Hahahahaha hillarious pics. I just cracked up when I saw the one from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory of that bratty little girl. I haven’t been here to comment much on your blog, but I have been a daily reader for the better half of 2 years and finally signed up for an account. You have detailed her incompetence quite well. Both of my idiotic senators will probably oppose the incompetent chieftess (I live in Ohio, so that’s Sheri Brown and George Voinovich).

JasonBourne81 on September 5, 2007 at 1:47 pm

BTW – all the best to your father.

JasonBourne81 on September 5, 2007 at 1:47 pm

Debbie – I’m also sending the best to your father, Dr. Schlussel. And also to you and your family. Will pray for you.

CarpeDiem on September 5, 2007 at 8:09 pm

Ms. Schlussel:
First of all, my concern and prayers for your father are with you and your family in this difficult hour; thank you for keeping on top of this despite the personal issues you are facing.
The fact that, all of a sudden, confirmation hearings are scheduled for Ms. Myers both makes sense, but, at the same time, shocks the conscience.
Why??? It makes sense because, as I have stated in an earlier post, no other person who is QUALIFIED to take the post would do so, given both the perceived inferiority of the position, as well as the fact that he/she would be a lame duck, anyway. It also shocks the conscience, because Ms. Schlussel appears to be asserting (in a “blog-tease”) that a “quid pro quo” is in the works, where votes for Ms. Myers would be traded off for her deliberate non-enforcement of immigration law to appease certain lawmakers and their constituents – this is treasonous on its face, to even suggest that a sworn law enforcement director NOT live up to the oath they take in order to receive the benefit of confirmation.
Furthermore, if I am understanding Ms. Schlussel in her “cooking the books” comment correctly, Ms. Schlussel is referring to budget irregularities within the agency. Assuming this is correct, a referral to the OIG and GAO is warranted to ensure that irregularities are not being covered up or minimized so that Ms. Myers is not embarrassed at her confirmation hearing. All should be aware that, as understood from my HQ sources, that over 40 % of ICE’s FY 2008 budget will now be forked over to other entities to cover services that were previously provided to ICE under a shared services agreement. If so, how did this happen, and who is responsible for this debacle?! FORTY PERCENT ! – This could possibly be the death of ICE, with no money for hiring, training, infrastructure, support materials (e.g. vehicles, office supplies, etc.) IT systems, etc., how can we be expected to perform ANY mission – immigration OR customs, at all ?!
Any comments from EVS on this? Please say this isn’t so, because it is too painful to bear to be trashed like this.

4EVERCUSTOMS on September 5, 2007 at 9:51 pm

Please, any and all should contact their Senators. It is time to move on now. Myers is a nice person, but so what, so is my mother and she’s about as qualified, if not more so. This appointment has been a farce since its first day. Even Republican Senators were looking at her resume and scratching their heads as to how this appointment could be justified, given it didn’t meet even the minimum standards. Even with her connections, I’ve always wondered how in the world anyone was impressed with her leadership, speaking skills or accomplishments. That such an important post was given to essentially a law enforcement novice is an embarrassment and insult to the country. Being on the Kenneth Starr team, 1 1/2 years as a prosecutor and a brief stint with Commerce will not prepare you for an agency with nearly 10,000 investigators, deportation officers and police and a multi-billion dollar budget. In her time here, she’s only proven that she’s learned and graspped little. Terribly ineffective with zero respect from the rank and file and barely more from even topmost management.
4EVER- I think the book cooking will come in the form of spinning stats to demonstrate accomplishments

Staypositive on September 5, 2007 at 11:04 pm

Julie Myers has to go. There is a huge shortfall in the budget and no one can account for it. We are talking billions. And what happens? The management at the SAC office get new SUVs while the agents have to drive junkers. We have cars in the SAC LA offices that have dents and damaged bodies, but the SAC, DSACs and ASACs drive fresh new SUVs. Explain that Ms. Myers. Explain why agents do not get any training opportunities in addition to the cars.

rivfedup on September 5, 2007 at 11:40 pm

I am an officer of the court in Dallas County, Texas. I want to thank Debbie Schlussel for the quick and responsible action she displayed by removing a link to the photograph of an ICE special agent who works in Texas. I recognized the photograph of that agent. Deputy Special Agent in Charge Kyle Barnette personally and viscously attacked this agent in this forum. This former U.S. Customs special agent is the recipient of numerous awards including the U.S. Department of Treasury Albert Gallatin Award for his for his exemplary service. This agent was previously the victim of a solicitation of capital murder as a direct result of his investigative work as a Customs special agent. A foreign national paid an informant to murder this agent. The suspect was found guilty in a jury trail and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The suspect appealed his conviction to the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals, which sustained the conviction.
DSAC Barnette and his “darlin” source of information should be held accountable for their irresponsible and reprehensible actions. In my opinion they have foolishly exposed this agent to additional unwarranted danger. It is not difficult to see why so many ICE agents come to this site to express their disappointment with current ICE management.

NDN on September 6, 2007 at 12:09 am

“Staypositive” …
Thanks for your perspective on the “bookcooking” issue.
Ha !!! If Ms. Myers thinks she is going to use stats as her salvation, I invite the H.S. committee to call some U.S. Attorneys and DOJ officials into the hearings for their take. True, while ADMINISTRATIVE arrests have risen over the last 4 years, CRIMINAL arrests and prosecutions have PLUMMETED to the point where ICE is increasingly off the radar in many USAOs.
Truly sad and pathetic- it would be a funny joke if it weren’t the former.

4EVERCUSTOMS on September 6, 2007 at 6:09 am

I’d like to “ditto” the comments of NDN in thanking Debbie for taking off the posts regarding the Dallas Agent. I too have known him for many years and can attest to the facts presented in the NDN post. One can only hope that the confirmation hearings for Ms. Myers will bring to light all the problems with ICE that have been discussed on this site. The problem goes much deeper that Myers. The entire agency must be rebuilt. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. ICE cannot perform both the Immigration and Customs Investigative function and do either one effectively.

longshanks on September 6, 2007 at 8:04 am

NDN & longshanks,
“This former U.S. Customs special agent is the recipient of numerous awards including the U.S. Department of Treasury Albert Gallatin Award for his for his exemplary service.”
Do either of you realize that every Department of Treasury employee from receptionist/clerk-typist to Special Agent in Charge, that served for 20 years with the Department of the Treasury received the Albert Gallatin Award?
This is only something to brag about my friends, when it’s all you got. Akin to bragging about the “good conduct medals” you won over a twenty year career in the service, when you weren’t in a combat position, or recognized for any higher honors. Come by my office and I’ll show you what a Gallatin Award looks like, OK?
Sounds good to those who don’t know any better, but pretty weak really.
EVS/Kyle

EverVigilantSheepdog on September 7, 2007 at 6:51 am

Guess what folks, I got the Gallatin Award when we left Treasury and went to DHS and I was about 3 or 4 years shy of having my 20 years with them. From what I was told, Treasury just gave them to everyone within a certain number of years from 20 as they didn’t want to take the time to really research each employee leaving for DHS.
It’s a longevity award, nothing else folks.

NotAnAgent on September 7, 2007 at 8:24 am