Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is charged with implementing the nation’s immigration laws and part of that responsibility includes detaining and deporting those who break the law. However, the Obama Administration, ICE Director, John Morton, and DHS Secretary, Janet Napolitano made changes to the process and will provide a litany of “special perks” for those who break the law.
The 355-page detainee manual includes benefits like special meals, female hormone treatment for transgender detainees, abortions, undisclosed medical treatment, “ethnically appropriate” meals, unfettered access to interpreters and legal services, access to preferred-religious materials, and mental health services. The extensive manual provides many perks that American citizen prisoners do not receive, according to Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX).
The detention facilities must also provide illegal immigrants with a wide variety of recreation and exercise options. Lawbreakers can choose from soccer, basketball, volleyball and an exercise gym. If they want to relax they can choose to read a book in their native language, watch television, play games or entertain visitors.
Rep. Smith likened the new requirements to a “hospitality guideline for illegal immigrants.” He also laments the new detainment standards as unnecessary and “far and beyond” U.S. law requirements.
“The administration goes beyond common sense to accommodate illegal immigrants and treats them better than citizens in federal custody,” Rep. Smith said in a February 2012 statement. “The new detention manual contains extensive and customized details for each illegal immigrant’s stay, regulating everything from the salad bar to recreational activities to medical care. This new manual is not a surprise – it’s just part of a broader pattern made by the Obama administration to reward lawbreakers. This administration has already granted backdoor amnesty to potentially millions of illegal immigrants and has appointed a taxpayer-funded advocate to lobby for them.”
Rep. Smith contends the Obama administration “puts illegal immigrants ahead of the interests of American citizens and taxpayers.”
There is an Immigration Subcommittee oversight hearing scheduled for later this month.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com ICE Detention facilities provide luxuries for those awaiting deportation - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/ice-detention-facilities-provide-luxuries-for-those-awaiting-deportation#ixzz1oHJbFWjN
Showing posts with label ICE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ICE. Show all posts
Monday, March 5, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
ICE hires new Public advocate to assist illegal aliens
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stepped up its policy regarding the deportation process that infuriated those with “open-borders” advocacy groups.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue to tweak and slow the process for those in ongoing detention and removal proceedings. The administration’s new initiative policy department announced its first Public Advocate, ICE Senior Advisor Andrew Lorenzen-Strait.
Mr. Lorenzen-Strait will assist individuals, including those in immigration proceedings, NGOs as well as other advocacy groups concerned with detention removal of illegal aliens.
"As our first Public Advocate, Andrew Lorenzen-Strait will work to expand and enhance our dialogue with the stakeholder community," said ICE Director John Morton. "We want the public to know that they have a representative at this agency whose sole duty is to ensure their voice is heard and their interests are recognized, and I'm confident Andrew will serve the community well in this capacity."
Lorenzen-Strait’s prior experience as an analyst for policies related to immigration enforcement, detention and juveniles and senior advisor for Enforcement and Removal Operation’s (ERO) detention management division makes him the perfect choice to assume community liaison duties with ICES. Lorenzen-Strait’s private sector experience with Community Legal Services of Prince George's County provides valuable real-world knowledge to alleviate immigration proceedings.
Morton said Lorenzen-Strait will report directly to the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) director and will be responsible for:
• Assisting individuals and community stakeholders in addressing and resolving complaints and concerns in accordance with agency policies and operations, particularly concerns related to ICE enforcement actions involving U.S. citizens;
• Informing stakeholders on ERO policies, programs, and initiatives and enhance understanding of ERO's mission and core values;
• Engaging stakeholders and building partnerships to facilitate communication, foster collaboration, and solicit input on immigration enforcement initiatives and operations; and
• Advising ICE leadership on stakeholder findings, concerns, recommendations, and priorities as they relate to improving immigration enforcement efforts and activities.
The newly created position highlights ICE's ongoing work to enact significant policy changes and improvements to the immigration enforcement process. ICE also renewed its policy to speed up immigration proceedings in an effort to promote public safety, border security and the integrity of the immigration system.
However, illegal immigration activist groups contend this new policy is nothing more than amnesty and will only encourage those entering the U.S. illegally to cut in the long immigration wait-list line.
For more stories; file://localhost/%3B http/::www.examiner.com:homeland-security-in-national:kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue to tweak and slow the process for those in ongoing detention and removal proceedings. The administration’s new initiative policy department announced its first Public Advocate, ICE Senior Advisor Andrew Lorenzen-Strait.
Mr. Lorenzen-Strait will assist individuals, including those in immigration proceedings, NGOs as well as other advocacy groups concerned with detention removal of illegal aliens.
"As our first Public Advocate, Andrew Lorenzen-Strait will work to expand and enhance our dialogue with the stakeholder community," said ICE Director John Morton. "We want the public to know that they have a representative at this agency whose sole duty is to ensure their voice is heard and their interests are recognized, and I'm confident Andrew will serve the community well in this capacity."
Lorenzen-Strait’s prior experience as an analyst for policies related to immigration enforcement, detention and juveniles and senior advisor for Enforcement and Removal Operation’s (ERO) detention management division makes him the perfect choice to assume community liaison duties with ICES. Lorenzen-Strait’s private sector experience with Community Legal Services of Prince George's County provides valuable real-world knowledge to alleviate immigration proceedings.
Morton said Lorenzen-Strait will report directly to the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) director and will be responsible for:
• Assisting individuals and community stakeholders in addressing and resolving complaints and concerns in accordance with agency policies and operations, particularly concerns related to ICE enforcement actions involving U.S. citizens;
• Informing stakeholders on ERO policies, programs, and initiatives and enhance understanding of ERO's mission and core values;
• Engaging stakeholders and building partnerships to facilitate communication, foster collaboration, and solicit input on immigration enforcement initiatives and operations; and
• Advising ICE leadership on stakeholder findings, concerns, recommendations, and priorities as they relate to improving immigration enforcement efforts and activities.
The newly created position highlights ICE's ongoing work to enact significant policy changes and improvements to the immigration enforcement process. ICE also renewed its policy to speed up immigration proceedings in an effort to promote public safety, border security and the integrity of the immigration system.
However, illegal immigration activist groups contend this new policy is nothing more than amnesty and will only encourage those entering the U.S. illegally to cut in the long immigration wait-list line.
For more stories; file://localhost/%3B http/::www.examiner.com:homeland-security-in-national:kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Illegal alien released from custody rapes 13-year-old girl
A Virginia Congressman asked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide local law enforcement agencies with access to digital fingerprints for all criminal, illegal aliens. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) announced that funding to digitize the fingerprints of all criminal, illegal immigrants be included in the DHS 2012 spending bill.
Wolf is asking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to improve its Secure Communities database after a criminal illegal alien was arrested for public drunkenness, but later released when his fingerprints were not identified by law enforcement computers.
Salvador Portillo-Saravia, a known MS-13 gang member, was rearrested just four weeks later for raping an 8-year-old girl in Virginia. Last October, Portillo-Saravia pled guilty on two felony charges of rape of a victim under 13, as well as sodomy. Courts will sentence Portillo-Saravia next month.
“This tragic incident identified a critical shortcoming in the Secure Communities program: immigration fingerprints taken on paper prior to 2005 were often not included in the database,” Wolf said in a statement. “Unfortunately, many local law enforcement agencies were unaware of this gap in the system and that manual searches were still necessary.”
The House Appropriations Committee promptly responded to Rep. Wolf’s request to ensure criminal illegal aliens fingerprints are properly digitized and added the necessary funding to update the database.
“The Secure Communities database is an important resource for state and local law enforcement,” Wolf said. “I will continue to work to ensure this system is operating as it was intended (in order) to help protect our communities.”
The following is the illegal alien digitized fingerprint language included in the FY 2012 bill;
Improving Immigration Enforcement Activities
A total of $12,000,000 above the request is provided to improve immigration enforcement
activities, of which $5,000,000 is included in Secure Communities for digitization of paper fingerprint cards from legacy immigration files. Both the House and Senate reports outlined areas for focus (such as) developing a comprehensive strategy to address the visa overstay problem, modernizing the Alien Criminal Response Information Management System (ACRIMe) to support the identification of criminal aliens and individuals attempting to overstay a visa, enhancing ICE capabilities for law enforcement support for immigration- related inquiries from State and local law enforcement, and digitizing old fingerprint records. ICE is directed to brief the Committees, with US-VISIT and other DHS components as appropriate, on its plan for utilization of these funds, no later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act. ICE is also directed, in conjunction with US-VISIT and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to report to the Committees no later than 120 days e ate of enactment of this Act on the methodology of prioritizing files for the digitization effort as well as the overall projected cost of the project to ensure electronic availability of appropriate biometrics in IDENT.
Digitization Efforts
USCIS, ICE, and the Executive Office of Immigration Review are directed to brief the Committees on use of digitized records, as required in the House report, no later than March I, 2012. USCIS is also directed to provide no less than $29,000,000 to continue conversion of immigration records to digital format.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Wolf is asking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to improve its Secure Communities database after a criminal illegal alien was arrested for public drunkenness, but later released when his fingerprints were not identified by law enforcement computers.
Salvador Portillo-Saravia, a known MS-13 gang member, was rearrested just four weeks later for raping an 8-year-old girl in Virginia. Last October, Portillo-Saravia pled guilty on two felony charges of rape of a victim under 13, as well as sodomy. Courts will sentence Portillo-Saravia next month.
“This tragic incident identified a critical shortcoming in the Secure Communities program: immigration fingerprints taken on paper prior to 2005 were often not included in the database,” Wolf said in a statement. “Unfortunately, many local law enforcement agencies were unaware of this gap in the system and that manual searches were still necessary.”
The House Appropriations Committee promptly responded to Rep. Wolf’s request to ensure criminal illegal aliens fingerprints are properly digitized and added the necessary funding to update the database.
“The Secure Communities database is an important resource for state and local law enforcement,” Wolf said. “I will continue to work to ensure this system is operating as it was intended (in order) to help protect our communities.”
The following is the illegal alien digitized fingerprint language included in the FY 2012 bill;
Improving Immigration Enforcement Activities
A total of $12,000,000 above the request is provided to improve immigration enforcement
activities, of which $5,000,000 is included in Secure Communities for digitization of paper fingerprint cards from legacy immigration files. Both the House and Senate reports outlined areas for focus (such as) developing a comprehensive strategy to address the visa overstay problem, modernizing the Alien Criminal Response Information Management System (ACRIMe) to support the identification of criminal aliens and individuals attempting to overstay a visa, enhancing ICE capabilities for law enforcement support for immigration- related inquiries from State and local law enforcement, and digitizing old fingerprint records. ICE is directed to brief the Committees, with US-VISIT and other DHS components as appropriate, on its plan for utilization of these funds, no later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act. ICE is also directed, in conjunction with US-VISIT and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to report to the Committees no later than 120 days e ate of enactment of this Act on the methodology of prioritizing files for the digitization effort as well as the overall projected cost of the project to ensure electronic availability of appropriate biometrics in IDENT.
Digitization Efforts
USCIS, ICE, and the Executive Office of Immigration Review are directed to brief the Committees on use of digitized records, as required in the House report, no later than March I, 2012. USCIS is also directed to provide no less than $29,000,000 to continue conversion of immigration records to digital format.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2012 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Friday, December 9, 2011
New Secure Communities immigration report shows Warren Institute liberal bias
Now that the GOP presidential candidates opened the proverbial immigration can of worms, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) decided to reexamine a Warren Institute study that is being touted on both sides of the political aisle.
Looking at ICE’s Secure Communities program, CIS found the Warren Institute report (located at the University of California, Berkeley Law School) is misleading. CIS released its first in a three-part series report using the identical database that the Warren Institute's analyzed.
After obtaining the documents from a Freedom of Information Act request, CIS concluded the Institute report contained factual flaws.
CIS contends that the Warren Institute obtained the ICE records and those documents reveal a disturbing pattern of abuse of authority by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). The Warren Institute further claims ICE participated in numerous unlawful actions including; wrongful arrests of thousands of U.S. citizens, a pattern of racial profiling against Latinos, and denial of due process for aliens in removal proceedings.
