ICE= Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Why would the President appoint someone with very poor qualifications to be in charge of the agency that oversees Customs, Border Patrol, and catching illegal aliens?  Guess he doesn't care about any of the illegal immigration problems.

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3567245.html

Bush ICE appointment an end-run around Senate


By JULIE MASON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Wednesday appointed a 36-year-old lawyer to head the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Homeland Security Department despite critics' concerns about her qualifications.

Bush's recess appointment of Julie L. Myers was an end-run around the Senate, where her nomination to lead the massive, troubled immigration and customs operation had been stalled.

"It's disappointing," said TJ Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing 9,000 border patrol employees.

"This is further evidence of this administration's lack of commitment to meaningfully addressing the illegal immigration crisis," he said. "It is just blatant cronyism, and I am sure she is a bright and talented young woman, but this is not the place to put someone with such a steep learning curve."

In addition to strong backing from the White House, Myers' nomination had the full support of Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff, who was her former boss at the Justice Department.

With a work force of nearly 20,000 and an annual budget of $4 billion, ICE is the second-largest law enforcement agency in the federal government. It is responsible for policing the border, including transportation systems and infrastructure, and enforcing immigration laws.

Myers, a former White House aide, is the niece of Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Her husband, John F. Wood, is chief of staff to Chertoff.

By installing Myers in office while Congress is in recess, Bush circumvents Senate approval of her nomination. Her appointment will expire in January 2007, when the next session of Congress begins.

Myers was among 17 recess appointments announced late Wednesday by the White House. Also on the list was Texan Gordon England, appointed to deputy secretary of defense.

In October, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved Myers' nomination in a 9-6 vote, with all the panel's Republicans in favor and six Democrats objecting, primarily on the grounds that she appeared unqualified.

At her Senate confirmation hearing in September, Myers told the committee that she would rely on more experienced employees in the department to help navigate the job.

"I realize that I'm not 80 years old," Myers testified at the time. "I have a few gray hairs, more coming, but I will seek to work with those who are knowledgeable in this area, who know more than I do."

Immigration and Customs Enforcement was created March 1, 2003, when U.S. Customs and the Immigration and Naturalization Service were merged and placed under the auspices of Homeland Security.

In recent years, the agency has been troubled by low morale, a series of unpopular political appointees and a sense of despair over a lack of progress and direction in immigration enforcement.

Bush has made reforming immigration policy and tightening the borders a top priority in recent months, but there has been little progress on the issue in Congress, particularly on the president's proposal to create a guest worker plan for immigrants.

Myers' nomination came into focus immediately after Michael Brown, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, also beset by questions about qualifications and cronyism, stepped down after the agency's mishandling of the Hurricane Katrina response.

Myers, a Kansas native, is a former White House special assistant for presidential personnel, and worked for Chertoff as his chief of staff when he headed the Justice Department's criminal division.

As assistant secretary at the Commerce Department, she supervised 170 employees and headed the department's enforcement of export control laws. She also worked at the Treasury Department, serving as deputy assistant secretary for money laundering and financial crimes.

Before that, Myers worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, and also worked for Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth L. Starr.

By federal statute, the head of ICE is required to have at least five years of experience in both law enforcement and management. Her supporters and their foes are at odds over how to quantify her work experience and whether she meets the requirement.

[email protected]

Great.  Another political hand-job.

Since ICE isn't really doing its job anyway (or doesn't have the funds/manpower to do so), what difference does it make if a qualified or non-qualified person is in charge?

Quoted: Since ICE isn't really doing its job anyway (or doesn't have the funds/manpower to do so), what difference does it make if a qualified or non-qualified person is in charge?

Maybe if we get a qualified hard charging person they will do something!

I heard about this weeks ago, certainly before Christmas.

Just another example of bad appointments, remember Meyers?

Myers, a former White House aide, is the niece of Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Her husband, John F. Wood, is chief of staff to Chertoff.

Got the job because of who she's related to and who she's sleeping with.  

Field expericance as a sworn BP agent should be a required for that post.

Got to have so many women, or the feminazis get pissed.

