Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC) is an immigration reduction-oriented political action committee. It maintains a website which is a compendium of articles on the subject of immigration. The site encourages people to copy and post articles but monitors to make sure that they are linked to the original publisher and credited to the original author. Its president is William Gheen and it is frequently quoted in the national and international press on immigration issues. It is based in North Carolina and its editorial sometimes reflects regional political interests.
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ALIPAC's website has covered the gang Mara Salvatrucha, aka MS-13, and Gheen has used MS-13 as an example of the risks associated with allowing undocumented persons to continue entering America. Gheen said in an interview with the blog American Daily that MS-13 and "other illegal immigrant gangs are bringing in the illegals, drugs, heavy weapons, and possibly terrorists."[1] He has expressed concern that Americans will have to begin living under Gang Rule if groups like MS-13 continue to migrate to America. He blames gang violence on something that he calls "PC Paralysis" which he characterizes as "a toxic mix of Greed and Liberalism" which is destroying America.[1] He also claims that another prominent gang that has entered the country recently because of illegal immigration is the Latin Kings,[1] which was actually founded in Chicago, Illinois during the 1940's.
Gheen has used the platform of ALIPAC to spread his view of illegal immigration as a form of invasion. When Judge Susan R. Bolton ruled against parts of HB 1070, Gheen expressed his anger about Bolton's decision, as well as the Obama administration's challenge of the law, by saying:
ALIPAC (as well as its president) has come under scrutiny from organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League.[3] [4] According to the ADL, ALIPAC is endorsed by white supremacy groups. Reportedly, white supremacists have encouraged the members of hate groups to engage in activities on behalf of the PAC. The Vinlanders Social Club, a hardcore racist skinhead group, posted an article from ALIPAC's site that called for participation in a Tea Party event. Demonstrations organized by ALIPAC have been promoted by the Western Voices World News website and attended by members of the European Americans United group.[3] The National Socialist Movement featured a forum post where a member said he signed one of the group's petitions. The Vanguard News Network forum has featured links to the ALIPAC website and other material from William Gheen. The organization is also promoted by Stormfront.[3]
The ADL also states that the rhetoric from William Gheen and his organization goes "beyond the enforcement of immigration laws" by his statements which regularly classifies immigrants as drunk drivers, gang members, invaders, murderers, and disease-carriers.[4] In an appearance on CNN, Gheen said that there were "a half a million felon illegal aliens that are on the run, half a million...that are out there tonight, murdering, raping, assaulting and stealing from Americans."[4] Gheen has called undocumented immigrants Nazis, responding to a YouTube comment that called his message propaganda similar to that of Hitler by saying, "Yea, except this time Americans are the Jews and the illegal aliens and their supporters are the Nazis." At rallies for his organization, he has accused immigrants of having ethnic cleansing areas in different parts of the United States.[4]