The allegations made by the Warren Institute has since made main-stream media headlines as well as captured many Congressional members attention.
While the Center for Immigration Studies agrees “the ICE database does provide an interesting and relatively rare snapshot of the actual Secure Communities caseload,” they found that the records they reexamined didn’t support any allegations that ICE abused their authority.
Some of the results from the CIS study include;
* The database contains no records of U.S. citizens who were detained by or for ICE. It is impossible to assert based on this data, as the critics have, that thousands of U.S. citizens, or any number of U.S. citizens, have been arrested by ICE through Secure Communities.
* The Warren Institute report contains serious methodological and interpretive errors that lead its authors to unsubstantiated conclusions and cast doubt on the credibility of the entire analysis. For example, the authors analyzed only 23 percent of the original random sample requested from ICE.
* ICE’s failure to counter the report’s misleading statements is contributing to the spread of misconceptions about Secure Communities among the media, state and local leaders, and the public. This raises doubts as to the agency leaders’ commitment to full and effective implementation of the program.
* We agree with the Warren Institute authors on the issue of the need for improved transparency at ICE and its parent Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The first set of findings can be found online at http://cis.org/SC-by-the-numbers-critique-part1.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Looking at ICE’s Secure Communities program, CIS found the Warren Institute report (located at the University of California, Berkeley Law School) is misleading. CIS released its first in a three-part series report using the identical database that the Warren Institute's analyzed.
After obtaining the documents from a Freedom of Information Act request, CIS concluded the Institute report contained factual flaws.
CIS contends that the Warren Institute obtained the ICE records and those documents reveal a disturbing pattern of abuse of authority by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). The Warren Institute further claims ICE participated in numerous unlawful actions including; wrongful arrests of thousands of U.S. citizens, a pattern of racial profiling against Latinos, and denial of due process for aliens in removal proceedings.
The allegations made by the Warren Institute has since made main-stream media headlines as well as captured many Congressional members attention.
While the Center for Immigration Studies agrees “the ICE database does provide an interesting and relatively rare snapshot of the actual Secure Communities caseload,” they found that the records they reexamined didn’t support any allegations that ICE abused their authority.
Some of the results from the CIS study include;
* The database contains no records of U.S. citizens who were detained by or for ICE. It is impossible to assert based on this data, as the critics have, that thousands of U.S. citizens, or any number of U.S. citizens, have been arrested by ICE through Secure Communities.
* The Warren Institute report contains serious methodological and interpretive errors that lead its authors to unsubstantiated conclusions and cast doubt on the credibility of the entire analysis. For example, the authors analyzed only 23 percent of the original random sample requested from ICE.
* ICE’s failure to counter the report’s misleading statements is contributing to the spread of misconceptions about Secure Communities among the media, state and local leaders, and the public. This raises doubts as to the agency leaders’ commitment to full and effective implementation of the program.
* We agree with the Warren Institute authors on the issue of the need for improved transparency at ICE and its parent Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The first set of findings can be found online at http://cis.org/SC-by-the-numbers-critique-part1.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Getting married to legalize those illegally in the country remains popular in U.
Once upon a time marriage was proposed and a happily ever after soon followed. However, a backlog of legal immigration applications has given way to an easier way to legalize one’s status- fraudulent marriage.
In the last three years, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) found that 264,000 to 317,000 resident aliens obtained legal status through marriage.
According to CIS, “The other major finding from the table is that most of the spouses are not new arrivals at all; they are in the nation in some other status (legal or illegal) and so, in immigration-speak, they ‘adjust status’ here, rather than come through the ports of entry.”
In other words, it’s becoming more commonplace to obtain a visa through fraudulent marriages. Some of these marriages take place under shady circumstances. Former ICE agent John Sakelarides says many illegal aliens dupe an unsuspecting American citizen, and once the proverbial honeymoon is over, so is life as they knew it. “They often charge the U.S. citizen with abuse and/or battery knowing they will get their legal papers even sooner.”
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A 2005 Government Accountability Office report on U.S. immigration practices found that approximately 20 percent of visa applications are filed under “marriage, spouse and family.” However, a bureaucratic United States Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS) program doesn’t aggressively prosecute “benefit fraud.”
“Theoretically, they (illegal aliens) face up to five years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000.00 fine, or both. However, the real story? It’s hardly prosecuted. The why is the subject of the story; ‘It’s no big deal.’ Tell that to the US citizen who has been emotionally abused, falsely accused, and their life turned upside down,” said Sakelarides (See 8 USC 1325 ( c ).
Keeping this in mind, it is up to immigration officers to navigate the murky waters of potential marriage fraud. In the U.S., the waiting period to garner the coveted “green card” makes the most sense for those individuals seeking legality in the country. Experts contend that this program needs to be refined in order to root out the lawful marriages and those with more sinister motives.
The numbers below were provided through the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS)--David North.
Visas Created by Migrating Spouses and Fiancé(e)s, FYs 2008-2010
Spouses of U.S. citizens- 264,062/ FY08, 317,129/ FY09 and 271,909/ FY10.
Spouses of PRAs (2FA)- 35,608/ FY08, 26,622/ FY09, 20,635/ FY10.
Immigrant totals; 296,670/ FY08, 343,751/ FY09, 292,544/ FY10.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Getting married to legalize those illegally in the country remains popular in US - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/getting-married-to-legalize-those-illegally-the-country-remains-popular-us#ixzz1f75iZC9d
In the last three years, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) found that 264,000 to 317,000 resident aliens obtained legal status through marriage.
According to CIS, “The other major finding from the table is that most of the spouses are not new arrivals at all; they are in the nation in some other status (legal or illegal) and so, in immigration-speak, they ‘adjust status’ here, rather than come through the ports of entry.”
In other words, it’s becoming more commonplace to obtain a visa through fraudulent marriages. Some of these marriages take place under shady circumstances. Former ICE agent John Sakelarides says many illegal aliens dupe an unsuspecting American citizen, and once the proverbial honeymoon is over, so is life as they knew it. “They often charge the U.S. citizen with abuse and/or battery knowing they will get their legal papers even sooner.”
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A 2005 Government Accountability Office report on U.S. immigration practices found that approximately 20 percent of visa applications are filed under “marriage, spouse and family.” However, a bureaucratic United States Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS) program doesn’t aggressively prosecute “benefit fraud.”
“Theoretically, they (illegal aliens) face up to five years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000.00 fine, or both. However, the real story? It’s hardly prosecuted. The why is the subject of the story; ‘It’s no big deal.’ Tell that to the US citizen who has been emotionally abused, falsely accused, and their life turned upside down,” said Sakelarides (See 8 USC 1325 ( c ).
Keeping this in mind, it is up to immigration officers to navigate the murky waters of potential marriage fraud. In the U.S., the waiting period to garner the coveted “green card” makes the most sense for those individuals seeking legality in the country. Experts contend that this program needs to be refined in order to root out the lawful marriages and those with more sinister motives.
The numbers below were provided through the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS)--David North.
Visas Created by Migrating Spouses and Fiancé(e)s, FYs 2008-2010
Spouses of U.S. citizens- 264,062/ FY08, 317,129/ FY09 and 271,909/ FY10.
Spouses of PRAs (2FA)- 35,608/ FY08, 26,622/ FY09, 20,635/ FY10.
Immigrant totals; 296,670/ FY08, 343,751/ FY09, 292,544/ FY10.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Getting married to legalize those illegally in the country remains popular in US - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/getting-married-to-legalize-those-illegally-the-country-remains-popular-us#ixzz1f75iZC9d
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Mexican soldiers seize large “pot-throwing” catapults from cartels
With the nation’s southern border facing more scrutiny than ever before, it was the Mexican military that found large catapults typically used to sling illicit drugs over the border fence near Douglas, Arizona.
A statement released yesterday by Mexican authorities indicated they followed an anonymous tip to a border city neighborhood. Military troops entered an Agua Prieta house and located one catapult in a truck and another in the residence.
A search of the home led to the Mexican soldiers seizing 1.4 tons of marijuana that was headed to U.S. cities. Earlier this year, law enforcement agents said they nabbed two other drug-like catapults.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
To reach Kimberly Dvorak email; kimberly.dvorak@hotmail.com
A statement released yesterday by Mexican authorities indicated they followed an anonymous tip to a border city neighborhood. Military troops entered an Agua Prieta house and located one catapult in a truck and another in the residence.
A search of the home led to the Mexican soldiers seizing 1.4 tons of marijuana that was headed to U.S. cities. Earlier this year, law enforcement agents said they nabbed two other drug-like catapults.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
To reach Kimberly Dvorak email; kimberly.dvorak@hotmail.com
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Armas Cruzadas- DHS Sec. Napolitano’s own Mexican gun-trafficking operation
While Operation Fast and Furious remains a thorn in U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s side, it looks like Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano may soon begin sharing the pain.
Sec. Napolitano recently informed the House Judiciary Committee she had no knowledge of Fast and Furious, but omitted to mention her own department was running Operation Armas Cruzadas.
Operation Armas Cruzadas highlights another crucial factor – that the Mexican government had more of a role in the cartel arms trafficking business than just playing the victim.
This new information dovetails with complaints by Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents in the Phoenix office that complained Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from Team VII regularly called “dibs” on gun trafficking cases in order to “get credit” for splashy narco-related investigations. One agent explained that the atmosphere seemed more focused on press conferences and ego rather than commonsense.
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The DHS memorandum reveals that ICE ran Operation Armas Cruzadas with the full knowledge of Arturo Chávez Chávez,Mexican Attorney General in an effort to ostensibly prosecute cartels in Mexico using U.S. intelligence and agents. This is a departure from Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Operation Fast and Furious where the Mexican government claimed it knew nothing about the gun-walking program.
The Mexican Attorney General agreed it was beneficial for both “…governments to work in a coordinated fashion to prevent, discourage and process arms traffickers,” the documents disclosed.
These documents demonstrate ICE remains more involved in the gun trafficking business than anybody knew or Sec. Napolitano was willing to admit to Congress.
However, Operation Armas Cruzadas doesn’t seem to include any input by ATF agents and this arms trafficking investigation has escaped scrutiny by the media. Perhaps, a bloated-bureaucratic DHS crossed its fingers hoping Operation Armas Cruzadas would not be discovered by the media?
Also, intelligence gathering in a post 9/11 world has accomplished a couple of things; first, it makes it easier for agencies to conduct investigations with little oversight under the guise of national security. And second, the infamous new age of electronic intelligence gathering provides law enforcement agencies with plausible deniability.
This is the first report concerning Operation Armas Cruzadas and a series of stories will provide more information on this gun-trafficking program in the coming days.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
To reach Kimberly Dvorak email; kimberly.dvorak@hotmail.com
Sec. Napolitano recently informed the House Judiciary Committee she had no knowledge of Fast and Furious, but omitted to mention her own department was running Operation Armas Cruzadas.
Operation Armas Cruzadas highlights another crucial factor – that the Mexican government had more of a role in the cartel arms trafficking business than just playing the victim.
This new information dovetails with complaints by Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents in the Phoenix office that complained Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from Team VII regularly called “dibs” on gun trafficking cases in order to “get credit” for splashy narco-related investigations. One agent explained that the atmosphere seemed more focused on press conferences and ego rather than commonsense.
Advertisement
The DHS memorandum reveals that ICE ran Operation Armas Cruzadas with the full knowledge of Arturo Chávez Chávez,Mexican Attorney General in an effort to ostensibly prosecute cartels in Mexico using U.S. intelligence and agents. This is a departure from Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Operation Fast and Furious where the Mexican government claimed it knew nothing about the gun-walking program.
The Mexican Attorney General agreed it was beneficial for both “…governments to work in a coordinated fashion to prevent, discourage and process arms traffickers,” the documents disclosed.
These documents demonstrate ICE remains more involved in the gun trafficking business than anybody knew or Sec. Napolitano was willing to admit to Congress.
However, Operation Armas Cruzadas doesn’t seem to include any input by ATF agents and this arms trafficking investigation has escaped scrutiny by the media. Perhaps, a bloated-bureaucratic DHS crossed its fingers hoping Operation Armas Cruzadas would not be discovered by the media?
