Return to Article: Bush moves to retain recess-appointed ICE chief
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21672
For those of you with less than 30 years of criminal investigative experience, let me share with you a historical fact. In July 1973, the federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) became the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As many as 300 US Customs Agents were pulled from the Treasury Department, many against their will and with no say in the matter, and put into the new DEA.
The change was difficult for many of the former US Customs Service agents to accept. However, years later, most if not all of those former Customs Agents were delighted to be with DEA. They received promotions and transfers to positions and locations never imagined with the US Customs Service. It took a good ten years for DEA to become the agency it is today.
Give ICE some time to evolve and with the 400-plus laws it is responsible to enforce, my guess is that more agents from other federal agencies will be looking to transfer into an ICE SA position. Before any of this will happen, ICE management, from HQ down to the SAC Offices, will need to make some major adjustments in their attitude about this agency.
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21271
"I am not only sickened but embarrassed as well by all the bickering that is still going on... if Customs was so great, why did Customs management always screw the agents out of money that they were rightfully and legally entitled to?... At least INS paid their Agents what they were entitled to."
I thought you were sickened and embarrassed by the bickering? The bickering is contributed to by poor leadership, but it is mainly symptomatic of ICE itself as an agency.
We all do our jobs in my office, as well. And while I do my job (and after I go home), I continue to speak out against this disaster. Why is it that so many of you can't grasp the concept that just because we have a problem with ICE doesn't mean we have stopped doing our jobs? As for the issues with DRO, those issues were put to rest before you chimed in. You obviously ignored those posts. Go back and re-read them (or read them for the first time). Your comments show no recognition whatsoever to those previous posts, most likely because they would have gotten in the way of the arguments you want to make.
Lastly, stop telling us we shouldn't have a problem with ICE when you didn't experience what we did. You don't have the same frame of reference from which to judge this, and I am tired of explaining this. The bottom line is that whatever ICE means to legacy INS 1811's, it was a huge step backward for legacy Customs 1811's. And surely you can't be dumb enough to think that anyone who has a problem can simply quit, are you? I thought this was obvious, but most of us aren't financially able to retire early and forfeit our pensions. The fact I have to point that out is pretty ridiculous.
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21259
Don't worry pal, as soon as I find something else, I will leave, as hundreds have already done since this foolish and unjustified merger! Since ICE is just the new INS, this hasn't been much of a change for legacy immigration agents, and they even got a promotion to a journeyman GS-13 out of it. Unfortunately, for the rest of us, this was a traumatic change in our careers that we never asked for, or wanted, and we got nothing from this but aggravation. If you can't understand that, that says a lot about you.
By the way, by your reasoning, the next time a legacy INS agent gets a duty call involving narcotics, or money laundering, or strategic, or fraud, they should just handle it, right? After all, as you said, we are told we have to handle immigration duty calls ourselves, rather than refer them to the human smuggling, benefit fraud, NSU, or other immigration groups. And you wonder why people are unhappy!
Customs agents didn't want to be INS agents, and vice versa. These morale problems will not go away, until all legacy Customs and INS agents are gone, and you only have ICE agents, who won't know any better. Of course, no matter what happens, this agency will never get any respect, and will remain the laughingstock of federal law enforcement unless and until the President and Congress finally decide to do the right thing, and provide decent leadership and direction to this sinking ship!
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21221
After reading all the comments, I am not only sicken but embarrassed as well by all the bickering that is still going on, even after four years. All I can say is get over it, ICE is here to stay and here it will be. Maybe, all this bickering is the sign of poor leadership at the top. If it is, it is poor leadership all the way around, not just Julie Meyers but Marcy Foreman and all those others that reside in the puzzle palace.
In our ASAC office, everyone does their job. It doesn't matter what agency you were originally in, all that matters is that you are now in ICE and in this office. The financial group handles money; the contraband group handles dope, child porn, etc... and the HTU handles alien smuggling. But when the duty agent gets an illegal alien call, that person and their group handles it. Doesn't matter which one it is. And we all work together!
