At a Capitol hearing yesterday afternoon, Congressman David Young (R-Iowa) questioned the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Sarah Saldaña, to get a clarification over the continued mixed signals regarding the agency’s placement of administration policy above the law.
Congressman Young focused on individual ICE officials and Border Patrol agents who have been directed to follow the presidents new directives on immigration. The president has made it clear that if these officials do not respect the policy, there are going to be consequences
“If I had policies or directives that were contrary to the law I would understand if my employees did not want to follow them. I would expect them to follow the law first,” said Young.
Saldaña responded, “That is where you and I probably have a fundamental disagreement.”
Young was surprised by this answer and pressed the Director further regarding the possible threat that DHS officials might feel is being leveled at them when they are simply trying to obey the law.
Young continued, “We can have policy debates and disagreements, but we must demand better management of our federal government at every level. Reports show that of all the federal agencies, ICE currently ranks last in employee satisfaction. The morale is low, employees up and down the line do not know who they can trust, nor can they rely on the plain letter of the law.”
“American is a nation of laws and I take that very seriously. The culture problems at ICE run very deep, but I think they start at the top,” concluded Young.