Also, intelligence gathering in a post 9/11 world has accomplished a couple of things; first, it makes it easier for agencies to conduct investigations with little oversight under the guise of national security. And second, the infamous new age of electronic intelligence gathering provides law enforcement agencies with plausible deniability.
This is the first report concerning Operation Armas Cruzadas and a series of stories will provide more information on this gun-trafficking program in the coming days.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/homeland-security-in-national/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
To reach Kimberly Dvorak email; kimberly.dvorak@hotmail.com
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Los Angeles to opt out of Secure Communities arrested illegals won’t be reported
The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-1 yesterday to support state legislation allowing the city to opt out of Department of Homeland Security’s “Secure Communities'” program that requires law enforcement officers to submit fingerprints of arrested people to immigration officials.
In an effort to crackdown on illegal immigration and comply with federal deportation orders, DHS created the program in 2008 in order to cross-check fingerprints of arrestees with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Former Los Angeles police chief, Bernard Parks who is now a LA City Councilman, introduced the motion supporting the state legislation. Parks said the program targeted illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes but the federal law has gone astray from its original purpose.
“One of the most significant issues of ‘Secure Communities’ is that it impedes victims (from) making crime reports,” Parks said. “That is a 40-year journey in the city of Los Angeles for the LAPD ... finding ways through language skills and also breaking down barriers to allow victims to come in, unimpeded to report crimes.”
Parks went on to say that anti-immigration activists will accuse the city of being a sanctuary city that harbors criminals, “but the large issue for me is that this is a home-rule issue. The city of Los Angeles should set policies as it regards how they conduct business with the community in which they serve.”
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LAPD Assistant Chief Michel Moore explained that Los Angeles’ Special Order 40, which prevents police officers from considering immigration status when initiating a police action, has kept the city safe since it was established in 1979 under former LA Police Chief Daryl Gates.
“The perception alone undermines our ability to maintain and build upon trust with these (immigrant) communities, trust that’s vital to our ability to maintain the safety for those communities and all Angelenos,” Moore said.
Other states across the country have already suspended the enforcement of the ‘Secure Communities” program. Some of these states include New York, Massachusetts and Illinois.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Los Angeles to opt out of Secure Communities arrested illegals won’t be reported - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/los-angeles-to-opt-out-of-secure-communities-arrested-illegals-won-t-be-reported#ixzz1OiXmyvlh
In an effort to crackdown on illegal immigration and comply with federal deportation orders, DHS created the program in 2008 in order to cross-check fingerprints of arrestees with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Former Los Angeles police chief, Bernard Parks who is now a LA City Councilman, introduced the motion supporting the state legislation. Parks said the program targeted illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes but the federal law has gone astray from its original purpose.
“One of the most significant issues of ‘Secure Communities’ is that it impedes victims (from) making crime reports,” Parks said. “That is a 40-year journey in the city of Los Angeles for the LAPD ... finding ways through language skills and also breaking down barriers to allow victims to come in, unimpeded to report crimes.”
Parks went on to say that anti-immigration activists will accuse the city of being a sanctuary city that harbors criminals, “but the large issue for me is that this is a home-rule issue. The city of Los Angeles should set policies as it regards how they conduct business with the community in which they serve.”
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LAPD Assistant Chief Michel Moore explained that Los Angeles’ Special Order 40, which prevents police officers from considering immigration status when initiating a police action, has kept the city safe since it was established in 1979 under former LA Police Chief Daryl Gates.
“The perception alone undermines our ability to maintain and build upon trust with these (immigrant) communities, trust that’s vital to our ability to maintain the safety for those communities and all Angelenos,” Moore said.
Other states across the country have already suspended the enforcement of the ‘Secure Communities” program. Some of these states include New York, Massachusetts and Illinois.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Los Angeles to opt out of Secure Communities arrested illegals won’t be reported - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/los-angeles-to-opt-out-of-secure-communities-arrested-illegals-won-t-be-reported#ixzz1OiXmyvlh
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Clone Border Patrol vehicle
The drug cartels are stepping up their smuggling tactics by customizing vehicles to look just like Border Patrol trucks as a way to smuggle illicit drugs into America. This time the cloned vehicle was detected in Texas and it was loaded with more than 1,500 pounds of marijuana.
Just a few weeks ago a white van with a dozen illegals were arrested at a San Diego Border Patrol checkpoint for falsely impersonating U.S. Marines and using a boosted van with tampered license plates.
It was Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that observed a suspicious BP truck “conducting surveillance at the Del Rio, Texas Port of Entry (PoE),” according to court papers.
The driver of the “fake BP truck” was Felipe Esparza-Cruz, 28, and he is scheduled to appear in court on April 14.
The government case contends that Esparza-Cruz entered the “United States without inspection through the City of Del Rio southbound tollbooth lanes.”
Once the truck entered the country ICE Agents ordered “mobile surveillance in order to verify the authenticity of the vehicle.”
Esparza-Cruz allegedly imitated a process used by Border Patrol when they deport illegal aliens back to Mexico using Border Patrol trucks. Luckily ICE agents observed the BP truck and were able to make the arrest.
“They’d just drive through without presenting themselves for inspection because no one questioned a Border Patrol vehicle,” officials explained.
Like the U.S. Marine imposter van impounded in San Diego, the fake Border Patrol truck’s phony license plates did the drug trafficker in.
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“Cloned vehicles, whether Border Patrol or some other frequently seen vehicle, are in my opinion, a serious threat,” says G. Alan Ferguson leader of the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers and author of the M3 Report.
He also explained that “for years since 9/11, there have been alerts for terrorists using cloned or stolen vehicles such as ambulances and other cloned vehicles add one more factor in realizing how vulnerable we are.”
While the borders may be more secure than years past, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a long way to go when it comes to protecting the southern boundaries from human and drug smugglers. The increased border fence coupled with more Border Patrol Agents are now responsible for the Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) to spend more money to get their products into America.
Despite the illegality of human a drug trafficking, these “cartel” businesses in Mexico earn billions of tax-free dollars per year and the Mexican government has yet to stop the cartel’s barbaric violence that has taken more than 35,000 lives in the past four years.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Just a few weeks ago a white van with a dozen illegals were arrested at a San Diego Border Patrol checkpoint for falsely impersonating U.S. Marines and using a boosted van with tampered license plates.
It was Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that observed a suspicious BP truck “conducting surveillance at the Del Rio, Texas Port of Entry (PoE),” according to court papers.
The driver of the “fake BP truck” was Felipe Esparza-Cruz, 28, and he is scheduled to appear in court on April 14.
The government case contends that Esparza-Cruz entered the “United States without inspection through the City of Del Rio southbound tollbooth lanes.”
Once the truck entered the country ICE Agents ordered “mobile surveillance in order to verify the authenticity of the vehicle.”
Esparza-Cruz allegedly imitated a process used by Border Patrol when they deport illegal aliens back to Mexico using Border Patrol trucks. Luckily ICE agents observed the BP truck and were able to make the arrest.
“They’d just drive through without presenting themselves for inspection because no one questioned a Border Patrol vehicle,” officials explained.
Like the U.S. Marine imposter van impounded in San Diego, the fake Border Patrol truck’s phony license plates did the drug trafficker in.
Advertisement
“Cloned vehicles, whether Border Patrol or some other frequently seen vehicle, are in my opinion, a serious threat,” says G. Alan Ferguson leader of the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers and author of the M3 Report.
He also explained that “for years since 9/11, there have been alerts for terrorists using cloned or stolen vehicles such as ambulances and other cloned vehicles add one more factor in realizing how vulnerable we are.”
While the borders may be more secure than years past, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a long way to go when it comes to protecting the southern boundaries from human and drug smugglers. The increased border fence coupled with more Border Patrol Agents are now responsible for the Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) to spend more money to get their products into America.
Despite the illegality of human a drug trafficking, these “cartel” businesses in Mexico earn billions of tax-free dollars per year and the Mexican government has yet to stop the cartel’s barbaric violence that has taken more than 35,000 lives in the past four years.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Monday, February 21, 2011
ACLU pressures California law enforcement to steer clear of illegal aliens
In an open letter to law enforcement leaders, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) asked sheriffs in California to cease harmful practices that target illegal alien communities.
The letter comes at a time when California is burdened with nearly $30 billion budget deficits and a new Rasmussen Poll that states 67 percent of Americans want states to tackle the illegal alien problem plaguing the country.
The ACLU contends apprehending illegal aliens costs local agencies money they no longer have to combat those residing in California unlawfully.
“Most law enforcement officers do not want to double as federal immigration agents. They know that it discourages witnesses and victims of crime from coming forward and ultimately harms public safety for everyone,” said report co-author and ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) Staff Attorney Julia Harumi Mass. “We want to partner with law enforcement agencies and share what we have learned: that sheriffs and police chiefs across California can adopt practices that protect everyone and make wise use of taxpayer dollars.”
However the ACLU report and letter fail to acknowledge that a study by Federation for Immigration Reform (FAIR) illustrated California spends roughly $20 billion a year in services for illegal aliens in the Golden State.
Illegal immigration activists point out that if local, state and federal law enforcement did their job and enforced the nation’s immigration laws there would be more money for departments who are committed to keeping the peace.
The ACLU, however, sees things much differently.
“The federal government is not playing fair with local police and sheriffs. Most don't want to engage in the dirty work of immigration enforcement or take on its steep costs,” report author Amalia Greenberg Delgado explained. “At a time of shrinking police departments' staff and budgets, we hope California's law enforcement leadership will review unnecessarily costly practices and rebuild trust with communities.”
The ACLU report went on to stipulate that “the legal framework for current police practices in immigrant communities – from vehicle checkpoints and impoundments to prolonged detention of immigrants in local jails, among others (was a harsh reality).” The report details the financial and human costs of these practices, including personal stories.
Rule of Law cities in California cite the safety issues that come along with those driving without drivers' licenses or car insurance. The Escondido Police Department is one of those cities who perform various and random check points (of all residents) in an effort to curtail their unusually high number of car accidents. “It works,” says Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher.
Nevertheless, the ACLU believes that immigrant-rich communities think Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is lurking in the shadows at these drivers’ license check points. Maher says that's not true.
"People fear that when the sheriff is called, ICE is not far behind. This is a huge problem especially in regards to domestic violence," added Mass. "If victims are reluctant to call local police because they are afraid of becoming ensnared in the ICE web, then batterers enjoy impunity. That's bad for everyone."
To alleviate those fears, Chief Maher makes an effort to reach out to his community by attending community gatherings and explaining he is not calling ICE unnecessarily. “My department is trying to rid the city of criminals,” Maher said through an interpreter. “Don’t you want me to remove the rapists, child molesters and murders from your neighborhood?”
As the recession continues to linger, taxpayers are looking at the cold-hard facts that illegal immigration cost them money and are voicing their opinions through various polls like Rasmussen. The results are in- two out of three likely voters want the immigration laws enforced- period.
Read the ACLU Report Costs & Consequences - ACLU Special Report.pdf
Read the ACLU Cost-Saving Proposals ACLU Cost-Saving Proposals.pdf
Read the Rasmussen Poll - A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters – two-out-of-three – think a state should have the right to enforce immigration laws if it believes the federal government is not enforcing them. Just 22% disagree and say states should not have that right. (To see survey question wording, click here).
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: ACLU pressures California law enforcement to steer clear of illegal aliens - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/aclu-pressures-california-law-enforcement-to-steer-clear-of-illegal-aliens#ixzz1EceRU6AH
The letter comes at a time when California is burdened with nearly $30 billion budget deficits and a new Rasmussen Poll that states 67 percent of Americans want states to tackle the illegal alien problem plaguing the country.
The ACLU contends apprehending illegal aliens costs local agencies money they no longer have to combat those residing in California unlawfully.
“Most law enforcement officers do not want to double as federal immigration agents. They know that it discourages witnesses and victims of crime from coming forward and ultimately harms public safety for everyone,” said report co-author and ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) Staff Attorney Julia Harumi Mass. “We want to partner with law enforcement agencies and share what we have learned: that sheriffs and police chiefs across California can adopt practices that protect everyone and make wise use of taxpayer dollars.”
