enforcement

ICE's Chris Crane Blasts Lobbyists Pushing Amnesty

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) National Council president Chris Crane, who represents about 7,000 ICE agents and support staff, wrote to a group of lobbyists, special interests, and political figures on Tuesday to question why they support granting amnesty to America’s at least 11 million illegal aliens.

“Each of you receiving this letter today has played a major role in pushing so-called ‘comprehensive immigration reform,’ the Rubio-Schumer immigration bill or is pressing the House to advance similar legislation,” Crane wrote to the group of special interests. “During recent years, ICE officers have documented extraordinary political abuses at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE that have threatened public safety and undermined the ability of ICE agents and officers to enforce the laws enacted by Congress."

"I cannot recall any of you speaking out publicly against these abuses or requesting a meeting with ICE Officers to address our concerns,” Crane stated bluntly.

Recipients of the letter included Karl Rove; Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue; National Council of La Raza president Janet Murguia; Casa de Maryland executive director Gustavo Torres; National Council of Chain Restaurants executive director Rob Green; American Action Forum president Doug Holtz-Eakin; casino mogul and major GOP donor Sheldon Adelson; Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg; and corporate executives from companies like:

  • General Electric
  • Disney
  • McDonald’s
  • Marriott Hotels
  • Coca-Cola
  • The Cheesecake Factory
  • Hilton Hotels
  • Hyatt Hotels
  • General Mills
  • Wendy’s
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Seasons 52, the Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Eddie V’s, and Yard House)
  • Hewlett Packard
  • Verizon

Also included on the letter were executive of lobbyist associations like the National Association of Home Builders and the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

“ICE officers arguably know more about our nation’s broken immigration system than any group in the United States,” Crane wrote. “Yet President Barack Obama and the Gang of Eight actively prohibited them from having input. Only influential and affluent groups and wealthy individuals like you were given an opportunity to provide real input on our nation’s new immigration laws."

"As ICE officers fought a very public battle seeking to add measures that would provide for public safety and national security, you did nothing to assist or support us, but in fact—through your advocacy – put officers and the public at risk,” he claimed.

“As a result, the Senate passed an immigration bill that will fail America,” Crane wrote. “While this legislation may satisfy your personal financial or political objectives, it undermines immigration enforcement and worsens the immigration problems currently experienced in the United States.”

Crane added that the letter recipients are using their lobbyist influence to “fight for special protections and legalization for violent criminal offenders and gang members illegally in the United States” but they “must realize that in doing so you sacrifice the safety of every man, woman and child residing in the United States, regardless of citizenship.”

“Certainly you must know that when you fight for legislation that protects criminal aliens who assault law enforcement officers, you increase the risk to every police officer, sheriff’s deputy, and federal agent across our nation; officers whose lives and welfare should hold some value to you and the organizations you represent,” Crane wrote.

Crane said it is up the House of Representatives to protect the safety of Americans from lobbyists.

“Only the U.S. House of Representatives now stands between the American people and the potential destruction of federal immigration enforcement,” Crane wrote. “Yet the groups represented on this letter are spending enormous sums of money or wielding enormous amounts of influence in an attempt to intimidate the House into passing a plan similar to that adopted by the Senate – a bill that not one member of the Senate had the time to read before voting on.”

Crane said that America’s future depends on these lobbyists being stopped.

“It is a sad day in America when the political class in Washington, and groups that can deliver votes and money, have more influence in writing our immigration laws than everyday American citizens and the law enforcement officers sworn to protect them,” Crane wrote. “I hope you stand with law enforcement and stand for the rule of law -- if for no other reason than out of compassion for the lives that we can protect if we finally begin to enforce our nation’s immigration laws.”

Crane then turned his attention to directly questioning the intent of these lobbyists’ and special interests’ push for amnesty.

