Thread: Homeland Security pick signals moderate immigration approach

November 21, 2008 |

Homeland Security pick signals moderate immigration approach
by Daniel González and Sean Holstege - Nov. 21, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
In making Gov. Janet Napolitano his top pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, President-elect Barack Obama has signaled a moderate approach toward immigration and border policies and laid the path to pursue comprehensive reform later.

As the Democratic governor of a border state and a former federal prosecutor, Napolitano would bring to the job years of experience in dealing with border and immigration issues, something previous Homeland Security chiefs have lacked. She also negotiated the political minefield of the immigration debate in a state where the issue has often reached fever pitch.

Yet Napolitano also could be haunted by her own words.
She has been a fierce critic of the federal government on a number of border security and immigration issues.

She criticized the decision to pull back the National Guard from the border before the fence was done. She lobbied Washington to adequately compensate border communities for the costs of dealing withsmuggling and illegal immigration.

She also opposed the government's Real ID mandate for biometric ID cards because it shifted billions of dollars of costs onto states like Arizona.

The question is, after years of making demands, would she follow her own advice?


Centrist reputation

One of the governor's principal advantages is her ability to steer a centrist course, observers say.

On immigration, "she has a reputation that largely is one of not going too far to the left and not going too far to the right, but seeing the shades of gray," said Arizona State University political science Professor Rodolfo Espino.

Napolitano also has worked with officials in Mexico on border security without disrupting commerce.

"She has made efforts to strengthen ties to Mexico and not shutting down the border in a way that would be detrimental to the flow of goods and people across the border," said José Cardenas, the former president of the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

Matt Rojansky, executive director of the Partnership for a Secure America, a bipartisan think tank of former national security officials, said Obama and Napolitano are unlikely to chart a significantly new course. Position papers by the Center for American Progress, which has advised the Obama team, point to the new administration's goals, Rojansky said.

Among the center's proposals:


• "Keep borders open, but make them smarter."


• Subsidize the cost of passports and secure identity documents.


• Make homeland security the National Guard's job and eliminate critical equipment shortages facing the Guard.


• Expand homeland-security grant spending to states.

These recommendations mirror Napolitano's positions as Arizona governor.

Napolitano has been critical of the federal government for failing to pass reforms that combine get-tough border security and immigration enforcement with actions that consider the country's labor needs, including a temporary-worker program.

She edged to the middle on border security and immigration enforcement, often to the dismay of the state's 1.8 million Latinos, some 650,000 of whom are immigrants.

Early in her tenure, she supported allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, but more recently she signed one of the toughest employer-sanctions laws in the country.

She led the charge for placing National Guard troops on the border and declared a state of emergency along portions of the Mexican border. The declarations freed up state money to help border communities deal with escalating crime and violence tied to human smuggling.

Still, Napolitano has resisted pressure from the state's Republican-controlled Legislature to take an even harder stance against illegal immigration. She vetoed more than a dozen bills aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants.

Earlier this year, Napolitano also yanked $1.6 million in state funding from Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to blunt his efforts to arrest illegal immigrants through crime sweeps that critics said were terrorizing immigrant communities and violating civil rights.

Napolitano's initiatives include pacts with governors of states on both sides of the border. She created one of the nation's first counterterrorism fusion centers, and set up state task forces to track gangs, drophouses, stolen cars, fraudulent IDs and money wired to smugglers.

"She'll bring an understanding of all the border issues, not just security, but the social issues and economic issues, too." said Randall Larsen, director of the nonpartisan Institute for Homeland Security, in Alexandria, Va.

Money challenges

One of Napolitano's biggest challenges could be lack of funding.

"She will bring valuable experience in dealing with DHS' unfunded mandates," Rojansky said. "DHS has a tendency to throw money at a lot of problems. The money's not available . . . They're going to have to solve the problem another way."

That issue plays into another potential weakness Napolitano brings to the post. Some homeland-security experts point to her lack of experience in dealing with Congress and the Beltway establishment.

If named, she would inherit a mammoth bureaucracy that answers to dozens of congressional committees.


