Enough of the whining and pointing fingers, enough of the legacy INS versus legacy Customs squabbling….you are a federal law enforcement agency comprised of Special Agents from diverse backgrounds — paid quite well for what you do, especially in light of the poor economy and post 9/11 scars. Do not forget what you swore to uphold and enforce (even when you are kicked around like a political football). I am sure legacy INS can attest to the unwillingness of elected officials and INS appointed directors to support enforcement of the law. Both agencies can be proud of their pasts, but now must embrace the future. This current corruption investigation, though involving a legacy INS official, is no more damaging than the ICE SAC of Tampa who was arrested in 2005 for exposing and fondling himself before a female teenager in an Orlando, FL mall (and then allowed to retire after over a year on admin leave – who can proudly wear ICE badge # 007 now?). That same SAC had been heralded as a legacy Customs “hero.” And then there is the former Agent in Charge of the ICE Nogales office arrested this year on charges of cocaine trafficking and public corruption for allegedly aiding Mexican drug cartels. He too was legacy Customs. Each of you could be in the unemployment line or stuck in a job without such awesome benefits and a guaranteed retirement. Whether you are from legacy Customs, legacy INS, or a newer ICE Special Agent: be proud, not arrogant; always practice and live by integrity and professionalism; put your egos aside and just choose to excel at your job….America trusts you and is counting on each and every one of you every day!!!

America-is-counting-on-you! on October 10, 2009 at 1:22 am

All I can say is, seriously? I am both L-INS and L-Customs. BOTH agencies had good people; Overall, L-Customs had more. They both had good managers; L-Customs had more. L-Customs did have knuckleheads but it had a hiring standard that L-INS did not. Overall, that paid off. L-Customs and L-INS had cronyism. In my experience, all agencies do; and, we all have the responsibility to overcome that. L-Customs had a well-defined mission; L-INS did not. That being said, fewer tax-payers have a problem with LEOs taking illegal and/or dangerous commodity off the streets. L-INS had to deal with all of the politics that came with trying to enforce laws regarding “people.” Even in a perfect world, that’s a difficult mission. Combine that with the rest of those handicaps and it’s almost impossible. ICE may still be struggling but seriously, to say “INS rules” is ignorant. INS, as a whole, was disbanded for many reasons. We all know those reasons. The best L-INS Agents with whom I have worked are the first to admit it; and, they want to correct the image that “all” INS agents were incapable of investigative work. They know it was nothing personal. All of the good L-INS agents I have worked with (of which there are quite a few) are grateful for getting non-competitive GS-13s. They are also happy to have the opportunity to work hard and make a difference despite the current political atmosphere. The truly good employees, regardless of their legacy agencies, have made the best of their situations. Is it perfect? No. But we should all be grateful for the jobs we have.

WeShouldAllBeGrateful on October 10, 2009 at 1:44 am

Was JS really that good looking that BS would throw away all he had for a fling with her? I heard she may have been a FLETC 8 but in reality to any non law enforcement person she was a 5…

JS on October 10, 2009 at 1:48 am

Here we go again; Immigration this, and Customs that……. Can’t you see what’s going on? SAC LA is falling apart and the only thing we are airing out is the unfortunate past. You want to see change, then stop pointing the finger at your sisters and brothers, and stand up to these worthless clowns who are shamefully dragging everybody down. I am calling on every dedicated ICE SA in SAC LA to fight against this demoralizing plague that our agency has shamefully allowed to spread. Let’s hold a town hall meeting, and for once corner these assholes and find out what they will do for us, our tarnished image, and our battered integrity. For a long time, it’s been about them and their inflated egos and falsified stats. It’s time we change that, once and for all.
Its time for a certain ASAC to stop watching TV when his agents want to discuss important case matters with him, and stop inquiring if he can hold a press conference, despite the on going investigation. Folks, this will be the beginning of the end for all of us if this issue is swept under the carpet. Let’s restore the Integrity, Courage and Excellence in our house, and rid ourselves of these demons. United we stand; I beg you not to forget that, my fellow brothers and sisters.

