The head of the union representing thousands of federal immigration officers backed federal judge's claim that the Department of Homeland Security is delivering children smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border to their illegal immigrant parents.
"This is exactly what's happening," Chris Crane, head of the National ICE Council, told FoxNews.com.
Crane was reacting to a blistering court order from U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen, which detailed the alleged policy. The Texas judge said the "dangerous" practice is effectively aiding human traffickers and particularly the drug cartels, which run many of these operations.
It remains unclear, though, which agency may ultimately be responsible and how widespread the practice is.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed in a statement to Fox News that it was following the law, and that its officers are committed to the "safe, fair and humane treatment" of minors.
But a law enforcement official claimed that in many cases, minors crossing the border are transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services. The official cited The Homeland Security Act of 2002, as well as the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, in describing how "unaccompanied alien children must be treated at entry including requiring formal removal proceedings and the need to quickly be transferred to the care of HHS."
The official described how only certain minors could be returned without going through that process.
However, the 2002 law cited by the official was the same one that Judge Hanen argued did not apply in these cases. The relevant section of that law refers to "unaccompanied alien" children who have no parent in the U.S.
The judge noted that the children in question were all accompanied by the person smuggling them over the border, and did have a parent in the U.S.
"There is nothing in this Act that directs and authorizes the DHS to turn a blind eye to criminal conduct," he wrote, adding the 2002 law "provides no excuse" for the practice.Read the rest of the story HERE and view related video below:
If you like what you see, please "Like" us on Facebook either here or here.
Please follow us on Twitter here.
Please follow us on Twitter here.
1 comment:
This is truly UNBELIEVABLE.
It shows that some who were hired to uphold and enforce our laws have contempt for them.
To them it appears that OUR BORDER is nothing more than an obstacle that gets in the way of foreigner's free access to our country.
Immigration Reform? How about we start by firing those SOBS and hire folks that believe our borders must be secure and INVADERS need to be punished and not pampered.
They want families together? Put them together ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.
Post a Comment