A top national border security official said Thursday his agency is doing all it can to deport illegal immigrants with the resources Congress has provided.
John Morton, director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said the cash now provided is enough to round up only about 400,000 people a year. That is against what he said are 10.8 million illegal immigrants in the country -- other estimates are closer to 12 million -- and more crossing the border every day.
Morton, in Phoenix to publicize a special effort this week to round up criminal aliens, said the $600 million in border security funding approved this week by Congress will help. That includes money for 1,000 new Border Patrol agents, 250 new officers for Customs and Border Protection at ports of entry and 250 new ICE personnel including special agents and intelligence analysts.
He said President Obama is expected to sign the legislation next week.
But Morton said the ultimate answer has to be "comprehensive immigration reform.'' And that, he said, has to include a way for those who have been in this country for some period of time, albeit illegally, to stay.
Morton said, though, that does not amount to amnesty for those who broke the law by crossing the border illegally or overstaying their entrance visas.
His position has made him the target of rank-and-file employees within his own agency.
In June, the representatives from the union which includes about 7,000 ICE employees cast a unanimous "vote of no confidence'' in Morton and Phyllis Coven, an assistant ICE director. Among the charges is that senior ICE leadership "dedicates more time to campaigning for immigration reform aimed at large-scale amnesty than advising the American public and federal lawmakers on the severity of the illegal immigration problem.''
Thursday's press conference was to detail how ICE coordinated a special effort which resulted in the arrest of more than 60 criminal aliens and immigration fugitives. The three-day push is the sixth of its type in the country.
And he said his agency is opening a new office in Casa Grande with seven agents.
But Morton specifically detailed that during a "typical week'' ICE removes 1,500 illegal immigrants, including 500 who are criminals. There also are five arrests on charges of human smuggling, investigations of three "drop houses,'' inspections of 30 the records of 30 employers and find more than 50 people working in this state unlawfully.
The press conference comes amid criticism from Republicans that the Obama administration is doing a poor job of both guarding the border and rounding up those already in this country illegally. Morton said that is not borne out by data showing fewer people being apprehended trying to cross the border illegally while the number of federal agents working along the border is at "an all-time high.''
"And we're about to send more people there,'' he said, referring to that $600 million supplemental appropriation, with the resources aimed at the Southwest border.
"We're about enforcing the law within the resources Congress gives us,'' Morton said. He said that, at current funding, that provides enough to round up and deport only about 400,000 people a year.
What that means, Morton said, is concentrating the efforts on finding the most dangerous.
But the ultimate answer, he said, is a total change in immigration laws.
"Strong, sensible enforcement is a critical part of the solution,'' he continued. "But it's not the only part.''
What that means, Morton explained, is a means for workers and families to come to the United States legally. And what it also means, he said, is "an ability for people who have been here a very long time to get right with the law by paying a fine, by learning English, by paying their taxes, and getting to the back of the line.''
Morton said that's not amnesty because the path to citizenship would not come free.
"The question is, what is the appropriate sanction for someone who's been here a very long time,'' Morton said.
For example, he said, there are people who were brought here as children by their parents. They may be married and have children who, by virtue of their birth in this country, are U.S. citizens.
And Morton said any other alternative is unrealistic.
"Is the answer for the government to deport all 10.8 million people here in the United States?'' Morton said.
"That's not possible,'' he said, answering his own question.
"And it's not the right answer at the end of the day,'' he said. "The right answer is to balance serious, tough, sensible enforcement with rational, bipartisan comprehensive federal immigration reform that focuses our enforcement efforts where they make the most sense.''
Morton also repeated the Obama administration's opposition to Arizona's new immigration law.
"Very close cooperation and coordination with state and local law enforcement is a part of sensible immigration enforcement,'' he said. "But we don't think that 50 different immigration enforcement regimes is the answer.''
The U.S. Department of Justice, among others, sued the state over the new law. A federal judge last month issued a preliminary injunction against several key provisions from being enforced.
AZMomma posted at 3:42 pm on Thu, Aug 12, 2010.
Good luck trying to get anyone in DC to allow your agency to do their sworn duty.
Better realize that Obama has his own agenda, has hired Holder and Napolitano as his hit men, and simply WILL NOT listen to common sense.
We applaud your efforts, but also know, after Obama's lawsuits, it is going to be an uphill battle just to protect our country and ourselves. [sad]
AZMomma posted at 3:56 pm on Thu, Aug 12, 2010.
Part 2: Forget "Comprehensive Immigration Reform". It is NOT going to be acceptable to the majority of the American people.
---> Round up ALL illegals, including kids. If an Illegal has dropped a spawn while here, they had better have (on hand) papers giving legal custody of the kid to a legal relative or agency. Otherwise, the kid goes with the rest.
