ImmigrationDHS official in charge of immigrant removal resigns
On the same day it was reported that hundreds of illegal immigrants facing deportations were released from federal detention because of upcoming sequestration-related budget cuts, the senior DHS official in charge of arresting and deporting illegal immigrants announced his retirement. The administration says the retirement of the official, Gary Mead, is unrelated to the decision to release the detainees.
On the same day it was reported that hundreds of illegal immigrants facing deportations were released from federal detention because of upcoming sequestration-related budget cuts, the senior DHS official in charge of arresting and deporting illegal immigrants announced his retirement.
The Washington Post reports that Gary Mead, the executive associatedirector over enforcement and removal operations at Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, on Tuesday announced his intention to retire in an e-mail. In the e-mail, which was obtained by the AP, Mead did not say why he was leaving the position, stating he was leaving “with mixed emotions.”
Gillian Christensen, a spokesman for the agency told the Washington Post that there was no connection between Mead’s resignation and the release of the detainees. Mead told several senior officials in the agency that he was going to retire weeks ago.
Tom Homan will take over for Mead as acting executive associate director.
Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, said the decision to release “a few hundred” of the thousands of illegal immigrants in federal custody was made by “career officials” and without input from the White House. All of the prisoners released will still face deportation if a judge orders it.
“All of these individuals remain in removal proceedings,” Carney said. “Priority for detention remains on serious criminal offenders and other individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety.”
The decision to release the immigrants was criticized by Republicans. The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), sent a letter Wednesday to ICE director John Morton asking who was released and what was being done to keep track of them.
“This decision reflects the lack of resource prioritization within the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is indicative of the department’s weak stance on national security,” McCaul wrote.
DHS secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters earlier this week that , if the sequestration took effect, DHS may not be able to afford to maintain the 34,000 jail beds that ICE is required to maintain.
“I don’t think we can maintain the same level of security at all places around the country with sequester as without sequester,” Napolitano told the Post, adding that the impact would be “like a rolling ball. It will keep growing.”
