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  1. #1
    Senior Member lorrie's Avatar
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    ICE Director Gives Shocking Excuse For Failure To Detain Killer Illegal Alien

    ICE Director Gives Shocking Excuse For Failure To
    Detain Killer Illegal Alien [video]



    Chuck Ross
    Reporter

    1:48 PM 03/16/2016



    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Sarah Saldana gave a baffling — and seemingly inaccurate —
    explanation during a Senate hearing on Tuesday for why federal immigration agents failed to detain an illegal alien who
    killed a 21-year-old Iowa woman in a drunken street race in Omaha in January.

    ICE ignored a detainer request made by the Omaha police department last month for 19-year-old Eswin Mejia, Saldana
    said, because his victim, Sarah Root, had “not passed away” at the time the illegal alien drunk driver bailed out of jail.

    That comment appears to be inaccurate since Root died hours after the Jan. 31 crash, in which Mejia was street racing
    with a .241 blood-alcohol level — three times the legal limit.

    Mejia, a Honduran national, left jail on Feb. 5 after posting $5,000 bail. He is now on the run.

    During Tuesday’s hearing, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse asked Saldana why ICE did not respond to the Omaha police
    department’s request to detain Mejia after he posted his bail.

    According to the Omaha World-Herald, Root’s father contacted an Omaha police accident investigator expressing his
    concern with a county judge’s Feb. 4 decision to set a $50,000 bond for Mejia. The illegal alien’s flight risk was also
    of concern for Root’s father. Mejia had a record for various traffic infractions and for failure to appear in court.
    ICE never detained him after those run-ins with the law.

    The police investigator contacted ICE requesting an immigration hold for Mejia based on Root’s father’s concerns.

    But ICE denied the initial request, and so the investigator and her lieutenant placed a call to an ICE supervisor. Their call
    was never returned, however, deputy Omaha police chief Dave Baker told the World-Herald.

    Saldana gave conflicting excuses for why ICE failed to detain Mejia. During one part of her testimony she claimed that
    the agency did not have enough time to respond to the Omaha police department’s request. In another part, she said
    that ICE field officers should have used better judgement in exercising prosecutorial discretion.

    During Tuesday’s hearing, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse asked Saldana why ICE did not respond to the Omaha police
    department’s request to detain Mejia after he posted his bail.

    According to the Omaha World-Herald, Root’s father contacted an Omaha police accident investigator expressing his
    concern with a county judge’s Feb. 4 decision to set a $50,000 bond for Mejia. The illegal alien’s flight risk was also
    of concern for Root’s father. Mejia had a record for various traffic infractions and for failure to appear in court.
    ICE never detained him after those run-ins with the law.

    The police investigator contacted ICE requesting an immigration hold for Mejia based on Root’s father’s concerns.

    But ICE denied the initial request, and so the investigator and her lieutenant placed a call to an ICE supervisor. Their call
    was never returned, however, deputy Omaha police chief Dave Baker told the World-Herald.

    Saldana gave conflicting excuses for why ICE failed to detain Mejia. During one part of her testimony she claimed that
    the agency did not have enough time to respond to the Omaha police department’s request. In another part, she said
    that ICE field officers should have used better judgement in exercising prosecutorial discretion.

    ICE does not necessarily detain illegal aliens who have pending felony charges, apparently even in cases of felony
    vehicular homicide.

    Obama’s enforcement priority executive action, which has come under intense criticism, places a priority on deporting
    illegal aliens with felony records, significant misdemeanor convictions, gang ties and those who pose terrorist threats.

    He de-prioritized illegal aliens with convictions for drunk driving and lesser assault charges, including even domestic assault.

    “It is a judgement that is being exercised by the person based on what they see at the time,” Saldana said of prosecutorial
    discretion, adding that in the Root case it “could have been exercised a different way.”

    “That’s us looking back,” she continued. “I want to look forward so that we don’t have that situation arise again.”

    http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/16/ice-director-gives-shocking-excuse-for-failure-to-detain-killer-illegal-alien-video/#ixzz437KcSJ64

  2. #2
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    I have to force myself to read all these tragic stories that produce so much sadness and misery for thousands of American families. All of these unnecessary deaths make me sick to my stomach. How many more Americans have to be killed, injured......etc, before we take a stand against this. I get so sad after I read these stories and conclude this country has to put its people first. This is absolute chaos of our immigration system and BO's failed policy with respect to:

    Obama’s enforcement priority executive action, which has come under intense criticism, places a priority on deporting
    illegal aliens with felony records, significant misdemeanor convictions, gang ties and those who pose terrorist threats.

    He de-prioritized illegal aliens with convictions for drunk driving and lesser assault charges, including even domestic assault.

  3. #3
    Administrator Jean's Avatar
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    ICE fails to respond to Sasse inquiry about Eswin Mejia by deadline

    12:13 PM CDT Mar 29, 2016



    OMAHA, Neb. —U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse released a statement Tuesday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) failed to provide an explanation for its failure to detain Eswin Mejia.

