PHOENIX (By Chip Scutari and Susan
Carroll, Arizona Republic) August 19, 2005 -
Federal authorities have shot down a key strategy in Gov. Janet
Napolitano's fight against illegal immigration, prompting the governor
to complain aggressively about a lack of government cooperation on
crucial border issues.
Napolitano had hoped to assign 12 Highway Patrol officers to team up with federal agents to crack down on the smuggling of drugs and undocumented workers in the Phoenix area.
But Arizona-based officials of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, declined the offer for reasons that remain unclear. To Napolitano, it marked the latest breakdown between state and federal authorities. She never heard back from Department of Justice officials after telling them in February that they owe Arizonans $217 million for incarcerating illegal immigrants who commit crimes.
The governor sent a scathing letter last week to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff saying it's no wonder border strategies often fail.
"The bewildering resistance is a further example of ICE's inattention to Arizona," Napolitano wrote. "Indeed, the turnover in the leadership of ICE in Arizona has been a revolving door with 'acting' officials who rarely stay long enough to effect change or establish polices."
Russell Ahr, an ICE spokesman in Phoenix, declined to comment on the letter and Napolitano's assertion that ICE agents in Phoenix were stonewalling on cooperation with the state Department of Public Safety. The agency didn't publicly state its reasons, but they are believed to revolve around federal oversight and transportation issues. The Phoenix ICE office has not had a permanent chief since the agency was created in March 2003 to help combat illegal immigration, human smuggling and terrorism.
Today, Napolitano and her counterpart in Sonora, Eduardo Bours, will hold a joint news conference in Nogales to detail a new plan to combat violent crime on both sides of the border. The two governors have promised to coordinate strategies to go after drug traffickers and "coyotes" who smuggle people into the United States. The steady flow over the border through Arizona's deserts and ranch lands has transformed Phoenix into a smuggling hub that generates more than $300 million each year, according to the state Attorney General's Office.
Dennis Burke, Napolitano's chief of staff, said he was baffled that ICE "lacked the capacity" to accept help from Arizona. The so-called illegal-immigration enforcement squad called for 12 officers from the DPS to work with law enforcement agencies to cut the number of "catch and release" incidents. DPS and Phoenix police officers have reported waiting for hours to get assistance from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for incidents involving undocumented immigrants and sometimes have been told ICE agents are too busy to help.
According to documents obtained by The Arizona Republic in July, federal agents were unable to respond to incidents reported by Phoenix police involving 307 undocumented immigrants during the previous six months, including groups of 16, 13, and 12, some involving suspected smugglers. One case ICE agents were unable to respond to involved a homicide at a drophouse with 20 undocumented immigrants, records show.
"We're having a lot of red tape, and that is frustrating," Napolitano said. "That was part of the message: Are they serious about this or not? If they are serious, let's move at this at a faster pace."
"Our interpretations of the discussions thus far may differ," said Russ Knocke, a Homeland Security spokesman. "We believe the discussions have been ongoing, they've been productive and a number of proposals have been put on the table."
Chertoff is now writing a letter to Napolitano that includes Homeland Security's proposal on the best ways to coordinate with the state, Knocke said.
In her letter to Chertoff, Napolitano said the federal government's inaction on her DPS plan is "part and parcel of the lack of a sense of urgency in Washington, D.C., that is causing us to have an urgent situation in Arizona."
She is now changing her strategy to attack state crimes involving drugs and stolen cars that fuel illegal immigration. She will shift the 12 DPS officers to an auto-theft task force. They will work on cases of stolen cars, which are connected to the smuggling of drugs and undocumented workers.
Napolitano has also started a campaign to curb the widespread use of fake identification. Three agents from Arizona's Department of Liquor License and Control will uncover makers and distributors of fake IDs that undocumented immigrants use to get hired.
Senate President Ken Bennett said it's "hypocritical" for Napolitano to be blasting the federal government.
"We're all frustrated with the federal government," the Prescott Republican said. "But I believe the people of Arizona deserve the full commitment of our own state government, which she has not done. She has vetoed bills that would let the state government and local government assist in this problem."
Illegal immigration has emerged as the dominant issue in Arizona politics and will probably help frame Napolitano's re-election bid in 2006.
On Monday, she declared a state of emergency along Arizona's border with Mexico, freeing up $1.5 million in disaster funds to help border counties combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
Napolitano criticized the federal government for "moving too slow" on border security, evolving into a hot-button election-year issue in Arizona and across the country. The money in Arizona is designated for the state's four border counties: Yuma, Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise.
Napolitano's announcement came days after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson issued a similar declaration, complaining that the federal government has failed to stem growing smuggling-related violence to the east of Arizona.