However the ACLU report and letter fail to acknowledge that a study by Federation for Immigration Reform (FAIR) illustrated California spends roughly $20 billion a year in services for illegal aliens in the Golden State.
Illegal immigration activists point out that if local, state and federal law enforcement did their job and enforced the nation’s immigration laws there would be more money for departments who are committed to keeping the peace.
The ACLU, however, sees things much differently.
“The federal government is not playing fair with local police and sheriffs. Most don't want to engage in the dirty work of immigration enforcement or take on its steep costs,” report author Amalia Greenberg Delgado explained. “At a time of shrinking police departments' staff and budgets, we hope California's law enforcement leadership will review unnecessarily costly practices and rebuild trust with communities.”
The ACLU report went on to stipulate that “the legal framework for current police practices in immigrant communities – from vehicle checkpoints and impoundments to prolonged detention of immigrants in local jails, among others (was a harsh reality).” The report details the financial and human costs of these practices, including personal stories.
Rule of Law cities in California cite the safety issues that come along with those driving without drivers' licenses or car insurance. The Escondido Police Department is one of those cities who perform various and random check points (of all residents) in an effort to curtail their unusually high number of car accidents. “It works,” says Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher.
Nevertheless, the ACLU believes that immigrant-rich communities think Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is lurking in the shadows at these drivers’ license check points. Maher says that's not true.
"People fear that when the sheriff is called, ICE is not far behind. This is a huge problem especially in regards to domestic violence," added Mass. "If victims are reluctant to call local police because they are afraid of becoming ensnared in the ICE web, then batterers enjoy impunity. That's bad for everyone."
To alleviate those fears, Chief Maher makes an effort to reach out to his community by attending community gatherings and explaining he is not calling ICE unnecessarily. “My department is trying to rid the city of criminals,” Maher said through an interpreter. “Don’t you want me to remove the rapists, child molesters and murders from your neighborhood?”
As the recession continues to linger, taxpayers are looking at the cold-hard facts that illegal immigration cost them money and are voicing their opinions through various polls like Rasmussen. The results are in- two out of three likely voters want the immigration laws enforced- period.
Read the ACLU Report Costs & Consequences - ACLU Special Report.pdf
Read the ACLU Cost-Saving Proposals ACLU Cost-Saving Proposals.pdf
Read the Rasmussen Poll - A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters – two-out-of-three – think a state should have the right to enforce immigration laws if it believes the federal government is not enforcing them. Just 22% disagree and say states should not have that right. (To see survey question wording, click here).
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: ACLU pressures California law enforcement to steer clear of illegal aliens - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/aclu-pressures-california-law-enforcement-to-steer-clear-of-illegal-aliens#ixzz1EceRU6AH
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
ICE agent murdered in Mexico drug-related ambush
In a brazen afternoon attack, one Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent (ICE), Jamie Zapata was murdered and another agent was wounded in the arm and leg when the federal officers were stopped at a road block on their way to Monterrey, Mexico.
The ICE agents were part of a special ICE Attaché office in Mexico City working with local authorities to curtail the exploding violence throughout the drug-cartel ravaged country.
It is being reported that the ICE agents were on duty traveling in a government-issued SUV with diplomatic plates from Mexico City to Monterrey along Highway 57 in the northern state of San Luis Potosi, a known cartel-controlled corridor, when they were ambushed at a road block.
Early reports say members from the Los Zetas cartel opened fire inside the SUV after agents rolled down their window to show their U.S. badges. Zapata was shot many times in the abdomen and died on the scene.
Details are still emerging from Mexico where U.S. officials have stated they will assist with the investigation of the crime, but have decided to let Mexican authorities take the lead.
“I’m deeply saddened by the news that earlier today, two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents assigned to the ICE Attaché office in Mexico City were shot in the line of duty while driving between Mexico City and Monterrey by unknown assailants,” said Secretary of Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
“Let me be clear: any act of violence against our ICE personnel – or any DHS personnel – is an attack against all those who serve our nation and put their lives at risk for our safety. The full resources of our Department are at the disposal of our Mexican partners in this investigation. We remain committed in our broader support for Mexico’s efforts to combat violence within its borders,” Napolitano said in a statement.
The murder of an ICE agent renews fears and anxiety about the sustained brutality of Mexico’s narco war and it remains to be seen how serious the Obama Administration is when it comes to America’s third war.
While the Department of Homeland Security continues to pander that America’s southern borders are more secure than ever, the murder of a federal agent along with a slew of American citizens proves the cartels are testing the waters of the Obama Administration.
Last March in Ciudad Juarez, a town that borders El Paso, Texas, an American Consulate employee and her husband were gunned down in their car after they left a children’s birthday party.
This attack met with little response from the Obama Administration and sources say it has set the stage for more American lives to be taken.
It has been less than two months since Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered by suspected drug smugglers some 30 miles north of the Mexican/Arizona border. His murder remains unsolved.
Last time a federal agent was murdered in Mexico was Kiki Camerana, who was kidnapped and tortured to death while working undercover for the DEA in 1985. An outraged Reagan Administration aggressively investigated the murder (they launched Operation Leyenda, the largest DEA homicide investigation ever undertaken), found the suspects and extradited the Mexican nationals to the U.S. where they stood trial for the murder.
Meanwhile the ICE community is left reeling from a tragic death.
“This is a difficult time for ICE and especially for the families and loved ones of our agents. Our hearts and prayers go out to them. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the risks confronted and the sacrifices made by our men and women every day,” said the Director of ICE John Morton.
The Mexican government issued a statement condemning the attack and said they would work with the U.S. to find the killers responsible for Zapata’s murder.
The Mexican four-year narco war has taken 35,000 lives in Mexico and shows no signs of waning.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: ICE agent murdered in Mexico drug-related ambush - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/ice-agent-murdered-mexico-drug-related-ambush#ixzz1E8worQOq
The ICE agents were part of a special ICE Attaché office in Mexico City working with local authorities to curtail the exploding violence throughout the drug-cartel ravaged country.
It is being reported that the ICE agents were on duty traveling in a government-issued SUV with diplomatic plates from Mexico City to Monterrey along Highway 57 in the northern state of San Luis Potosi, a known cartel-controlled corridor, when they were ambushed at a road block.
Early reports say members from the Los Zetas cartel opened fire inside the SUV after agents rolled down their window to show their U.S. badges. Zapata was shot many times in the abdomen and died on the scene.
Details are still emerging from Mexico where U.S. officials have stated they will assist with the investigation of the crime, but have decided to let Mexican authorities take the lead.
“I’m deeply saddened by the news that earlier today, two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents assigned to the ICE Attaché office in Mexico City were shot in the line of duty while driving between Mexico City and Monterrey by unknown assailants,” said Secretary of Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
“Let me be clear: any act of violence against our ICE personnel – or any DHS personnel – is an attack against all those who serve our nation and put their lives at risk for our safety. The full resources of our Department are at the disposal of our Mexican partners in this investigation. We remain committed in our broader support for Mexico’s efforts to combat violence within its borders,” Napolitano said in a statement.
The murder of an ICE agent renews fears and anxiety about the sustained brutality of Mexico’s narco war and it remains to be seen how serious the Obama Administration is when it comes to America’s third war.
While the Department of Homeland Security continues to pander that America’s southern borders are more secure than ever, the murder of a federal agent along with a slew of American citizens proves the cartels are testing the waters of the Obama Administration.
Last March in Ciudad Juarez, a town that borders El Paso, Texas, an American Consulate employee and her husband were gunned down in their car after they left a children’s birthday party.
This attack met with little response from the Obama Administration and sources say it has set the stage for more American lives to be taken.
It has been less than two months since Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered by suspected drug smugglers some 30 miles north of the Mexican/Arizona border. His murder remains unsolved.
Last time a federal agent was murdered in Mexico was Kiki Camerana, who was kidnapped and tortured to death while working undercover for the DEA in 1985. An outraged Reagan Administration aggressively investigated the murder (they launched Operation Leyenda, the largest DEA homicide investigation ever undertaken), found the suspects and extradited the Mexican nationals to the U.S. where they stood trial for the murder.
Meanwhile the ICE community is left reeling from a tragic death.
“This is a difficult time for ICE and especially for the families and loved ones of our agents. Our hearts and prayers go out to them. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the risks confronted and the sacrifices made by our men and women every day,” said the Director of ICE John Morton.
The Mexican government issued a statement condemning the attack and said they would work with the U.S. to find the killers responsible for Zapata’s murder.
The Mexican four-year narco war has taken 35,000 lives in Mexico and shows no signs of waning.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: ICE agent murdered in Mexico drug-related ambush - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/ice-agent-murdered-mexico-drug-related-ambush#ixzz1E8worQOq
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
DHS & DOJ and ICE crack down on child pornography websites
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the execution of seizure warrants against 10 websites that engaged in the advertisement and distribution of child pornography.
The new program is part of a new attempt by DHS, DOJ and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to limit child pornography on the Internet. The new joint task force program is called Operation Protect Our Children.
“Each year, far too many children fall prey to sexual predators and all too often, these heinous acts are recorded in photos and on video and released on the Internet,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. “DHS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to shut down websites that promote child pornography to protect these children from further victimization.”
The Internet has been lauded as a great invention that has brought folks together around the globe, but the World Wide Web dark-side has also given birth to numerous child pornography outlets- making it easier for perverts to explore their vial urges.
“For all its positive impact, the Internet has also unfortunately created a new way for child predators to commit their inexcusable crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division. “The production and distribution of child pornography wreak havoc on innocent lives. With these domain seizures, we are taking our fight against child pornography to websites that facilitate the exchange of these abusive images.”
The joint task force was spearheaded by ICE’s Cyber Crimes Center (C3). The nationwide ICE initiative sets out to identify, investigate and arrest those who prey on children. Those attempting to access the seized websites will find a banner telling them the website has been seized by federal authorities.
“Operation Protect Our Children” leverages the resources of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the DOJ Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section to investigate and prepare seizure warrants against websites who post any kind of child pornography.
ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and suspicious activity on its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children crimes may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit their website at http://www.cybertipline.com
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: DHS & DOJ and ICE crack down on child pornography websites - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/dhs-doj-and-ice-crack-down-on-child-pornography-websites#ixzz1E4ZsXsNw
The new program is part of a new attempt by DHS, DOJ and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to limit child pornography on the Internet. The new joint task force program is called Operation Protect Our Children.
“Each year, far too many children fall prey to sexual predators and all too often, these heinous acts are recorded in photos and on video and released on the Internet,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. “DHS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to shut down websites that promote child pornography to protect these children from further victimization.”
The Internet has been lauded as a great invention that has brought folks together around the globe, but the World Wide Web dark-side has also given birth to numerous child pornography outlets- making it easier for perverts to explore their vial urges.
“For all its positive impact, the Internet has also unfortunately created a new way for child predators to commit their inexcusable crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division. “The production and distribution of child pornography wreak havoc on innocent lives. With these domain seizures, we are taking our fight against child pornography to websites that facilitate the exchange of these abusive images.”
The joint task force was spearheaded by ICE’s Cyber Crimes Center (C3). The nationwide ICE initiative sets out to identify, investigate and arrest those who prey on children. Those attempting to access the seized websites will find a banner telling them the website has been seized by federal authorities.
“Operation Protect Our Children” leverages the resources of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the DOJ Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section to investigate and prepare seizure warrants against websites who post any kind of child pornography.
ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and suspicious activity on its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children crimes may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit their website at http://www.cybertipline.com
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: DHS & DOJ and ICE crack down on child pornography websites - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/dhs-doj-and-ice-crack-down-on-child-pornography-websites#ixzz1E4ZsXsNw
Monday, December 20, 2010
Judge allows illegal aliens to sue ICE agents
A Connecticut federal judge ruled against the government and will allow illegal immigrants to sue ICE agents for civil rights violations.
U.S. District Court Judge Stefan Underhill ruled Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are not immune from lawsuits if they are anchored on Constitutional grounds.
The civil rights lawsuit, brought by 11 alleged illegal immigrants claim they were unlawfully apprehended by ICE agents in New Haven, Conn, June 2007.