S&H on October 10, 2009 at 2:22 am

What a bunch of discontent and crybabies we have in SAC LA. Legacy this Legacy that…who gives a s*** people, get over it. Let’s get to work and put criminals in jail or deport them as the case may be. Yes ICE has managers and supervisors who don’t know the first thing about conducting an investigation and worse they don’t give a shit about the troops. Agents should take care of each other and let the managers do their shit. Let’s get to work and let BS and JS deal with their own problems.

JG on October 10, 2009 at 4:33 am

I left in 2004 and you all are still talking this way in 2009? You all are f***ed up. A bunch of folks with to much time on their hands.

Wladimir on October 10, 2009 at 9:36 am

18 bravo I agree with you 100% please Leonidas you and the rest of Customs needs to understand that all L-Customs agents became L-INS admin cases because the politicians figured out that L-Customs only stole stats from other agencies.

NO Name on October 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

It’s an unfortunate situation that occurred for SAC/LA as a whole, however, it leaves a great opportunity for the office to gain competent and willing leadership who may not be as self-serving as those who were recently removed. As far as KK being the acting SAC, he is very competent and knowledgeable and without a doubt, able to run the office. As far as those in acting DSAC positions, they were the logical choices – and very likely pushed by HQ to serve in those positions. SL is very capable, and as far as GG, well, maybe he is the less of the remaining evils-

And, just to address “No Name” above, he/she is mistaken in believing that L-Customs piggybacked on STL stats. This is furthest from the truth as far as Customs stats go – but obviously, he/she doesn’t know. Can’t fault a person for not knowing, however, one that does not know, should not spread untruths.

unknown on October 10, 2009 at 12:25 pm

I don’t know much about ICE, but it seems to me that if they would have been doing their jobs and enforcing our immigration laws since 2000, most of the illegals in the U.S. would be gone. Even deporting about 10,000 a day, it would only take about 4 years to get rid of most of them. Even if we spent $1000.00 to deport each illegal, it would only cost the U.S. about $4 billion a year. This is less than ACORN gets in federal subsidies a year.

I also don’t care if we need to racially profile Mexicans or middle eastern people. Once they are determined to be here illegally, deport their law breaking asses back to Mexico in the most cost effective manner, and dump them off at the Mexico / Guatemala border. Put as much distance between them and the U.S. / Mexico border as we can. We have plenty of moth balled naval ships to do the job. Just pack them in like sardines, give them only the basics to sustain life, and anchors away. It would take no more than 4 days to get them to their destination, and let Mexico deal with the problem that Mexico created. It is not the fault of the U.S. that these illegals break our laws. The arguement that U.S. companies employ these people so it encourages these illegals to break our laws is asinine. These illegals broke our laws initially, so they knowingly are criminals. And yes, we should also prosecute all owners of companies that hire these illegals. Screw that Mexican third world sh#thole of a country.

I am disgusted that I have to pay, through my hard earned tax dollars, for the benefits that our government hands out to these criminals. Our government spends way too much money on illegals through many ways. The costs of incarceration, judicial procedures, welfare, health care, law enforcment personnal, social services and public schooling is a huge burden on the LEGAL American citizens. And these scumbags have trashed many of our once beautiful cities. I have lived through and seen what these law breaking, proletarian pukes have done to the city that I grew up in. They turned a wonderful city into a war zone. Unkept property, boarded up houses, filthy conditions, 5 families to a household, gangs roaming the streets with baseball bats and knives and not learning English or conforming to our society were just some of the end results of them invading our country.

Sorry I was so long winded, but this is a huge problem for all of us LEGAL American citizens. On the lighter side, do you know why Mexicans put those tiny little stearing wheels in their cars? Because it makes it easier to drive with handcuffs on.

