Finally, I can say thank you U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for showing that our U.S. government’s national security critical infrastructure is as weak as a "Samson without his hair."

Nevertheless, these two raids were nothing but a “show” to justify ICE’s immigration enforcement initiatives. I reviewed some of the news video clips from the Asheville, NC raid, and the ICE spokesperson, along with his peers looked rather non-enthusiastic, frustrated and bored. I know that feeling because it is exactly the way I used to feel in 1982 when we were conducting immigration employment raids in San Francisco, CA.

For the anti-immigrant and foreigner phobic, ICE did an excellent job arresting the 99 suspected illegal aliens (but later releasing some of them for humanitarian reasons). For the wise and neutral tax-payer American Citizen, this was another waste of ICE’s monies and manpower resources. I can list a number of valid reasons why I agree that ICE can be servicing our country better by going after the violent criminal illegal aliens who are involved in the drug smuggling and other crimes usually associated with illegal aliens, and employers of illegal aliens.

I hate to bring it up over and over again, but ICE just committed more waste of tax-payer’s monies, and mismanagement. No wonder, the mainstream media is losing interest in covering ICE immigration employment raids. I even want to stop writing about this subject because to tell you the truth, it is a boring subject. However, this report brings a different twist to the same old record - so please don't stop reading.

May I suggest, since it appears that ICE will continue executing more raids under its Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) program, that the best places to target would be our federal, state and local police departments. For example, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for years has been recruiting non-United States citizens for police officer positions. I remember when in the 1970s and 1980s, they were recruiting Lawful Alien Permanent Residents (LAPR). In fact, it is my understanding that LAPR or “green card holders” (I-551 cards) can apply for top security clearances of employees working for private defense contractors.

Further, the U.S. Department of State is probably the largest federal agency who hires more foreign citizens to work at our U.S. Embassies and Consulates than any other federal agency.

Let’s go back to the two raids in question. If I would have been the head of ICE or the head of the ICE’s Office of Investigation, which I thank God I am not, since Dulles International Airport and Mills Manufacturing Corporation were cooperating with ICE, I would have assigned one or two agents (for each site) to conduct all immigration queries to determine who was using stolen or fake social security numbers etc., in order to determine the immigration status of all employees. Any employee who claimed to be born in the USA, ICE investigators would go to the vital statistics office, Department of Motor Vehicles to check on their driver’s license, would have conducted other background employment verification without wasting thousands or millions of tax-payer’s monies in conducting such employment raids, especially when the employer is cooperating. Now, if the assigned ICE agents discover that additional manpower is required, I would meet with my immediate supervisor, brief him/her of my findings and request additional manpower from the ASAC, ASAC or RAC office having jurisdiction over the employer under investigation.

I reviewed several comments posted on the very few mainstream news reports that the two recent ICE’s raids conducted at the Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C., and at the Mills Manufacturing Corporation (MMC) in Asheville, NC. I noticed some pretty bad racist comments, some containing mixed emotions, and some right on target such as the cost involved when ICE conducts such employment raids, the lack of taking enforcement action against the employers, and finally the weakness of our national security critical infrastructure.

Since these two raids were conducted under the ICE’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) program, I believe the mainstream media did not consider such immigration raids worth reporting them either because the media moguls are already tired of covering such employment immigration raids, and or they did not wanted to expose our federal government’s weak national security infrastructure system under the current Bush administration. In other words, the mainstream media wanted to remain neutral at this time. It is why, I believe, only a handful of mainstream media covered both raids.

However it is this author’s opinion that based on his government and private security management experience as a former Legacy U.S. Defense Investigative Service as a special agent and as a Certified Protection Professional (certification issued by the American Society for Industrial Security), it is rather almost impossible to find illegal aliens, i.e. spies, terrorists etc., at sensitive area facilities such as airports, nuclear power plants, chemical plants, military bases, defense facilities and seaports. If ICE does find illegal aliens working at such facilities, it is due to the poor internal personnel hiring security controls by the employer. In the case of the two raids mentioned in this report, the illegal aliens were employees working in non-classified security areas.

The fact the ICE has been able to find illegal aliens working at major international airports only shows that the U.S. Transportation Security Agency (TSA), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and in the case at Dulles, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority are at fault for not conducting their own security personnel background investigation on all employees working for any employee working at the airport or employees of any private contractor or sub-contractors.