Possible changes

If confirmed, Napolitano is expected to follow through with the Bush administration's emphasis on beefing up border security, raiding work sites and deporting more illegal immigrants. The strategy is aimed at gaining public credibility in the nation's immigration system to pave the way for comprehensive reforms that were shot down in 2006 and 2007.

But some fear Napolitano would place more attention on deporting criminals and arresting unscrupulous employers while giving undocumented immigrants a break.

"There are ways of softening enforcement, but they can't just pull the plug all the way," said Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a research group in Washington, D.C., that favors an enforcement-only strategy.

"She (Napolitano) has cultivated an image of toughness on immigration enforcement, but much of that image is for show," Krikorian said.

Napolitano signed Arizona's employer-sanctions law "unwillingly because she was afraid voters would pass a tougher" ballot initiative, Krikorian said.

She also has criticized erecting hundreds of miles of fencing along the border, saying, "You show me a 50-foot wall, and I'll show you a 51-foot ladder at the border. That's the way the border works."

Napolitano is also expected to review the federal program known as 287 (g) that allows the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and other local police to partner with federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration laws.

Arpaio said he had lunch with Napolitano this week, and they discussed a bit the possibility of her moving to Washington to work in the Obama administration.

He said even if Napolitano alters or scuttles the 287 (g) program, he will continue to arrest illegal immigrants under the state's anti-smuggling law.
"It doesn't matter to me. I'm still going to enforce the state laws, and those laws are pretty strong," Arpaio said. " . . . I think the governor has an open mind."

Reporter JJ Hensley contributed to this article.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... y1121.html

"She (Napolitano) has cultivated an image of toughness on immigration enforcement, but much of that image is for show," Krikorian said.

The woman is a total paradox of herself! Hard in some areas and soft in others! We won't know if we are coming or going with her. I'm going to have a hard time trusting anything she says.

Napolitano needs to see reports like this:
Identity Theft Victim Complaint Data from the Federal Trade Commission
http://www.ftc.gov/sentinel/reports/idt ... cy2006.pdf

Where there is illegal immigration, there is crime: crime that costs BOTH the victims AND society.
People like Napolitano perhaps buy into the argument that "most of them just come here to work." Even if that were true it doesn't take that many of them to change the economic balance, when crimes follow the population around.
I have also ben forwarding to my congressmen official news releases from our border agencies:
http://cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/
http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/
Such as this news release from ICE:

Rancho Cucamonga woman charged with arranging sham marriages for illegal aliens
Lead stemmed from massive ICE marriage fraud probe "Operation Newlywed Game"

SANTA ANA, Calif. - A woman from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., made her initial appearance in federal court here this afternoon on federal charges stemming from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into allegations she arranged sham marriages for dozens of foreign nationals seeking to legalize their immigration status.

Jie Hua Zhou, 35, a.k.a Carol Yeung, was arrested by ICE agents this morning at her Rancho Cucamonga home. The Chinese national is charged in a criminal complaint with conspiring to arrange fraudulent marriages and conspiring to induce illegal aliens to come into or reside in the United States. At her hearing this afternoon, U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Block ordered Zhou detained pending trial. Her arraignment is set for December 29 at 10 a.m.

ICE agents allege Zhou charged anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 to arrange sham marriages for illegal aliens, primarily from China, who wanted to legalize their immigration status by wedding U.S. citizens. The original lead in the investigation was uncovered during Operation Newlywed Game, a massive ICE probe announced three years ago that targeted a marriage fraud ring based in Orange County involving hundreds of Chinese and Vietnamese nationals. Like the original defendants in Operation Newlywed Game, ICE agents say Zhou went to great lengths to make the bogus marriages appear legitimate, having clients pose for wedding photos, open joint bank accounts and file joint tax returns.

"America's legal immigration system is not for sale and we will move aggressively against those who compromise the integrity of that system simply to enrich themselves," said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge for the ICE office of investigations in Los Angeles. "Marriage fraud, like all and types of immigration benefit fraud, poses a potential security threat because it creates a vulnerability which illegal aliens, criminals, and terrorists can exploit in an effort to remain in this country."