--> Fingerprint them ALL, including kids. Using a National data base, they now become part of a hot list of undesirables. They return, they go to Alien prison for 5 years minimum.
--> Hand them all a bottle of water, a brown bag bologna lunch and put them on buses. Take them to the border.
--> Have the Mexican Consulate ready to take full responsibility for them, because at that point they are NOT our problem.
Humane and costs us virtually nothing. Think OUTSIDE the box.
tededitedit posted at 8:54 pm on Thu, Aug 12, 2010.
As enforcement increases, self-deportations will also increase. As immoral business leaders who employ illegals are exposed, fewer will enter the U.S. as there won't be jobs for them. That will lead to fewer cash "donations" to "Immigration Rights Spokesmen" and they will go away. This is a war we must win to restore hundreds of thousands of entry-level jobs for U.S. citizens and reduce all this welfare spending on these imported poor people - 21st century slaves!
samkat posted at 9:24 pm on Thu, Aug 12, 2010.
Joe busted another company today. Everyone was using false social security numbers including the owner.
AZMOMMA: You are on a roll. Go for it. By the way, when the bleeding hearts try to use the excuse of family separation, remind them that our service members do not have the luxury of using that excuse when they deploy, and sometimes do not return alive. I left for one unaccompanied tour for 18 months and got involuntarily extended when the Vietnam conflict broke out. I finally returned home after 2 1/2 years and had left a wife and three children behind including a 6 month old baby so I have no compassion for the illegals who try to use that excuse.
I was back in the states for 12 months and gone again.
samkat posted at 9:25 pm on Thu, Aug 12, 2010.
Ted: Well said.
wdgnas posted at 5:32 am on Fri, Aug 13, 2010.
funny how when our former governor went to the former president for help with immigration i didn't see any comments. i am shocked...
AZ_Resident posted at 6:30 am on Fri, Aug 13, 2010.
Put the american people back to work in jobs handling the return, the investigation and the deportation of illegals back to where they came from. Insted of releasing another stimulus package or extending another unemployment term. Open more branches - staff more ICE agents. This is a real american problem right now, and there is lots of opportunity to employ lots of american citizens to get the problem resolved.
Masterrogue666 posted at 8:53 am on Fri, Aug 13, 2010.
I've got an idea. Create a bank account were donations can be made from citizens, like AZ did with SB 1070.
Then use the money ONLY for DEPORTATIONS.
"But Morton said the ultimate answer has to be "comprehensive immigration reform.'' And that, he said, has to include a way for those who have been in this country for some period of time, albeit illegally, to stay." -- I'm against that. We gave amnesty ONCE, and it INCREASE the rate of ILLEGAL ALIENS crossing. Time to ENFORCE our laws.
Another idea: ANY/ALL property owned by ILLEGAL ALIENS is taken away and sold. The proceeds to be used for DEPORTATION of more. A person should NOT be allow to benefit from their CRIMINAL actions....
rrjenn posted at 4:27 pm on Fri, Aug 13, 2010.
I'm for comprehensive immigration reform (aka amnesty) as long as it says they must all return to their country of origin and go to the back of the line to immigrate to the U.S. and no more anchor babies. What could possibly more fair to everyone concerned.
DrunkenMonkey posted at 9:34 am on Mon, Aug 16, 2010.
I say no more buses or planes... instead... roadmarch...all tha way!
marriedtoamexican posted at 3:13 pm on Thu, Oct 7, 2010.
well you all are heartless and you should not be talk about people like that we all have one god and thats all and he will make sure all of these people who hate other pay you are the ones who need to be handed and brown bag of food but if it was me i would not give you nothing you all are stupid and need to get a life and a road march will they could do it beause they come here and do the work your lazyasses dont want to do[ this is stupid for az mom to write hand your stupid a== a bottle of water how would you feel if some one did your kids or one of your loved one this was ] look what you said is this right ;;;;;; Part 2: Forget "Comprehensive Immigration Reform". It is NOT going to be acceptable to the majority of the American people.
---> Round up ALL illegals, including kids. If an Illegal has dropped a spawn while here, they had better have (on hand) papers giving legal custody of the kid to a legal relative or agency. Otherwise, the kid goes with the rest.
--> Fingerprint them ALL, including kids. Using a National data base, they now become part of a hot list of undesirables. They return, they go to Alien prison for 5 years minimum.
--> Hand them all a bottle of water, a brown bag bologna lunch and put them on buses. Take them to the border.
--> Have the Mexican Consulate ready to take full responsibility for them, because at that point they are NOT our problem.
you all need to stup up and get a life other than this