The plaintiff’s attorneys told The New Haven Register “the decision has wide-ranging implications.”
Judge Underhill refused the government’s plea to dismiss the charges against ICE agents and their supervisors, including Julie Myers ICE’s former agency head.
A group of law school interns and their bosses at Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization at the Yale Law School brought the lawsuit on behalf of the illegal aliens. The interns argued that the 11 suspected illegal aliens were unfairly treated based on race.
Recently retired ICE agent, John Sakelarides had plenty to say about another lawsuit benefitting illegal aliens.
"This suit is nothing more than a transparent and feeble attempt to scare ICE agents into refusing to enforce the immigration laws of this country. Can you spell intimidation? When it goes to trial, my guess is the agents will be exonerated and what should happen is that the government should seek fees for wasting taxpayer money in defending a baseless lawsuit,” Sakelarides said. “Extortion is still illegal in this country. The far reaching implications claim is a clear indication of what the intent of this lawsuit is, namely intimidation."
Sakelarides didn’t know if this lawsuit was being brought under the Federal Torts Claim Act (FTCA) or under a Bivens Action.
“I do know, from the past and unfortunately present, experience that suits are often filed under both but the law is clear that they cannot co-exist, there can only be either an FTCA claim or a Bivens Action. It centers on whether or not the federal employee was or was not acting within the scope of their authority,” he explained.
“This is borderline criminal. If the agents did something wrong, so be it. But if they didn't and this suit is being brought simply to induce a chilling effect on the enforcement of the immigration law, then these idealistic and naive law students and Yale Law School ought to be held accountable,” Sakelarides finished.
ICE officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2010 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
U.S. District Court Judge Stefan Underhill ruled Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are not immune from lawsuits if they are anchored on Constitutional grounds.
The civil rights lawsuit, brought by 11 alleged illegal immigrants claim they were unlawfully apprehended by ICE agents in New Haven, Conn, June 2007.
The plaintiff’s attorneys told The New Haven Register “the decision has wide-ranging implications.”
Judge Underhill refused the government’s plea to dismiss the charges against ICE agents and their supervisors, including Julie Myers ICE’s former agency head.
A group of law school interns and their bosses at Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization at the Yale Law School brought the lawsuit on behalf of the illegal aliens. The interns argued that the 11 suspected illegal aliens were unfairly treated based on race.
Recently retired ICE agent, John Sakelarides had plenty to say about another lawsuit benefitting illegal aliens.
"This suit is nothing more than a transparent and feeble attempt to scare ICE agents into refusing to enforce the immigration laws of this country. Can you spell intimidation? When it goes to trial, my guess is the agents will be exonerated and what should happen is that the government should seek fees for wasting taxpayer money in defending a baseless lawsuit,” Sakelarides said. “Extortion is still illegal in this country. The far reaching implications claim is a clear indication of what the intent of this lawsuit is, namely intimidation."
Sakelarides didn’t know if this lawsuit was being brought under the Federal Torts Claim Act (FTCA) or under a Bivens Action.
“I do know, from the past and unfortunately present, experience that suits are often filed under both but the law is clear that they cannot co-exist, there can only be either an FTCA claim or a Bivens Action. It centers on whether or not the federal employee was or was not acting within the scope of their authority,” he explained.
“This is borderline criminal. If the agents did something wrong, so be it. But if they didn't and this suit is being brought simply to induce a chilling effect on the enforcement of the immigration law, then these idealistic and naive law students and Yale Law School ought to be held accountable,” Sakelarides finished.
ICE officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2010 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.
Monday, December 6, 2010
ICE’s shady bookkeeping blurs U.S. deportation numbers
The Center for Investigative Reporting uncovered some shady deportation record keeping that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) put into place in order to drive up the Obama Administration’s expulsion numbers.
One of the first Republicans to speak out against ICE’s record keeping methods was House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas). Smith is on the record stating that Congress deserves an honest and fair accounting of the deportation numbers.
The Center for Investigative Reporting reported that “392,862 deportations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement included more than 19,000 immigrants who had exited the previous fiscal year, according to agency statistics.”
They also contend that “ICE also ran a Mexican repatriation program five weeks longer than ever before, allowing the agency to count at least 6,500 exits that, without the program, would normally have been tallied by the U.S. Border Patrol.”
But ICE still stands by their numbers.
“When the secretary tells you that the numbers are at an all-time high, that's straight, on the merits, no cooking of the books,” said John Morton director of ICE regarding DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. “It's what happened.”
The United States currently uses an option known as a “voluntary return” as a means to encourage some illegal aliens to return home without going through legal procedures. However, this rule allows hundreds of illegal aliens to avoid an immigration judge who would rule on deportation due to offenses like drunken driving, domestic violence and misdemeanor assault.
If an illegal alien voluntarily leaves the country they are able to return to the U.S. and legally apply for residence at a later date. It is this fact that troubles Congressman Smith.
“Allegations that ICE officials may have engaged in a coordinated effort to pad the Agency’s deportation numbers are troubling. Encouraging illegal immigrants facing criminal charges to take an ‘easy out’ rather than receive a conviction ultimately hurts the American people,” Smith said. “It makes it easier for many illegal immigrants with dangerous prior records to return to the U.S. Congress has a responsibility to pursue the facts surrounding ICE deportation practices to ensure that the law is being enforced to the fullest extent.”
When it comes to the illegal immigration dilemma lawmakers point to a multi-prong plan as the only way America will ever manage its rampant and out of control illegal immigration problem.
“Deportation is not enough when it comes to addressing the problem of illegal immigration. Until the Obama Administration secures the U.S.-Mexico border, thousands of previously deported illegal immigrants will return to the U.S. Meanwhile, Democrats in Congress are pushing for amnesty for an estimated two million illegal immigrants already in the U.S.,” Smith explained.
Another reason many Americans and lawmakers are concerned with providing amnesty through the DREAM Act directly relates to the economy.
“Legalizing millions of illegal immigrants means more competition for scarce jobs. It is an insult to the millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet,” says Smith.
Smith goes on to say that the new 112th Congress vows to take up the illegal immigration issue in January, however he claims lawmakers will keep the interests of the American in mind. “We will promote policies to help grow the economy and put Americans back to work,” he finished.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2010 Kimberly Dvorak all rights reserve
One of the first Republicans to speak out against ICE’s record keeping methods was House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas). Smith is on the record stating that Congress deserves an honest and fair accounting of the deportation numbers.
The Center for Investigative Reporting reported that “392,862 deportations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement included more than 19,000 immigrants who had exited the previous fiscal year, according to agency statistics.”
They also contend that “ICE also ran a Mexican repatriation program five weeks longer than ever before, allowing the agency to count at least 6,500 exits that, without the program, would normally have been tallied by the U.S. Border Patrol.”
But ICE still stands by their numbers.
“When the secretary tells you that the numbers are at an all-time high, that's straight, on the merits, no cooking of the books,” said John Morton director of ICE regarding DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. “It's what happened.”
The United States currently uses an option known as a “voluntary return” as a means to encourage some illegal aliens to return home without going through legal procedures. However, this rule allows hundreds of illegal aliens to avoid an immigration judge who would rule on deportation due to offenses like drunken driving, domestic violence and misdemeanor assault.
If an illegal alien voluntarily leaves the country they are able to return to the U.S. and legally apply for residence at a later date. It is this fact that troubles Congressman Smith.
“Allegations that ICE officials may have engaged in a coordinated effort to pad the Agency’s deportation numbers are troubling. Encouraging illegal immigrants facing criminal charges to take an ‘easy out’ rather than receive a conviction ultimately hurts the American people,” Smith said. “It makes it easier for many illegal immigrants with dangerous prior records to return to the U.S. Congress has a responsibility to pursue the facts surrounding ICE deportation practices to ensure that the law is being enforced to the fullest extent.”
When it comes to the illegal immigration dilemma lawmakers point to a multi-prong plan as the only way America will ever manage its rampant and out of control illegal immigration problem.
“Deportation is not enough when it comes to addressing the problem of illegal immigration. Until the Obama Administration secures the U.S.-Mexico border, thousands of previously deported illegal immigrants will return to the U.S. Meanwhile, Democrats in Congress are pushing for amnesty for an estimated two million illegal immigrants already in the U.S.,” Smith explained.
Another reason many Americans and lawmakers are concerned with providing amnesty through the DREAM Act directly relates to the economy.
“Legalizing millions of illegal immigrants means more competition for scarce jobs. It is an insult to the millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet,” says Smith.
Smith goes on to say that the new 112th Congress vows to take up the illegal immigration issue in January, however he claims lawmakers will keep the interests of the American in mind. “We will promote policies to help grow the economy and put Americans back to work,” he finished.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyright 2010 Kimberly Dvorak all rights reserve
Friday, November 26, 2010
Another drug cartel tunnel found on the San Diego border
U.S. authorities have reported that a second smuggling tunnel has been uncovered along the Mexican border in San Diego. At least four people were arrested in connection with the tunnel along with a significant amount of marijuana.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that the smuggling tunnel was discovered on Thanksgiving when most Americans were watching football games and eating turkey dinners.
The tunnel itself runs approximately a half-mile in length and started in a Tijuana, Mexico residence and led to a warehouse in Otay Mesa, California.
The San Diego Tunnel Task Force will investigate the details regarding the underground passageway and are working hand-in-hand with Mexican authorities to nab more cartel criminals. The task force is made up of agents from ICE, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
San Diego federal authorities recently discovered a 600- yard long tunnel used to smuggle humans and illicit drugs from Mexico into America on November 2.
The tunnel linked the two countries as builders were able to dig underneath the U.S. border which gave smugglers the ability to use two warehouses, one in Tijuana, Mexico and the other in San Diego as their entry and exit points.
A multi-agency tunnel task force also snagged more than 20 tons of marijuana that was set to make its way into the United States illegal drug market.
The underground tunnel was well equipped, complete with a rail transportation system, lighting and ventilation, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Even though the tunnel used sophisticated construction, it wasn’t large enough for a person to stand up and walk the entire 600-yards.
The tunnel was located after multi-task force agents conducted surveillance on a semi-truck and trailer that was leaving a warehouse near the U.S. border.
Authorities followed the truck to a Border Patrol checkpoint in Temecula on highway 15. At the Border Patrol check point agents searched the truck and found 10 tons of marijuana inside, Amy Roderick of ICE said at a press conference. She said the driver and a passenger were taken into custody and are expected to face multiple federal drug smuggling charges.
Following the seizure, task force agents obtained a search warrant for the warehouse and found the tunnel, according to Roderick.
Once the U.S. warehouse was located ICE alerted Mexican authorities and they found another four tons of marijuana in the Tijuana warehouse where the tunnel ended. Roderick said, the marijuana recovered totaled almost 30 tons and has a street value of at least $20 million.
"What's unusual about this one is the amount of marijuana found as part of this investigation," ICE spokesperson Lauren Mack said. "There’s been some pretty big drug busts and we're not letting our guard down."
American law enforcement agencies continue to work with their counterparts in Mexico to slow the trafficking of drugs, humans, money and arms that flows both directions across the U.S./Mexico borders.
"We've also been enjoying an unprecedented cooperation with Mexican law enforcement in recent years," Mack explained. "So we get a lot of information from the Mexicans, and vice versa."
Detailed information provided by ICE said in the last four years there have been more than 75 tunnels discovered by law enforcement agencies. Some of the tunnels were complete while others were only partially finished. A similar tunnel was found in San Diego in January 2006 that also linked the two countries through a warehouse and included sophisticated lighting and ventilation systems.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyrighted 2010 Kimberly Dvorak all rights reserved
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that the smuggling tunnel was discovered on Thanksgiving when most Americans were watching football games and eating turkey dinners.
The tunnel itself runs approximately a half-mile in length and started in a Tijuana, Mexico residence and led to a warehouse in Otay Mesa, California.
The San Diego Tunnel Task Force will investigate the details regarding the underground passageway and are working hand-in-hand with Mexican authorities to nab more cartel criminals. The task force is made up of agents from ICE, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
San Diego federal authorities recently discovered a 600- yard long tunnel used to smuggle humans and illicit drugs from Mexico into America on November 2.
