Acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner Warns of Increased Risk Due to Overwhelming Border Crossings and Sanctuary Cities
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Scott Kirby, chief executive officer of United Airlines Holdings Inc., during a Bloomberg Television interview on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday, June 5, 2023. Global airlines stand to earn a collective $9.8 billion in profit this year, the airline industry???s main lobby group said, doubling its previous estimate from December as a surge in flying in North America and Europe drives up ticket prices. Photographer: Moe Zoyari/Bloomberg
The Acting Director of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Patrick Lechleitner, recently sat down for an exclusive interview with Fox News, where he discussed the challenges his agency faces in dealing with the surge of migrants at the border and the dangers posed by sanctuary cities.
Lechleitner began by explaining that while the public may focus on the border crisis, it is essential to remember that those individuals who make it past the border go somewhere. He expressed concern that ICE cannot detain all the bad actors, and every time there is an increase in numbers, there is an increased risk.
The acting ICE director went on to describe how many of the migrants coming through the border have various forms of criminality. He gave the example of an MS-13 member who was arrested by ICE but was released by a sanctuary jurisdiction, only to be re-arrested by ICE after committing accessory to murder. Lechleitner emphasized that anything that happens in the community is inherently more dangerous because there is no control over the situation.
ICE often apprehends individuals with criminal histories, but a revolving-door justice system lets some back out. Lechleitner lamented that sanctuary jurisdictions are inherently more unsafe because they release individuals with serious convictions and public safety threats. He stated that this makes ICE’s job significantly harder.
Griff Jenkins, the Fox News correspondent conducting the interview, asked Lechleitner what keeps him up at night. The acting ICE director replied that he is concerned about the resources being stretched thin, which pulls resources off their interior mission. He emphasized that their core mission is civil immigration enforcement in the interior of the United States.
Lechleitner also addressed the issue of Baltimore, where ICE arrested an illegal MS-13 member who was released by a sanctuary jurisdiction. He noted that this is just one example of how the revolving-door justice system lets criminal immigrants back out onto the streets.
The acting ICE director concluded the interview by stating that he is baffled by sanctuary jurisdictions that protect dangerous illegal immigrants. He reiterated that these jurisdictions make ICE’s job significantly harder and pose a danger to public safety.
In summary, Acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner warned of the increased risk posed by overwhelming border crossings and sanctuary cities. He emphasized the dangers of releasing criminal immigrants back into the community and the challenges posed by sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with ICE. The interview underscored the importance of effective border control and the need for a justice system that holds criminal immigrants accountable.