By the way, if Customs was so great, why did Customs management always screw the agents out of money that they were rightfully and legally entitled to? It seems like every time I turn around, it's your working Saturday and it's LEAP not overtime, or no night differential or Sunday pay. Or you're working Saturday, it's LEAP and you don't get a lieu day off. All of these are violation of Federal Law but the legacy Customs management doesn't care. Their response is, go find a new job. At least INS paid their Agents what they were entitled to.
And as to the FBI, well blame Ridge for giving away the terrorism to the Federal Bureau of Incompetence.
And leave DRO alone. They have a tough job and don't need crybaby agents hassling them. When I was an INS SA, I worked closely with DRO and they conduct investigations, prosecute aliens, conducted surveillance, prepared cases for both District Court and Immigration Court. They also escorted aliens back to countries I would never step foot in, even if I was escorted by the 82nd Airborne Division and DO's do it without a firearm!
Final word, if you don't like ICE quit! Leave, we don't want you around, because you are a drain on my/our morale. Our jobs are tough enough without you.
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21176
Keep her? Why? Has she done anything worthwhile in the year or so since she was first recess-appointed (which, by the way, circumvented the will of Congress and the American people)? Nothing personal against Mrs. Wood, but in government circles, she is what is known as a party loyalist, and a lightweight, given her lack of experience.
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21026
The "ICE Princess" was nominated (for the second time) a month ago. Any word on what Congress is doing with this re-nomination, or are we looking at another recess appointment?
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20845
DRO said some things I agree with. There are indeed worthless agents in any agency. I never tried to insinuate that all INS SAs are worthless or all Customs SAs are great. There are indeed other series that ascend to 13's. I believe ICE intel analysts were just upgraded, whether anyone agrees with it or not. I don't care if DRO gets 13s. When DRO takes a lot of the administrative work away from OI, if you guys can have your 13s with that, have at it. Now you admit that you left for DRO due to the thanklessness of the job and the incompetence of some of your colleagues. What's strange is that you seem to have a serious problem with the Customs SAs who feel exactly the same way about their jobs after they were ruined under ICE with the same INS nonsense you described.
One place I have to disagree is that INS SAs should be 14s because the new guys can't process illegals. You're talking about an undertaking that's much more related to administrative rather than criminal job duties. As 1811s, our job is legally and by regulation required to revolve much more around criminal and investigative duties. Secondly, let's put the shoe on the other foot. I could say most Customs SAs should be 14s because after 3 years the new guys on the block can't seem to figure out how to conduct an investigation instead of processing illegals. I'm not kidding, but there was actually an INS SA in my office who, after being on the job and located at this office for many years, had to ask how to get to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As you've said some comments to raise someone's blood pressure here, that's what I've noticed for a while. It seems a lot of things you've said were said to get underneath peoples' skin. This makes me believe you take serious pleasure in the destruction of the morale of many legacy Customs SAs, and that's disturbing. It's a very twisted way to look at things - to take pleasure in someone else's ruin. I don't know what bad experience you had in the past (getting turned down from Customs, having to turn over a good case to Customs, jealousy for some other similar reason), but I didn't do it to you.
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20810
Hey, DRO, maybe it's just that we don't want to do a thankless job that we never signed on for, but were forced into. Customs agents were and still are some of the best criminal investigators in the federal government, but we never asked to be part of an agency in which we are being called out whenever a local police department encounters an illegal alien. Even legacy INS didn't do that! In fact, many INS agents left over the years to come to Customs, where they were welcomed, and thrived. If we had wanted to do that kind of work, we would have joined INS instead of Customs. Therefore, our current lack of enthusiasm is understandable.
The same would apply to anyone working at a job they liked, were good at, and were proud of, who were then ripped away from that, and saddled with a job they never asked for. We may be stuck with this mess, but that doesn't mean we're gonna embrace it, or like it.
So please excuse our lousy morale, but for many of us, this job has changed for the worse, and has become really tedious. And don't give us that nonsense about leaving if we're so unhappy, which has been the response of some of the idiots in charge of this disaster when confronted with valid complaints from the troops in the field. There aren't enough vacancies for 1811's out there to take the hundreds, if not thousands, of ICE agents who would leave if they could (although hundreds have done so already, since the creation of this mess in 2003). Funny, isn't it, how most Customs agents stayed till mandatory retirement age, while many ICE agents are bailing out as soon as they can.
