Janet Napolitano said what?

By Michelle Malkin  •  April 21, 2009 08:59 AM

She said this on CNN over the weekend:

KING: A lot of Democrats in Congress want to you investigate [Joe Arpaio]. They think he is over the line. He says he is just enforcing the law and the problem is the federal government.

NAPOLITANO: Well, you know, Sheriff Joe, he is being very political in that statement, because he knows that there aren’t enough law enforcement officers, courtrooms or jail cells in the world to do what he is saying.

What we have to do is target the real evil-doers in this business, the employers who consistently hire illegal labor, the human traffickers who are exploiting human misery.

And yes, when we find illegal workers, yes, appropriate action, some of which is criminal, most of that is civil, because crossing the border is not a crime per se. It is civil. But anyway, going after those as well.

Full transcript here.

Julie Kirchner gently reminds the DHS Secretary of what the law actually says:

ENTRY WITHOUT INSPECTION IS A CRIME: In fact, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1325, crossing the border illegally is a crime–a misdemeanor for the first offense and a felony for the second and subsequent offenses. But of course, ignoring or mischaracterizing the law is a very convenient way for those in power to avoid the laws they find most inconvenient. Sadly, statements such as these are also a signal that Americans will have to wait a long time before their government articulates any credible immigration enforcement policy.

Jena McNeill at The Foundry sees through Napolitano’s parsing:

This ‘interpretation’ of the law by Secretary Napolitano seems to be the latest in an effort by the Obama Administration to scale back interior immigration enforcement efforts in the United States. As recently as March 28th, Napolitano made the decision to delay a series of immigration raids and other workplace actions aimed at finding illegal workers. At the same time, both President Obama and Secretary Napolitano have announced new initiatives intending to send the message that they take the issues at the southern border seriously. But the Administration cannot fight cartels while ignoring illegal immigration—people smuggling is part of the problem, not a separate issue. Legalization will only make matters worse. Granting the people here illegally asylum will only encourage more illegal border crossing. Likewise, failing to enforce workplace and immigration laws will only encourage more to ignore the law.

Yep, that’s The Plan.

***

There is now a Fire Napolitano website.

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Posted in: Homeland Security

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Comments


  1. #101
    On April 21st, 2009 at 4:58 pm, Leatherneck said:

    In the North American Union there are no borders, and the former American tax payer goes deeper in hock for the failed state that use to be called Mexico.

    Canada which no longer exists, continue to reward failure like Europe, and we become one of ten economic regions with somekind of Amero money.

    Therefore, the DHS piker chick is correct in that it is not a crime to cross the border. When will you Nationalists learn?

    Get on board the New World Order, that does not exist.

  2. #102
    On April 21st, 2009 at 5:04 pm, Dimsdale said:

    So, alleged (by Nappy Jan) “radicalized” conservatives are subject to scrutiny and likely harrassment by the police and other law enforcement personel, but invaders from another country are permitted to wander the country, unscathed and unmolested, even enjoying privileges that the aforementioned “radicals” have to pay for?

    Hmmm. What could be the difference? Could it be that the “radicals” would never vote for Democrats, but the invaders would?

    Once again, love of power trumps love of country.

  3. #103
    On April 21st, 2009 at 5:10 pm, Teddy Kennedy said:

    Errah, Happyscrapper, Possibly someone knows of a website that lists these criminal corporations that hire illegals so I can start withholding my dollars. I suspect McDs and most other fast food chains but I don’t know if this is verifiable. Not only my $ for daily expenditures but also their stocks. Possibly nasty letter campaigns to their boards might be a start.

  4. #104
    On April 21st, 2009 at 5:23 pm, blacktygrrrr said:

    What is it about Democrats and big stocky women named Janet?

    If she does get fired, the Oakland Raiders could really use Napolitano (and Reno for that matter) on their offensive line.

    Actually, no wait…how can they be expected to protect their quarterback in the pocket when border protection is their worst trait?

    Respectfully,

    eric aka the Tygrrrr Express
    http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com

  5. #105
    On April 21st, 2009 at 5:23 pm, DavidHughes said:

    Is it any surprise that she is ignorant of the law, just like the head honcho of the Treasury being ignorant about tax laws, or a CinC who didn’t know that he was associating with terrorists? I’m beginning to think that statement about transparency in Washington under this administration was the only real promise honored so far— only problem is, transparency seems to mean being blatantly and overtly stupid and corrupt, and not making any apologies for it. God help our country.

