Senior Homeland Security Official - retirement On Day Hundreds Of Illegal Immigrants Were Freed

TBI ^ | 2-27-2013 | Alicia A. Caldwell, Associated Press

[blam]

Senior Homeland Security Official Announces Retirement On Day Hundreds Of Illegal Immigrants Were Freed

Alicia A. Caldwell, Associated Press
February 27, 2013, 6:17 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The senior Homeland Security Department official in charge of arresting and deporting illegal immigrants announced his retirement the same day the agency said that hundreds of people facing deportation had been released from immigration jails due to looming budget cuts, according to a letter obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. The government said he had told his bosses weeks ago that he planned to retire.

Gary Mead, executive associate director over enforcement and removal operations at Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, disclosed his departure in an email to his staff Tuesday afternoon. The announcement of the release of the illegal immigrants had come earlier in the day.

President Barack Obama's spokesman, Jay Carney, said Wednesday that the decision to release the immigrants was made without any input from the White House. He described the immigrants as "low-risk, non-criminal detainees."

The announcement that a few hundred illegal immigrants were being released was among the most significant and direct implications described so far by the Obama administration about the pending, automatic budget cuts that will take effect later this week under what is known as sequestration.

Republicans in Congress quickly criticized the decision and pressed the Homeland Security Department for details.

In an email to his staff obtained by the AP, Mead said he was leaving the agency at the end of April "with mixed emotions." He did not say what prompted his departure. Mead did not immediately respond to an email and a telephone call.

A spokeswoman for the agency, Gillian Christensen, said there was no connection between Mead's announcement to his staff and the decision to release the illegal immigrants.

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[Wisconsinlady]

This guy had put in his retirement resignation weeks ago. They administration is just using this coincidence so they can say he quit because he he made the decision. If the White House is saying they didn’t know about this (yeah, right) then Janet Napolitano should be fired for going over Obama’s head.

[immadashell]

The choice was clear,”retire or get thrown under the bus.”

[Oldexpat]

KInda like the Pope..it was just a good time to be gone.

[Marcella]

I read the whole thing and it says those released are still subject to deportation from this country. Anyone think they can be found since they are now out of detainment? No, they are GONE. And, if they were subject to deportation, why didn't they dump them over the border NOW?

[calex59]

VThey administration is just using this coincidence so they can say he quit because he he made the decision.

Personally, I believe most people will think like I do, that his resignation was due to disgust at what the administration did in releasing all those illegals. After all there has to be some liberals with some integrity.

[immadashell]

After all there has to be some liberals with some integrity

Yes, there are some. They are known as "the easily duped."

[JimRed]

After all there has to be some liberals with some integrity.

You are entitled to your questionable opinion.

[JimRed]

And, if they were subject to deportation, why didn't they dump them over the border NOW?

Five miles inside Mexico, from choppers at 1,000 feet. In 'Nam I think they called that "flying lessons"; if the VC learned to fly before hitting the ground...