DEATH BLOW TO GUEST WORKER AMNESTY:GAO REPORT EXPOSES MASSIVE MISMANAGEMENT AND CORRUPTION

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has dealt the fatal blow to the controversial concept of Guest Worker Amnesty to 12 million illegal aliens now living in the United States in defiance of our laws. The GAO is the investigative arm of Congress charged with examining matters relating to the receipt and payment of public funds.

In a devastating report released today, the GAO charges the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) – this is the agency under the Department of Homeland Security that would be in charge of proposed Guest Worker Amnesty – with a failed organizational infrastructure and massive mismanagement and corruption.

On the eve of debate in the Senate Judiciary Committee, of the House passed Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 - HR 4437, the GAO report exposes rampant immigration chaos and USCIS corruption. Among the GAO's most alarming findings are that 33 percent of religious worker visas were issued fraudulently. There is documented evidence that radical Islamists, with ties to terrorist organizations, have used the religious worker visa category to gain admission to the United States .

The timing of the report mars the hopes of millions of unethical employers, that on or off their payroll employ 12 million illegal aliens. These crooks were counting on lobbying efforts by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other pro-illegal immigration advocates, for influencing passage of a Guest Worker Amnesty Bill in the Senate.

The Government agency that would be responsible for administering the controversial Guest Worker Amnesty that would reward 12 million illegal aliens living and working un-lawfully with legal status, is the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The Copley News Service reported on March 7 th , that prior to the damning GAO report, “Michael Maxwell stepped down last month as director of the Office of Security at USCIS, and sought protection under the federal whistle-blower protection law. He claims that senior agency officials had been retaliating against him for telling Congress about what he described as serious national security vulnerabilities that persisted despite his warnings to those running the agency.”

In addition, Maxwell claims the agency lacks the resources to handle some 500 allegations of criminal misconduct against agency employees, including allegations of espionage and acceptance of bribes.

Citizenship and Immigration Services spokeswoman Angelica Alfonso declined requests for an interview. She released a statement yesterday that said the agency is confident of its processes, and that it takes the allegations seriously. This has to be taken with a huge grain of salt as the agency has been under investigation since 2001.

One of Maxwell's attorneys, Rosemary Jenks, said his concerns demonstrate an underlying tension between Citizenship and Immigration Services' dual missions of providing immigration benefits to applicants and of protecting national secur ity.”

See Full Report here: (http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/gaoimmbenefits31006.pdfIn 2002)

The just released GAO report documents that immigration benefit fraud was pervasive and significant and the approach to controlling it was fragmented. Experts believe that individuals ineligible for these benefits, including terrorists and criminals, could use fraudulent means to enter or remain in the U.S. The Congress requested that GAO evaluate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's (USCIS) anti-fraud efforts.

The report addresses the questions: (1) What do available data and information indicate regarding the nature and extent of fraud? (2) What actions has USCIS taken to improve its ability to detect fraud? (3) What actions does the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) take to sanction those who commit fraud?

Hordes of immigration law attorneys have joined the ranks of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other organizations dedicated to cheapening the wages of American workers through the oversupply of desperate illegal foreign workers. How? Through massive illegal immigration! Our unprotected borders have been allowed to fester with a booming $140 billion per year in drug trafficking and $10 billion dollar in human trafficking in the name of America 's addiction to cheap illegal labor.

Which immigration law firm would not like to have a client base of 12 million desperate illegal aliens that grows at the rate of 2.5 million per year.

In one of the largest labor certification fraud schemes ever uncovered by the GAO, federal investigators found evidence that a single prominent immigration attorney in the Washington, D.C., area submitted at least 1,436 and perhaps as many as 2,700 fraudulent employment applications between 1998 and 2002. According to the sworn testimony of a Department of Labor (DOL) special agent, this attorney and his associates are alleged to have made at least $11.4 million for the 1,400 applications that the agent reviewed, in all of which he found evidence of fraud, and perhaps as much as $21.6 million if all 2,700 applications were fraudulent, as he strongly suspected.

The GAO reports goes on to say, “Some individuals seeking immigration benefits pose a threat to national security and public safety, and white collar and other criminals sometimes facilitate immigration benefit fraud. For example, according to Office of Fraud Detection and National Security ( FDNS ) , each year about 5,200 immigration benefit applicants are identified as potential national security risks, because their personal information matches information contained in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Interagency Border Inspection System, a database of immigration law violators and people of national security interest. Additionally, according to federal prosecutors, immigration benefit fraud may involve other criminal activity, such as income tax evasion, money laundering, production of fraudulent documents, and conspiracy. Also, organized crime groups have used sophisticated immigration fraud schemes, such as creating shell companies, to bring in aliens ostensibly as employees of these companies. In addition, a number of individuals linked to a hostile foreign power's intelligence service were found to have been employed as temporary alien workers on military research.”

Unethical immigration law attorneys should be charged with aiding and abetting illegal immigrats and in creating an unlawful climate that puts all of us at risk of terrorism. Why? Because o nce one of their clients obtains a temporary work authorization fraudulently, an alien can use it to obtain other valid identity documents such as a temporary social security card and a driver's license, thus facilitating their living and working in the United States . It is important to recognize, in the illegal immigration debate, who butters the immigration attorney's bread.

The GAO found that the USCIS is completely unprepared to handle their 7.5 million case work load with their 3000 employees and this is made all the more unlikely given the management system shortfalls and the brazen level of corruption within the organization. Few if any of the present 500 allegations of criminal misconduct against agency employees will be prosecuted. The GAO finds the agency as it stands will be unable to handle the proposed Guest Worker Amnesty proposals bandied about by President Bush and a bi-partisan group of Senators influenced by tearful pleads accompanied by campaign contributions from employers who currently employ illegal aliens.