“Are you really willing to support an immigration plan that will put officers and the public in danger simply because it includes special items that advance the financial or political interests of your group or company?” Crane asked. “Are we in law enforcement not worthy of your respect? Do you believe that our experience and advice is without value in creating new immigration legislation?"

"I am requesting a meeting with each of you to discuss the answers to these questions, as well as to speak to you about the field experience of immigration officers and agents who daily witness a side of our nation’s immigration crisis that many in the media and indeed our government actively work to conceal from the American public,” he said.

Many of these special interests actually met with President Barack Obama on Tuesday at the White House to plot out an immigration push on Capitol Hill. Obama met with McDonald’s, Marriott, and other CEOs and executives on Tuesday at the White House to plan an amnesty strategy.

“What's been encouraging is, is that there are a number of House Republicans who have said, we think this is the right thing to do, as well,” Obama said about the meeting, according to USA Today. “And it's my estimation that we actually have votes to get comprehensive immigration reform done in the House right now.” Read more about ICE's Chris Crane Blasts Lobbyists Pushing Amnesty

Driver privilege cards a public safety issue?

A recent drunk driving tragedy in Utah shines a light on the real public safety concern surrounding issuing driver privilege cards to illegal aliens here in Oregon.

Utah State Senator Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, desires to rid the state of the Driver Privilege Card because it is a failed experiment:

“’I think they’re a bad idea. We empower illegal aliens with the cards,’ Urquhart said. ‘My argument would be if they're here illegally, we shouldn’t give them a driver privilege card and they shouldn't be driving.’

Even though the cards were never intended to serve as legal identification, Urquhart said that’s how they’re being used. ‘This is a failed experiment,’ he said.” See http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705375502/Fingerprints-background-check-now-required-for-Utah-driver-privilege-card.html.

Driving privilege cards do not reduce hit and run accidents, either. Hit-and-run data from the Utah Highway Patrol shows the number of issued citations for the accidents doubled to 881 in 2011 from 447 in 2004.

 

 

 


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Cynthia Kendoll, OFIR President, to speak at Polk County Republican Women's meeting

Alert date: 
November 4, 2013
Alert body: 

The Polk County Republican Women will meet Wednesday, November 13 at 11:30am at the Oak Knoll Golf Course on Hwy. 22 - west of Salem.                    

Cynthia is the Authorized Agent of Protect Oregon Driver Licenses and will talk about the secret, behind closed doors history of SB 833 - the new law giving state issued ID in the form of driver privilege cards to illegal aliens in our state. She will explain democracy in action with the successful referendum petition drive to force a vote of the people on the new law next November. There will be plenty of time for your questions. Cynthia will also bring us up to speed on the looming amnesty push in Congress and what you can do to help stop it.

Jim Ludwick, OFIR Communications Director, to speak at the Executive Club meeting

Alert date: 
November 4, 2013
Alert body: 

Jim will talk about the successful referendum drive to force a vote on Senate Bill 833. There will be a question and answer time following his speech.

What: Executive Club meeting.

Subject: SB 833 referendum campaign.

When: 7:00 pm. Wednesday, November 6. (If you want dinner - come at 6:30).

Where: Shilo Inn Portland

11707 Northeast Airport Way, near the Portland Airport.

The referendum campaign to overturn Senate Bill 833 was a wonderful exercise in citizenship. People from all over Oregon went out in public and collected over 75,000 signatures. Contrast that with how Senate Bill 833 was pushed through the 2013 Oregon Legislature. It was conceived in secret behind closed doors by a select group of people who have as an agenda to diminish the value of American citizenship. It was rushed through the legislature without a hearing by any House committee.

Because of our successful referendum campaign there will be a public debate on whether or not giving an official state driver privilege card to illegal aliens is a good or bad policy.
 

