Union Representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents Unanimously Approves a “vote of no confidence” in ICE Leadership

The union representing rank and file Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has unanimously approved a “Vote of No Confidence” in the agency’s leadership. The statement released on June 25, 2010 accuse ICE Director  John Morton, and Phyllis Coven, assistant director for the agency’s office of detention policy and planning of abandoning its core mission of protecting the public to support a political agenda favoring amnesty.

From the Washington Times:

The National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 7,000 ICE agents and employees, voted 259-0 for a resolution saying there was “growing dissatisfaction and concern” over the leadership of Assistant Secretary John Morton, who heads ICE, and Phyllis Coven, assistant director for the agency’s office of detention policy and planning.

The resolution said ICE leadership had “abandoned the agency’s core mission of enforcing U.S. immigration laws and providing for public safety,” instead directing its attention “to campaigning for programs and policies related to amnesty and the creation of a special detention system for foreign nationals that exceeds the care and services provided to most U.S. citizens similarly incarcerated.

“It is the desire of our union … to publicly separate ourselves from the actions of Director Morton and Assistant Director Coven and publicly state that ICE officers and employees do not support Morton or Coven or their misguided and reckless initiatives, which could ultimately put many in America at risk,” the union said.

In a strongly worded statement, the union and its affiliated local councils said the integrity of the agency “as well as the public safety” would be “better provided for in the absence of Director Morton and Assistant Director Coven.”

Interestingly Mr. Morton told the Washington Post in an interview a few weeks ago that calls for his resignation were ‘just part of the territory,’:

“You develop a thick skin in a job like this,” said Morton, who admits to reading many of the brickbats that come his way but says they don’t consume him. “I’d imagine that for some other senior leaders in government, the day when someone calls for their resignation would be the day they’d remember throughout their career. That’s just part of the territory here.”

That may be true Mr. Morton, but if you’ve lost the confidence of the men and women who work for you I don’t see how you can do your job effectively.

Related

• Border troops to be delayed further – KMSB-TV, Fox 11 Arizona
• Lack of resources curtails ICE tracking of illegals – Washington Times
• Arizona sheriffs call ICE chief’s visit a ‘stunt’ – Washington Times
• GAO: Border Security Technology Program ‘Has Not Produced Expected Results’ – CNSNews.com
• Perry invites Obama to tour the border with him – Houston Chronicle
• What We’re Doing to Secure the Border -  Alan D. Bersin and John Morton, Wall Street Journal
• Head of ICE receives unanimous no-confidence vote from own agents…accused of de facto amnesty – Dave Gibson, Examiner.com