INTERVIEW – MARK KRIKORIAN – Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) – discussed the border crisis and his thoughts on DHS leadership.
- POLITICO: DHS Leadership questions… The decision likely won’t be finalized until after Kevin McAleenan steps in as acting DHS secretary. McAleenan is expected to weigh in on the personnel move.
- ACTING ICE DIRECTOR RESIGNS. (The Hill) — The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Ron Vitiello, has resigned amid an agency-wide restructuring of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Vitiello had originally been nominated to take over the post permanently, but his nomination was abruptly pulled last week by President Trump, who said he wanted to go in a “tougher” direction.
- ‘Breaking Point:’ Migrant Family Apprehension Up 374 Percent, Say Feds (Breitbart/9 Apr 2019) — Border Patrol officials announced that the apprehension of migrant families who crossed the border illegally between ports of entry skyrocketed by 374 percent when compared to the first six months of the last fiscal year. Agents apprehended 189,584 Family Unit Aliens (FMUA) during the first six months of Fiscal Year 2018, which began on October 1, 2018. This is up from 39,975 during the same period in Fiscal Year 2018. “The Border Patrol is facing an unprecedented humanitarian and border security crisis,” U.S. Border Patrol Chief Law Enforcement Director Brian Hastings told reporters on a conference call on Tuesday. “We’ve arrived at the breaking point.”
- NY TIMES FINALLY ADMITS IT. NY TIMES HEADLINE: “The U.S. Immigration System May Have Reached a Breaking Point. For years, there have been warnings that America’s immigration system was going to fail. That time may be now.”
- TRUMP ON KOBACH: Asked if he is considering Kris Kobach for DHS secretary, President Trump says, “I have respect for him, but I haven’t really thought about that. I’m very happy right now with Kevin”