The tunnel linked the two countries as builders were able to dig underneath the U.S. border which gave smugglers the ability to use two warehouses, one in Tijuana, Mexico and the other in San Diego as their entry and exit points.
A multi-agency tunnel task force also snagged more than 20 tons of marijuana that was set to make its way into the United States illegal drug market.
The underground tunnel was well equipped, complete with a rail transportation system, lighting and ventilation, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Even though the tunnel used sophisticated construction, it wasn’t large enough for a person to stand up and walk the entire 600-yards.
The tunnel was located after multi-task force agents conducted surveillance on a semi-truck and trailer that was leaving a warehouse near the U.S. border.
Authorities followed the truck to a Border Patrol checkpoint in Temecula on highway 15. At the Border Patrol check point agents searched the truck and found 10 tons of marijuana inside, Amy Roderick of ICE said at a press conference. She said the driver and a passenger were taken into custody and are expected to face multiple federal drug smuggling charges.
Following the seizure, task force agents obtained a search warrant for the warehouse and found the tunnel, according to Roderick.
Once the U.S. warehouse was located ICE alerted Mexican authorities and they found another four tons of marijuana in the Tijuana warehouse where the tunnel ended. Roderick said, the marijuana recovered totaled almost 30 tons and has a street value of at least $20 million.
"What's unusual about this one is the amount of marijuana found as part of this investigation," ICE spokesperson Lauren Mack said. "There’s been some pretty big drug busts and we're not letting our guard down."
American law enforcement agencies continue to work with their counterparts in Mexico to slow the trafficking of drugs, humans, money and arms that flows both directions across the U.S./Mexico borders.
"We've also been enjoying an unprecedented cooperation with Mexican law enforcement in recent years," Mack explained. "So we get a lot of information from the Mexicans, and vice versa."
Detailed information provided by ICE said in the last four years there have been more than 75 tunnels discovered by law enforcement agencies. Some of the tunnels were complete while others were only partially finished. A similar tunnel was found in San Diego in January 2006 that also linked the two countries through a warehouse and included sophisticated lighting and ventilation systems.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyrighted 2010 Kimberly Dvorak all rights reserved
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
California Tea Party seek Arizona-style immigration law
Tea Party activist, Michael Erickson was successful in moving his illegal immigration enforcement idea to the signature collection process. The California ballot initiative called “Support Federal Immigration Law Act” which closely mirrors Arizona’s SB1070 immigration law would require law enforcement officers to check suspected illegal aliens for immigration status.
According to the bill’s author, the proposed-immigration law will expand police officers ability enforce immigration laws when they have a reasonable suspicion that a person is undocumented and/or committing other crimes.
The proposed law would also make it a crime for illegal aliens to seek employment while concealing their illegal resident status.
While most complain the illegal aliens are protected from the enforcement of federal immigration laws, Erickson says his law would also target employers who “intentionally or negligently” hire illegal immigrants.
This issue recently played out in the California Gubernatorial race when Republican Meg Whitman, who went through legal channels and hired an employment service, found out years later her housekeeper was in the country illegally. The housekeeper, Nicky Diaz-Santillan, lied as well as forged counterfeit documents to con the employment agency and the Whitman family to procure employment.
The end result of this legal ruse was a Whitman loss and her household was forced to pay the illegal alien $5,500 for uncollected wages (she was making $23/per hour). Ironically the illegal alien has yet to face any criminal charges for fraud, perjury and residing in the state illegally.
The “Support Federal Immigration Act” would allow legal residents to sue government agencies, law enforcement or cities who attempt to provide “sanctuary status” to known illegal aliens.
California Secretary of State, Debra Bowen cleared the last hurdle for the initiative to begin the signature collection process this week. Authors will now need to collect at least 433,971 signatures from California registered voters by April 21, 2011, in order to make the ballot for the 2012 elections.
Riding the recent Tea Party wave, Erickson hopes voters will speak at the voting booth during the 2012 election cycle. The initiative will rely on volunteers from the Tea Party network which delivered stunning results during the midterms and promises to make 2012 just as successful, to get the required signatures.
The success or failure of this strict immigration measure will test the will of Californians, many of whom are outraged by the unresolved budget crisis ($20 billion in the red). Yet the recent midterm elections saw a sweep for California Democrats and made the state somewhat of an anomaly as Republicans across the country were elected into power by historic proportions.
Learning from Arizona’s law, Erickson’s California proposal states that law enforcement must verify immigration status “in a timely manner at the scene of the stop or detainment” and has to get the information from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other federal agencies in a position to provide legal status documentation.
Erickson explained he decided to introduce the immigration initiative in California before a decision is made by the 9th Circuit Court on Arizona’s SB1070 law because his supporters are worried about the possible spillover effects.
“Our concern is with the possibility, if not probability, of an increase in not only illegal immigration in California but with a drug infestation, in part because Arizona is cracking down in their state,” Erickson explained.
However, open-border/amnesty organizers are well-funded with the support of La Raza, and will aggressively thwart any tough illegal immigration measure that finds its way on the 2012 election ballot.
One group from Los Angeles, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles said they did not believe Californians would support any tough illegal immigration plan. Angelica Salas, executive director of the organization said Californians have voted down many similar bills during the past 10 years, most have failed to even make the election ballot.
"What we saw on Nov. 2, those candidates who dabble with racism, xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiments and policies, lose badly in statewide elections," Salas finished.
With state of California in the middle of the seemingly endless financial crisis, Erickson hopes to change the minds of the voters; otherwise it is a real possibility that California will be the first failed state.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyrighted 2010 Kimberly Dvorak all rights reserved
According to the bill’s author, the proposed-immigration law will expand police officers ability enforce immigration laws when they have a reasonable suspicion that a person is undocumented and/or committing other crimes.
The proposed law would also make it a crime for illegal aliens to seek employment while concealing their illegal resident status.
While most complain the illegal aliens are protected from the enforcement of federal immigration laws, Erickson says his law would also target employers who “intentionally or negligently” hire illegal immigrants.
This issue recently played out in the California Gubernatorial race when Republican Meg Whitman, who went through legal channels and hired an employment service, found out years later her housekeeper was in the country illegally. The housekeeper, Nicky Diaz-Santillan, lied as well as forged counterfeit documents to con the employment agency and the Whitman family to procure employment.
The end result of this legal ruse was a Whitman loss and her household was forced to pay the illegal alien $5,500 for uncollected wages (she was making $23/per hour). Ironically the illegal alien has yet to face any criminal charges for fraud, perjury and residing in the state illegally.
The “Support Federal Immigration Act” would allow legal residents to sue government agencies, law enforcement or cities who attempt to provide “sanctuary status” to known illegal aliens.
California Secretary of State, Debra Bowen cleared the last hurdle for the initiative to begin the signature collection process this week. Authors will now need to collect at least 433,971 signatures from California registered voters by April 21, 2011, in order to make the ballot for the 2012 elections.
Riding the recent Tea Party wave, Erickson hopes voters will speak at the voting booth during the 2012 election cycle. The initiative will rely on volunteers from the Tea Party network which delivered stunning results during the midterms and promises to make 2012 just as successful, to get the required signatures.
The success or failure of this strict immigration measure will test the will of Californians, many of whom are outraged by the unresolved budget crisis ($20 billion in the red). Yet the recent midterm elections saw a sweep for California Democrats and made the state somewhat of an anomaly as Republicans across the country were elected into power by historic proportions.
Learning from Arizona’s law, Erickson’s California proposal states that law enforcement must verify immigration status “in a timely manner at the scene of the stop or detainment” and has to get the information from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other federal agencies in a position to provide legal status documentation.
Erickson explained he decided to introduce the immigration initiative in California before a decision is made by the 9th Circuit Court on Arizona’s SB1070 law because his supporters are worried about the possible spillover effects.
“Our concern is with the possibility, if not probability, of an increase in not only illegal immigration in California but with a drug infestation, in part because Arizona is cracking down in their state,” Erickson explained.
However, open-border/amnesty organizers are well-funded with the support of La Raza, and will aggressively thwart any tough illegal immigration measure that finds its way on the 2012 election ballot.
One group from Los Angeles, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles said they did not believe Californians would support any tough illegal immigration plan. Angelica Salas, executive director of the organization said Californians have voted down many similar bills during the past 10 years, most have failed to even make the election ballot.
"What we saw on Nov. 2, those candidates who dabble with racism, xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiments and policies, lose badly in statewide elections," Salas finished.
With state of California in the middle of the seemingly endless financial crisis, Erickson hopes to change the minds of the voters; otherwise it is a real possibility that California will be the first failed state.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
© Copyrighted 2010 Kimberly Dvorak all rights reserved
Monday, November 8, 2010
Illegal immigration and the new terrorism threat collide
Late last week Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) demanded the Department of Homeland Security cough up the immigration and naturalization records of Washington D.C. Metrorail suspected terrorist bomber Farooque Ahmed.
In an effort to determine the best method to protect Americans from illegal aliens who have nefarious intentions toward U.S. citizens, Grassley sought the immigration process used by Ahmed from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), but he was refused the records and told he needed a privacy release form from the suspected terrorist.
Grassley’s letter highlighted a clear conflict provided by USCIS and showed that the language contained in the Privacy Act details an exemption for members of Congress. Grassley said it, “is unacceptable as a matter of accountability,” for the American people.
Senator Grassley outlined his concern in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security. “It’s about the suspected terrorist from media reports, including accounts that the would-be bomber hoped to harm as many Americans as possible on the metro system.” In addition to seeking the suspected terrorist’s immigration history, Grassley also asked for the legal background for the excuse the USCIS used to disregard a provision of law designed to ensure checks and balances by giving Congress access to this kind of information.”
The senator pointed out several media reports that concerned him regarding the process used by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and other agencies to arrest Ahmed.
“According to news reports, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted an undercover sting operation, and exposed Mr. Ahmed of plotting terrorist attacks against Americans,” he said in a letter to Janet Napolitano, Secretary of DHS. “Some reports indicate that earlier this year, Mr. Ahmed ‘conducted surveillance and reconnaissance and suggested ways to generate the most causality’s on the DC metro. He reportedly wanted to battle U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan and trained himself in martial arts, use of firearms, and knife and gun tactics. Mr. Ahmed informed those whom he believed to be his co-conspirators that he also planned to wage jihad overseas.”
Various news reports cite that Ahmed obtained a degree in Computer Science from the College of Staten Island, which is a part of the City University of New York. Later Ahmed work in the telecommunications industry in Northern Virginia. It is also alleged that in order to keep his legal status, Ahmed began pursuing an online graduate degree in risk management and data security from Aspen University.
Senator Grassley’s concerns about Ahmed’s visa status draws attention to the process by which potential immigrants enter the country and what kind of background checks are required to ensure the legitimacy of prospective students who seek higher education in the U.S.
“I would like to know how Mr. Ahmed entered the United States and through which immigration channels he was able to remain here,” said Grassley who is also a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security. “I therefore request that you provide me with copies of all documents and reports relating to the issuance of student visa(s), any adjustment of status and subsequent visas, and naturalization for Mr. Ahmed including, but not limited to the following:
a. All immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications filed by Mr. Ahmed;
b. All certificates of eligibility for immigrant and non-immigrant visas provided by Mr. Ahmed in support of his application(s) for legal status in the United States;
c. All law enforcement reports that contained information on Mr. Ahmed’s associations with al-Qaeda and which were available to homeland security official(s) who approved his visa application(s) and naturalization application.
e. Any records on Mr. Ahmed included in the student tracking system, SEVIS, including but not limited to his degree program and classes taken at City University of New York and Aspen University.
f. All documents related to the naturalization process for Mr. Ahmed.
While these documents are a start for Senator Grassley’s office, others are now questioning the effectiveness the H-1B visas and the need to update the provisions to better fight terrorism in a post 9/11 world.
The main pathway for H-1B Visa holders is to obtain a degree from a U.S. college or university on a F-1 Visa, and perhaps extend it with OPT (Optional Professional Training) for up to 29 months and then obtain a H-1B Visa for employment of 6 or more years.