11707 Northeast Airport Way, Portland
Bring a friend! ~~ $20 buffet option ~~ no host bar
And of course, the cigar room, afterward

 

 

U.S. Immigration Officers Give Frightening Warning

Chris Crane, president of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Council, which represents immigration enforcement officers, recently called on Congress to resist immigration reforms that harm his officers’ ability to do their jobs:

ICE officers are being ordered by [Administration] political appointees to ignore the law. Violent criminal aliens are released every day from jails back into American communities. ICE Officers face disciplinary action for engaging in routine law enforcement actions. We are barred from enforcing large sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act, even when public safety is at risk. Officer morale is devastated.

If this were the U.S. Capitol Police, the Secret Service, or the military, Congress would be outraged, the President would react firmly and swiftly, and pundits and groups from across the country would be demanding this problem be fixed. Sadly, though, nothing is being done to fix this broken and dangerous state of affairs.

In fact, the situation is even scarier. As the ICE letter points out, President Obama continues to order ICE officers to ignore ever-growing sections of immigration law and undertake actions that create a risk to public safety. The Senate has passed a gargantuan immigration bill that includes mass amnesty, tons of handouts to special interests, and enough waivers and exemptions to make Obamacare officials jealous.

Notably, the Senate bill does little to actually support the hard-working men and women of ICE and other immigration enforcement agencies. Even worse, amnesty would make the work of ICE even more difficult by encouraging more illegal immigration and adding new classes of provisional immigrants who have special rules that apply to them.

It is sad that it has come to this: “ICE officers are pleading with [Congress] to…stand with American citizens and the immigration officers who put their own personal safety at risk each day to provide for public safety.” U.S. law enforcement officers should not have to beg Congress just to enforce existing laws.

Congress should reject amnesty, which would only further harm our immigration officers’ effort, and instead use the budget process to give ICE and other immigration agencies the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. Then Congress should demand that President Obama uphold immigration law, not selectively enforce it. Read more about U.S. Immigration Officers Give Frightening Warning

Oregon Voters Delay Law Giving Licenses to Illegals

Oregon voters have successfully delayed the implementation of a state law that would give illegal immigrants driver's licenses when enough of them signed a petition to put the issue on the ballot in the November 2014 elections. The law, which was scheduled to go into effect at the start of 2014, cannot be implemented until after the November 2014 referendum.

After Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) signed the law in May, Oregonians for Immigration Reform "gathered 71,000 signatures in just a few months to refer the measure to the November 2014 ballot," and it succeeded when just over 58,000 were determined to be valid by Oregon's Secretary of State.

As Judicial Watch notes, Oregon's Senate Bill 833 allows "special driver cards" to be given to illegal immigrants so long as they pass a driving test and prove they have been an Oregon resident for a year. It also allows the "Department of Motor Vehicle offices" to "accept foreign identification cards issued by the consulates of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico and South Korea" so long as they are not expired.

Kitzhaber said the measure would allow illegal immigrants to "come out of the shadows" and “contribute to our economic recovery.”

Oregon is attempting to join California, Illinois, and ten other states that have passed laws granting licenses to illegal immigrants.

"If the results of the election reverse the legislation, DMV will cancel all work on the Driver Card program, but if the election upholds the legislation, we'll launch 30 days after the results are official," an administrator said. Read more about Oregon Voters Delay Law Giving Licenses to Illegals

Who does Congressman Kurt Schrader Represent?

Alert date: 
October 31, 2013
Alert body: 

Please plan to attend Representative Kurt Schrader's upcoming Townhall meetings when he visits a town near you next week.  Ask him why he continues to support the S 744 the massive amnesty bill?  Doesn't he care about the nearly 16% unemployment rate here in Oregon?  How would an amnesty help that?  Ask him!

Invite a friend or neighbor to join you.  Remember - he works for YOU!

