"Sequestration" benefiting Our Undocumented Alien Friends

[Sprightly]

I have been wondering something. If funding was the (alleged) reason for releasing thousands of illegal immigrants, why not instead release thousands of Americans convicted of low level crimes and then do some funding transfers to ICE? That anyone believes that the vast majority of these released illegal immigrants are going to show up for their deportation hearings (willingly anyway) is laughable.

[octoburn]

I have been wondering something. If funding was the (alleged) reason for releasing thousands of illegal immigrants, why not instead release thousands of Americans convicted of low level crimes and then do some funding transfers to ICE? That anyone believes that the vast majority of these released illegal immigrants are going to show up for their deportation hearings (willingly anyway) is laughable.

My guess is that it was done more for dramatic effect than anything else to steer outrage in a particular direction.

[bmore_ken]

I have been wondering something. If funding was the (alleged) reason for releasing thousands of illegal immigrants, why not instead release thousands of Americans convicted of low level crimes and then do some funding transfers to ICE? That anyone believes that the vast majority of these released illegal immigrants are going to show up for their deportation hearings (willingly anyway) is laughable.

Politics

[Sprightly]

My guess is that it was done more for dramatic effect than anything else to steer outrage in a particular direction.

Lower-level employees took it upon themselves to go for the dramatic angle on a national security issue? Wow.

[bmore_ken]

Lower-level employees took it upon themselves to go for the dramatic angle on a national security issue? Wow.

You honestly believe the higher ups didn't have their hands in that move?

[octoburn]

Lower-level employees took it upon themselves to go for the dramatic angle on a national security issue? Wow.

I seriously doubt it was low~level employees making that kind of decision. As Ken said in one word ~ "Politics".

[Sprightly]

bmore_ken & octoburn -- Have we met? (At least on here.) lol

Of course I don't believe that! Janet didn't know. The WH didn't know. So clearly there are some rouge employees making these decisions.

[EmDot]

I have been wondering something. If funding was the (alleged) reason for releasing thousands of illegal immigrants, why not instead release thousands of Americans convicted of low level crimes and then do some funding transfers to ICE? That anyone believes that the vast majority of these released illegal immigrants are going to show up for their deportation hearings (willingly anyway) is laughable.

That sounds like a good idea but isn't part of the problem with the sequestration as written is that discretion regarding where the cuts are made isn't allowed?

So clearly there are some rouge employees making these decisions.

I know it's probably just a typo but it always makes me chuckle.

[Sprightly]

This has nothing to do with budget cuts.

[EmDot]

I must be missing something (which it wouldn't be the first time).

This has nothing to do with budget cuts.

How is that so?

[zenwalk]

That sounds like a good idea but isn't part of the problem with the sequestration as written is that discretion regarding where the cuts are made isn't allowed?I know it's probably just a typo but it always makes me chuckle.

Sprightly refuses to link the two subjects. She'll call you thick headed or some such crack.

[flyboy56]

Within days of sequestration's official enactment, lines at some major airports were already doubling, leading to longer wait times and potential future headaches for travelers, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters today.

Napolitano, speaking at an event this morning sponsored by Politico, said that a number of major airports had seen lines balloon to 150-200 percent their normal size. Among the airports she mentioned were Los Angeles International and Chicago's O'Hare, though she said she'd have to double-check the specific sites to be sure.

"If you're traveling, get to the airport earlier than you otherwise would," she warned. "There's only so much we can do with personnel, and please don't yell at the customs officers or the TSA officers, they are not responsible for sequester."

The delays appear to have been specific to those dealing with customs and not TSA security lines; customs cut back on overtime after the sequester kicked in while TSA has yet to adjust overtime or furlough any employees.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-...politano-says/

[Sprightly]

I must be missing something (which it wouldn't be the first time). How is that so?

Because the releases were planned prior to the sequester.

As of last week, the agency held an average daily population of 30,733 in its jails. The internal budget documents reviewed by the AP show the Obama administration had intended to reduce those figures to 25,748 by March 31.

The White House did not comment immediately Friday on the higher number of immigrants released.

ICE spokesman Brian Hale said Friday the numbers of immigration detainees fluctuate daily, but he reiterated only several hundred illegal immigrants had been released. “Beyond that normal movement, and as fiscal uncertainty remains over the continuing resolution and possible sequestration, ICE reviewed its detained population to ensure detention levels stay within ICE’s current budget and placed several hundred individuals on methods of supervision less costly than detention,” Hale said in a statement. “At this point, we don’t anticipate additional releases, but that could change.”

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013...more-in-march/

But neither the President nor the Secretary of Homeland Security knew about it.

[zenwalk]

And you don't link that situation to an already under-budgeted department? They state outright

and as fiscal uncertainty remains over the continuing resolution and possible sequestration, ICE reviewed its detained population to ensure detention levels stay within ICE’s current budget and placed several hundred individuals on methods of supervision less costly than detention,” Hale said in a statement. “At this point, we don’t anticipate additional releases, but that could change.”

[bmore_ken]

Maybe they should transfer some DEA budget since the bogus war on drugs is a joke