john morton

John Morton of DHS/ICE

John Morton is current Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Last modified Mar 13, 2011
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DOJ investigation claims Sheriff Joe Arpaio engaged in "unconstitutional policing" (immigration, Arizona, Maricopa County) - 12/15/11

The Department of Justice's politically-motivated quasi-witchhunt of Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio has concluded with a report claiming that Arpaio engaged in "unconstitutional policing" and unreasonably targeted Latinos.

DHS makes Secure Communities nationwide, no opt-out (so far). Lofgren, ACLU, NAKASEC, FIRM, CHIRLA, ICIRR, MIRA, Frank Sharry, NIF outraged. - 08/08/11

From this comes some good news for a change: The Department of Homeland Security notified 39 governors Friday that the fingerprint-sharing program did not need their approval to operate in their states, and said it had voided agreements they had signed to authorize their states' participation, according to a copy of the letter.

DHS officials misled about backdoor amnesty for illegal aliens (Houston, John Morton) - 06/27/11

From this: Homeland Security officials misled the public and Congress last year in an effort to downplay a wave of immigration case dismissals in Houston and other cities amid accusations that they had created a "back-door amnesty," newly released records show.

Senators: ICE doing selective enforcement, not asking for more resources - 10/27/10

A group of senators [1] recently sent a letter to Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security pointing out that her version of immigration enforcement is selective and also noting that the DHS hasn't asked for more resources to do their job. Here's part of the letter (link): Recently, media reports have revealed that pending removal proceedings are being dismissed in record numbers. That sharp increase in dismissals is the result of a directive from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director (John Morton) to all ICE attorneys to review pending cases and seek dismissal if...

New DHS policies are de facto amnesty; John Morton thinks ICE has enough money - 09/10/10

The Department of Homeland Security - specifically their Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency headed by John Morton - has instituted new policies that amount to a form of a de facto amnesty. And, all of this has been done without anywhere near the outcry that would occur from an amnesty proposal in Congress. Granted, these policies don't include a "pathway to citizenship" and the other perks that would be included in comprehensive immigration reform. However, they'll let most illegal aliens off the hook for the indefinite future and - just like a real amnesty - that will probably...

DHS letting deportable illegal aliens go if they could get green card (John Morton) - 08/27/10

From this: In a new and more lenient policy, the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has instructed the agency's legal office to stop the deportation proceedings of foreign nationals who may now be eligible for a green card. South Florida immigration attorneys and activists said the move is the first solid evidence of more tolerance by ICE toward some foreign nationals facing removal to their homelands. Affected are possibly tens of thousands who are married or related to a U.S. citizen or a legal resident who has filed a petition for them. The immigrants who will benefit must...

John Morton of ICE misleads, says he and Obama don't support amnesty - 08/12/10

Back in 2007, former Department of Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff said that the DHS wasn't "in the business of doing amnesty". Now, the head of the DHS' Immigrations and Custom Enforcement ("ICE") is making similarly false claims.

ICE memo: deport the criminals first. Will they greatly reduce deporting non-criminals? - 08/09/10

From this: New guidance telling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to focus on apprehending terrorists and criminals has many of ICE's rank-and-file agents wondering who then is responsible for tracking down and detaining the millions of other illegal border-crossers and fugitive aliens now in the country. The new guidelines are outlined in a June 29 memo from Assistant Secretary John Morton, who heads the agency, to all ICE employees regarding the apprehension, detention and removal of illegal immigrants, noting that the agency "only has resources to remove approximately 400,000...

ICE refusing to deport illegal alien students (John Morton, DREAM Act) - 08/09/10

Julia Preston of the New York Times offers this: The Obama administration, while deporting a record number of immigrants convicted of crimes, is sparing one group of illegal immigrants from expulsion: students who came to the United States without papers when they were children. In case after case where immigrant students were identified by federal agents as being in the country illegally, the students were released from detention and their deportations were suspended or canceled, lawyers and immigrant advocates said. Officials have even declined to deport students who openly declared their...

ICE agents issue "Vote of No Confidence" on John Morton, Phyllis Coven (politicizing ICE, pushing amnesty) - 08/06/10

From this: In an unprecedented move within the Department of Homeland Security, the detention and removal officers and agents responsible for and sworn to enforcing our nation's immigration laws issued an exhaustive, scathing letter simply titled "VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN ICE DIRECTOR JOHN MORTON AND ODPP ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PHYLLIS COVEN" on June 11, 2010. The letter, acquired through sources, provides a litany of examples of how ICE's mission is being skewed towards supporting an unflinching goal of amnesty by refusing to allow agents to do their job; allowing criminal aliens to roam free;...