Sorry if this upsets you, but the truth is the truth. Anyway, you're a big boy, and I'm sure you can handle it.
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20800
You're right -- I have no idea if DRO is going to 13s. I was just trying to raise that guy's blood pressure.
I do find it funny that everything you (DHS) described, complex investigations, process and analyze evidence, blah, blah would make us 1811s. We are not 1811s so therefore, no we don't do those things. Do you really believe that the only job series that has the promotion potential to the 13 grade level is the 1811 series? I know people who work in admin and they are non-supervisory GS 13's. Are they qualified for the GS 13 level? I am pretty sure that they don't do complex criminal investigations either. I don't know what the GS-13 requirements are for 1801s and I don't really care. If we get 13s great, if not, that's fine too. In all reality though, why would anyone care? If we get 13s does that make being a SSA any less prestigious?
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20788
When will DROs be GS-13s? I know, when pigs fly! Does the job require a college degree, plus advanced training? Does the job description for DROs require them to conduct complicated criminal investigations, serve warrants and subpoenas, interview witnesses, make criminal arrests, testify in court, write detailed reports, process and analyze evidence, or do any of the myriad other things that an 1811 does? I appreciate that you guys are doing a thankless but necessary job, but let's not be spreading these crazy rumors. Someone might actually believe you!
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20785
I was in OI and was one of those worthless INS Agents who put people in federal prison for many years apparently on administrative violations and received my 13. I left for DRO because I got sick of being taken away from my job to do the job of other agents who couldn't do it. It seems to me that INS agents should be GS 14's since processing an illegal alien is so difficult that after over 3 years the new guys on the block can't seem to figure out how to do it.
Basically, that is what the 1811 and Senior Special Agent title meant to me. It doesn't matter what I call myself, I make more money now and don't have any of the B.S. to deal with. No ego, just a good job that I enjoy doing again, more time with my kids, and a lot more happiness. If that job series and title are so important to you then fine, but don't slam your fellow agents because you are not as "special" as you once thought you were. I know that there are INS guys who are worthless but you have to admit that there are also your share of Customs guys who aren't exactly balls of fire. I worked with some very good agents and they do not deserve to be lumped into the "all INS stinks" crowd.
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20757
Although the government certainly didn't take money out of legacy Customs SAs paychecks to upgrade legacy INS SAs to GS-13s, that upgrade certainly wouldn't have happened without the merger of the two groups into one agency, thereby creating a pay disparity that they had no choice but to resolve in that fashion. And let's not forget the illegal noncompetitive upgrade of legacy INS supervisors from 13s to 14s. (For those who think the 13 upgrade was a long time coming, federal law and OPM regulations concerning necessary job duties state otherwise. It is also highly doubtful that INS would have been upgraded before agencies such as DEA which still don't have automatic 13s but which do have 14 supervisors.)
I'm curious how DRO deportation officers will be upgraded to GS-13s when legacy INS SAs didn't even qualify for this prior to ICE. At any rate, the good news is that DRO will be taking a ton of administrative work away from OI. When people want to call "immigration", they'll be calling DRO. This will solidify the standing of all OI SAs, regardless of legacy agency, as 1811 GS-13s who conduct criminal investigations. The bad news is that DOs still won't be 1811s (although they can still lie to their friends and family when trying to convince them they're "federal agents" just like the rest of us). Ouch! Better take care of that ego, indeed.
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20750
Mr. ICE, I suggest that you ensure that your office has one of those portable difibrilators at your desk. I'm hearing that DRO's Deportation Officers will be GS 13's soon. I guess that will be more money out of your paycheck since apparently the government took money out of your check to give to INS Agents. If that happens, will your ego be able to recover.
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20724
How about a hard-hitting piece of journalism, to expose the fiasco known as ICE? You can point to the fact that despite being in existence for almost 4 years, ICE still has lousy leadership; rock bottom morale; budget problems; lack of mission focus; inadequate training and administrative systems; the loss of traditional Customs authorities to the FBI, DEA, Coast Guard, etc.; the hemorrhage of experienced agents to other agencies or early retirement, and many other topics. The list of possibilities is endless! How about it, Government Executive? Are you up to this challenge? It's time the American people learned the truth about this mess, with help from the media. Then, maybe congress and the administration will finally wake up and acknowledge these problems, which is the first step to fixing them.
