Speech #1130127786

Don Hill. and the ongoing case against Dallas county commissioner John Wiley Priceboth members of her political partywhich put her in some disfavor. as you might imagine. in Democratic political circles. But it was something which demonstrated to me that she was a person of courage and conviction and she believed in enforcing the law beyond purely deferring to personal political interests. Throughout her career she has developed an outstanding reputation. and based on her qualifications alone. we would be hardpressed to find a person better suited for the job at Immigration and Customs Enforcement than Sarah Saldana. Unfortunately. the President changed everything this last November by his Executive action on immigration. To be clearI have said this before on the floor. but I will just repeatI believe the Presidents actions are beyond his constitutional authority and are a reckless political stunt. Here are the sorts of things the President is claiming to do. The Department of Homeland Security has issued a series of directives pursuant to the Presidents instructions on November 21. doing everything from repealing the Secure Communities Program. by which local law enforcement cooperates with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and when a person is arrested who also is in the country illegally. they are detained by local law enforcement. even though they have served their time or otherwise are subject to release so that ICE can come pick them up and return them to their country of origin. The Presidents Executive action and the Department of Homeland Security directives pursuant to that eliminate the Secure Communities Program. It also purports to prioritize immigration enforcement according to three priorities. The problem is these add even more confusion to what is already an indecipherable and confusing mess. and it also puts to the lowest priority people who have been convicted of crimes such as child abuse. stalking. theft. some child pornography offenses. possession. distribution of alcohol to minors. hitandrun. including some hate crimes. property destruction. false imprisonment. some abduction offenses and the like. In other words. the Presidents priorities for immigration enforcement really represent a wholesale change in the lawif they were actually authorized. Until they are set aside by a court or if Congress were to repeal them along with what would require a Presidential signature. they are the standing requirement for any Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The President. purportedly. also used his authority to issue work permits for millions of people illegally in the country. While I dont believe our country would ever engage in mass deportation. the fact that the President has usurped the authority of Congress and purports to take on the authority to issue work permits to people illegally in the country to me is mind boggling. This is the situation into which the President has put a good and decent person such as Sarah Saldana. The President has put the next Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in an untenable position. When confirmed. she will be the principal enforcer of our immigration laws. Unfortunately. she now claims the President was operating within his legal authority to issue this Executive action. I say that because several Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee issued written questions to the nominee about this Executive action. and it is clear in her responses that Ms.