If a citizen breaks the law and no law enforcement action is taken, what message does that send to everyone else? This is exactly what’s happening with our immigration laws in America. That’s why my deputies encounter many criminal illegals who admit to being deported as many as 15 times. The laws apply to American citizens, but if you’re an illegal from a foreign country — it appears the laws do not apply and there are few if any real consequences.
The very hope of 60,000 unaccompanied juveniles from Central America was realized when they were welcomed with open arms. What message does this send the millions of future illegals in Mexico and Central America? If you make it to the border and say you’re fleeing violence — you’re home free. Think again if you believe that the majority of these kids will be returned to their home countries. The 11 to 20 million illegals currently in the U.S. should be proof enough that this will never happen.
This undermining of the rule of law for immigration is deliberate. President Obama has circumvented Congress, even threatened further executive orders to provide outright legal status to 11 to 20 million illegals.
Two whistleblower federal agents alerted me that the Department of Homeland Security was transferring 40 to 60 illegal, unaccompanied minors to the Sycamore Canyon Academy in Oracle on July 15. We then contacted the academy, which confirmed the “refugees” were coming and they were hiring 30 additional staff in preparation. It now appears that the public outcry against this secret movement delayed or permanently stopped the transfer.
Carl Shipman, director of the Sycamore Canyon Academy, issued a press release on July 14 confirming “at the urgent request of the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, we will provide safe and temporary care to a small number of unaccompanied youth from Central and South America.”
Critics attempt to shift focus or blame to the protesters or to me for sharing information with local residents. We should have never been placed in this situation in the first place. DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson promised to notify and coordinate with local officials prior to sending these “refugees” to communities across the Southwest. This never happened. This was done in secrecy and we still have no response to our legitimate public safety and public health concerns.
The most humanitarian response would be to place these children on planes, return them back to their country of origin and reunite them with their families. If we fail to do this, we invite future waves of refugees. There are over 40 million children under the age of 18 in Mexico, and based on this refugee claim, they would easily qualify for asylum given the cartel violence. Would President Obama turn away these children? Not a chance.
Sheriff Paul Babeu
Sheriff speaks out on immigration