Today during a Senate
hearing on immigration reform, Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions and Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano engaged in a nasty repartee over
the performance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Video of that
spirited back-and-forth appears below.
Given that the morale of
ICE agents has apparently plummeted as a result of their being asked by the Administration not to fully enforce
this country’s immigration laws, it’s easy to see why Senator Sessions is so
concerned.
But where is the concern of
the ICE employees themselves? Why are you guys so quiet? If you feel you have a
legitimate gripe on this issue, or any immigration issue, send it to us and let
us air it for you. As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Just email your
concerns to insiders@insideins.com.
Your anonymity is guaranteed!
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Ben Ferro
benferrro@insideins.com
Still going through this long bill, but here are a few rather significant shortcomings:
ReplyDelete• Doesn’t mandate that E-Verify transition to a 100% biometric-based system. Until this is done, document fraud will always negatively influence the integrity of the verification process. Collecting biometrics on 8+ million undocumented migrants is the perfect
opportunity to do so as all will be required to have their biometrics taken. A system that is entirely biometric-based will be much more accurate, responsive, and customer-friendly for employees, employers, and other entities having a need to verify one’s lawful status in this country.
• Appears to allow, perhaps require, the issuance of an employment authorization document (EAD) at the time of filing for RPI status, as opposed to after completion of the background checks. This is a major threat to national security and public safety. Background checks are automated and done fairly rapidly now, so there is no reason not to require completion of them before granting any immigration benefits, including/especially temporary employment authorization.
• Doesn’t re-engineer the existing antiquated, ineffective, and overburdened removal proceeding process. Allocating funds to hire more judges and other personnel to system that is broken does not “reform” anything. The population of deportable aliens will always exceed the current system’s capability, thus amount to an amnesty in and of itself. There is no reason to accord removable aliens who do not possess a fear
persecution or have any other relief immediately available to time, labor, and costly removal proceedings. That only encourages illegal migration. Expeditious administrative removal authority should be mandated by statute.
• It does not do anything to enhance the detection and combating of fraud in the benefit application and petition process. At a minimum it should require USCIS to conduct ongoing compliance reviews and fraud assessments to ensure they have a current knowledge and understanding of the amount, types, and causes of fraud associated with each application and petition. Reports containing their findings and recommendations should be made to Congress on an annual basis. GAO should be involved to ensure objectivity.
Those who knowingly engage in immigration benefit fraud should also be fined and barred/precluded from filing applications and petitions with USCIS for at least five years, and then only after having paid the fine and demonstrating rehabilitation. This includes lawyers, businesses, and any/all other persons/entities. Further, immigration lawyers should be required to register with USCIS and receive ongoing continuing education similar to that of other professional occupations, e.g., accountants. Some states require such; most do not.
Louis D. Crocetti, Jr.
Principal
Immigration Integrity Group, LLC
www.immigrationintegritygroup.com