Jarhead on October 10, 2009 at 1:37 pm

Here be the picture in SAC/LA. Agents dont know how to process aliens because no one has truly taught anyone how to work Enforce. No one wants to handle wets because that would mean booking them in 300 N, processing them in Enforce and taking all day for admin arrests, when DRO will just O/R their arses out the door. Acording to the INS guys I works with, JG has HAD many IA investigations against him, just Google his name to find out. KK treats his people like they bore him and are a nuisance to him. KK thinks he is God’s gift to LE. He did not do THAT many criminal cases when he was a street agent, but he acts like he busted every single criminal case ever done by Customs. I worked with several pre-merger that were better street agents than KK, but because KK knows the politics side he has moved up. KK WILL NOT continue the Bitch Commission started by Bob, or the family centered picnics because he does not believe that law enforcmeent should be about families. He wants stats and only stats. He does not give a damn if the job affects an agent’s personal life or family life. Morale is in the toilet, because agents cannot get to the offices or groups they want. Customs agents are doing INS stuff and INS agents are doing Customs stuff – STILL!!! Agents are getting cushy admin training assignments because they are tight with the 14s and 15s that are making those assignment decisions. Guys have spent the last 10 years or so in non-casework assignments such as range, tech and DT even though they still draw 1811 pay, LEAP and a take home car. Ask yourselves, have you ever seen them at a worksite raid or a gang sweep? No. With KK and JG in charge, it will make the inquisition, Mao’s Cultural Revolution, and Stalin’s Purges look like awards ceremonies. And, expect a dress code to be strictly enforceed! Suits and ties everyday! Oh, and I don’t think sexual harassment or EEOs or sex for promotions will stop with the new bunch. It will always be sameoldsameold.

VenturaBased on October 10, 2009 at 7:19 pm

Oh Oh, time to break out my prized polyester/wool blend Stafford collection!!

Leonidas @ Thermopolye on October 10, 2009 at 8:44 pm

Next?

Old School. on October 11, 2009 at 12:43 am

ICE,

Happy days are here again.

Regards,
FBI

Old School. on October 11, 2009 at 10:13 pm

I’ve been gone for two years now and things have not changed. Customs guys hate INS work and vice versa. As for the new ICE babies, who knows what they think. It does seem clear that having these two diciplines together has never worked. We still need to seperate these two duties. Let there be an INS, the politicians need the political football to kick back and forth.

ruggieri on October 11, 2009 at 11:18 pm

Any truth to the rumors that some GS or ASAC folks will be walked out this week a la JS and BS? To answer the other poster if JS was that hot enough to cause BS to risk his job, look at Bob. He ain’t nothing much without his job title. A nerd with a gun, badge and $150k salary. His wife is hotter than JS. JS is a skinny, flat chested nerdette. Guess he likes them that way. I dont think JG would have gone for her, his choice of women have been different than that. From what I heard, not what I know.

VenturaBased on October 12, 2009 at 1:02 am

Deb, speaking of rampant ICE “cronyism” where GS-14/15 positions are handed out like candy to inexperienced, pompous, and incompetent friends of the current acting director (also part of the former INS regime), check out ICE’s Office of Intel. Many of these selected admit they don’t know anything about intelligence and don’t care because they get a GS14 or 15 out of the deal. The management at HQ and much of the FIGs GS15s has never attended any intelligence academy nor believe they should. No one ever mentions this division of ICE that is a waste of tax dollars and does nothing to support anyone.

Apple103 on October 12, 2009 at 1:08 am

Good point about ICE Intel. The Los Angeles Field Intelligence Group director is LA DSAC’s husband, the SAC’s good friend, and is about as slimy as it gets. I would not be surprised if he is next to be stripped of his gun and badge. He doesn’t give a crap about ICE’s mission, only interested in more power by any means necessary. I hope OPR takes him down soon…he is poisoning the agency.

JP on October 12, 2009 at 2:45 am

If you are referring to Kumar, he is legacy Customs. The Office of Intelligence was not created last week, nor did ICE have any say in whether we needed or wanted to have one.

As for promotions, please keep in mind that there is very little funding for moves. This forces the agency to promote someone within the local commuting area in DC.

Don’t like the way HQ works? Take the SA14 test and pack your bags. Go make a difference. You won’t be able to change much, but you do have a voice and experience. There are people that will listen. Speaking up is hard. Complaining is easy.