Over the course of the last five years, ICE suspects Zhou has arranged more than 100 fraudulent marriages. Today, agents executed a search warrant at her home, seizing boxes of potential evidence including financial records and scores of wedding photos. ICE agents also moved to seize approximately $200,000 in proceeds from the defendant's various bank accounts.

Investigators allege Zhou would line up prospective U.S. citizen "spouses" to marry her alien clients. After the sham marriages took place, Zhou assisted the couples with filing the bogus immigration petitions. ICE received substantial assistance in the investigation from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) program.

"An immigration officer with the FDNS office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services District 23 helped ICE with the interview that led to this arrest, lending her marriage fraud experience and translation abilities," said Los Angeles USCIS District Director Jane Arellano. "FDNS has collaborated with ICE since the inception of this investigation, providing its marriage fraud expertise. USCIS and District 23 are proud to assist ICE in these cases where our adjudication talents can prove useful."

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.


-- ICE --

Captain,
Your first link doesn't work.

----

Napolitano is also expected to review the federal program known as 287 (g) that allows the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and other local police to partner with federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration laws.

This concerns me. We must make our voices heard that this program must be expanded, not gutted.

She will be a nightmare for anti illegal activists....

Originally Posted by Populist

Captain,
Your first link doesn't work.

----

Napolitano is also expected to review the federal program known as 287 (g) that allows the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and other local police to partner with federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration laws.

This concerns me. We must make our voices heard that this program must be expanded, not gutted.

Yeah, I found out that the link doesn't work. But it's very interesting to check out that report from the FTC. They even have some maps on there that show states with high rates of ID theft --- much higher in the states with high levels of illegal immigration. Vey visual. I would like to make something like a four quadrant chart with crime rates (in per capita figures) displayed with drug rings, drunk driving deaths, etc.

These Federal Trade Commission reports are real interseting. Try this link:
http://www.ftc.gov/sentinel

click on "reports" on the left
Click on desired calendar year

Rankings for CY 2007: (page 16)
Rank Metropolitan Area Complaints
Complaints
Per 100,000
Population
1 Napa, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 404 302.6
2 Madera, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 410 280.2
3 Greeley, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area 540 228.0
4 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area 876 225.9
5 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,563 223.1
6 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 898 218.1
7 Hanford-Corcoran, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 314 214.8
8 Dunn, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area 223 209.8
9 Flagstaff, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area 261 208.9
10 Thomasville-Lexington, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area 322 206.1
11 Yuba City, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 318 196.5
12 Laredo, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area 454 196.1
13 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ Micropolitan Statistical Area 360 186.5
14 Bakersfield, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,436 184.1
15 Yuma, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area 336 179.1
16 Gainesville, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area 307 177.2
17 Prescott, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area 366 175.9
18 Monroe, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area 258 166.4
19 Albany-Lebanon, OR Micropolitan Statistical Area 183 164.1
20 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ Micropolitan Statistical Area 209 163.6
21 Stockton, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,096 162.8
22 Merced, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 397 161.6
23 Salisbury, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area 218 160.0
24 Macon, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area 362 157.9
25 Las Cruces, NM Metropolitan Statistical Area 305 157.3
26 Punta Gorda, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area 239 154.8
27 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,231 153.9
28 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 383 153.4
29 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area 6,165 152.6
30 Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,358 152.3
31 Miami

An excellent map is at: IDT-CY2006 (p.10)

"Keep borders open, but make them smarter."

Lets take that approach at our homes!!! Leave the door open but sit on the couch and take em out when they walk through the door!

That would work great!

Chambliss campaign Alert!

Click here:

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-138691.html

Napolitano: Send Guard back to the border
November 21st, 2008 @ 1:50pm
by Associated Press

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, President-elect Barack Obama's reported primary choice for Homeland Security secretary, says she still thinks National Guard troops should be sent back to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Napolitano says ``as governor of Arizona'' that's something she has advocated with other border state governors and still believes.

Guard troops were deployed for two years to support the Border Patrol as it hired more agents, but the troops left in July.

Napolitano wouldn't say on Friday if she's been offered the Homeland Security post. It includes overseeing the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

And she won't say whether she'll seek to redeploy Guard troops to the border if she becomes Homeland Security secretary.

http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=995494