What a Concept? ICE Director Suggests Immigration Lawbreakers “Should be Uncomfortable”



Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director suggested a revolutionary new approach to dealing with the millions of people living illegally in the United States: Commonsense. Testifying before the House Appropriations Committee on June 13, Acting Director Thomas Homan shot back at the naysayers who have long argued that we just have to accept the phenomenon of mass illegal immigration because it is not feasible to deport that many people.

In his testimony, Homan asked for an additional $1.9 billion to increase deportations from the anemic levels of the Obama era, while making it clear that the realistic aim of his agency is to discourage people from coming and remaining in the U.S. illegally. “If you’re in this country illegally and you committed a crime by entering this country, you should be uncomfortable,” Homan said. “You should look over your shoulder, and you need to be worried.” You know, kind of like how we convince people to obey other civil laws. “The IRS doesn’t audit everybody, but we all know it’s a possibility,” Homan continued. “The highway patrol can’t arrest everybody for speeding, but if we speed, we know it’s a possibility we [could]get stopped. It should be no different with immigration enforcement. We’re a law enforcement agency that enforces the law and we shouldn’t play favorites.”

Wow, what a concept? Rather than making people who violate our immigration laws feel at home and protected from any threat of enforcement, Homan wants illegal aliens to feel a bit “uncomfortable” or “worried” that breaking the law could have consequences just like tax cheats and lead-foots. In the hyperbolic rhetoric of the illegal alien advocacy network, of course, which prefers the alternative adjectives “traumatized” and “terrorized,” Homan’s suggestion borders on the incendiary. Frank Sharry, executive director of the George Soros-funded America’s Voice and a long-time practitioner of alternative adjectives, responded predictably. “Wow. How revealing. Homan makes it clear that the ICE strategy is to indiscriminately target the entire undocumented population in America and to intentionally spread fear throughout millions of deeply rooted families.”

Equally shocked and dismayed were Democratic members of the Appropriations Committee. Maryland Representative C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger cautioned Homan not to increase the anxiety level of otherwise harmless illegal aliens, even those who engage harmless larks like driving under the influence. “DWI or traffic is not really considered to be the type of people that are hurting our country,” he said. (At least until these “type of people” actually kill somebody while driving drunk.)

But the real problem for the naysayers is that making lawbreakers uncomfortable and worried is a highly effective law enforcement strategy that is used to deter people from breaking laws – which is precisely why they don’t want ICE adopting it.

About Author

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Ira joined the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in 1986 with experience as a journalist, professor of journalism, special assistant to Gov. Richard Lamm (Colorado), and press secretary of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. His columns have appeared in National Review, LA Times, NY Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, and more. He is an experienced TV and radio commentator.

13 Comments

  1. Pingback: Must Know Headlines – ExposeTheMedia.com

  2. avatar
    George Peabody on

    ARREST illegal alien usurper Barack H. Obama aka Barry Soetoro to NDAA Prison for TREASON, I.D. Fraud Voter Fraud, Immigration Violation, SS# Fraud, Murder, ETC! PS: Criminal I.D. Fraud alien Barack Obama aka Barry Soetoro aka USURPER Obama is THE MOST DANGEROUS THREAT to USA!
    ARREST illegal alien usurper Barack H. Obama aka Barry Soetoro to NDAA Prison for TREASON, I.D. Fraud Voter Fraud, Immigration Violation, SS# Fraud, Murder, ETC! Install CC camera connected to internet one way view looking in on Obama by Americans and the World to keep Obama from escaping. Pay 4 View at 10¢ of Obama in prison writing his $60-M memoirs with a pencil on toilet paper will raise so much money Americans will never again have to pay taxes. Add in Clintons and Soros in prison, and the Pay4View will be so popular that the $20-Trillion Debt will be paid off in 5-years. Arrest them NOW! Pay4View online! DO IT NOW ! Seriously!
    And, impeach these judges and Hawaii governor David Ige for putting America at risk, as in TREASON, for their own political agendas.

  3. avatar

    SHOULD ALL UNAUTHORIZED FOREIGN NATIONALS
    LIVE IN FEAR?

    If about half of the 11.3 million citizens of other countries
    living in the USA without permission
    are ultimately going to be accepted into the American family,
    then they should not live in fear while waiting for immigration reform.

    Perhaps DACA will set an example for all unauthorized immigrants:
    About half of the foreign nationals who are eligible will register themselves.
    The other half will find themselves deported in due course.

    When permitted to register themselves,
    the best half of the other unauthorized foreign nationals
    will voluntarily put themselves on the growing list
    kept by the Department of Homeland Security.

    Those who have little chance of becoming American citizens
    will try to stay in the shadows as long as possible.
    Eventually they will be located and deported.

    Which visitors will fall into each half?
    Here are some likely criteria to be used
    for separating the sheep from the goats
    —those who can stay and those who must return home:
    https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-website-jamesleonardpark—freelibrary-3puxk/CY-IDEAL.html

  4. avatar

    https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/the-problem-with-downplaying-immigrant-crime/399905/
    The Problem With Downplaying Immigrant Crime

    http://www.gao.gov/assets/320/316959.pdf
    CRIMINAL ALIEN STATISTICS
    Information on Incarcerations, Arrests, and Costs

    https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/06/04/criminal-immigrants-reoffend-higher-rates-than-ice-has-suggested/l0OpCWfTdCuTNLIAfxApAO/story.html
    Criminal immigrants reoffend at higher rates than ICE has suggested

  5. avatar

    Well, this goes back to The People. This is not Russia where the gov governs by fear. So, we are at fault for allowing this: Immigration Reform is the only way to fix this with the lessons learned from the past.

    They can keep on saying, you stayed illegally therefore you are a criminal, but we all now that is not accurate not all are criminals…..

    We will keep on signing the same song…it has been long since 1986…..by the time IF, we fix this by 2050 half the population will already be descendants of illegals…

    • avatar

      This is not Russia. On the other hand, the concept that criminals should be given preferential treatment to the general population is not beneficial to the country.
      We must enforce our laws or the laws are meaningless.

      • avatar

        Your feedback does hold water if you attempted to connected to mine. IF not explain pleas how so….