Posted on 03/23/2007 6:41:05 AM PDT by radar101
There was a perception that the less experienced attorneys assigned to the team that processed all immigration and border cases needed more support and instruction before, during and after court proceedings and during plea negotiations. In June 2006, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein wrote to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to express concerns about Carol Lam's performance in office:
“It has come to my attention that despite high apprehension rates by Border Patrol agents along California's border with Mexico, prosecutions by the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of California appear to lag behind. . . . It is my understanding that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California may have some of the most restrictive prosecutorial guidelines nationwide for immigration cases, such that many Border Patrol agents end up not referring their cases … I also want to stress the importance of vigorously prosecuting these types of cases so that California isn't viewed as an easy entry point for alien smugglers because there is no fear of prosecution if caught.”
In July 2006, San Diego Border Patrol Sector Chief Darryl Griffen expressed concerns about changes made by Carol Lam to prosecutorial policies related to smugglers in front of a bipartisan House panel:
“Foot guides are the foot soldiers for the criminal cartels that traffic cargo, narcotics and contraband across our border,” said Griffen who explained how Lam's policies reduced prosecutions of foot guides from 367 in one fiscal year to only five under the new policy in the following year. “What would happen then, we would apprehend people that were guiding people across the country, many times at risk. And without meeting prosecution guidelines, they were simply voluntarily returning back to Mexico where they could continue to conduct illicit activity. There is no level of consequences,” Griffen stated
(Excerpt) Read more at issa.house.gov ...
yuk, yuk!
Rep. Issa, Former U.S. Attorney Carol Lam to Testify at Subcommittee Hearing on Removal of Seven U.S. Attorneys
Carole Lam was not an "AG" as indicated in your headline, she was a U.S. Atttorney.
Always use the actual headline (then put the editorial comment in parentheses)...
Fox showed this last night: Dianne Feinstein, then and now. Isn't technology wonderful? :-)
Based on what I've seen regarding Dubya's attitude concerning illegal immigration, they probably got rid of Carol Lam because they thought five prosecutions was entirely too many.
Very Well, I apologize for the error. My intent was to point out that feinstein said one thing then and is now saying another.
Again, Sorry for the Error
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