Having illegal aliens working at our airports such as the Dulles International Airport should be a major concern of not only ICE, but to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and our other national security intelligence agencies. We don’t want another 9-11. ICE already has special agents from its Office of Investigations stationed at certain large international airports, such as at Los Angeles, CA. However, in the past, I reported that a suspected “person of interest” from the middle-east detained by a U.S. Federal Air Marshal agent at a major international airport with a student visa, when asked for an ICE agent to respond to verify the non-immigrant student visa holder was released because no ICE agents were available.

In closing, may I remind that if ICE is contemplating conducting Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) program raids at certain private Defense Contracting sites, U.S. Department of Defense military installations or federal law enforcement agencies, that ICE make sure that their agents have the proper security clearance to enter certain classified areas. Not doing so, the ICE agents, managers and supervisors conducting the raid may be subjecting themselves of getting arrested for not having the proper security clearance level and for being in a classified security area that requires higher security clearances than what the average ICE special agent has, which I believe is at a "Secret" security clearance level.

The following is a quotation of the meaning of the ICE’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) program taken from the ICE’s website:

“ICE agents prioritize enforcement efforts by focusing on the sites related to critical infrastructure and national security. The goal of CIP operations is to reduce the vulnerabilities at these facilities and other key assets to prevent potential attacks. Critical infrastructure has been defined as systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so crucial to the United States that the damage or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economy, public health or safety, and/or any combination of those matters.

Unauthorized workers employed at sensitive facilities such as airports, nuclear power plants, chemical plants, military bases, defense facilities and seaports, may compromise the integrity of these key assets. In FY 2008, ICE agents have made more than 700 administrative arrests and 100 criminal arrests at critical infrastructure facilities.") - ICE’s Press Release

ICE arrests 42 illegal aliens working at Dulles International Airport

ICE Press Release – August 13, 2008

“WASHINGTON - This morning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 42 men illegally present in the country at Dulles International Airport as part of a critical infrastructure protection (CIP) operation. ICE agents, with support of airport security agencies, arrested the illegal aliens just inside the airport grounds at a checkpoint established to verify the identity and immigration status of workers entering a service gate.

"It is crucial to ICE's homeland security mission to know who enters sensitive areas like airports, military bases and power plants to ensure the integrity of these key assets," said Mark X. McGraw, Special Agent in Charge of ICE's Office of Investigations, Washington field office. "This operation illustrates ICE's ongoing efforts in partnership with federal and local agencies to secure the critical infrastructure within the National Capital Region."

ICE agents interviewed more than 200 individuals to verify their identities, immigration status, and eligibility for lawful employment in the U.S. Most of the individuals encountered worked on construction projects at the airport. Those detained are being interviewed, fingerprinted, photographed and entered into Department of Homeland Security databases at a local ICE office. Relatives and friends wishing to check on the custody status and detention location of those detained may call 1-866-341-3858, ICE's toll-free, 24-hour hotline.

Interviews can often generate critical law enforcement information that may lead to future investigations. There is no indication that any of the aliens were involved in any terrorist activity.

ICE agents prioritize enforcement efforts by focusing on the sites related to critical infrastructure and national security. The goal of CIP operations is to reduce the vulnerabilities at these facilities and other key assets to prevent potential attacks. Critical infrastructure has been defined as systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so crucial to the United States that the damage or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economy, public health or safety, and/or any combination of those matters.

Unauthorized workers employed at sensitive facilities such as airports, nuclear power plants, chemical plants, military bases, defense facilities and seaports, may compromise the integrity of these key assets. In FY 2008, ICE agents have made more than 700 administrative arrests and 100 criminal arrests at critical infrastructure facilities.

Transportation Security Administration and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority supported this operation.”

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0808/080813washington.htm

ICE arrests 57 illegal aliens employed by Asheville Department of Defense Contractor

ICE Press Release – August 12, 2008

“ASHEVILLE, NC - Fifty-seven illegal aliens working at Mills Manufacturing Corporation (MMC) were arrested here this morning by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents.

The arrests were based on an ICE critical infrastructure investigation that revealed that the illegal aliens had used fraudulent social security numbers to obtain employment. The company, located at 22 Mills Place, has been fully cooperative and is not a target of the ICE investigation.