  6. #106
    On April 21st, 2009 at 5:32 pm, madmonkphotog said:

    I didn’t know it was a crime to rob a liquor store.

    I didn’t know it was a crime to beat up a total stranger.

    I didn’t know it was a crime to break into someone’s house.

    But that’s okay. The AG will forgive me.

  7. #107
    On April 21st, 2009 at 5:55 pm, PhredE said:

    Sen. Jeff Sessions is on the ball:

    Sen. Jeff Sessions Demands Correction from Napolitano

    Thanks Senator Sessions. You’re one of the very best.

  8. #108
    On April 21st, 2009 at 6:02 pm, PhredE said:

    For you NumbersUSA members, there is a Fax available for Janet on this very subject. – Enjoy.

    Action Buffet Here

  9. #109
    On April 21st, 2009 at 6:46 pm, Virginia Patriot said:

    We the People of the United States of America have the right to have our borders and our laws respected and enforced.

    Citizens of other countries illegally in our country have no right to demand anything from our government. They most certainly have the right to petition the governments of their home countries for change if they are unhappy with their home country. If they want to be Americans, we have a path to citizenship, more generous than any other nation, and it starts in their home country.

    We need to insist on the equal protection, application and enforcement of the law or devolve into anarchy. Our Republic only functions if everyone follows the same rules. We should not change the laws to accomodate those breaking them.

    If America annouces to the world “We can’t stop you, so come on in” with another amnesty, the deluge will be overwhelming. If 3,000 a day didn’t get your attention, then wait until it’s 10,000 a day. We cannot sustain this influx and survive as a nation. We must speak up and speak to each other about this and not let false claims of racism or bigotry be used to intimidate us into silent assent. America is not Congress’ to give away. America belongs to We the People. Speak to your neighbors, speak to your coworkers, but please speak up to your Congressmen and Senators. It’s O.K. for us to enforce our laws, no really, it is.

  10. #110
    On April 21st, 2009 at 6:49 pm, Virginia Patriot said:

    Phred E

    Session, Demint and a few others are still on the side of the citizens.

    Far too many are on the side of the illegal aliens and their employers.

    This next amnesty fight is going to be the hardest one yet.
    They are trying to wear us down.
    Never give in, America is not theirs to give away.

  11. #111
    On April 21st, 2009 at 7:30 pm, Buy Danish said:

    Janet N said:

    What we have to do is target the real evil-doers in this business, the employers who consistently hire illegal labor, the human traffickers who are exploiting human misery.

    Oh puhlease. Why aren’t the Dems ‘evil-doers’ for targeting illegal aliens, facilitating their access to this country by refusing to close the borders, and making it easier for them to get drivers licenses, jobs, and taxpayer funded college educations and other benefits, all in the hope of making them and their families residents (and citizens if all goes according to plan)… so they can vote for Democrats?

  12. #112
    On April 21st, 2009 at 7:45 pm, PhredE said:

    “Phred E

    Session, Demint and a few others are still on the side of the citizens.

    Far too many are on the side of the illegal aliens and their employers.

    This next amnesty fight is going to be the hardest one yet.
    They are trying to wear us down.
    Never give in, America is not theirs to give away.”

    Totally agree VP. I’ve helped fight ‘em back before, and I’ll do it again.
    Count me in. :D

  13. #113
    On April 21st, 2009 at 8:56 pm, Chief RZ said:

    Maybe she can not read. Perhaps she was graduated from High School after 1969.

  14. #114
    On April 21st, 2009 at 9:09 pm, Papa Louie said:

    There are other alarming comments from Napolitano in this same interview. For example, when she is asked if the changes her boss has been making will make Americans “more safe”, she answers:

    I can look the American people in the eye and say, every day we think about the safety of the American people. We think about protection from terrorist acts abroad, we think about protection from terrorist acts internally. We believe that you don’t need a Guantanamo to improve the safety of the American people and to minimize the risk of terrorist acts.

    She doesn’t exactly answer the question about Obama’s policies making us more safe. Instead, she emphasizes the thinking and beliefs of the Obama administration. It’s as if good intentions and blind faith in liberal policies are more important than results.

    These people are not only willing to put us all at risk by making wholesale changes to policies that have kept us safe for 7 years, but they also have the audacity to believe that they are too smart to make mistakes. They believe they can implement their untested theories without prior study and without exercising any kind of caution. It’s just a matter of time before the Law of Unintended Consequences rises up and bites them on the derriere.