ICE Manager on October 12, 2009 at 9:58 am

What about the ASAC in Las Vegas? I hear that he may go down next, serious problems in that office.

West Coast on October 12, 2009 at 11:54 am

As an Agent with 8years on, I am tired of this bs line of take the 14 test and pack your bags to HQ. I, as well as many others, took the 14 test and were placed on the list. I would love to go to HQ to try and make a difference, but there is no move money and has not been any for a while. I have a wife and kids and can not afford to lose money on my house just to promote. I have been offered three slots and each time was told that the home purchase program is not an option. Sorry to say, my house is in a down market and I can’t float 2 mortgages or a mortgage and rent. No level of dedication to your work should come with financial sacrifice that will hurt your family.

Those of us with experience in OI tend to have familes and homes and are not going to hurt those we care about just to “move up, or shut up”. Does any other federal LE agency ask this of their agents?

Too tired on October 12, 2009 at 1:35 pm

Hey ICE Manager: Pretty sure Apple103 was referring to Woosley, the acting director of ICE Intel, who is L-INS. He brought most of his INS cronies up with him, including the Director of FIG LA, Shawn Ebbley (who is now the Director of all of the FIGs in the West, I have come to understand). In turn, Ebbley surrounded himself with his INS cronies and hired on his friends’ wives as Intel staff (including the wife of an L-INS ASAC), picking them over more qualified candidates. And there you have a complete circle of corruption and incompetency, all detracting from the great work ICE does.

Also, the notion that LA can’t get good people because of little funding for moves is complete B.S. I have a first hand source who says that when Ebbley was promoted and needed to replace the FIG director spot, the top person on the certification list–someone with a very impressive career as an Intel officer, an Ivy League grad, and was finishing his Ph.d from Cambridge–was willing to pay for his move from DC. Instead, Ebbley hired one of his buddies who has no Intel experience. One of Ebbley’s best analysts actually left FIG LA after he pressured her to flub the certification list to make his unqualified pick the “best qualified.” She took a step down from an IRS position to mission support just to get away from Ebbley and his corrupt actions.

The SAC and the DSAC are just the tip of the iceberg. More to come.

JP on October 12, 2009 at 1:35 pm

Too Tired: yes the funding woes exist in all agencies. Some are worse and some are better. The market conditions are not the fault of the agency. There just isn’t enough money to sustain the home sale program.

JP: makes sense in that context.

And for anyone that cares, I was sick to my stomach when I heard the news.

ICE Manager on October 12, 2009 at 3:05 pm

ICE Manager: You are correct that it is no fault of HQ that the market in most areas has hit the bottom. Until ICE can negotiate a contract with a relo company to buy homes, than HQ will be filled with single, apt dwelling 20-30 year olds that have the minimum amount of time in grade and can move at the drop of a hat. What has happened to this agency is a shame and will only get worse

Too tired on October 12, 2009 at 10:25 pm

Truth be told FinCEN never did or wanted to do anything for L-Customs OI. As far as support from Intell, the smartest move for an agent was to befriend a squared away intell analyst (most of them were squared away)for case support. With the advent of the internet we now get and share intell reports and ofcr safety bulletins amongst agencies but in the old days there was very little general intell sharing unless an agent had developed good networking. To echo previous postings, this incident involving the SAC and his sidekick has been very sad. Legacy agencies aside, no one Ive talked to at wk is happy about this. A dirty cop is always tragic, but taking one down is what sets us apart from third world countries.

Leonidas @ Thermopolye on October 12, 2009 at 10:36 pm

America-is-counting-on-you,

Please read the article again and feel free to post a relivent comment. Not one that is obviously been sturing in your mind for a long time while you just sit and wait for some kind of medium to express your personal concerns about Legacy INS vs. Legacy Customs. Context is key.

