Mark Morgan blasts Biden's new guidelines on ICE arrests: 'Defies law and order, common sense'
"This is about power and politics," says former US border chief
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Biden administration's immigration reform "defies law and order and common sense," former Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan said on Friday.
Morgan on "America's Newsroom" blasted new guidance for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers that mandates they will need preapproval from managers to arrest some illegal immigrants if they do not fall into narrow categories, due to new guidance released Thursday.
"Every year between 100,000-150,000 get away. We don't know who entered. And so, look, and if you add that up year after year after year, there could be millions of individuals that got past us that are here legally. How are you going to prove when they were here?" Morgan said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ICE OFFICERS WILL NEED PREAPPROVAL BEFORE ARRESTING SOME ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNDER NEW RULES
Under the new guidance from the Biden administration, ICE would focus on three categories of immigrants: those who pose a threat to national security; those who have crossed the border since Nov. 1, and those who committed "aggravated felonies."
The guidance is temporary, lasting three months, until the Department of Homeland Security can issue further guidance. Officials said the guidance does not explicitly prevent anyone from being arrested or deported. Instead, it directs resources at certain targets. However, field officers seeking to arrest someone outside of those three categories would need approval from their chain of command.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"By focusing our limited resources on cases that present threats to national security, border security, and public safety, our agency will more ably and effectively execute its law enforcement mission," ICE acting Director Tae Johnson said in a statement. "Like every law enforcement agency at the local, state, and federal level, we must prioritize our efforts to achieve the greatest security and safety impact."
The new guidance also requires ICE to submit weekly arrest reports to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Morgan said that he does not know why the Biden administration has been restricting arrests to the illegal immigrants who crossed the border after Nov. 1st of last year.
"I can tell you that after doing this for a very long time, this, defies law and order, this defies common sense. It puts America in jeopardy. This is about power and politics. I can come to no other conclusion. It's absolutely disgusting."
Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report.