Posted on 12/17/2017 8:39:33 AM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen made it clear during her first full week on the job that border security and the enforcement of immigration laws is her top priority, and said those priorities came directly from President Trump.
"The president has made it clear that my number one priority as secretary of Homeland Security is to protect America from all threats," Nielsen told the Washington Examiner on Friday. "As I discussed this week, making America safe starts with securing our borders, increasing interior immigration enforcement, protecting our communities, and dismantling transnational criminal organizations."
"We have accomplished much, but to fully protect the nation, Congress must adopt legislation that closes the loopholes that incentivize illegal immigration, provides the funds needed to build the wall, and reforms the outdated immigration system," she added.
Nielsen wasted no time getting to work after being sworn in as the country's sixth secretary of the 16-year-old department on Dec. 6. She was confirmed by the Senate with bipartisan support a day earlier.
By Tuesday, Nielsen had departed Washington for a press conference in Baltimore on MS-13, a transnational gang that originated in Central America and is associated with cross-border drug cartels. Nielsen appeared alongside Attorney General Jeff Sessions and said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will "no longer look the other way" when encountering "other immigration offenders" while going after criminal aliens, including illegal immigrant gang members.
During that press conference, Nielsen criticized current immigration policies as "misguided." The Trump administration is consequently "putting in place new measures to keep terrorists from entering" the U.S., including a proposal to replace the diversity visa lottery with a merit-based system. She cited the recent New York City suicide bomber alleged attempt to attack the city as an example of how a foreigner abused the current immigration system to get into the country.
That same day, Nielsen headed south to Austin, Texas, where she condemned local jurisdictions that have prioritized protecting criminals, including MS-13 gang members, over citizens. She called on other states to follow Texas' example and ban the type of non-compliant policies Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez had vowed not to comply with ICE detainer requests.
On Wednesday, the Nielsen visited with Customs and Border Protection's acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello and Chief Patrol Agent for the Rio Grand Valley, Manuel Padilla Jr., in Hidalgo, Texas. The trio toured the Rio Grande zone, which has seen a significant uptake in the number of illegal immigrant apprehensions over the past couple years despite downturns in San Diego, Calif., and parts of Arizona.
Nielsen told Fox News she has $1.8 billion that she can start spending on the U.S.-Mexico border wall and will allocate some of that money to "major improvements" in the Rio Grande over the next year.
"We actually have about 55 miles around this area. It's non-contiguous," Nielsen said. "So the 28 miles that we are prioritizing will actually fill in the gaps."
On Thursday, Nielsen addressed transnational criminal organizations at a U.S.-Mexico event and called the southern country a critical partner to stopping the smuggling of people, cash, and narcotics.
At the @StateDept with Deputy Secretary Sullivan, @USAGSessions, #Mexico's Foreign Secretary @LVidegaray, Secretary of Interior @osoriochong, & Acting Attorney General Beltran working on combating Transnational Criminal Organizations. pic.twitter.com/K6GNkrWId6— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) December 14, 2017
The secretary rounded up the week by announcing the Trump administration's plan to start requiring countries with high rates of citizens overstaying select visas in the U.S. to launch campaigns educating people against breaking immigration laws.
Four countries — Portugal, Greece, Hungary, and San Marino — which had overstay rates on business or tourism nonimmigrant visas of greater than 2 percent last year will be required to create public information campaigns that educate people about the conditions for admission to the U.S.
The change to this specific program was made in order to ensure the VWP has the appropriate security requirements in place to make sure terrorists and criminals cannot exploit the program.
"The United States faces an adaptive and agile enemy, as terrorists continue to explore ways to reach our country and to direct, enable, and inspire attacks against us," Nielsen said in a statement Friday. "It’s critically important we stay ahead of these threats by improving our security posture. These enhancements will strengthen the program, and they are part of our continued efforts to raise the baseline for homeland security across the board."
Talk is cheap. She has a known history. She is a deep state embed and immigration saboteur until she proves otherwise.
I like that she went to Baldymore and Austin right away. That’s kind of in your face. And while 1.8 bill won’t be all they need, it’s probably all they need for the next year or so.
I agree. Hopefully she realizes she serves at the pleasure of President Trump.
But the Boss carries the whip. She can ‘feel’ whatever she wants but if she intends to keeping her job, she will have to do what the rest of us do. Did it even raise to your consciousness she may be a good administrator for her past bosses?
Trust but verify for this bird. She has said many stupid things in the past. I hope she carries out Trumps illegal immigration orders faithfully.
She is a typical DC bureaucrat, she had a high level job at Homeland Security under GWB and is considered a policy wonk.
President: Donald Trump
Leader John F. Kelly
Isn't DHS secretary a cabinet level position and does anybody else find it strange that she reports to chief of staff John F. Kelly -- perceived or otherwise. I would think that a cabinet level secretary would report directly to PDJT and the Chief of staff would schedule her appoints with PDJT pro forma.
“Talk is cheap. She has a known history. She is a deep state embed and immigration saboteur until she proves otherwise.”
I share the skepticism, dennisw. She’s saying the right things but we’ll see what her actions will be. As you say, her past history on immigration issues is not inspiring.
This woman has a terrible, terrible history as an open borders supporter. She was a horrifically bad choice for this job. Trump made a major error with this one. We will see what happens.
Love the tough talk, but I really need to see some action.
So far, I haven’t seen any reduction in the number of illegals in my trade. They’re still stealing jobs from me, left fight and center.
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