One factor of particular concern for Americans is the easy process for foreigners to obtain an H-1B visa. “These visas are discouraging young Americans from entering technology fields,” according to Gene Nelson, Ph.D. who is an expert in immigration policy. “Why should American students complete the expensive and challenging training to become a scientist or engineer if prospective employers will hire essentially unlimited numbers of (inexpensive) technical professionals from India or Communist China to quickly displace the young Americans from technology fields?”
Nelson believes the second effect of this immigration visa is just as significant, but more difficult to quantify.
“The lack of vetting of imported technical professionals under work visa programs such as H-1B is causing national security harms. I have discussed this problem in testimony delivered in the U.S. House of Representatives and the National Academy of Sciences since 1996,” Nelson explains. “The long-term negative externalities of such immigrant avidity include the prospect of large-scale nuclear terrorism or bioterrorism in the U.S., likely in cities such as Washington, DC or New York City.”
The H-1B Visa holder is a de-facto indentured servant, according to Nelson. He also points out their visa is conditioned on being continuously employed and employers are able to hold out the "carrot" of the eventual green card sponsorship.
Ferreting information about students can be as easy as looking to social networking sites. For example, Ahmed’s LinkedIn profile showed that he was enrolled in a master's computer engineering program at CUNY's College of Staten Island. It went on to explain that he did not get his degree because of a "political issue between computer science and engineering department."
Nelson explains that an employer-sponsored H-1B visa requires practically no vetting of applicants and allows foreign students to remain in the U.S. for at least six years. Plus, foreign students or employees are often granted automatic extensions while they are waiting for a green card. Once a green card is in hand, foreigners are well on their way to completing the U.S. naturalization process.
As far as employers ensuring that no one in America is qualified for the high-tech job, U.S. employers are required to make a “good faith” attempt to hire an American first before they grant an H-1B visa to a foreigner. However, experts contend that few employers do this because they know foreigners are willing to work for less money and longer hours.
According to the Labor Department's 2006-2011 Strategic Plan notes; "H-1B workers may be hired even when a qualified U.S. worker wants the job, and a U.S. worker can be displaced from the job in favor of the foreign worker."
This should be very concerning to Americans. Many of the H-1B visa jobs involve national security inside the telecommunication industry.
In Ahmed’s case he worked for three telecommunication companies since 2000 and according to the Labor Department each of these companies applied for hundreds of H-1B visas; Ericsson which has applied for 446 H-1B visas, Glotel who has applied for 143 H-1B visas and Sprint who has applied for a staggering 857 H-1B visas.
Once Nelson navigated through the Sprint VA H-1B visa spreadsheet he found some disturbing details. He pointed to an incorrect work city shown for Sprint "network" positions that begin in July, 2006, which matched his LinkedIn profile. “Also there is only one Sprint LCA for the state of Illinois, but it is not for Ahmed’s job title. This suggests to me that Sprint failed to follow the (loophole-laden) rules, as a LCA is for a specific job title in a specific city and state,” Nelson points out. (Here is the link to Sprint info; http://www.flcdatacenter.com/CaseH1B.aspx)
One thing is certain, a rash of terror plots continues to be uncovered across the country and there seems to be no end to the profound hatred these terrorists have towards America. The underlying terror threats will require the country’s national security agencies to continually evolve and grow if they are to be successful in preventing the next 9/11 attack.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
In an effort to determine the best method to protect Americans from illegal aliens who have nefarious intentions toward U.S. citizens, Grassley sought the immigration process used by Ahmed from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), but he was refused the records and told he needed a privacy release form from the suspected terrorist.
Grassley’s letter highlighted a clear conflict provided by USCIS and showed that the language contained in the Privacy Act details an exemption for members of Congress. Grassley said it, “is unacceptable as a matter of accountability,” for the American people.
Senator Grassley outlined his concern in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security. “It’s about the suspected terrorist from media reports, including accounts that the would-be bomber hoped to harm as many Americans as possible on the metro system.” In addition to seeking the suspected terrorist’s immigration history, Grassley also asked for the legal background for the excuse the USCIS used to disregard a provision of law designed to ensure checks and balances by giving Congress access to this kind of information.”
The senator pointed out several media reports that concerned him regarding the process used by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and other agencies to arrest Ahmed.
“According to news reports, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted an undercover sting operation, and exposed Mr. Ahmed of plotting terrorist attacks against Americans,” he said in a letter to Janet Napolitano, Secretary of DHS. “Some reports indicate that earlier this year, Mr. Ahmed ‘conducted surveillance and reconnaissance and suggested ways to generate the most causality’s on the DC metro. He reportedly wanted to battle U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan and trained himself in martial arts, use of firearms, and knife and gun tactics. Mr. Ahmed informed those whom he believed to be his co-conspirators that he also planned to wage jihad overseas.”
Various news reports cite that Ahmed obtained a degree in Computer Science from the College of Staten Island, which is a part of the City University of New York. Later Ahmed work in the telecommunications industry in Northern Virginia. It is also alleged that in order to keep his legal status, Ahmed began pursuing an online graduate degree in risk management and data security from Aspen University.
Senator Grassley’s concerns about Ahmed’s visa status draws attention to the process by which potential immigrants enter the country and what kind of background checks are required to ensure the legitimacy of prospective students who seek higher education in the U.S.
“I would like to know how Mr. Ahmed entered the United States and through which immigration channels he was able to remain here,” said Grassley who is also a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security. “I therefore request that you provide me with copies of all documents and reports relating to the issuance of student visa(s), any adjustment of status and subsequent visas, and naturalization for Mr. Ahmed including, but not limited to the following:
a. All immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications filed by Mr. Ahmed;
b. All certificates of eligibility for immigrant and non-immigrant visas provided by Mr. Ahmed in support of his application(s) for legal status in the United States;
c. All law enforcement reports that contained information on Mr. Ahmed’s associations with al-Qaeda and which were available to homeland security official(s) who approved his visa application(s) and naturalization application.
e. Any records on Mr. Ahmed included in the student tracking system, SEVIS, including but not limited to his degree program and classes taken at City University of New York and Aspen University.
f. All documents related to the naturalization process for Mr. Ahmed.
While these documents are a start for Senator Grassley’s office, others are now questioning the effectiveness the H-1B visas and the need to update the provisions to better fight terrorism in a post 9/11 world.
The main pathway for H-1B Visa holders is to obtain a degree from a U.S. college or university on a F-1 Visa, and perhaps extend it with OPT (Optional Professional Training) for up to 29 months and then obtain a H-1B Visa for employment of 6 or more years.
One factor of particular concern for Americans is the easy process for foreigners to obtain an H-1B visa. “These visas are discouraging young Americans from entering technology fields,” according to Gene Nelson, Ph.D. who is an expert in immigration policy. “Why should American students complete the expensive and challenging training to become a scientist or engineer if prospective employers will hire essentially unlimited numbers of (inexpensive) technical professionals from India or Communist China to quickly displace the young Americans from technology fields?”
Nelson believes the second effect of this immigration visa is just as significant, but more difficult to quantify.
“The lack of vetting of imported technical professionals under work visa programs such as H-1B is causing national security harms. I have discussed this problem in testimony delivered in the U.S. House of Representatives and the National Academy of Sciences since 1996,” Nelson explains. “The long-term negative externalities of such immigrant avidity include the prospect of large-scale nuclear terrorism or bioterrorism in the U.S., likely in cities such as Washington, DC or New York City.”
The H-1B Visa holder is a de-facto indentured servant, according to Nelson. He also points out their visa is conditioned on being continuously employed and employers are able to hold out the "carrot" of the eventual green card sponsorship.
Ferreting information about students can be as easy as looking to social networking sites. For example, Ahmed’s LinkedIn profile showed that he was enrolled in a master's computer engineering program at CUNY's College of Staten Island. It went on to explain that he did not get his degree because of a "political issue between computer science and engineering department."
Nelson explains that an employer-sponsored H-1B visa requires practically no vetting of applicants and allows foreign students to remain in the U.S. for at least six years. Plus, foreign students or employees are often granted automatic extensions while they are waiting for a green card. Once a green card is in hand, foreigners are well on their way to completing the U.S. naturalization process.
As far as employers ensuring that no one in America is qualified for the high-tech job, U.S. employers are required to make a “good faith” attempt to hire an American first before they grant an H-1B visa to a foreigner. However, experts contend that few employers do this because they know foreigners are willing to work for less money and longer hours.
According to the Labor Department's 2006-2011 Strategic Plan notes; "H-1B workers may be hired even when a qualified U.S. worker wants the job, and a U.S. worker can be displaced from the job in favor of the foreign worker."
This should be very concerning to Americans. Many of the H-1B visa jobs involve national security inside the telecommunication industry.
In Ahmed’s case he worked for three telecommunication companies since 2000 and according to the Labor Department each of these companies applied for hundreds of H-1B visas; Ericsson which has applied for 446 H-1B visas, Glotel who has applied for 143 H-1B visas and Sprint who has applied for a staggering 857 H-1B visas.
Once Nelson navigated through the Sprint VA H-1B visa spreadsheet he found some disturbing details. He pointed to an incorrect work city shown for Sprint "network" positions that begin in July, 2006, which matched his LinkedIn profile. “Also there is only one Sprint LCA for the state of Illinois, but it is not for Ahmed’s job title. This suggests to me that Sprint failed to follow the (loophole-laden) rules, as a LCA is for a specific job title in a specific city and state,” Nelson points out. (Here is the link to Sprint info; http://www.flcdatacenter.com/CaseH1B.aspx)
One thing is certain, a rash of terror plots continues to be uncovered across the country and there seems to be no end to the profound hatred these terrorists have towards America. The underlying terror threats will require the country’s national security agencies to continually evolve and grow if they are to be successful in preventing the next 9/11 attack.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
Friday, November 5, 2010
Employers who hired illegals fined, may get jail time
A Southern California man who owns and operates a furniture manufacturing plant was arrested and charged with hiring illegal aliens this week.
The Orange County man, Rick Vartanian, who is the primary shareholder in the Rancho Cucamonga Brownwood Furniture company is accused and charged with criminal information with obstruction of justice and a misdemeanor count of continuing to employ unauthorized employees.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement says “Vartanian told investigators that unauthorized workers identified during an earlier immigration audit were no longer employed by the company, when, in fact, the firm continued to employ 18 of those workers and had taken steps to shield them from detection.”
As a result ICE agents executed a search warrant at the furniture manufacturing plant in December and found the 18 illegal immigrant employees still working.
The owner, Vartanian has already agreed to a $10,000 fine and will face a maximum of 66 months in federal prison for defying the orders from ICE in December.
However, Vartanian is not alone in facing law enforcement charges. Just three weeks ago Brownwood Furniture’s Vice President Michael Eberly was served with legal documents for his role in keeping illegal aliens on the payroll.
He faces criminal information charges with a misdemeanor count of continuing to employ illegals after ICE notified him to correct the problem, according to ICE agents.
According to the ICE charging documents, Eberly knew that a number of the furniture company's workers were not unauthorized for employment and continued to keep them on the payroll.
ICE says, Eberly has agreed to pay a $5,000 fine, and also faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison for his role in hiring and retaining illegal immigrants.
There is no word yet what ICE will do with the 18 employees who also continued to work knowing there were federal investigations into their legal status.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/al-qaeda-spouts-more-propaganda-on-bio-attacks-resurrecting-mexico-border-fears
The Orange County man, Rick Vartanian, who is the primary shareholder in the Rancho Cucamonga Brownwood Furniture company is accused and charged with criminal information with obstruction of justice and a misdemeanor count of continuing to employ unauthorized employees.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement says “Vartanian told investigators that unauthorized workers identified during an earlier immigration audit were no longer employed by the company, when, in fact, the firm continued to employ 18 of those workers and had taken steps to shield them from detection.”
As a result ICE agents executed a search warrant at the furniture manufacturing plant in December and found the 18 illegal immigrant employees still working.
The owner, Vartanian has already agreed to a $10,000 fine and will face a maximum of 66 months in federal prison for defying the orders from ICE in December.
However, Vartanian is not alone in facing law enforcement charges. Just three weeks ago Brownwood Furniture’s Vice President Michael Eberly was served with legal documents for his role in keeping illegal aliens on the payroll.
He faces criminal information charges with a misdemeanor count of continuing to employ illegals after ICE notified him to correct the problem, according to ICE agents.
According to the ICE charging documents, Eberly knew that a number of the furniture company's workers were not unauthorized for employment and continued to keep them on the payroll.
ICE says, Eberly has agreed to pay a $5,000 fine, and also faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison for his role in hiring and retaining illegal immigrants.
There is no word yet what ICE will do with the 18 employees who also continued to work knowing there were federal investigations into their legal status.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/al-qaeda-spouts-more-propaganda-on-bio-attacks-resurrecting-mexico-border-fears
Thursday, November 4, 2010
San Diego smuggling tunnel nets 30 tons of marijuana
San Diego federal authorities discovered a 600- yard long tunnel used to smuggle humans and illicit drugs from Mexico into America.
The tunnel linked the two countries as builders were able to dig underneath the U.S. border which gave smugglers the ability to use two warehouses, one in Tijuana, Mexico and the other in San Diego as their entry and exit points.
A multi-agency tunnel task force also snagged more than 20 tons of marijuana that was set to make its way into the United States illegal drug market.
The underground tunnel was well equipped, complete with a rail transportation system, lighting and ventilation, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Even though the tunnel used sophisticated construction, it wasn’t large enough for a person to stand up and walk the entire 600-yards.
The tunnel was located after multi-task force agents conducted surveillance on a semi-truck and trailer that was leaving a warehouse near the U.S. border.
Authorities followed the truck to a Border Patrol checkpoint in Temecula on highway 15. At the Border Patrol check point agents searched the truck and found 10 tons of marijuana inside, Amy Roderick of ICE said at a press conference. She said the driver and a passenger were taken into custody and are expected to face multiple federal drug smuggling charges.
Following the seizure, task force agents obtained a search warrant for the warehouse and found the tunnel, according to Roderick.
Once the U.S. warehouse was located ICE alerted Mexican authorities and they found another four tons of marijuana in the Tijuana warehouse where the tunnel ended. Roderick said, the marijuana recovered totaled almost 30 tons and has a street value of at least $20 million.
"What's unusual about this one is the amount of marijuana found as part of this investigation," ICE spokesperson Lauren Mack said. "There’s been some pretty big drug busts and we're not letting our guard down."
American law enforcement agencies continue to work with their counterparts in Mexico to slow the trafficking of drugs, humans, money and arms that flows both directions across the U.S./Mexico borders.
"We've also been enjoying an unprecedented cooperation with Mexican law enforcement in recent years," Mack explained. "So we get a lot of information from the Mexicans, and vice versa."
Detailed information provided by ICE said in the last four years there have been more than 75 tunnels discovered by law enforcement agencies. Some of the tunnels were complete while others were only partially finished. A similar tunnel was found in San Diego in January 2006 that also linked the two countries through a warehouse and included sophisticated lighting and ventilation systems.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
The tunnel linked the two countries as builders were able to dig underneath the U.S. border which gave smugglers the ability to use two warehouses, one in Tijuana, Mexico and the other in San Diego as their entry and exit points.
A multi-agency tunnel task force also snagged more than 20 tons of marijuana that was set to make its way into the United States illegal drug market.
The underground tunnel was well equipped, complete with a rail transportation system, lighting and ventilation, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Even though the tunnel used sophisticated construction, it wasn’t large enough for a person to stand up and walk the entire 600-yards.
The tunnel was located after multi-task force agents conducted surveillance on a semi-truck and trailer that was leaving a warehouse near the U.S. border.
Authorities followed the truck to a Border Patrol checkpoint in Temecula on highway 15. At the Border Patrol check point agents searched the truck and found 10 tons of marijuana inside, Amy Roderick of ICE said at a press conference. She said the driver and a passenger were taken into custody and are expected to face multiple federal drug smuggling charges.
Following the seizure, task force agents obtained a search warrant for the warehouse and found the tunnel, according to Roderick.
Once the U.S. warehouse was located ICE alerted Mexican authorities and they found another four tons of marijuana in the Tijuana warehouse where the tunnel ended. Roderick said, the marijuana recovered totaled almost 30 tons and has a street value of at least $20 million.
"What's unusual about this one is the amount of marijuana found as part of this investigation," ICE spokesperson Lauren Mack said. "There’s been some pretty big drug busts and we're not letting our guard down."
American law enforcement agencies continue to work with their counterparts in Mexico to slow the trafficking of drugs, humans, money and arms that flows both directions across the U.S./Mexico borders.
"We've also been enjoying an unprecedented cooperation with Mexican law enforcement in recent years," Mack explained. "So we get a lot of information from the Mexicans, and vice versa."
Detailed information provided by ICE said in the last four years there have been more than 75 tunnels discovered by law enforcement agencies. Some of the tunnels were complete while others were only partially finished. A similar tunnel was found in San Diego in January 2006 that also linked the two countries through a warehouse and included sophisticated lighting and ventilation systems.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
Monday, October 25, 2010
Mexican agents graduate from ICE’s first immigration training program
In an effort to assist Mexico in its immigration and customs law enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security graduated the first ICE 10-week training class meant to sharpen Mexican authority’s ability to secure their homeland that has been ravaged by drug cartels.
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton joined Mexican Secretary of Finance Ernesto Cordero Arroyo and Tax Administration Service and Customs Director Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz-Mena at the first-ever graduation of Mexican customs officials from an ICE-led federal investigator training course in North Charleston, S.C.
"Our efforts to crack down on criminal organizations and others who threaten the safety of our citizens and our economy require close cooperation between the United States and Mexico," said Napolitano. "Today's historic graduation of Mexican customs officials from this U.S.-led investigator training course reflects the unprecedented collaboration between our two nations to better combat transnational crime while facilitating legitimate travel and trade."
While Napolitano may see this as progress, others say it is a wolf in sheep’s clothes situation and Americans will never learn that giving away the nation’s secrets or train the potential mercenaries usually comes back to haunt America. (The Los Zetas drug cartel strongmen were originally trained by the U.S. military in North Carolina in counter-terrorism techniques for the Mexican military.)
"Are you %^&*$#* kidding me?" Let's train Mexican immigration officers on our laws and procedures and how to enforce immigration laws, thereby giving them valuable information on how to defeat what little protections we have left in place? And how many of these agents are in the employ of the Cartels? If not now, how soon after they get back home with a newly marketable skill will they approach the cartels and offer their services, for a price? That's tantamount to putting the fox in the henhouse,” says a veteran ICE agent John Sakelarides.
Working in coordination with Mexico, DHS continues with its quest to increase trans-border trade while trying to thwart border violence that undermines Mexico’s ability to speed up trade between the two countries.
"A well-functioning border is an opportunity for growth—it opens doors to commercial exchange, peace, progress and human development," said Mexican Secretary Cordero.
There were 24 men and women from Mexico's Tax Administration Service and Customs who participated in the inaugural law enforcement customs investigator training course conducted by ICE agents.
The federal course included rules in both Mexican and U.S. customs law, as well as training in numerous investigative techniques like, officer safety tactics and ethics to assist graduates to provide the agents with the tools and knowledge necessary to combat cross-border crime. Primary topics included money laundering, customs offenses and weapons and drug trafficking, the Mexican students worked in close coordination with ICE special agents and other U.S. law enforcement officials to master immigration law.
DHS reaffirmed the Obama administration’s commitment to sharing border security responsibility with Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón and their ability to secure the Southwest border and ensure the security of both nations through programs like the Mérida Initiative which former President George W. Bush sought as the cornerstone for U.S./Mexico security cooperation.
The brand new Mexican customs investigator training course is part of the Department of State-led initiative that is designed to provide assistance to Mexico and Central American countries in the form of building, training and providing equipment to better equip law enforcement agencies to complete their border security missions. The United States has set aside $1.4 billion in aid for Mexico through this initiative.
Secretary Napolitano and her Mexican counterparts have engaged in an unprecedented level of cooperation the past year. Their accomplishments included securing a number of bilateral agreements and declarations to bolster cooperation in the areas of enforcement, information and intelligence sharing, joint operations and trade facilitation along the Southwest border.
Under Napolitano, DHS has doubled the number of law enforcement personnel assigned to their Border Enforcement Security Task Forces (BEST), multi-agency teams that collaborate to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations which pose significant threats to border security and coordinate intelligence sharing on both sides of the border.
As Southwest border violence continues to escalate, American lives are lost, U.S. law enforcement lives are in daily peril and cartels continue to demonstrate their ability to operate freely, DHS is hoping this new partnership with Mexico will alleviate the stranglehold the Mexican Mafia currently operates under in both countries.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton joined Mexican Secretary of Finance Ernesto Cordero Arroyo and Tax Administration Service and Customs Director Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz-Mena at the first-ever graduation of Mexican customs officials from an ICE-led federal investigator training course in North Charleston, S.C.
"Our efforts to crack down on criminal organizations and others who threaten the safety of our citizens and our economy require close cooperation between the United States and Mexico," said Napolitano. "Today's historic graduation of Mexican customs officials from this U.S.-led investigator training course reflects the unprecedented collaboration between our two nations to better combat transnational crime while facilitating legitimate travel and trade."
While Napolitano may see this as progress, others say it is a wolf in sheep’s clothes situation and Americans will never learn that giving away the nation’s secrets or train the potential mercenaries usually comes back to haunt America. (The Los Zetas drug cartel strongmen were originally trained by the U.S. military in North Carolina in counter-terrorism techniques for the Mexican military.)
"Are you %^&*$#* kidding me?" Let's train Mexican immigration officers on our laws and procedures and how to enforce immigration laws, thereby giving them valuable information on how to defeat what little protections we have left in place? And how many of these agents are in the employ of the Cartels? If not now, how soon after they get back home with a newly marketable skill will they approach the cartels and offer their services, for a price? That's tantamount to putting the fox in the henhouse,” says a veteran ICE agent John Sakelarides.
Working in coordination with Mexico, DHS continues with its quest to increase trans-border trade while trying to thwart border violence that undermines Mexico’s ability to speed up trade between the two countries.
"A well-functioning border is an opportunity for growth—it opens doors to commercial exchange, peace, progress and human development," said Mexican Secretary Cordero.
There were 24 men and women from Mexico's Tax Administration Service and Customs who participated in the inaugural law enforcement customs investigator training course conducted by ICE agents.
The federal course included rules in both Mexican and U.S. customs law, as well as training in numerous investigative techniques like, officer safety tactics and ethics to assist graduates to provide the agents with the tools and knowledge necessary to combat cross-border crime. Primary topics included money laundering, customs offenses and weapons and drug trafficking, the Mexican students worked in close coordination with ICE special agents and other U.S. law enforcement officials to master immigration law.
DHS reaffirmed the Obama administration’s commitment to sharing border security responsibility with Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón and their ability to secure the Southwest border and ensure the security of both nations through programs like the Mérida Initiative which former President George W. Bush sought as the cornerstone for U.S./Mexico security cooperation.
The brand new Mexican customs investigator training course is part of the Department of State-led initiative that is designed to provide assistance to Mexico and Central American countries in the form of building, training and providing equipment to better equip law enforcement agencies to complete their border security missions. The United States has set aside $1.4 billion in aid for Mexico through this initiative.
Secretary Napolitano and her Mexican counterparts have engaged in an unprecedented level of cooperation the past year. Their accomplishments included securing a number of bilateral agreements and declarations to bolster cooperation in the areas of enforcement, information and intelligence sharing, joint operations and trade facilitation along the Southwest border.
Under Napolitano, DHS has doubled the number of law enforcement personnel assigned to their Border Enforcement Security Task Forces (BEST), multi-agency teams that collaborate to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations which pose significant threats to border security and coordinate intelligence sharing on both sides of the border.
As Southwest border violence continues to escalate, American lives are lost, U.S. law enforcement lives are in daily peril and cartels continue to demonstrate their ability to operate freely, DHS is hoping this new partnership with Mexico will alleviate the stranglehold the Mexican Mafia currently operates under in both countries.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
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