Here is what a Retired 35 years Veteran of the INS have to say about the current Immigration Enforcement or lack of

Here is what a Retired 35 years Veteran of the INS have to say about the current Immigration Enforcement or lack of.

When the Department of Homeland Security was created it marked the end of
effective enforcement of immigration law. Within DHS, the former INS was
dismembered and its remnants were distributed, as secondary functions, to
the newly created bureaus of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and
CBP (Customs and Border Protection). Legacy INS investigators were combined
with Customs investigators to form "ICE." Legacy immigration inspectors
became "Customs" and border protection officers. The key managerial and
supervisory positions of both ICE and CBP were filled by legacy "U.S
Customs" officers. The Department of Agriculture inspections program was
also assigned to "CBP." Their status is that of the illegitimate son of the
bastard stepchild. A few of their officers were given supervisory
positions for cosmetic purposes.

All of this was done with the firm belief that one officer could perform the
duties of the immigration officer, the agriculture officer, and the customs
officer. It is the equivalent of a contractor letting the carpenter,
electrician, brick mason, and concrete finisher go because the plumber has
the same plans and can do it all. Immigration law became secondary to
customs functions. Overtime laws were changed so that, instead of charging
the transportation company for overtime charges, the legislature placed that
burden on the U.S. taxpayer. This caused managers to restrict activities
that required overtime activities. The inspection of any vessel or aircraft
arriving in the United States from a foreign place must, by law, be
performed "on arrival." "Arrival is defined as that point at which the
vessel/aircraft can be safely boarded. The general rule is to postpone the
inspection of the vessel/aircraft until an on duty inspector can do the job.
This means that a vessel can actually enter, lade/unlade and depart the
United States without ever encountering a representative of the U.S.
government. We all knew it would not work from the beginning. Even the VMI
educated manager assigned to the New Orleans Field Office (DFO) had to know
it was a disaster in the making. In an attempt to be a "team player" he
warned subordinates "anyone who criticizes the policies of Homeland
Security will find him/herself reassigned to a remote and undesirable
location. Thus is the mentality of the managerial/supervisory force of U.S.
Customs/DHS. These managers, possibly competent in customs matters but
totally untrained and clueless in matters of immigration, find themselves
charged with the responsibility to make critical decisions on immigration
law enforcement. They are now dealing with real people whose lives,
businesses, and their very future depends on the decisions of our leaders.
This terrifies these managers. They would rather make no decision at all
than to make a decision they might have to justify. Therefore, no
enforcement is "good enforcement."

In thirty five years of employment as an immigration officer I can't recall
more than three people who looked forward to retirement. I recently visited
my ICE and CBP friends at our local DHS offices. Not one officer who was an
officer of one of the affected services prior to "DHS" could not tell the
exact date they intend to retire. "Dysfunctional" was the general
description of their offices. Frustration was the one emotion experienced
by virtually every officer I encountered. Virtually all of the "experienced"
officers of DHS can't wait to hit the door.

The only good news is that the new officers hired by DHS are, for the most
part, very qualified people with a high potential to excel in their job.
They are very motivated. They are also confused. They find that they are
not allowed to do the work they were trained to do at the academy. Many are
already looking at other agency employment.

Yesterday it was reported that the legislature is holding hearings on
revamping immigration services. Is there hope for the future?

Cheers...Mick

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