MMC is a Department of Defense contractor responsible for the manufacturing of parachutes for the U.S. military. Illegal aliens employed at sensitive facilities -- such as military bases, nuclear plants, chemical plants, airports and Department of Defense contractors -- pose a homeland security threat.

ICE doesn't believe that those arrested today at MMC had any ill intent against the United States; however, their illegal status could have made them susceptible to blackmail by those with ill intent. Today, ICE has neutralized a potential vulnerability.

"Protecting the integrity of our nation's critical infrastructure is among ICE's highest priorities," said Delburt Richburg, assistant special agent-in-charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Charlotte. "When individuals use fraudulent social security numbers to get jobs, they hide their true identity and history. We need to know who is working on our critical infrastructure sites."

All of those arrested today were transferred to the Henderson County Sheriff's Office for immigration processing. All have been placed into removal proceedings for being in violation of U.S. immigration law.

At this point, no criminal charges have been presented against the illegal aliens; however, the investigation continues.

Those arrested today were interviewed by ICE agents to determine if they had medical, caregiver, or other humanitarian issues. ICE identified approximately 29 individuals who qualified for a humanitarian release. These individuals are still required to appear before a federal immigration judge who will ultimately determine whether or not they will be deported.

Among those arrested, were nationals of Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador and Honduras. ICE contacted local Consular officials, community groups and other to provide accurate information regarding today's operation.

Family members wanting information regarding those arrested today may contact ICE by dialing 704-679-6140.

ICE's worksite enforcement investigations are aimed at promoting national security and public safety, protecting critical infrastructure, and ensuring fair labor standards. As of July 2008, ICE has made more than 3,800 administrative arrests for immigration violations during worksite enforcement operations.”

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0808/080812asheville.htm

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

“The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors with five members appointed by the Governor of Virginia, three by the Mayor of the District of Columbia, two by the Governor of Maryland and three by the President of the United States.

The Airports Authority operates a two-airport system that provides domestic and international air service for the mid-Atlantic region. The organization consists of more than 1,300 employees in a structure that includes central administration, airports management and operations, and police and fire departments.

The Airports Authority is not taxpayer-funded but is self-supporting, using aircraft landing fees, rents and revenues from concessions to fund operating expenses. The Dulles Development Program is funded by bonds issued by the Authority, Federal and State Airport Improvement Program funds, and Passenger Facility Charges.” - http://www.mwaa.com/about_the_authority/facts

Mills Manufacturing Corporation

“Mills Manufacturing Corporation is a prime defense contractor for the United States Government. All our parachutes are produced in strict accordance with current US Government design and drawings and comply with all quality and manufacturing specifications. We are an approved US Government manufacturer in accordance with General Specification for Parachutes, Personnel, MIL-DTL-6645J, August 3, 2001, and listed in the US Government Qualified Products List, QPL-6645-26, Amendment #1, August 8, 2006. We are also an ISO9001:2000 registered company.” - http://www.millsmanufacturing.com/

References

HOMELAND DEFENSE AND HOMELAND SECURITY - http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3430/3430lect02c.htm

The Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets – The White House – U.S. President George Walker Bush – February 2003 - http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/Physical_Strategy.pdf

42 Workers Detained In ICE Raid At Dulles

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/13/AR2008081303649.html

Vigil Held for 42 Suspected Illegals Arrested in ICE Raid at Dulles Airport - http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0808/543909.html

ICE arrests 42 men at Dulles immigration raid - http://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=8837236&nav=menu45_2

Immigration raid spurs fear, devastation - http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880812109

Raids a poor substitute for real immigration policy - http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880813087

Plant raid leaves immigrant workers with few legal options

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880813120

Immigration raid at parachute plant nets 57 http://www.mountainx.com/news/2008/immigration_raid_at_parachute_plant_nets_57

Court raids put focus on companies suspected of hiring illegal immigrants

http://www.projo.com/news/content/immigration_raid_18_07-18-08_K3ATGON_v31.40389fd.html

In immigration cases, employers feel the pressure

http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/NEWS02/107766995/-1/NEWS04

Immigration, Outsourced - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/opinion/09wed1.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin