By Union-Tribune
12:01 a.m., Aug. 7, 2012
Updated 5:30 p.m. , Aug. 6, 2012

The border with Mexico is open, a full-blown amnesty for illegal immigrants is under way, and even Janet Napolitano had to admit to Congress last week that terrorists come across that open border “from time to time.”

Contradicting all the bland assurances from Obama administration officials that border areas are “safe” and that more border agents than ever are on guard, the Alaska Dispatch carries the story of an illegal immigrant from Nepal.

“Tashi” makes his way by plane from Nepal to Guatemala, then by van through Mexico, then by foot across the border into the U.S. where his uncle, a dishwasher in a restaurant in Queens, gets him a job.

From Nepal. Is there a more remote source location on the planet for an illegal alien?

From a country with an average annual salary of $650, more and more Nepalis find the minimum $10,000 required for transportation, bribes and fake documents to make it to the U.S.

In 2007, 65 Nepalis were apprehended at the border; by 2011, 104 were arrested.

Even more amazing is how well trained these Nepalis are to avoid deportation even after arrest by U.S. border agents.

“Tashi” is caught by the Border Patrol at the border. He’s taken to a detention center in Florence, Ariz. Coached by his smuggler, Tashi claims asylum, saying he fears for his life in Nepal, that he had to flee or be killed by Maoist insurgents.

Officers found that Tashi had a “credible fear of persecution” and he was allowed to file for asylum. None of the story is true.

Tashi has been here two years working in that Queens restaurant. He now hopes to bring his wife and newborn daughter to the U.S. through the “family reunification” feature of immigration law.

Here’s an even more amazing story.

Obama recently announced an amnesty after Congress failed to enact one, using “prosecutorial discretion” to offer legal status to any illegal immigrant who could claim to be a “Dreamer,” that is, someone who was brought illegally to the U.S. as a child, never became a citizen, finished high school (or got a GED), is working at college or in the military.

Promoted as a way to recognize the efforts of those who were too young to break the law in coming here, have assimilated into American life since, and would be productive members of American society, the Obama Dream Act has quickly morphed into a blanket amnesty for all illegal immigrants.

In a press conference last week, the heads of the Border Patrol union and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents’ union publicly denounced the Obama administration for shackling their officers to extend the amnesty way beyond the class of young “Dreamers” that Obama sold to the public.

These officers detailed the orders they were given to release any detained illegal immigrant who claimed any of the criteria of a “Dreamer.” Even those arrested for crimes were released when any claim was made.

Worse, the officers have been instructed to accept any such claim at face value and are forbidden from asking for any proof of these claims.

Even illegal immigrants caught at the border now claim they are coming back to the U.S. where they got a high school diploma and are attending a community college. The claim is false and all parties know it. The illegal is released into the U.S. by border agents whose hands are tied.

Terrorist or tourist, Nepali or nuclear weapon expert, Obama has successfully opened the border to all who care, for whatever reason, to come.

To mask his illegal repeal of all border protections, Obama claims that he has deported more criminal aliens than any other president.

Not so. According to the Congressional Research Service in a report released last week by the House Judiciary Committee, Obama has “opened the door to allow potentially millions of illegal and criminal immigrants to avoid current immigration laws.”

As an example, between October 2008 and July 31, 2011, the CRS documented that 46,734 arrested illegal immigrants subject to deportation were not deported. Within that same time frame, 7,283 of these illegal immigrants were rearrested, a recidivism rate of 16 percent.

Among the crimes committed by these illegal immigrants were 19 murders, three attempted murders and 142 sex crimes.

With crime rates falling nearly everywhere in the U.S., are these illegal immigrants committing the crimes that Americans just won’t do?

Hedgecock is a syndicated radio talk show host and a former San Diego mayor and county supervisor.

One Old Vet

ROGER HEDGECOCK: NAPOLITANO