Thread: Career prosecutor to lead immigration agency

Career prosecutor to lead immigration agency


By EILEEN SULLIVAN
3:58 p.m. February 23, 2009

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has named a career prosecutor to head the federal government's immigration enforcement operations.
If confirmed, John Morton would be the third federal prosecutor to head Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency in the Homeland Security Department. Morton is acting deputy assistant attorney of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.
Morton started his career as a trial attorney with the Justice Department in 1994 and has developed department policies for immigration crime – including human smuggling and passport and visa fraud, according to Homeland Security's biography of him. In 2002 he coordinated the airport busts of nearly 100 people who lied on their applications to get security badges for restricted parts of Dulles International and Ronald Reagan National airports.
Morton's predecessor had a difficult time getting through Senate confirmation. Some claimed Julie Myers did not have the management experience to lead the law enforcement agency.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has made it clear that immigration enforcement is among her top priorities. In her first week on the job, the former Arizona governor ordered a review of the fugitive operations teams. She created a new advisory position to focus on detention issues and arrest priorities at ICE, and named Dora Schriro, the former head of Arizona's Corrections Department, to the post.
On Monday, Napolitano named a 20-year immigration policy expert to be the deputy assistant secretary for policy. Esther Olavarria comes from the liberal Washington think tank, the Center for American Progress.
In a statement, Napolitano praised the selections of Morton and Olavarria.
"Both have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to public service and both will be able and effective partners as we tackle the very complex issues surrounding immigration and securing of our borders," she said.

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