  15. #115
    On April 21st, 2009 at 9:20 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    D’oh! She did it again!

    In an interview with the CBC about the 9/11 terrorists, she stated”

    “to the extent that terrorists have come into our country or suspected or known terrorists have entered our country across a border, it’s been across the Canadian border”

    Asked if she was referring to the 9/11 plotters, she replied: “Not just those but others as well.”

    Could someone please lend her their copy of “The 9/11 Commission Report”? NONE of the 9/11 terrorists entered through Canada.

    This is the US Attorney General. Doesn’t she know that Bush and Cheney blew up the WTC? Or was THE JOOOS!

  16. #116
    On April 21st, 2009 at 9:30 pm, RabbidSquirrel said:

    Oh jeez….

    Ive been posting to another thread for a while and trying to figure out why no one was answering to such a funny topic for the past 9 hours.

    Turns out I had mis-clicked and it was a month old thread :lol:

  17. #117
    On April 21st, 2009 at 9:33 pm, RabbidSquirrel said:

    @#$%@#$%@#

    I just noticed I was posting to a 2 week old thread ALSO!!!!!!!!!!!

    :shock:

    Maybe I had better check the dates on this thread too….

  18. #118
    On April 21st, 2009 at 10:09 pm, happyscrapper said:

    The next (inevitable) terrorist attack on our soil will be owned by Obama…completely and totally and he will be at fault. Let him wiggle out of that. He won’t be able to. His policies will get some of us killed.

  19. #119
    On April 21st, 2009 at 10:14 pm, Eyas said:

    I hope I don’t need to remind anyone that the BOLDED part of Michelle’s post — about how crossing the border is not a crime — is only an odd (and self-evident) twist on the mantra that “being in this country illegally is not a crime” that was repeated time and again by Republican Presidential Candidate Rudy Giuliani.

    This isn’t to apologize for Napolitano’s witless statement — it is one among many. I just want to remind everyone there are damned few Republicans who are actually conservatives, as evidenced by the fact that nearly all Republican Congressmen would agree with Giuliani’s assessment if not Napolitano’s assinine statements.

    So what? Why bring it up?

    Because in the 2010 elections you will most likely vote for someone who either:
    a.) will make b.s. excuses like Giuliani’s or Napolitano’s for not sealing our southern border; OR
    b.) will make no lame excuses, but will also do nothing to seal the Southern Border — thus making them the functional, factual, and actual equivalents (in terms of real-world effect) of Napolitano.

    This stupidity is to be expected from hardcore communists and totalitarians like Napolitano and Obama — DON’T vote for the same inaction in 2010 just because it has an (R) next to its name rather than a (D). Vote for someone who will explicitly state that he will CLOSE our southern border and will round-up and deport every last illegal alien in this country — accepting less, accepting a more “moderate” view will yield the same results as we get with Napolitano even if the rhetoric differs.

  20. #120
    On April 21st, 2009 at 10:21 pm, sbw999 said:

    Nice to know that the freaking head of Homeland Security is so familiar with our border laws. Gives me such a great feeling of safety. God help this Country; it is so lost.

  21. #121
    On April 21st, 2009 at 11:17 pm, mdt said:

    Tom Tancredo and Bay Buchanan are bravely standing up for the cause of border defense and controlling immigration despite vicious and violent attacks from the far left -
    go here and see for yourself and help them http://www.teamamericapac.org/

  22. #122
    On April 21st, 2009 at 11:17 pm, Jet Jaguar said:

    To all those who poo-poo on the secessionist movement: what’s the point of deriding us if the Federal Govt doesn’t defend our borders? From what nation are we seceding? …a “nation” that no longer exists. A nation is fundamentally defined by its borders. No borders means no nation. There is no longer a nation from which to secede.

  23. #123
    On April 22nd, 2009 at 12:12 am, Living in the PSRK said:

    We Hire Aliens was posted on one of these threads. Can’t remember where or who, but it’s a good place to look for help stopping illegal aliens from remaining employed in the USA.

  24. #124
    On April 22nd, 2009 at 1:34 am, pgtips said:

    I guess enforcing borders just ain’t as fun as going after CIA and other agencies agents who keep us safe by “torturing” terrorist suspects.

  25. #125
    On April 22nd, 2009 at 2:21 am, conservative in europe said:

    Papa Louie #114:

    Possibly the greatest description of Democrat thought processes I have read to date. You could take descriptors of DHS out of that completely and insert any Democrat Program or politician and you would be correct.

    Well said.

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