The roller-coaster of immigration enforcement continues as immigration rights activists rally around the DHS response to the recent ICE worksite enforcement operation in Bellingham, Washington. The worksite enforcement investigation resulted in the arrest of 28 illegal aliens at an engine manufacturing plant. Worksite enforcement operations of this nature were routine and of high priority under the Bush administration.
DHS Secretary Napolitano ordered a full review of the operation, which she indicated, was conducted without her knowledge. Napolitano stated during a hearing before Congress that she is interested in getting “to the bottom of this as well”. The Secretary made it clear that the Obama administration plans to administer immigration laws not through “harsh” worksite raids, but through regulating “unscrupulous” employers. The review seems consistent with the President’s pre-election statement that “communities are terrorized by ICE immigration raids”. White House spokesman Nick Shapiro added, “Secretary Napolitano is conducting a thorough review of ICE, including enforcement.
The President believes we must respect due process and our best values as we enforce the law.”
It will be very be interesting to see how ICE is able to regulate employers that knowingly hire undocumented aliens without arresting illegal alien workers? Isn’t this a good thing with the already epidemic of job loss by US citizens?
While I worked for ICE, I was unaware of any “harsh” ICE worksite raids or any “communities terrorized by ICE immigration raids”. To the contrary, internal planning of such operations included every effort to make the operation as safe as possible for all involved, including, the officers, aliens, employers, and innocent bystanders. In certain cases we contacted local community leaders to advise them of the operation and any points of contact in the office that would be able to share with the community additional information and clarification. This methodology was not unique to New York City, but was prevalent nation-wide.
All illegal aliens that were apprehended were advised of their rights, provided an attorney if they could not afford one, and entitled to a hearing in front of an immigration judge. If they were not a threat to the community or to abscond, they were released without bond.
Since when was that not considered due process?
