Thread: DHS-ICE: An Agency on Brink of Catastrophe! - Part II

DHS-ICE: An Agency on Brink of Catastrophe! - Part II
By Miguel Contreras,
Posted on Sun Oct 22nd, 2006 at 01:41:41 PM EST

I knew I left out some important information on DHS-ICE: An Agency on Brink of Catastrophe! – Part I. Since we were on the subject of disparate discipline at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), I failed to mention the cost involved in transferring an employee “for the good and efficiency of the service.”

Under the Legacy US Customs Service and now under ICE, millions of dollars of tax-payer’s monies are being spent in re-locating ICE employees (usually supervisors and managers) who are involved in misconduct. Subsequently, ICE re-assign (detail) their alleged “fix it all” managers to fill the empty position for a period of who knows. Some positions remain unfilled for a very long time, such as the SAC – Arizona (Phoenix) and SAC – El Paso, TX. The cost to detail managers and supervisors is very high. Further, it is usually a practice that if a supervisor or manager is under investigation, he/she is detailed to another city, once again, at the tax-payer’s expense while the investigation is completed.

Now, if the managers are well liked and they are found guilty of some type of gross administrative misconduct and the employee cannot retire yet, they are placed in some type of liaison position where they still keep their salaries. Now keep in mind these re-assignments require ICE (tax-payer) funds to incur all moving expenses.

I have a message for my former Yuma ICE colleagues – If you were told not to associate with me or talk to me because you will get in trouble, this is a lie. This advise by your bosses is illegal and against the law. ICE management and supervisors cannot tell you or threaten you with discipline. However, it is OK with me if you decide not to have any contact with me. Knowing who some of your managers and supervisors are, I don’t blame you if you don’t want to talk to me. They are very vindictive and would not hesitate to call the "Goons" (Office of Professional Responsibility agents) on you for any petty stuff.

I have been told that certain agents assigned to this office have been disciplined, harassed and retaliated for calling Roberto Medina an A-- H---.

Another employee got disciplined for reporting the GS-1815 ASAC Kevin Jeter for using the office’s night vision goggles for personal use while deer hunting and while his special agents needed the equipment to do their job. My understanding is that these employees were accused of “talking to me” while these events were taken place.

Believe me, during our staff meetings, 25% of the words coming out of the mouth of the then RAC, group supervisors, former agents and now group supervisors (all males) were bad words, often describing in detail our private parts in front of female employees. We were basically programed into believing that calling your bosses with bad names was condoned by the Yuma office managers and supervisors.

I even got slapped with a letter of reprimand for referring Kyle Barnette as a “bully.”

I am sorry but my opinion hasn’t changed, Roberto Medina is not only a coward but also a liar and a perjurer. Kyle “Bully” Barnette is still a bully in my book.

For those who care to write about corruption, gross mismanagement, fraud, abuse of authority and especially misuse of funds, write (do not Email) a personal letter to:

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
135 Hart Senate Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510-1501
Tel. (202) 224-3744

Or write to your local U.S. Senator and US Representative and TELL them not to forward your letter to your ICE office. What you want is for them to refer your letter to all US Senate and US House of Representatives’ Committees and Sub-Committees having oversight on DHS-ICE.

For clarification, what I report are not "Sour Grapes" - I am proud to give you the facts as they are known to me by my own experience with ICE and Legacy US Customs. If I write that I retired under HONORABLY conditions from ICE it is a fact. Remember, the "Truth Shall Make you Free" - I am free at last!

Some Very Interesting Reading:

"Corrupt officials at home hinder real immigration reform" My opinion Maria Elena Salinas Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.10.2006

So that's it. The wall on our southern border is going up. Our legislators tell us it's to keep the bad guys away. Potential terrorists. Those who want to destroy our way of life. Those poor laborers who want to take jobs away from Americans, who are standing in line to work as gardeners, lettuce pickers, busboys and cleaning ladies. A 700-mile-long fence is not only going to keep us safe, they say, but it's going to solve our immigration problem. Was that the best they could do? What a pity. Or better yet, what a pitiful solution.

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/150301

"How secure can the homeland really be? Corruption among border guardians makes smugglers' jobs much easier" AP – October 10, 2006

OTAY MESA, Calif. (AP) - Under the glare of the port lights, federal agents watched as the GMC Yukon approached the immigration booth. Two years of legwork - interviewing sources, listening to wiretaps and watching just as they were watching now - had led to this. Aurora Torres, the suspected smuggler, was behind the wheel.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17306968 &BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=222087&r fi=6

"Corruption Involving Immigration Workers"
AP – September 23, 2006

In the past 12 months, dozens of U.S. immigration employees have been accused of corruption-related charges. Some cases, drawn from a review of court records and government announcements, and listed by agency:

http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/ap/2006/09/ 23/ap3039814.html

"Corruption at the border- U.S. cracks down on immigration and customs officials taking bribes" AP – September 23, 2006

Under the glare of port lights, federal agents watched as a truck approached the immigration booth. Aurora Torres, a suspected smuggler, was behind the wheel.

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/Content Server?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1& c=Article&cid=1158961812559&call_pageid=10 20420665036&col=1112101662670

"Corruption in the ranks - Smugglers take advantage of immigration system's flaws"
AP – September 24, 2006

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/15598426.ht m

"Bribery at Border Worries Officials Mexican Smugglers Intensify Efforts to Entice U.S. Agents" By John Pomfret - Washington Post Staff Writer - Saturday, July 15, 2006; Page A01

SAN DIEGO -- Federal law enforcement officials are investigating a series of bribery and smuggling cases in what they fear is a sign of increased corruption among officers who patrol the Mexican border.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic le/2006/07/14/AR2006071401525.html

"Statement of Michael R. Bromwich, DOJ-OIG before the US Senate on May 14, 1997"

http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/1997_hr/tesswbr1.htm


http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/ ... /134141/15

In Miami we had immigration people caught selling or taking bribes by illegals which were actually given residency cards illegally. From there they got a real SSN. The problem is that most illegals are Hispanics and our government places Hispanics in those jobs as these people don't speak English. End result is a percentage of people who will do illegal deeds to help their people.
As for comments made about women and sexual harrassment, this has also been a problem for other federal agencies as well. There are some that have changed policy and procedure due to that.