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20650
Unfortunately, nobody pays any attention to the numerous postings here and in other forums concerning the many failures of ICE. We are the new INS! Customs investigations have little or no place in this agency, as DEA expands its money laundering cases at our expense, while the FBI, which controls terrorism investigations, has begun to take over our strategic investigations, as well. Meanwhile, all we hear from headquarters is immigration this and immigration that. Legacy INS agents who receive customs-related duty calls (narcotics, IPR, financial, etc.) refer them to those respective groups, while legacy customs agents who receive immigration-related duty calls (which constitute the overwhelming majority of duty calls to my office) are told to handle them ourselves, and not refer them to legacy INS groups. Does anyone see a double standard here? We were dragged into this mess called ICE with absolutely no say in the matter, and had this thankless immigration job thrust upon us. If I had wanted to be an INS agent, I would have joined INS 20 years ago, instead of customs. Meanwhile, the legacy INS agents benefited by getting a journeyman grade 13 (which they couldn't justify at INS, because OPM regulations required grade 13s to conduct complex criminal investigations, instead of administrative arrests, as most INS agents did), while legacy customs agents got nothing from this merger. Are we bitter? Of course we are, at the stupidity which resulted in two agencies with absolutely nothing in common being forced together. Morale remains in the pits, and nobody cares. And nothing that Julie Myers, Russ Knocke and his fellow flacks, or the rest of the Kool-Aid drinkers in Washington say will change the sad reality of this horrible situation!
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20631
"The field personnel are pleading for a strong, aggressive leader. Does anyone hear us?"
No. No one hears you. And it is frankly impossible for our elected officials to care or know any less than they currently do about what has transpired under DHS. My advice: start looking at the job as nothing more than a way to earn a paycheck and do as little as possible. You have absolutely nothing to gain by extending yourself in any way for this thankless heap of rubbish known as DHS, ICE or CBP (they're all equally worthless), for the bumbling idiots responsible for these agencies, or for Congress.
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20573
Let's review. Last year Assistant Secretary Myers came in by way of a recess appointment as she did not pass Senate review. Before Christmas, the Senate returned her nomination without review. Does anyone see a pattern here?
Of course her headquarters staff will say she is well-suited for the job. How about asking the field personnel? How about reviewing the numerous comments made by field personnel in this very forum?
Why is morale within ICE at an all time low? Why are agents continuing to leave this agency which seems to be stuck in the mud? Why were there so many supervisor positions left vacant (some for more than a year) until recently? Why are there more supervisory vacancies that still have not been filled? Why are we still quarreling with DRO, CBP and other law enforcement agencies as to who does what? Why are legacy agents still not fully and adequately cross-trained? Why are we still the laughing stock of the law enforcement community?
More than five years after 9/11, we still don't have agency-wide contingency plans for another catastrophic event.
Numerous employees have written to their respective elected officials. Senators should dig up those correspondences and give them a careful review before any hearings take place.
The field personnel are pleading for a strong, aggressive leader. Does anyone hear us?
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20562
I strongly support President Bush in everything except his immigration position. I believe that he wants ICE to fail. And there is no one better to lead this agency to failure than Ms. Myers!
In the days of sailing ships when the hulls began to rot, dishonest ship owners would hire inexperienced captains who would do anything they were told. The young captains would deliberately or through their inexperience sink the ships. The ship owner would reap the insurance proceeds and be rid of a high maintenance ship. Of course the cargo owners (the taxpayers) and the crew (the ICE employees) paid the highest price! The natives (illegal aliens) would comb the beaches for the lost cargo.
I believe the sinking (its inability to do the job) of the USS ICE would further the president's immigration agenda.
Besides, everything that ICE does is already (or soon will be) done by other agencies. Customs and Border Protection has gotten its foot in the door of investigations by hiring GS 1801 internal affairs investigators. DEA does drugs, FBI does terrorism, fraud, and child pornography, etc.
At one time the USS Customs was the pride of the greatest fleet in the world.
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