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Harbor Beach Times Local News PUBLISHED:
Rumors say there are many ways the illegals get here, but perhaps only a few people really know how they do. The Federal Government, in an attempt to make it harder of them to come into the country, have made several attempts to tighten the borders of the United States, however the illegals still get here somehow. However, there is now a system in place so that federal, state and local law enforcement agencies can work together to deal with this "crime." In 2003, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According to the agency, "The 15,000 employees of ICE represent the largest investigative force with in DHS. ICE enforces the nation's immigration and customs laws and protects federal facilities." Within the ICE organization, there are four operational divisions: The Office of Investigation is responsible for investigating a wide range of domestic and international activities arising from the movement of people and goods that violate immigration and custom laws and threatens national security. The Office of Detention and Removal Operations is responsible for public safety and national security by ensuring the departure from the United States of all removable aliens and by enforcing the nation's immigration laws. The Federal Protective Service is responsible for policing, securing and ensuring a safe environment in which federal agencies can conduct their business by reducing threats posed against more than 8,800 federal government facilities nationwide. The Office of Intelligence is responsible for the collection, analysis and dissemination of strategic and tactical intelligence data for use by the operational elements of ICE and DHS. "It is a federal offense," said Michigan State Police Detective Sargent Mark Krebs. He added, "We cannot simply go in or drop in on a farm or other business unless we have probable cause." Krebs explains when the Michigan State Police make an arrest and confirmation of an illegal alien/immigrant, they have to turn the case over to ICE for further investigation or deportation of the illegal. "ICE aggressively pursues employers who egregiously violate the law," said Elissa A. Brown, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. She added, "All employers in all industries and locations must comply with the nation's laws. ICE and our law enforcement partners, will continue to enforce immigration laws from all angles, including: criminal charges, asset seizures, administrative arrest and deportations." If the Michigan State Police in Huron County have probable cause, such as a complaint, automobile accident or automobile moving violation, then they can follow-up on illegal immigrants as a secondary case, according to Krebs. "We do not just go looking for illegals," said Krebs. "When I get involved it is a secondary fact, where we find illegals (and) we contact ICE people." Within the ICE Agency, there are worksite enforcement investigations. Worksite enforcement investigations focus on egregious employers involved in criminal activities per worker exploitation, according to ICE. "This type of employer violation will often involve alien smuggling, document fraud, human rights abuses and/or other criminal or substantive administrative immigration or customs violations having a direct nexus to the employment of unauthorized workers," according to ICE. Worksite investigations also encompass employers who are subjecting unauthorized alien workers to substandard or abusive working conditions. Also included in these types of investigations are employers who utilize force, threat or coercion, such as threats to have employees deported in order to keep the unauthorized alien workers from reporting the substandard wage or working condition. "I think it is to the point that Huron County is getting saturated with illegals," said Krebs. He added, "It is becoming more evident because of their numbers." |
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