By Debbie Schlussel
Every day, I receive the most depressing e-mails from good, hard-working, patriotic Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who are dedicated to protecting our national security, but frustrated beyond belief by those that are running their agency . . . into the ground.
The ICE Princess, current ICE chieftess Julie L. Myers, will likely soon be gone. But she will likely be replaced with someone as bad (if that’s possible). And the rest of the deadwood running it will still be there.
For those who vote based on the War on Terror, but believe in amnesty, you are mistaken in believing they are mutually exclusive policy areas. They aren’t. Why is our national security down the toilet? Because our immigration law enforcement is. Read these e-mails, which are but two samples of the e-mails I get every day from those about to throw in the towel. We can’t afford to lose these good men [I’ve put vaguer references in brackets to protect the identities of these agents]:

Deb, love reading your articles. I am a 20 year veteran of Customs (now ICE) and have had enough. Although I can stay [several] more years, I am choosing to leave [in 2007], along with hundreds of others from the 1987 hiring push that have now seen the light. In addition to my 20 years here, I have [many more as a top criminal investigator and military man] with numerous citations and awards. I don’t want to leave, but enough is enough.
[ICE Director of Investigations] Marcy Forman is a joke, [ICE chieftess] Julie Myers is a joke and Immigration enforcement is a media hype conjured up to appease the politicians and the bureaucrats. We have no money for cars, we have been told there is no money for installation of emergency equipment on our existing vehicles as well. My office has five vehicles that do not have the proper safety equipment nor the prospect of getting it in the near future. We have 10 agents for [almost as many] counties of largely migrant (illegal) persons. No immediate plans for the future of hiring more. I have been [top ranking agent and supervisory agent in this office] for the past [many] months (without pay) because they won’t pay to promote or transfer the proper supervisors here.
We have been directly involved in [a major investigation of a major crime committed by illegal aliens] but have not been able to enforce any immigration laws because it would look bad if we actually deported a couple of the individuals who have current deportation orders on them.
[One of our top supervisory agents] has insisted, at the bequest of Peppermint Patty [ICE Director of Investigations, Marcy Forman-Friedman], that we get into a battle with Border Patrol over smuggling investigations and that Border Patrol should turn everything over to us, even though they have authority to investigate shore landings and transport cases. We, effectively, have been ordered to ask the United State’s Attorney’s Office to “decline” Border Patrol investigations for prosecution and give them to us.
This, I was told directly, is because CPB is trying to get 1811 status [DS: allowing them to be federal investigative agents] back and if we let them continue to investigate (which they have full authority to do, especially at the border) they may actually be able to get the 1811’s back. This would kill ICE since any legacy Customs Agent would go to CPB as openings avail themselves. Then, ICE would be left with inept . . . persons and those managers who drank the Kool-aide.
Enough about this, I am sure you are familiar with all of this, just wanted you to be aware of the mass exodus of qualified experienced personnel planning to leave over the next twelve months.

This one is equally depressing:

Debbie,
I researched recess appointments on the Library of Congress website and concluded that MYERS’ appointment expires when the Congress adjourns “sine die” which I believe has already happened for this congress. She can be reappointed to another recess appointment but cannot be paid during the second appointment. SO hopefully she is GONE. BUT, just as she is a joke so is the whole agency! The entire structure needs an overhaul. Too many attorneys (sorry) running law enforcement functions leads to no results.
Anyway, the info on the latest joke “raid” [DS: on the Swift meat packing plants] (hyped for the press) is that MYERS authorized the spending of about one million taxpayer dollars to send 900 agents to do this “roundup.” They left [the previous] Friday [to do the raids]! The joke is all of these guys [the over 1,000 illegal aliens rounded up at Swift plants] will most probably be let go in a day or two and NO CRIMINAL charges will be brought against anyone. Remember the big round-up at the pallet company last spring? Any charges yet? NOPE.

This is from The ICE Princess, who promised fiscal accountability and cost-cutting at ICE, but instead wasted $1 million to do phony show-raids, and much more on undeserved $45,000 bonuses and week-long parties with Tommy Lasorda.
But the waste pales in comparison to the lack of morale and the brain drain of skilled, experienced agents who are getting out of ICE as fast as they can. Thanks, Julie Myers. You are responsible for this.
Just a glimpse into why we are losing and will continue to lose the War on Terror. It is inextricably linked with immigration.