Help Wanted: Immigration Leadership
Joe Biden’s forgotten vow leaves Congress and the American people fumbling in the dark
By Andrew R. Arthur on April 24, 2023
Many of Joe Biden’s earlier immigration-related statements have somehow gone down the memory hole, like his promotion of border fences to stem drug smuggling, demand for accountability by the Mexican government to stem illegal migration, or concerns that smuggled kids were getting physically and sexually abused on their way here. One big one was a promise to ensure “responsible, Senate-confirmed professionals” would be leading ICE and CBP. Both are headed by “acting” officials, and that’s a problem, because it leaves Congress and the voters fumbling in the dark for accountability.
The Vow. Biden made that vow on his 2020 campaign website, which is still up even though the election is long over. It has now mutated into a fundraising tool for the “Biden-Harris” administration (with a link asking visitors to “Donate to the DNC to help elect Democrats”), but because no one else talks about it, I’m likely one of the few who’s been there recently.
Here’s the full quote:
In the first 100 days, a Biden Administration will:
...
Ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel abide by professional standards and are held accountable for inhumane treatment. Biden will increase resources for training and demand transparency in and independent oversight over ICE and CBP’s activities. Under a Biden Administration, there will be responsible, Senate-confirmed professionals leading these agencies, and they will answer directly to the president.
https://cis.org/Arthur/Help-Wanted-Immigration-Leadership