Napolitano had hoped to assign 12 Highway Patrol officers to team up with federal agents to crack down on the smuggling of drugs and undocumented workers in the Phoenix area.
But Arizona-based officials of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, declined the offer for reasons that remain unclear. To Napolitano, it marked the latest breakdown between state and federal authorities. She never heard back from Department of Justice officials after telling them in February that they owe Arizonans $217 million for incarcerating illegal immigrants who commit crimes.
The governor sent a scathing letter last week to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff saying it's no wonder border strategies often fail.
"The bewildering resistance is a further example of ICE's inattention to Arizona," Napolitano wrote. "Indeed, the turnover in the leadership of ICE in Arizona has been a revolving door with 'acting' officials who rarely stay long enough to effect change or establish polices."
Russell Ahr, an ICE spokesman in Phoenix, declined to comment on the letter and Napolitano's assertion that ICE agents in Phoenix were stonewalling on cooperation with the state Department of Public Safety. The agency didn't publicly state its reasons, but they are believed to revolve around federal oversight and transportation issues. The Phoenix ICE office has not had a permanent chief since the agency was created in March 2003 to help combat illegal immigration, human smuggling and terrorism.
News conference today
The rift between the Democratic governor and the federal government continues to widen as both sides struggle to stem the growing tide of illegal immigration. The majority of the 1.1 million arrests of undocumented immigrant along the Southwestern border last year were reported in Arizona, which shares 389 miles of border with Mexico.Today, Napolitano and her counterpart in Sonora, Eduardo Bours, will hold a joint news conference in Nogales to detail a new plan to combat violent crime on both sides of the border. The two governors have promised to coordinate strategies to go after drug traffickers and "coyotes" who smuggle people into the United States. The steady flow over the border through Arizona's deserts and ranch lands has transformed Phoenix into a smuggling hub that generates more than $300 million each year, according to the state Attorney General's Office.
Dennis Burke, Napolitano's chief of staff, said he was baffled that ICE "lacked the capacity" to accept help from Arizona. The so-called illegal-immigration enforcement squad called for 12 officers from the DPS to work with law enforcement agencies to cut the number of "catch and release" incidents. DPS and Phoenix police officers have reported waiting for hours to get assistance from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for incidents involving undocumented immigrants and sometimes have been told ICE agents are too busy to help.
According to documents obtained by The Arizona Republic in July, federal agents were unable to respond to incidents reported by Phoenix police involving 307 undocumented immigrants during the previous six months, including groups of 16, 13, and 12, some involving suspected smugglers. One case ICE agents were unable to respond to involved a homicide at a drophouse with 20 undocumented immigrants, records show.
"We're having a lot of red tape, and that is frustrating," Napolitano said. "That was part of the message: Are they serious about this or not? If they are serious, let's move at this at a faster pace."
Varying interpretations
Despite Napolitano's criticism, Homeland Security officials say they've had "productive" discussions with her office."Our interpretations of the discussions thus far may differ," said Russ Knocke, a Homeland Security spokesman. "We believe the discussions have been ongoing, they've been productive and a number of proposals have been put on the table."
Chertoff is now writing a letter to Napolitano that includes Homeland Security's proposal on the best ways to coordinate with the state, Knocke said.
In her letter to Chertoff, Napolitano said the federal government's inaction on her DPS plan is "part and parcel of the lack of a sense of urgency in Washington, D.C., that is causing us to have an urgent situation in Arizona."
She is now changing her strategy to attack state crimes involving drugs and stolen cars that fuel illegal immigration. She will shift the 12 DPS officers to an auto-theft task force. They will work on cases of stolen cars, which are connected to the smuggling of drugs and undocumented workers.
Napolitano has also started a campaign to curb the widespread use of fake identification. Three agents from Arizona's Department of Liquor License and Control will uncover makers and distributors of fake IDs that undocumented immigrants use to get hired.
Senate President Ken Bennett said it's "hypocritical" for Napolitano to be blasting the federal government.
"We're all frustrated with the federal government," the Prescott Republican said. "But I believe the people of Arizona deserve the full commitment of our own state government, which she has not done. She has vetoed bills that would let the state government and local government assist in this problem."
Illegal immigration has emerged as the dominant issue in Arizona politics and will probably help frame Napolitano's re-election bid in 2006.
On Monday, she declared a state of emergency along Arizona's border with Mexico, freeing up $1.5 million in disaster funds to help border counties combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
Napolitano criticized the federal government for "moving too slow" on border security, evolving into a hot-button election-year issue in Arizona and across the country. The money in Arizona is designated for the state's four border counties: Yuma, Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise.
Napolitano's announcement came days after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson issued a similar declaration, complaining that the federal government has failed to stem growing smuggling-related violence to the east of Arizona.