If you get a response, or he says anything about the immigration issue, jobs or anything else - please tell OFIR about it  -  ofir@oregonir.org

Dallas Town Hall

Tuesday, November 5th
6 to 7 p.m.
Dallas Civic Center
945 SE Jefferson St, Dallas 97338
 

Newport Town Hall

Sunday, November 10th
Noon to 1 p.m.
Newport City Hall
169 SW Coast Hwy, Newport 97365
 

Pacific City Town Hall

Sunday, November 10th
3 to 4 p.m.
Kiawanda Community Center
34600 Cape Kiwanda Dr, Pacific City 97135

 


 

Michael McCaul opposes immigration talks

A key House Republican said Wednesday that he was urging his leadership to back off any formal negotiations with the Senate on immigration reform, reflecting a growing refusal from the GOP to reconcile the Gang of Eight legislation with any immigration bill that the House may pass.

Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, has been advocating for a bipartisan border-security bill that cleared his panel with unanimous support in May. That bill has lagged on the way to the House floor since, but McCaul indicated that his legislation isn’t meant to be a jumping-off point for broader discussions on overhauling the nation’s immigration laws.

And McCaul said he has relayed that message to the chamber’s top Republican — Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) — directly.

“I am not gonna go down the road of conferencing with the Senate [comprehensive immigration reform] bill,” McCaul said on conservative radio host Laura Ingraham’s show Wednesday. “And I told Boehner that he needs to stand up and make that very clear that we are not going to conference with the Senate on this. We’re not going to conference with the Senate, period.

“I am not pushing for immigration reform, I’ve been against amnesty my entire career,” McCaul continued. “I’m just interested in getting the security piece done. And we have to do that, first and foremost.”

A handful of conservatives in the House Republican Conference have said for several months that they would oppose going to a conference committee with the Senate over immigration, going as far as warning that they would vote against any reform bill on the floor to deny it the votes it needs to pass. But that opposition appears more fervent now, particularly after a fiscal battle this month that left House Republicans bruised: Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), who has worked on immigration reform, has said it would be “crazy” for his party to negotiate with Democrats after the shutdown fight.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), one of the Senate bill’s authors and arguably its most valuable conservative backer, also distanced himself this week from the legislation he helped write and threw his support behind the House Republicans’ piecemeal approach to immigration reform. His office has said any House-Senate conference committee should limit its scope to whatever the House passes.

McCaul also said he was invited to the White House to discuss immigration with President Barack Obama on Tuesday, but he declined. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), who has been working for years on immigration legislation, had also been slated to head to the White House — but that meeting was abruptly cancelled with no clear reason.

“I saw it as a political trap,” McCaul said of a meeting with Obama.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters earlier Wednesday that those meetings didn’t happen Tuesday because of “some genuine scheduling challenges on both ends.”

“But we’re going to continue to be in touch with House Republicans,” Earnest continued. “And whether that is a meeting with the president or a meeting at the staff level, we’re going to continue to solicit ideas from House Republicans about how we can move this ball forward.”

Still, those advocating for a sweeping comprehensive bill got some good news Wednesday when a third House GOP lawmaker broke ranks to co-sponsor Democratic immigration legislation that the party has been circulating to pressure Republicans.

Rep. David Valadao, a freshman Republican from California whose district is 70 percent Latino, said the move was a way to bolster his message: “Addressing immigration reform in the House cannot wait.”

“I am serious about making real progress and will remain committed to doing whatever it takes to repair our broken immigration system,” Valadao said in a statement. Read more about Michael McCaul opposes immigration talks

Report: Deportations plummet in 2013, lowest since 2007

 

Authorities deported fewer illegal immigrants in fiscal 2013 than at any time since President Obama took office, according to secret numbers obtained by the Center for Immigration Studies that suggest Mr. Obama’s nondeportation policies have hindered removals.

Just 364,700 illegal immigrants were removed in fiscal 2013, according to internal numbers from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement that CIS released Wednesday — down 11 percent from the nearly 410,000 who were deported in 2012.


SPECIAL COVERAGE: Immigration Reform


Homeland Security officials didn’t dispute the numbers, but said their own counts are still preliminary.

