Backlash: Obama Regime’s Decision to Release Illegal Immigrant Prisoners Infuriates Republican Lawmakers

Via Bakersfield Now

The Regime’s decision to release illegal immigrants who were in detention awaiting deportation, has spawned a “furious backlash” from some members of Congress, the Washington Times reports:

Department officials have described the move as a cost-savings measure required by the budget sequesters, but two years ago one top official testified to Congress that detaining immigrants is usually cheaper than releasing them.

As the questions build, so does pressure on Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano, who has not yet answered the requests, signed by dozens of Senate and House members, to detail who exactly has been released, why they were being held in the first place, and who gave final approval.

“It is frankly irresponsible that your agency chose releasing detained immigrants as its first effort to control spending,” a group of 37 House Republicans, led by Reps. Matt Salmon of Arizona and Duncan Hunter of California, said in a letter Friday.

On Monday, Sen. Daniel Coats, the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee that oversees immigration, took to the Senate floor to say the department cannot duck his questions. He speculated that the release has already spurred a new wave of illegal immigration.

“I can see the traffickers pitching this to tens or hundreds of thousands of people, taking their money, getting them across the border, breaching the fence or tunneling under the fence or climbing over the fence,” Mr. Coats said.

An internal ICE memo obtained and released last week by the HouseJudiciary Committee found that the agency contemplated releasing 1,000 immigrants a week — far more than the several hundred it said it released.

On Fox News, Saturday, Congressman Steven King (R-IA) said that he would like to get ICE Chief, John Morton to appear before the House Judiciary  committee to explain the prison releases.

(Photo: CBS 2)

 A memo, sent by Morton to field office directors and all special agents last December, provides guidance on when they should issue detainers against illegal immigrants charged with crimes. Although Regime officials have been saying that the released detainees were only guilty of minor infractions, this memo gives you a good idea of how dangerous the 10 percent of illegals who are  incarcerated while awaiting their deportation hearings, are.

The list of persons subject to ICE holds includes:

• persons charged with felonies
• persons with three or more prior misdemeanor convictions
• persons charged with assault, DWI, unlawful flight from the scene of an accident
• drug distribution or trafficking
• sexual abuse or exploitation

Illegals are not detained if they’ve only been charged with minor misdemeanors or traffic violations.

A person charged with misdemeanor drug possession, with no allegation of distribution or trafficking, is also not subject to an ICE detainer.

On Fox News’  Justice with Jeanine, last Saturday, Pinal County Sheriff, Paul Babeu noted that among those released were criminals who had been “convicted not just charged – convicted for weapons violations, drug smuggling, (these are cartel members, these are narcotic traffickers!), drug dealers, these are people who have been in fights,  and aggravated assaults against police officers…. How in the world can you say these are low risk, non criminal detainees?!  These are the worst of the worst. These are people who have been convicted of child molestation! We have people who have been released, I’ve been told by ICE agents, who have been  charged with man-slaughter.”

Pirro brought up the whistleblowers who want to come forward and expose what’s going on. But Babeu said several memos have been sent out to ICE agents about the prisoner releases –  anyone who talks about it “outside our agency shall be disciplined up to and including termination, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.”  He said, “these federal agents, who swore an oath to protect our country, are being intimidated from doing the right thing.”

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Below is the correct audio for the incredible first hour of the Kris Kobach Show on KCMO, March 3, that I wanted to post, last week.. 

I had instructed my dear husband to grab the first eleven minutes of the first hour, so I could post it. (I can’t do it on Windows Movie-Maker) and he took the entire second hour – (which I didn’t even listen to, so I don’t even know what was on there). So I told him when I noticed it the next DAY, that I need the first eleven minutes of the first hour, and he immediately leaped into action (not). A week later, here it is. Stale news, I know. Oh, it’s the entire hour, instead of eleven minutes, again, too.

Most of the first hour was spent talking about ICE’s shocking and “bizarre” decision to release illegal immigrant prisoners:

Scaring us by releasing illegal immigrant criminals — “REALLY, Mr. President? Really?!” Kobach thundered.“This is a brazen abuse of power”, he said. “They crossed the line.”

“This is impeachment stuff!”

“You do not release dangerous criminals to make a point…”

Keep in mind, as you hear the air raid sirens,  that the sequester had just gone into effect a few days, before.