Geez.   Normally the originator of this thread is what I would clearly classify as an agent provocateur.   However, this nomination is one I've been following and there really is no excuse for how abysmal the selection is.   Bush has no excuse and I've already voiced my dissatisfaction through official and unofficial channels.  

behold, I give you

the beginning of the end for the GOP

+1

Quoted: Quoted: Since ICE isn't really doing its job anyway (or doesn't have the funds/manpower to do so), what difference does it make if a qualified or non-qualified person is in charge? Maybe if we get a qualified hard charging person they will do something!

The administration doesn't want them to do anything major, like start rounding up illegals by the busload. They want to keep things just how they are until they can get their guest worker program passed. So now three of the last four people who have ran ICE under this administartion have been lawyers, been working out great so far

Quoted: Since ICE isn't really doing its job anyway (or doesn't have the funds/manpower to do so), what difference does it make if a qualified or non-qualified person is in charge?

You are kidding, right?

chertoff seemed to be a bit of a stooge after katrina. myers likely will be too. sometimes i really do wonder about bush, it almost seems as if he is singlehandedly trying to destroy the republican party.

Quoted: Field expericance as a sworn BP agent should be a required for that post.

Yup, unless they just want another chertoff-jerkoff

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES ILLEGALS BUSHS FAULT

Quoted: Quoted: Field expericance as a sworn BP agent should be a required for that post. Yup, unless they just want another chertoff-jerkoff THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES ILLEGALS BUSHS FAULT

It's amazing how many news stories you can find on the negative impacts of illegal aliens on our society, yet our president puts an unqualified person in charge of the department that takes care of border security, customs, and catching and deporting illegal aliens.

Bush doing stupid things like this is the number one reason that John McCain is leading all the 2008 presidential polls.  This type of thing makes it hard for Republican's to back anything Bush related and right now the only other option is what McCain is saying.

Is she hot?

Quoted: Myers, a former White House aide, is the niece of Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Her husband, John F. Wood, is chief of staff to Chertoff. Got the job because of who she's related to and who she's sleeping with.   Field expericance as a sworn BP agent should be a required for that post.

Yea, but when has actual experience ever been considered in a political appointment?!

ICE has a long way to go to be accepted as a strong acting Law Enforcement Agency.

Julie L. Myers is not going to help.  She's just one of several questionable appointments.

Very few of those involve in running Homeland Security (ICE/CBP etc.) have any experience in Law Enforcement.

i voted for W

i supported W

i believe in his leadership as it pertains to the GWOT


but he's a fucking dumbass and is his own worst enemy. didnt he learn anything from harriet myers and michael brown? STUPID STUPID STUPID. i thought carl roves job was to keep him from doing stupid shit. this is the first time ive felt this but..... i hope the liberal press gets ahold of this like a pitbull.

I would have thought Jorge would have learned his lesson with the FEMA dude.

Quoted: Since ICE isn't really doing its job anyway (or doesn't have the funds/manpower to do so), what difference does it make if a qualified or non-qualified person is in charge?

In this case, its means he didnt promote from within the organization.  In other words: He probably was tired of their attitude and ineffectiveness, so he appointed an outsider.

Kharn

Mmmmmm...............Bush ICE....

Quoted: ICE= Immigration and Customs Enforcement Why would the President appoint someone with very poor qualifications to be in charge of the agency that oversees Customs, Border Patrol, and catching illegal aliens?  Guess he doesn't care about any of the illegal immigration problems.

Well let us see. Our country is over run with customs violations (both drugs coming through the border as well as countefeit stuff), the borders are a joke, and the only illegal aliens they seem to be able to catch are the ones that voluntarily turn them self in. So it seems like getting someone with a fresh view on how to solve these problems is the answer, not a person with a career history of being part of this dismal failure.

Quoted: Quoted: ICE= Immigration and Customs Enforcement Why would the President appoint someone with very poor qualifications to be in charge of the agency that oversees Customs, Border Patrol, and catching illegal aliens?  Guess he doesn't care about any of the illegal immigration problems. Well let us see. Our country is over run with customs violations (both drugs coming through the border as well as countefeit stuff), the borders are a joke, and the only illegal aliens they seem to be able to catch are the ones that voluntarily turn them self in. So it seems like getting someone with a fresh view on how to solve these problems is the answer, not a person with a career history of being part of this dismal failure.

Yeah, I always like to go with people with no experience to handle problem situations