Committee rips INS chief for tardy testimony

A hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on immigration reform was abruptly cancelled late Thursday, after the prime witness failed to submit his testimony in a timely fashion.

In a statement, Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., said he had decided to cancel the Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee hearing because Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner James Ziglar did not provide his testimony until noon Thursday.

"This is a clear violation of committee requirements, which all testifying are familiar with," Sensenbrenner said. "The deadline to receive this testimony was close of business Tuesday--a deadline made clear in the letter inviting Mr. Ziglar to testify and in subsequent conversations with INS staff."

The committee did not announce a new hearing date.

Ziglar's testimony was expected to focus on a proposal unveiled Wednesday by Attorney General John Ashcroft for restructuring the INS. A Justice Department spokeswoman was not available to comment on the hearing cancellation.