USCIS mismanagement and corruption is a menace given that Donna Bucella , the Director of the federal Terrorist Screening Center said Tuesday that the agency maintains a list of 200,000 people known or suspected to be terrorists. She reported yesterday, March 14, 2006, that Police and other government workers in the U.S. have come in contact with terrorists or people suspected of foreign terror ties more than 6,000 times in the past 28 months. In addition, she said, that there have been about 28,000 matches worldwide, many of those from U.S. diplomatic outposts that screen applicants for visas to enter the United States .

Does is seem to you that President Bush is doing all that is possible or necessary to secure our borders and to keep us safe from terrorism by enforcing immigration law? Can we trust the Senate with giving us a Guest Worker Amnesty program that is not tainted by political contributions from illegal alien employers? Can we trust that a Guest Worker Amnesty, if approved, would be adequately administered by the USCIS?

Write and call your Senators and share with them your views on Guest Worker Amnesty for 12 million illegal aliens and 200,000 known terrorists, any one of whom could have already slipped through our unprotected borders, or planning to do so.

It has been four and half years since the findings of the 9/11 Commission. Securing our borders was the number one concern of the Commission. None of its border security recommendation have been enacted much less even funded. That is why I decided to become a candidate for the California 41 st Assembly District. I need and welcome your support and contributions.

The Field Poll of September 2005 shows 81% of Californians are concerned about illegal immigration. The Field Poll of March 2006 shows 57% of registered voters and 71% of Republicans have an unfavorable view of illegal immigration. We can win this race!

Support candidates that stand for border security and immigration law enforcement at every level of government, our nation is in danger.

I know you all are doing a tough job, I hope recent events put the kybash on amnesty. It also must be disheartening when a very small percent of agents go down the wrong road. IMO crime and corruption will only increase in every aspect of America when it is further influenced by a growing Hispanic culture where it is part and parcel. That is a road I don't want to see America go down.
......
Message from the Acting Commissioner to all CBP Employees: Combatting
Corruption

March 10, 2006

Some disturbing events happened yesterday that I want to share with you.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer in Brownsville,
Texas, was arrested following an investigation into allegations that he
accepted bribes to allow illegal drugs to pass through an international
bridge in the Brownsville area. In addition, two Supervisory Border
Patrol Agents in El Centro, California, were indicted on charges
including conspiracy to smuggle undocumented aliens into the country in
exchange for bribes.
(http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060309-1237-bn09border.html)
Less than two weeks ago, a former Border Patrol Agent in Laredo, Texas,
was sentenced to twenty years in prison and ordered to forfeit $1.5
million in drug proceeds pursuant to his arrest and conviction on
federal corruption charges. Specifically, the former agent was convicted
of utilizing his position to allow illegal drugs to be smuggled through
a checkpoint in Hebbronville, Texas.

I know these corrupt acts disturb you just as much as they disturb me.
Corruption, or the abuse of public office for private gain, is not a new
phenomenon in law enforcement agencies. However, in the post 9/11
environment, the consequences of corruption have never been greater. A
single corrupt act on the part of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) employee could threaten our national security.

Earlier this month, we took a moment to recognize the third anniversary
of the formation of CBP and celebrated a long list of significant
accomplishments for which we as public servants can all be proud.
Unfortunately, we must also realize that in organizations as large and
as diverse as CBP, a small fraction of the workforce will always be
susceptible to corruption. The additional examples of criminal
misconduct by CBP employees detailed below offer a clear reminder of the
personal and professional costs associated with integrity failures.
Like you and I, these employees took an oath to faithfully discharge the
duties of their position. They too carried a badge signifying they were
worthy of the public's trust. Ultimately, they proved unworthy of this
trust. Their actions tarnish our honor and the tradition of excellence
we work so diligently to preserve. These examples should be a "wake-up
call" to all of us:

* A former supervisor in Newark, New Jersey, was sentenced in January
to more than 24 years in federal prison for helping to smuggle thousands
of kilos of cocaine through Newark's seaport and airport;

* A former employee in El Centro, California, was sentenced this past
December to five years in federal prison for attempting to smuggle
nearly 750 pounds of marijuana across the border in his government
vehicle;

* A former employee in El Cajon, California, pleaded guilty last month
to conspiring to smuggle at least 100 aliens into the country during his
employment and making a false claim to U.S. citizenship; and

* A former employee in Sonoita, Arizona, was recently arraigned on
charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession
of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Examples such as these can neither be ignored nor dismissed as "other
people's problems." Rather, we must do everything in our power to deter
and detect corruption within our own ranks. As the guardians of our
Nation's borders, and we cannot afford a weak link - we are America's
frontline. Not only must we uphold our individual integrity, we must
also be alert to the behavior and actions of those around us.

In carrying out our mission, CBP's greatest achievements can be traced
back to the training, judgment and professionalism of our employees.
Those same attributes must be utilized in our effort to combat
corruption. The message is simple:

* Be accountable for your own actions;

* Be cognizant of your surroundings and the actions of those around
you; and

* Report suspicious behavior, including attempted bribes, to
appropriate authorities (1-877-2INTAKE or joint.intake@dhs.gov).

To ensure that this subject remains at the forefront of our collective
awareness, we will continue to share the consequences of corruption with
you through regular communications. We will also highlight employees
whose actions or decisions epitomize integrity - because we know that
for every employee who betrays the trust, there are countless others who
exemplify it every day.

During my visits to CBP locations nationwide and in reading the numerous
letters that cross my desk, many of you voice interest in helping to
shape this organization and your respective workplaces. This is an
opportunity for everyone to do just that. Idle words are not enough -
it's time for action. Be vigilant and do your part to combat corruption.

Deborah J. Spero
Acting Commissioner

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.