The Obama administration has tapped an outspoken critic of immigration enforcement on the local level to oversee and promote partnerships between federal and local officials on the issue.
The Obama administration has tapped an outspoken critic of immigration enforcement on the local level to oversee and promote partnerships between federal and local officials on the issue.
Harold Hurtt, a former police chief in Houston and Phoenix, has been hired as the director for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Office of State and Local Coordination. Starting July 6, Hurtt will supervise outreach and communication between ICE, local law enforcement agencies, tribal leaders and representatives from non-governmental organizations.
"Chief Hurtt is a respected member of the law enforcement community and understands the concerns of local law enforcement leaders," said John Morton, the Homeland Security assistant secretary for ICE. "His experience and skills will be an invaluable asset to the ICEs outreach and coordination efforts."
But as a police chief, Hurtt was a supporter of "sanctuary city" policies, by which illegal immigrants who don't commit crimes can live without fear of exposure or detainment because police don't check for immigration papers.
He also, during his tenure as Houston police chief, criticized ICE's key program that draws on local law enforcement's support.
"There's no way you can head up an office if you don't believe in what the office is supposed to do," Curtis Collier of U.S. Border Watch, told the Houston Chronicle. "Immigration and Customs Enforcement's primary mission is to protect the American people. If this guy believes any of these programs should not be enforced, he's certainly going to be a very weak advocate for them."
Ya think? Good grief - it is as much of an "in-your-face" to people and states who want our immigration policies upheld as it could possibly be, if you ask me. But Hurtt has his supporters:
Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for ICE, told FoxNews.com that Hurtt has always been a proponent of the jail model of the 287(g) program, which gives local police authority to initiate deportation proceedings against illegal immigrants linked to serious crimes -- but as a police chief, he didn't favor more proactive local enforcement because he didn't believe it was the best utilization of his resources.
"I think the critics are only talking about half of what he said," she said. "He's always been a strong proponent of every law enforcement agency making those decision on their own."
Critics say his pro-immigration policies enabled illegal immigrants to kill two police officers and seriously injure another in Phoenix before he left in 2005 and to kill an officer in Houston before he retired in 2009.
The widow of one of the officers, Rodney Johnson, who was fatally shot by an illegal immigrant with a long criminal record, is suing Hurtt for enacting policies that she says led to his death.
But Nantel dismissed such allegations.
"The responsibility of those homicides lies on the shoulder of the individuals who committed the crimes," Nantel said.
Hurtt's position at ICE reportedly pays $180,000 a year.
Ah, yes - his critics are just being SO unfair to him. Right.
And while I am at it, my good friend, Logistics Monster, had the following video of Gov. Brewer speaking out to Obama. And does the Governor have some things to say:
Short and to the point, isn't Gov. Brewer? Not to mention that she's right. But clearly, Obama shows his hand with the choice of Hurtt in terms of "Immigration Reform," not to mention his intent to uphold current law. So far, his loyalty seems to be with those who break immigration law. Interesting take for an American president, isn't it? Ahem.
I am sure this has NOTHING to do with the upcoming election, right? Yeah, right...
4 comments:
"The responsibility of those homicides lies on the shoulder of the individuals who committed the crimes," Nantel said.
Yeah, the illegal individuals who Hurtt allowed to roam free to deal drugs and shoot at our law enforcement!
We all knew that Obama could give a rats ass about the wishes of the majority of this country. He thinks he's King and he could thumb his nose at anyone he likes.
Can you imagine what it will be like in this country is our borders allowed to be open to anyone who wants to cross through Mexico? It will look exactly like Mexico today...drug wars, kidnappings for sex trade, and total anarchy. Heckuvajob, Obama.
Of course, this is exactly what the Progressives want, until the illegals move into their neighborhoods and take their jobs.
You said it, ME. It is so easy for people who are not being directly affected to take this holier-than-thou attitude abt illegal aliens and their impact on communities, crime, and cost to the states.
No doubt Obama doesn't give a rat's ass abt this country.
Oh, this is so frustrating, isn't it??
Rev. Amy- What bothers me the most is the blatant disregard and disrespect that Obama has for this Federation of States. He acts as if this country could exist without the Constitution. He just doesn't get the "United" part of The United States of America. He isn't just the President of States that support him and his misguided values, he's supposed to represent ALL of them.
The way he is turning his back on Louisiana is heart-breaking. What he is doing to Arizona is downright criminal.
Mary Ellen, you are so right - he does seem to want to punish states that don't support him 100%. He is such a narcissist, which wouldn't be the end of the world if he wasn't President.
This attitude of his toward the Constitution gives a lot more credence to the reports I saw abt how the other faculty viewed him at the law school, especially since he was GIVEN the job, and did not earn it (he was rejected when he applied for it, and a board member swooped in and got it for him). Just like everything else - he was given a job for which he was unqualified.
But now, it is a huge issue with his disparate treatment of LA and AZ. Shocking, just shocking.
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