Harold Hurtt - now local coordinator for ICE - is strong sanctuary city supporter - 06/25/10

From this: 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... ...as a police chief, Hurtt was a supporter of (sanctuary cities) 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...

John Morton of ICE: let illegal alien crime suspects go free pending conviction? - 06/22/10

John Morton - head of ICE, part of the Department of Homeland Security - has changed the name of "Detention and Removal Operations" into "Enforcement and Removal Operations", de-emphasizing the detention part of that operation.

John Morton: ICE might not process illegal aliens arrested under Arizona immigration law - 05/20/10

John Morton, the Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary who heads ICE, visited Chicago yesterday and promised to ramp up immigration enforcement. Then, he said this (link): Echoing comments by President Barack Obama and others in the administration, Morton said that Arizona's new law targeting illegal immigration is not "good government." The law makes it a crime to be in the state illegally and requires police to check suspects for immigration paperwork. Morton said his agency will not necessarily process illegal immigrants referred to them by Arizona officials. The best way to...

Far-left wants John Morton fired over immigration quotas memo (also want little or no enforcement) - 03/31/10

Yesterday, Frank Sharry of America's Voice offered "ICE Out of Control: Time to Rein in Rogue Agency and Pass Immigration Reform" [1], showing once again how little use those who support comprehensive immigration reform have for immigration enforcement. One of the selling features of "reform" is increased enforcement, yet "reform" would give even more power to those like Sharry who advocate against enforcement: Today, a group of grassroots leaders are demanding that the Obama Administration fire John Morton, the head of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the Department...

ICE walks back from memo setting deportation quotas; "inconsistent with the administration's point of view" - 03/31/10

A few days ago, Spencer Hsu and Andrew Becker of the Washington Post offered "ICE officials set quotas to deport more illegal immigrants" (link):

John Morton immigration detention reforms: scaling it back - 01/26/10

John Morton of the Department of Homeland Security spoke at the Migration Policy Institute yesterday about reforms he's making concerning immigration detention. The Immigration Policy Center has a report here, and their summary of his upcoming reforms includes: * [...centralizing] facilities [which] would be managed at the top by federal employees subject to clear, transparent, and fully implemented detention standards (though Morton told the crowd at MPI that they must be "patient" on revised detention standards, as ICE is trying to find something that works for both advocates and...

DHS' Morton: defends 287g program; defends Arpaio against claims of racial profiling - 01/21/10

From this: ...During a large protest on Saturday in Phoenix that drew 10,000 people, immigrant-rights advocates called on the Department of Homeland Security to end (the 287g program), saying some Valley police officers are engaging in racial profiling by arresting Latinos for minor crimes in order to check their immigration status during the booking process. But John Morton, the assistant secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (of the Department of Homeland Security), said that is "not in practice what we have seen in the program" known as 287 (g). Furthermore, he said that while...

Pilgrim's Pride slapped on wrist; won't be prosecuted for hiring illegal aliens - 12/30/09

From a Department of Homeland Security press release (link): Immigration and Customs Enforcement have reached a non-prosecution agreement to resolve an investigation with respect to the hiring and employment of unauthorized aliens at Pilgrim's Pride's plants in the Eastern District of Texas... Under the terms of the agreement, Pilgrim's Pride agrees to pay $4.5 million [NOTE: over three years] and adopt more stringent immigration compliance practices to ensure that its work force is composed of employees legally entitled to work in the United States. In return, the U. S. Attorney's Office...

Devin Dwyer of ABC News promotes anti-American bill; would deprive some U.S. students of college - 12/16/09

Devin Dwyer of ABC News offers the four-screen "Legal Limbo: Undocumented Students Eager for Congress to Act" [1] in which he promotes an anti-American bill that would prevent some U.S. students from attending college. If you trust Dwyer's reporting, please visit these two links:

DHS revising rules on immigration detention; some actions might be OK, but motives questionable - 10/06/09

From this: Homeland Security Department officials said on Tuesday they would enact far-reaching reforms for how Immigration and Customs Enforcement detains immigrants. The new system will prioritize the removal of criminal aliens and those slated for deportation from the country and seek alternatives to incarceration for others when appropriate, said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. The reforms were announced in response to the recently-completed review of the detention system by Dora Schriro, the former director of ICE's Office of Detention Policy and Planning. Schriro left the...