The administration has testified to Congress that it has enough money to deport 400,000 every year, but Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at CIS, said Mr. Obama and the Homeland Security Department have placed so many illegal immigrants off-limits for deportations that they cannot find enough people to fulfill that quota.

“The policies that they’ve implemented, especially prosecutorial discretion and the new detainer policy, are dramatically suppressing interior enforcement,” Ms. Vaughan said. “Even though they are finding out about more illegal aliens than ever before, especially more criminal aliens, the ICE agents in the field have been ordered to look the other way.”

ICE spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said the agency has not tried to hide its new priorities, which have led to changes in the demographics of deportations.

“Over the course of this administration, DHS has set clear, common sense priorities to ensure that our finite enforcement resources are focused on public safety, national security, and border security,” she said.

“ICE has been vocal about the shift in our immigration enforcement strategy to focus on convicted criminals, public safety and border security and our removal numbers illustrate this,” she said.

The CIS report is bound to shake up the immigration debate going on in Congress.

Immigrant-rights advocates argue that Mr. Obama is removing too many people and have called for him to halt all deportations until Congress acts.

Indeed, immigrant-rights advocates cheered the new numbers, saying that if ICE confirms them, it will mean Mr. Obama is beginning to curb excessive enforcement.

“The dragnet deportation of 400,000 immigrants annually does nothing to make our streets safer, and constitutes a huge expenditure of government resources,” said Ruthie Epstein, policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union.

But those who want to see a crackdown say the administration is already ignoring most illegal immigrants, and said the latest numbers back that up.

Ms. Vaughan said that ICE agents and officers are encountering more immigrants than ever, including those with criminal records, which makes the drop in deportations more surprising. She said there’s a “target-rich environment” but the administration has hamstrung deportations.

The 364,700 deportations are the lowest since fiscal year 2007, which was in the middle of the last time Congress debated immigration.

Mr. Obama and his appointees at the Homeland Security Department have issued several policies designed to put illegal immigrants in the interior of the U.S. off-limits from deportations.

Probably the most famous of those is called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which applies to so-called Dreamers, the young illegal immigrants who were usually brought to the U.S. as minors by their parents and are considered among the most sympathetic cases in the immigration debate.


Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/30/deportations-plummet-2013-lowest-2007/?page=2#ixzz2jJj4nPkx
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
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Teens plead not guilty in death of girls

FOREST GROVE, Ore. (KOIN) - Two 18-year-olds pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a hit-and-run crash that killed two young girls who were playing in front of their house on Oct. 20.

Cinthya Cisneros and Mario Echeverria were in the Washington County Courthouse to face the charges in the deaths of Abby Robinson, 11, and her 6-year-old sister Anna Dieter-Eckerdt.

Cisneros is accused of being the driver who ran over the girls as they played in a pile of leaves that night. Echeverria, her boyfriend, was a passenger in the car.

She said she had intentionally run over a pile of leaves and said there was a loud bump, police said. Court documents show they then went to her home -- just around the block from where the girls were hit -- and inspected the car. Her brother, who was another passenger in the car, went back to the scene, documents said. He then told his sister she had run over a child.

During the investigation, police said Echeverria admitted to taking Cisneros' car to a car wash in Hillsboro to remove the evidence. He claimed he wanted to protect his girlfriend.

The families of Cisneros and Echeverria declined to comment to KOIN 6 News.

The neighbors in the area are heartbroken over the deaths. One neighbor said, "It's just the saddest thing ever."

Cisneros has been placed on an immigration hold as the investigation continues. She could face deportation as a result of the charges. She's charged with two counts of Failure to Perform Duties of a Driver to Injured Person(s).

Echeverria, of Cornelius, is charged with Tampering with Evidence and Hindering Prosecution.

Both the suspects are due in court later this month.
  Read more about Teens plead not guilty in death of girls

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