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Skating on Thin ICE: Illegal Immigration Problems Continue to Snowball
Guest Column | By George Weissinger | January 11, 2008
Since DHS-ICE took over, the arrest numbers have dropped steadily.
Some argue it’s impossible to locate and remove all the illegal aliens that are now residing so comfortably in the U.S. Others argue that DHS-ICE simply does not have sufficient manpower and resources to fulfill this task. These are the arguments of those who do not seek solutions to difficult problems, who give up when the going gets tough. Then there are the suits who similarly complain that special agents cannot filter all the complaints that come in, or that other priorities preclude dealing with the illegal alien problem. This is a convenient response in support of political pressure. The last time I checked, most individuals who were victims of illegal aliens and wanted to report such violations could not get through to an officer at DHS-ICE to even lodge a complaint. This is simply unacceptable. There should be an 800 number where citizens can report illegal aliens to a person at the end of the line who will deal with it responsibly.
I am not suggesting that ICE respond to every complaint. The legacy INS did not respond to every complaint, but we did respond to many. When the INS had the Area-Control Illegal Status Units in full swing, thousands of illegal aliens were located and apprehended. Most of these arrests were based on employment complaints received from the public. As I understand it, ICE maintains that its priorities include apprehending illegal aliens who are convicted criminals or terrorists (and, of course, now human traffickers). Although enforcing all immigration laws is part of the mandate, locating and apprehending the millions of illegal aliens now residing in the U.S. is not part of that priority. How is it that in 1977, the New York INS office located and apprehended over 10,000 illegal aliens, while that same office now run by DHS reportedly located only 3,632 in 2006?
The apprehensions continue to decrease since 2003, when they should be increasing. I realize that ICE is an investigative agency, and not a police agency. However, one of the “investigations” ICE is responsible for is locating and apprehending illegal aliens. The implication is that locating and apprehending an illegal alien is NOT an investigation, or that somehow it is not an investigative function – or worse, that it is not even worthy of attention. I respectfully disagree with that notion, and so do most Americans.
Recently, ICE boasted of its accomplishments in the area of human trafficking. This statement suggests that something is being done about the illegal alien problem, but in reality, it simply deflects the thornier problem of the illegal alien in the U.S. I was never an ICE agent, only a Criminal Investigator with the legacy INS. We did not have the resources that ICE has, yet we located more illegal aliens on an annual basis right up until 2001, when the bureaucrats decided that something should be done after 9/11 (even though the official date ICE started is March 2003).
Since DHS-ICE took over, the arrest numbers have dropped steadily. The raids on factories where a few hundred day laborers are apprehended every year (and summarily released unless they have a criminal record) do not deter the illegal from entering the U.S. This strategy is similar to the failed Border Patrol tactic of focusing manpower on certain high impact sectors: the illegal simply goes to another sector. And now there is some consideration to job site enforcement. It did not work in 1986 and, if ICE does not have enough resources to handle the illegal alien problem, how will they be able to enforce the laws relating to employers?
The duties of the INS investigator included enforcing the immigration laws. If you were an illegal alien you were subject to arrest and removal. That law is still on the books, but ICE conveniently ignores it by placing it in a low priority. Most of the INS Commissioners (except General Chapman, a Nixon appointment) were soft on interior enforcement, and made our jobs virtually impossible to do. But we never caved in and said it can’t be done like so many liberal politicians want us to believe. The fact is, it can be done and it should be done. Otherwise, they should change the law. I was not surprised when Secretary Chertoff stated that enforcement is not the complete solution, that technology will solve the problem. Interestingly, he also stated that the main problem ICE has is the interest and advocacy groups. A law enforcement agency is not supposed to cave in to such threats. Practically, I do appreciate Secretary Chertoff’s predicament, but I guess I was hoping for some positive changes in this area. Isn’t that what the politicians seeking the presidency are focusing on these days? This is not a criticism. I was never a manager so I did not have to consider the political implications of my actions. I simply tried to enforce the laws I was supposed to enforce.
In researching my book, I spoke to both agents and managers, and my conclusions are not based on idle fantasies. I realize that criminals, smugglers and traffickers are a more serious threat to the public safety, but the 20 million illegals, with support from their very vocal activist groups, continue to cause serious problems. I do not have the desire to go into the myriad downsides, but to ignore the illegal alien problem is a grave mistake. The main problem is granting them amnesty and, in so doing, rewarding their illegal behavior. Many perceive that the tide is turning. After Rep. Tom Tancredo brought the issues to the forefront, most politicians simply spouted the liberal strategy that we should grant the illegal amnesty and secure our borders. The standard response to the illegal aliens in the U.S. was that there were too many of them and that trying to remove them is impossible; we should just give up and grant them amnesty.
President Reagan gave illegals amnesty back in the 1980s. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. This past summer was a glaring indication of what might happen if Congress gets its way. With the Border Patrol still overwhelmed and making over a million annual arrests, the border is no more secure than it was a decade ago. With the failure of ICE to address the interior enforcement problem, the tide is flowing in the opposite direction than what is suggested. I am not optimistic about the future of immigration enforcement, since nothing has really changed in over 75 years. Please don’t assume that I am criticizing the street agent. I am certain they are all dedicated and hard-working men and women. I include them in my evening prayers. However, the politicians and suits are another issue.
The original article can be found at http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor George Weissinger, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at a college on Long Island, NY. He was a special agent with the INS (1974-1985), a special investigator with the FBI, and retired as a Sr. US Parole Officer supervising organized crime offenders.
Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views of Accuracy in Media or its staff.
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June 18 at 9:38 am | #1 | Link
Greenhouse gases emitted by volcanoes would warm the planet enough for puddles to form near the equator, and geothermal vents would create ice-free oases where life could survive.