ImmigrationICE agents say Obama’s 15 June executive order makes their job more difficult

Last Tuesday, an undocumented immigrant in El Paso was involved in a family fight, injuring a family and then trying to prevent another member from  make an emergency phone call for assistance. He was arrested by sheriff deputies, but escaped. The 5’9, 245 lbs youngster was pursued for approximately one block before being captured, in the process getting into an altercation with a couple of ICE agents. He was jailed by the sheriff’s deputies and charged with assault.

ICE agents were following up on a routine jail check in search of aliens arrested by local police on criminal charges. Before they completed their check, however, they were told by their boss to stop their investigation and the youngster was released without charge.

The ICE National Council, an organization of 7,600 ICE agents, says that not only was the hot-tempered ten-ager released without charge – but that the ICE agents who tried to verify his legal status in the United States were questions by their supervisors and may face disciplinary charges.

The reason? The ICE National Council says this is the result of 15 June executive order which defers deportation action against, or even investigation into the legal status of, certain classes of illegal immigrants.

“Tuesday’s incident in El Paso is unacceptable, as a union we must find a way to protect our officers as well as public safety in spite of the Administration’s reckless new approach to immigration enforcement,” said Chris Crane, president of the National ICE Council. “A foreign national illegally in the United States attempted to escape from ICE agents, assaulting and injuring one officer in the process, which is itself a Federal Felony. Instead of being charged and held in custody, agents were ordered by ICE managers to release the alien without criminal or immigration charges, essentially granting amnesty under President Obama’s new policies simply because the alien is a certain age, attending school, and residing in the United States. I don’t believe any American is asking for such an extremist approach to limiting immigration enforcement,” said Crane.

“ICE managers didn’t even question the criminal alien but instead ordered that he immediately be released in accordance with the President’s new immigration polices stating that ICE’s mission now is to identify aliens and release them,” said Crane.  “As an agency we’re just checking boxes in an effort to release everyone we can.  Law enforcement, public safety and common sense are all out the window; officers are under orders to ignore the danger signs, even when they witness a possible felony assault of one of our own officers.”

“We’ve been trying to get more details about the Administration’s newest policies and give them a chance, but what we’re seeing concerns us greatly,” Crane explained, “agents and officers are being ordered to do what they know is wrong under threat of losing their jobs.”

The ICE National Council says that ICE officers and their union have made every effort to reach out and work with the Obama Administration, to include a trip to the White House to meet with high ranking Administration officials.  “After the meeting they just cut us off and refuse to communicate with us, it’s disheartening, I guess we just don’t represent enough votes to be of any importance,” said Crane.