State agency denies ICE request for worker records (NM)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | August 8, 2019 | Dan Boyd

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE – A federal immigration agency sought direct access to New Mexico worker and employer records last week, but permission was ultimately denied by a Cabinet secretary in Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration.

The repeated requests from an El Paso-based U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official came just days before ICE agents raided several food-processing plants in Mississippi and reportedly arrested more than 600 individuals believed to be working in the country without authorization.

In New Mexico, last week’s requests for employee records were sent to several officials with the state’s Department of Workplace Solutions, according to emails obtained by the Journal.

In one email, the ICE investigative assistant said agents already had access to a Texas workforce database and needed similar information from New Mexico for criminal investigations.

In addition, the ICE officials said the information would be used to provide agents with a “quick same-day response” – presumably regarding workers’ legal residence status.

Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley, who officially denied the request on Aug. 2, said the agency’s employment records include the names and address of all New Mexico workers – and those on the state’s unemployment rolls.

He said denying ICE’s request for direct access to the worker database was the “right thing” to do.

“We need to be extremely careful and protect people’s civil rights and personal information,” McCamley told the Journal.

“Neither Gov. Lujan Grisham nor I will work to destroy families,” he added. “We need communities where people feel safe.”

“It’s not a secret what they want this information for,” McCamley said, referring to the workplace ICE raids in Mississippi and other locations.

[CedarDave]

“It’s not a secret what they want this information for,” McCamley said, referring to the workplace ICE raids in Mississippi and other locations.

Another example of the Dems preventing ICE from doing its job to protect citizens and non-citizens in the country legally.

[CedarDave]

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[Gen.Blather]

It seems this is worthy of ratcheting up to whatever level the law allows. Can the DOJ and other federal agencies withhold funds? Can ICE use other record sources, like the IRS? (A computer search should isolate viable candidate employees who are using fake or stolen social security numbers. Also, a cross check of names with birth records should be possible.)

Any time I sign on to a government database they ask me to verify what town I lived in in 1979 or what kind of car I had in 1980. It’s called data mining. It should give them a good guess and they can then just go to each individual address and ask for identification.

[rktman]

Did they arrest her for obstruction yet? Yeah, I know that will NEVER happen.

[qaz123]

Side step them and go through the SS Administration and find all the duplicate SS numbers. Of which, there are many, I’m sure.

[castlebrew]

Charge the governor and her lackeys with aiding and abetting felons, conspiracy to aid and abet, conspiracy to defraud taxpayers (benefits to illegals) and whatever else they can come up with.

And prosecute to the fullest.

[ChildOfThe60s]

Millions actually.

[ChildOfThe60s]

It’s long past time to play hardball with these traitorous bastards.

[NormsRevenge]

Dems, The Obstructionist Party .. The label fits well.

[Redleg Duke]

I am so damned glad that my sister is moving out of that hell-hole, known as New Mexico!

[libertylover]

but permission was ultimately denied

Maybe federal funding for NM should be ultimately denied.

[TheBattman]

I wasn’t aware that NM had become a “sanctuary state”...

[Lean-Right]

ICE should target Bank of America
for transaction records. It would
be fairly easy to find illegal
alien invaders who use their
services. And, as far as I know,
is the only bank that has granted
them accounts, and credit cards.

[CedarDave]

I wasn’t aware that NM had become a “sanctuary state”...

Not officially, but with the Dems in charge of all state and federal elected offices, it has the same effect. The new Dem governor follows the Dem party line, to the point that she is much more in tune with the AOC squad than traditional Dems.

[taxcontrol]

How to resolve this:

1) Obtain a federal warrant for the information
2) show up at the location and present the federal warrant
3) arrest anyone who attempts to deny access to the records.

[fuente]

Charge them for obstruction of a federal investigation.

[TheDon]

Let the NM raids begin!

[SauronOfMordor]

ICE could also use informants and bounty hunters. Pay for information which results in arrests. Any illegal who rats out other illegals gets a “get out of deportation free” card. And so on.

[morphing libertarian]

there as to be consequences for the officials who make these decisions this person and the governor should be arrested.

[KosmicKitty]

Build a wall around them so they can be part of the Latino experience. I’ve seen what the drugs cartels do. Let New Mexico enjoy that culture, but keep it out of the rest of the US.