    ICE director Sarah Saldana committed to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to provide a response by March 25.

    "This much is clear: an innocent woman was killed, ICE let her killer go free, that man is on the run, and ICE hasn't responded to our questions in a full month," said Sasse. "This is unacceptable: ICE has sat on our letter for a month and ignored Director Saldana's self-imposed deadline of last Friday. The Root family deserves justice and the public deserves answers."

    On March 16, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on the security of the U.S. visa program. At the hearing, Sen. Sasse questioned Director Saldana about ICE's failure to detain Eswin Mejia after he was street racing while drunk and killed Sarah Root.

    Sasse: My letter to you is 16 days ago. Can you tell me when I'll receive a reply because it has details on all of these questions?

    Saldana: Yes. I think we will get your reply within a couple of weeks if that's satisfactory. And if you need it sooner, I'll certainly work to try to get that.

    Sasse: Can we have it by the end of next week?

    Saldana: Yes, you can.


    The text of the original letter from Feb. 29 can be found below:

    Dear Director Saldana:

    I would appreciate your help in understanding a recent decision by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) not to detain a man suspected both of living in the United States illegally and of killing a young woman, Sarah Root, in a drunk driving incident in Nebraska.

    On January 31, Eswin Mejia, a 19-year old man, was reportedly street racing in Omaha, Nebraska when he violently crashed his pickup truck into the back of Ms. Root's parked vehicle with her inside. She was rushed to the hospital, where she died.

    For the past month, Nebraskans have grieved the death of Ms. Root, who was killed just hours after graduating from college. It is unspeakably sad that this innocent young woman was robbed of her life just as it was set to begin. Adding to the grief, however, is the justifiable anger over the fact that the man accused of taking her life has vanished without a trace after posting bail. Over the course of the last month, authorities have searched in vain to find Mr. Mejia so he might be brought to justice.

    I would like to know why Mr. Mejia was ever allowed to leave law enforcement custody in the first place. In addition to being a citizen of Honduras living in the U.S. illegally, the nature of the charges against Mr. Mejia are extremely serious. Prior to killing this young woman, Mr. Mejia was racing recklessly down a busy street with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit.[1] This was not Mr. Mejia's first encounter with the law enforcement either. Police previously suspected him of drunk driving, but he skipped a court hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.[2]

    For these reasons, Omaha's Deputy Police Chief Dave Baker said his department repeatedly asked ICE to detain him.[3] Unfortunately, that request was repeatedly denied.

    The reason ICE gave to the news media said that detaining Mr. Mejia after he reportedly killed Ms. Root was not consistent with the Department of Homeland Security's immigration "enforcement priorities." The full statement from ICE is below.

    At the time of his January 2016 arrest in Omaha on local criminal charges, Eswin Mejia, 19, of Honduras, did not meet ICE's enforcement priorities, as stated by the Nov. 20, 2014 civil enforcement memo issued by Secretary Johnson, because he had no prior significant misdemeanor or felony conviction record. As such, ICE did not lodge a detainer. Mejia is scheduled to go before an immigration judge on March 23, 2017, and it will be up to the immigration courts under the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to determine whether he has a legal basis to remain in the U.S.[4]

    As you know, the enforcement priorities mentioned above were created as part of the President's immigration executive actions.[5] The policy requires that ICE give its highest priority to removing illegal aliens who pose a threat "to national security, public safety, and border security." While this includes those who are convicted of serious crimes, DHS officials are given broad power to "exercise discretion" about whom to detain.

    DHS has repeatedly said that the use of "prosecutorial discretion" is meant to ensure federal law enforcement officials judge the facts of each situation on a case-by-case basis, and determine threats to national security and public safety.[6]

    If this man is not a threat to public safety, then who is?

    To summarize: Mr. Mejia was suspected of living in the country illegally, of driving recklessly down a busy public road, of driving while highly intoxicated on several occasions, of killing a young woman, and of skipping a prior court hearing. Nebraskans look at these facts and wonder how ICE did not consider this man a threat to public safety.

    Given Mr. Mejia's disappearance, ICE should explain clearly how it implemented its detention policy in this case. Please provide my office with answers to the following questions prior to Mr. Mejia's schedule immigration hearing on March 23.

    1. Who exactly at ICE was responsible for evaluating whether Mr. Mejia was a threat to public safety?
    2. Why did ICE decline to detain Mr. Mejia, despite several requests to do so by the Douglas County Police Department? Were each of these requests denied on a case-by-case basis?
    3. In its public statement, ICE referenced the November 20, 2014 immigration executive actions. Why does ICE believe that new policy required the agency not to detain Mr. Mejia?
    4. Did anyone within ICE consider Mr. Mejia a flight risk? What steps were taken to ensure he did not flee the country?
    5. What is ICE doing now to find Mr. Mejia?
    6. Do you consider Mr. Mejia to be a threat to public safety?

