "You out here drinking, you got liquor on your breath."  At which point Santiago became belligerent and made an awkward and unprofessional attempt (per testimony of Mr. Landers) to put handcuffs on Jimmy.

Santiago never did tell Jimmy that he was under arrest or why he was being handcuffed.

Jimmy said that both he and Charita Sims asked for a supervisor at least three times and Santiago became enraged and threw Jimmy's phone to the pavement breaking it.

Detective Santiago finally got Jimmy to the ground and straddled him with one knee on his neck and the other digging into his left shoulder where he just had surgery.  He said "Fucking N—— Die, Just Die!"

Then Santiago told Charita Sims to get back in the car and Sergeants Kapusta and Stelter arrived.

Kapusta kicked Jimmy very hard in the rib cage to get him to roll over.

At this point Jimmy was deeply fearful for his life.

They forced him to sit up on the curb and he expressed that he was in tremendous pain.  Sergeant Kapusta did call for medical attention but also told Jimmy “If you don’t quit fucking complaining about your injuries, you're not going to like what happens to you in the wagon.”

A supervisor finally did show up, a Black Sergeant named Walter McCullough, and Jimmy thought that he would finally get someone to listen to him but McCullough simply told him to "Shut Up!"

They jerked him up and threw him into the back of the paddy wagon and that is when the ambulance arrived.

The paramedics recognized that Jimmy was in shock.  They gave him pain medication (which soon put Jimmy to sleep) and insisted that he be taken to the hospital against the protests of the officers who had assaulted him.

Officer Ratzmann accompanied Jimmy to the hospital and there they handcuffed Jimmy's arms to the hospital bed spread eagle style.

When the pain medication wore off, Jimmy was awakened to the sound of Detective Santiago pacing around in his room talking to himself saying "You should have just taken the fucking ticket."  Jimmy asked him "What ticket?"  Then Santiago threatened Jimmy telling him that "if he insisted on complaining, well then we're going to find drugs in your car — you know where this is going."

None of the other police wanted to be involved anymore and left Santiago to deal with it.  He checked Jimmy out of the hospital before he was even seen by a doctor.

Santiago handcuffed Jimmy again and commenced to driving around looking for jail into which he could check him in.  He even called down to the House of Corrections in Franklin presumably but they refused to admit him because he did not have any of the proper paper work.

Finally, Santiago took Jimmy to the District 1 station to upload the Dashcam video and he waved the disks at Jimmy and said "Now it's my word against yours".  Jimmy later got the a copy of the disks via Open Records Request and, after finding that there was no audio, he figured out how to re-enable the audio portion of the dash cam video.

At the jail when Jimmy was finally admitted, Santiago was trying to joke around with him like they were buddies or something.  Jimmy was appalled.

The following Monday, after 2 days in jail, Charita Sims bailed Jimmy out.  The next day he went to District 1 to file a complaint and found out that the Assistant District Attorney wanted to see him.  Detective Santiago was also there and the A.D.A. said "I'm sorry Mr. Harris, this should never have happened to you, and you are free to go."

In the hall outside the A.D.A. office, Santiago had this to say to Jimmy: "Next time you see me on the fucking street you better fucking respect me!"

Milwaukee police dash-cam video of Harris being stopped by Officer Santiago on November 19, 2010 at: https://youtu.be/jlugUWBghqQ