Just Noticed on October 13, 2009 at 12:29 pm

This investigation is a joke. The OPR fools are all Customs agents who are in with KK. They like their cushy admin posting and dont want to make waves. How can people who have worked with and for people they have to investigate do the job? Answer: They cant! Its called conflict of interest. Customs IA does not believe in that apparently, because Customs IA is what ICE OPR is now. It’s all a joke. OPR agents got picked not because of merit but becuz of being pals with the GS there. The whole system is a sleazy cesspool of corruption. The LA Times should investigate and bring the whole house down. SAC/LA needs to be brought under a federal consent decree like the LAPD. I heard that a just retired ASAC that was in LA and then moved to LB is going to be indicted. Anyone know if this is true? If it is, then a few others are going to be indicted too I haveta guess.

cantstandla on October 13, 2009 at 10:47 pm

Debbie, please keep the spotlight a-shining on this band of bandits! It motivating to see one or two of this bunch get their just rewards from time to time.

HQ GUY on October 13, 2009 at 11:59 pm

Hey, what’s being served at the LB “holiday party” this year? Can we still get the afternoon off?

Old School. on October 14, 2009 at 12:19 am

Yes as a former ICE SA I certainly agree 100% that the whole agency is messed up. All the good investigators bailed out to other agencies or earlied out. We actually cared about criminal cases and not worrying about who is on the SAC’S shit list, or who is the SAC’s pet grooming to be promoted to supervisor. OPR it is just not in LAX, it is everywhere even HAWAII. Take a look at the SAC in Hawaii, he’s has no balls, all about how he looks with his g-cars, and worrying about promoting whoever went to his former high school. Who cares if he has 3 or 4 years on the job. As long as he went to the same high school that the SAC went, it’s okay to promote him over others who are way qualified with generations of experience. What a joke!!!

Former ICE SA on October 14, 2009 at 3:45 am

Excuse me, Ranger 1811, but I was reading through your chest-beating nonsense posts and noticed that while you appear to have drank the Customs Kool-Aid, you mention being in your 40’s and from a post-merger FLETC class. Let me guess: you were a Customs inspector, tired of going through dirty underwear in luggage, getting close to 37, and getting ready to cut paper if you didn’t get an SA job. That’s it, isn’t it?
You’re legacy ICE, my man, not legacy Customs, no matter what you tell yourself.
As always, the biggest talkers and complainers are the biggest do-nothings.

Seventeen Eighty Whatever on October 14, 2009 at 7:00 am

Good ol boy system is alive and well in another SAC office in Northern CA as well…take a look around at the managers.

FormerSFGS on October 14, 2009 at 9:05 am

After reading all 121 comments on this article I have just one thing to add.

Praise be that I retired on January 13, 2001

Nigel Brooks on October 14, 2009 at 11:42 am

They politicians messed up merging Customs and Immigration in the first place, and need to remedy the situation. They need to just split us back up under DHS and make us Division of Customs and Division of Immigration. That way you can keep them under DHS, but as two seperate agencies. And then roll the Immigration SA’s over DRO and make them DHS/DRO and then make Customs agents DHS/ICE (Investigations and Customs Enforcement). This way things can get back to normal and we can quit griping about one another and do our jobs…

1789 4 Ever on October 14, 2009 at 2:09 pm

After reading these posts, I am disheartened. Agents get paid damn good money to do a job that, by all accounts, was always considered to be respectable. But, a good percentage of agents are NOT doing the job they are paid to do and lots of managers are NOT holding employees accountable. It is a vicious cycle that the old INS could not correct. Now, due to hasty mergers, poor hiring standards and the promotion of unqualified employees, ICE is the laughing stock of the federal law enforcement world. How sad. But, please be careful about what you post here; especially the use of full names and duty stations. Remember, law enforcement aren’t the only folks reading these messages. Those seeking derogatory information about LE are reading, as well.

All I can say is, if you are one of the ever-growing minority of hard workers who believe in working for a respectable agency, you have only one choice. Stop bitching and do something about it!

Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its' idiot on October 14, 2009 at 7:15 pm

Seventeen Eighty Whatever the hell your name is,
Nope, never an inspector (although you sound like you have experience sniffing peoples underwear), there’s this paramilitary organization that wears green and rolls around the desert called USBP part of the old INS…joined USCS OI then ICE OI, the rest of my life you have no need to know about…I tell it how it is (If you read my handle you’d know why). I also embrace both authorities that make us ICE unlike many…

I hope that the outcome will be good for all of my bros who are still working agents in SAC LA no matter what happens..and by the way I never claimed to be the baddest 1811, in fact far from it. but I am always learning from those who know more than me and teaching and helping those who don’t. This is what makes our organization stronger.

Ranger1811 on October 14, 2009 at 8:44 pm

Ah,Ranger, looks like I struck a nerve. You know the legacy Customs guys you worship will never consider you one of them, with you being legacy ICE and all.
Again, a lot of talk for someone with a whopping four years as an SA. 🙂

Seventeen Eighty Whatever on October 15, 2009 at 5:24 am

Hey ICE Manager – I spent three years on I Street and foudn that unless you are a friend Marcy or her minions there is now way to make a difference. The problem with the agency is a combination of folks like you and those who think this is a 9 to 5 job. Neither one of you has the experience and initiative to make the agency successful or to make a difference that actually matters for the public good.

We are law enforcement officers who have a wide range of statues to enforce. What case category you do or do not want to work really is not material to what may be assigned to you. For the money we get paid, we are obligated to do our best and make the personal sacrafices to get the job done.

Tired of the Legacy on October 15, 2009 at 12:45 pm

Tired of Legacy: I’m not a friend of MF nor do I ascribe to your views of 425 I Street. Is there dead weight and a lack of inertia? Absolutely. Do program managers and chiefs try to make a difference? Every day. Movement is incremental and there is plenty of progress that happens every day. It doesn’t get any attention because bad news is what people remember and focus on.

If you spent three years at I Street and never found yourself in a position to make a difference for a street agent, you might be the problem. If you did make a difference, however small, then you just invalidated your argument.

ICE Manager on October 15, 2009 at 1:30 pm

I have read all of the comments and truly I am disappointed that there continues to be so much fighting and terrortorial manuevering between L-INS and L-Customs. Let me say that as an attorney who works with Special Agents and has to litigate your cases, I find that there are good agents and bad agents. I have worked with lazy L-Customs agents and I worked with hard working L-Customs agents. The same holds true for L-INS agents. The bottom line: We are all on the same team. We have a mission to protect this country, to be leaders, to defend this country, to make certain that our children, family and friends are safe. We all upheld an Oath to safeguard this country which entails acting in a manner that is both ethical and professional.

Stop pointing fingers and do your job and do it well.

Backbone on October 15, 2009 at 5:39 pm

Sorry ICE Manager, like your postings but should have been an ‘excess’ of inertia, not a lack thereof. As for the original posting by Ms Schlussel, it wasn’t a surprise. Most employees who had reason to cross paths with BS/JS/SE and their cronies either wanted to join in, or have been praying someone higher up in the food chain would figure out there’s a problem with these folks. I’ve been praying.

Regardless of which legacy agency we’re talking about, the big offices rule the roost all the way to the top. Just count the number of muckety mucks from LA and NY — the offices are huge and the laws of probability make a promotional selection of an employee from one of those offices nearly a sure thing.

As for agency inefficiencies since the merger, the same 25% of the ICE 1811’s who are doing their job, and know how to do their job, were previously carrying all the Customs and INS stats. Bottom line, not everybody can do the job.

Still Working Everyday on October 15, 2009 at 6:04 pm

If BS was smart, hed get a good attorney and question the credibility of past OPR investigations starting with the one up there at ASAC/JFK where Peppermint Patty’s sister lied her face off about all kinds of stuff but was protected by her sister…

Sinking ship on October 15, 2009 at 8:35 pm

The ICE annuitant program is full of fraud, waste and abuse. They just hire their friends not anyone who is qualified. Why not just promote from within? Take home G-rides? They are no longer under Title 5 authority as law enforcement and neither is anyone in intel. The major of their work does NOT meet the requirements of law enforcement. Its fraud waste and abuse!

why on October 15, 2009 at 11:12 pm

No wonder why the acronym really stands for “IMMIGRATION CONTROLS EVERYTHING”.