    It is deeply troubling that this was allowed to happen. Given the urgency of this situation, Nebraskans deserve answers. I look forward to a prompt reply.

    Sincerely,

    Ben Sasse


    http://www.ketv.com/news/ice-fails-t...dline/38745666
    Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at https://eepurl.com/cktGTn

  4. #4
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    This is a disgusting example of American Citizens under assault by illegal aliens and an out of control socialist - Muslum - minority democratic treasonous party. Our laws should be enforced as written. What Criminal invented " prosecutorial discretion" the illegal alien Muslum Kenyan Obama ? This suggests that DHS and ICE should be two of the first federal agencies eliminated with all employees fired. Ice director Saldana should be tried for dereliction of duty, and treason. Her retirement forfeited. Edwin Mejia should be tried for Murder and punished in the US.

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    Killer Illegal Immigrant ICE Failed to Detain Now on ICE’s Most Wanted List



    by CAROLINE MAY
    30 Mar 2016

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement is adding the illegal immigrant arrested and then released after killing 21-year old Sarah Root while street-racing drunk to ICE’s Most Wanted list, according to Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE).

    Edwin (Eswin) Mejia, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, absconded after ICE declined to detain him — as his crimes “did not meet ICE’s enforcement priorities” as laid out by the Obama administration — and he posted bail.

    The update to the ICE Most Wanted list, per Sasse’s office, reads:

    Subject is a 19-year old citizen of Honduras, an at-large illegal alien, currently wanted for motor vehicle homicide. In 2016, Mejia was arrested for felony driving under the influence of liquor, after he struck a vehicle that allegedly caused the death of a young woman. He unlawfully entered the U.S. in 2013 and despite numerous attempts by ICE to locate his whereabouts, he currently remains at-large.

    Name: Edwin Mejia

    Alias: Eswin Mejia

    Date of Birth: June 3, 1996

    Place of Birth: Honduras

    Skin Tone: Medium

    Height: 5’05”

    Weight: 150 lbs.

    Eyes: Brown

    Hair: Black

    Gender: Male

    Scars/Marks: Unknown

    Last Known Location: Omaha, Nebraska

    Occupation: Unknown

    Sasse has pressed ICE repeatedly about its apparent negligence in allowing Mejia to run free. Wednesday Sasse again chastised the department for its actions.

    “This important development underscores the seriousness of the situation, something ICE should have recognized immediately,” Sasse said in a statement. “Mr. Mejia should not need to be on this list — he should be in jail.”

    “ICE originally said that Mr. Mejia was not an ‘enforcement priority’ but this morning he was placed on their Most Wanted list,” he added. “The public still does not have a complete account of what went wrong. It is well past time for ICE to make all the facts known so this never happens again.”

    http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...t-wanted-list/
    Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at https://eepurl.com/cktGTn

  6. #6
    Senior Member European Knight's Avatar
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    ICE adds Mejia to Most Wanted list

    UPDATED 2:47 PM CDT Mar 30, 2016

    OMAHA, Neb. —A 19-year-old man accused of driving drunk and causing a fatal crash has been placed on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Most Wanted List.

    U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse issued the following statement this morning regarding the breaking development that ICE placed Eswin Mejia on its Most Wanted list, despite the fact that ICE failed to detain Mejia at the request of local law enforcement in early February.

    "This important development underscores the seriousness of the situation, something ICE should have recognized immediately. ICE originally said that Mr. Mejia was not an 'enforcement priority' but this morning he was placed on their Most Wanted list. The public still does not have a complete account of what went wrong. It is well past time for ICE to make all the facts known so this never happens again."

    "Mr. Mejia should not need to be on this list, he should be in jail. ICE originally said that Mr. Mejia was not an 'enforcement priority,' but this morning he was placed on their Most Wanted list," Sasse said.

    The following was released this morning by ICE as an update to its Most Wanted list:

    Subject is a 19-year old citizen of Honduras, an at-large illegal alien, currently wanted for motor vehicle homicide. In 2016, Mejia was arrested for felony driving under the influence of liquor, after he struck a vehicle that allegedly caused the death of a young woman. He unlawfully entered the U.S. in 2013 and despite numerous attempts by ICE to locate his whereabouts, he currently remains at-large.

    Name: Edwin Mejia
    Alias: Eswin Mejia
    Date of Birth: June 3, 1996
    Place of Birth: Honduras
    Skin Tone: Medium
    Height: 5’05”
    Weight: 150 lbs.
    Eyes: Brown
    Hair: Black
    Gender: Male
    Scars/Marks: Unknown
    Last Known Location: Omaha, Nebraska
    Occupation: Unknown

    ICE continues to work with the Omaha Metro Fugitive Task Force to locate and apprehend Mejia. The ICE Most Wanted list can be found at

    ICE adds Mejia to Most Wanted list | Local News - KETV Home



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