Michael Chertoff admits he isn't doing his job (guest worker program)

DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff spoke to the editorial board of the Dallas Morning News, and admitted that he isn't doing his job:

"We are going to go after systematic, willful violators with heavy criminal cases, where people face real jail time, losing businesses, paying millions and millions of dollars in fines. Because that is the only way you will start to change the behavior that has driven a lot of this activity in. Now, we're going to get a lot of squawking from business, whose basic argument will be that "our business rests upon the ability to hire people who are not Americans [and] therefore, if you punish us you're going to drive us out of business." So we've got to find a way to satisfy that labor need without compromising our border control or security..."

Aren't our "border control or security" a much higher priority than avoiding "squawking from business"? Isn't it Chertoff's job to secure the U.S.? As indicated by his use of the future tense, why hasn't he already been doing that?

To see this more clearly, pretend that he said this while being under consideration for the job. In that case, those who truly cared about the security of the U.S. would not take him seriously. If he said this right after being appointed for the job, those who truly cared about security would not confirm him. But, he's saying this after having been in the job for almost two years.

This would be a perfect opportunity for the Democrats to point out how regard that the Bush administration has for U.S. security. And, in addition to any political benefits, they could also help this country by replacing him with someone who'd put the security of the U.S. ahead of less important issues. Unfortunately, I don't think the Democrats will take up this cause.

And, not only does he admit that he's not doing his job, he comes perilously close to blackmailing the U.S.:

"And that means you've got to create a program that registers people who want to work, taxes them, makes sure that they are within the system so that when they're mistreated they have recourse..."

As previously noted, he's ultimately saying that until the Bush administration gets its guest worker program, they aren't going to take border security seriously. Then, he accurately describes the current situation:

"But what we're not going to do is have a GWP [guest worker program] by failing to enforce the law."

Needless to say, the DMN's editorial board didn't call him on that megawhopper: the Bush administration has been largely failing to enforce the law for six years, resulting in a de facto "guest worker program".

Asking him a follow-up question pointing out that obvious huge lie is grade-school level journalism.

Related:
Mike Pence "compromise" amnesty pimped by Chertoff, White House

Chertoff promotes "Guest" Worker Program at House meeting

Chertoff promotes "Temporary Worker Program" at Senate meeting

And, Chertoff is similar to the previous incompetent Asa Hutchinson:

Rounding up all illegals 'not realistic'

Starring John Cornyn as "Asa Hutchinson"

"The Truth About Asa Hutchinson"

Comments

Isn't it Chertoff's job to secure the U.S.?

Nominally. But he's an administration appointee, and...well, securing the border is not a priority of this administration, policy-wise.