My Interview with Illegal Alien "Commissioner" Julian Zatarain

The Los Angeles Times and Telemundo reported on Huntington Park's "historic" decision to appoint two illegal aliens to city commissions in "The City of Perfect Balance".

Yet barely five months later, and the malfeasants in the city are running from the cameras.

What are they ashamed of? The two illegals are breaking the law, and the council and staff are aiding and abetting their unlawful presence in the country. The media frenzy has subsided, but our fight for truth and justice has not diminished. More Americans across the country and in the city are not giving up. The city council is cracking under the pressure, and all the political posturing cannot ease the pain of ongoing shame and degradation from the public.

Julian Zatarain (right)

At the December First, 2015 city council meeting, I finally confronted the illegal. He had brazenly arrived at the outset probably, in a last ditch effort to show strength and resolve.

Here is the YouTube link featuring my interview with illegal alien Julian Zatarain.

Members of We the People Rising followed me as we approached the illegal seated in the back of the room.

First, I informed him that we had already spoken with key law enforcement and federal officials: the FBI, Congressman Ted Lieu's Office, and then the US Attorney.

Instead of trying to scare him, I asked Zatarain: "Why don't you respect our laws?"

He explained how he had come to the United States at thirteen, brought illegally by his parents.

I do hold them accountable for putting their son into this harmful, difficult position.

The good news is that members of We the People Rising know people who lived in the country illegally, then got right with the law. The process is not so difficult that individuals cannot follow through.

Raul Rodriguez of We the People Rising

The bigger problem, then, lies in that Zatarain insists on staying on as commissioner, even though he is not a legal resident. For a guy who claims repeatedly that "He is trying", he needed to make naturalization a priority ahead of anything else.

There is no excuse for his not taking initiative on this issue.

Let's face the truth squarely -- Councilman Pineda and his two illegal campaign volunteers do not care about citizenship, nor do they wish to attain the status. This appointment is a subtle yet planned erosion of citizenship and the values attached to it.

Zatarain then issued other damaging comments against himself. He admitted that he lived in the country ilegally, that he was a volunteer on Pineda's campaign - both violations of federal law.

Then he harped about how "We are a nation of laws."

Indeed, we are! Why do so many people seek asylum in this great country? The rule of law, and yet Zatarain is undermining the very thing he prizes and celebrates!

What terrible irony!

I also mentioned my friend Salvador, a former coworker of mine at the UC Irvine Dining Commons during my first year in college. He came to the United States (fully documented) because of the corruption. Why didn't Julian's parents do something about the corruption in their country? I do agree that the United States can effect better policies which will encourage or enable individual citizens in other countries to take back their government. The best solution to solving much of the corruption and mismanagement in third-world countries should embrace reforms from within, rather than emigration without.

Toward the end of the interview -- before he fled -- I offered him a way out: "Step down. Step down from the appointment. Get right with the law, then come back." That solution was not acceptable to him. We then have to surmise that this whole appointment debacle is not about serving the city or its residents. This is a political gamble to undermine citizenship, the rule of law, and the diverse culture of California and the United States. The sinister agenda at work, and through these two illegals, should sicken people the moment they read about it.

As I mentioned above, Zatarian got up to leave. When and why? The moment I called him out for exposing himself as a campaign volunteer for Pineda's campaign, in violation of federal law, and that we would share this information with the District Attorney. Indeed, the rule of law means something, even for those who actively refuse to respect it.

Zatarain tried to leave, running into the lobby outside of the council chambers. I continued to follow him, and then the Director of Parks and Recreation, Josette Espinosa, rose up to accompany -- protect -- him. The illegal ran toward the conference room which We the People Rising had used on November 3rd, when the city council tried to limit our comments then discourage us from staying to speak.

The hypocrisy is too much. The city staff allow an illegal to run and hide in the conference room, and yet the rest of us have to wait in the lobby downstairs. Ridiculous. Then the police officer harrassed me for being too loud. Why don't the  police enforce the law?

Another stunning turn: Espinosa squirreled the illegal into the city council's closed session meeting room! From the observations of other people in the city council chambers, Zatarain remained in that room during the duration of the meeting. Once again -- why did they allow him into the same closed sessions council room? It's supposed to be closed to the public, right?!

I am glad I took the time to confront this illegal and expose his illogic. What are people thinking, that they can put an illegal alien into a position of public trust? The city council expected the protests to die off and go away. The threats of force and legal action, coupled with recalcitrant law enforcement and abrupt changes to the meeting agenda, were designed to throw us off or put us out. These tactics have failed.

I want to commend Betty Retama, aka Huntington Park Betty, for her informative remarks about citizenship. Chanell Temple reminded everyone about Dr Martin Luther King Jr and judging people by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Last of all, Robin Hvidston's stunning statement about who we are as a people cannot be forgotten: "The color of our skin is American."