Real BLUE on October 16, 2009 at 3:14 am

JS arrived from INS/HQ to SAC/SD in 2003 as a brand new ASAC with no first line supervisor experience. She was described by former co-workers as never having made a case as an INS agent before she went back to INS/HQ. She was smart and cute, but had no street savvy.

I always wondered who her hook was. Was Bob Schoch at INS/HQ at the same time as her? Could he have been the hook that made her an ASAC and then later brought her to SAC/LA as the deputy? Food for thought.

Cool Blue on October 16, 2009 at 9:36 pm

Lack of “good” inertia then. The place is a madhouse, but is every other HQ in DC. The external demands and requirements are another thing we don’t control.

As to the 25% comment, welcome to life. The other 75% are still doing surveillances and helping the stars. Well, not all of them but c’est la vie in all large and small agencies. Nobody has an outfit full of superstars.

ICE Manager on October 16, 2009 at 11:51 pm

Where is the update on this story?? It didn’t make the DHS News (or any news for that matter). Anyone in SAC/LA out there with an update? They drag a SAC and DSAC out of the the office and the only one that reports it is Debbie? No offense but you figure that someone has to latch onto this juicy gossip piece!

InquiringMind on October 17, 2009 at 9:03 am

ICE Manager,

Easy on the Kool-Aid. I have friends in many different fed law enforcement agencies, mostly the big ones, and when i tell them abou tthe shenanigans and the stories about these misfit manager in the field and HQ level, they are pretty surprised. Yes, other agencies are mucked at the HQ level, but none like ICE. People getting promoted to ASAC out in LA that never worked a damn day as a street agent? who also got sent to CITP as a G/S in Phoenix? That tale is one of many of goofballs who in the past 5 years rose through the ranks havent done s&*#. You can than former Director of OI Peppermin Patty for screwing the whole agency up. It will take YEARS to UNF*(# the damage done by her poor personnel decisions. Im glad A/S Morton got her out of there.

Dont kid yourself and think things arent rosy everywhere amongst other agencies. THings with ICE are bad and this recent nonsense out in LA is just the tip. Too many immature, inexperienced managers rising through the ranks too quick and now the rank and file have to suffer. Take a look at ISHARE. What a joke. People whining and complaining. The other amazing screwed up thing is at ICE HQ, you have all these dopey ADMIN people that have been empowered over the past years who think they run the agency. THe support and admin staff need to have it beat into their brains they ONLY EXIST because you have agents and officers ont the gorund in the field doing the work. We are a law enforcement agency, not a damn admin agency.

ICEFOOL on October 17, 2009 at 12:05 pm

ICEFOOL, the difference is that other agencies don’t tear each other to shreds in public forums. Google the Name d any agency and add grievance to the search. Government is government. Some are better off than others. Any new agency, and we are new regardless of prior history, has more issues in the beginning years.

How about the FBI 15 who had been a Soviet spy for decades?

ICE Manager on October 19, 2009 at 10:58 am

Poor ICE SA’s, you already have a silly acronym, keep on shredding each other a new one; this is the only place that you can.

other fed on October 19, 2009 at 11:31 pm

CBP is the new Customs, ICE is the same old INS. Once Bersin gets into the CBP driver’s seat I predict that things will change rapidly. Rumors are already afloat that ICE is willing to turn over reactive border dope busts to a select group of CBPOs for processing and prisoner transport. Can 1811s at CBP be very far off?

Will Border Patrol start processing and transporting between-the-ports dope arrests? Now that BPAs and CBPOs are journeyman 12s, there may be a push to give them more “investigative” authority. Almost like they were state and locals.

I see ICE as reduced to Interior Criminal Enforcement for aliens in a few years. FBI, ATF and DEA will hijack the ICE programs that they want. The transition will be interesting to watch, but tragic at the same time.

Cool Blue on October 20, 2009 at 1:31 pm