[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 74 (Thursday, May 26, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H3686-H3687]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WAITING FOR ICE
(Mr. BARLETTA asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, 3 weeks ago Tuesday, a police chief in my
district stopped a man for speeding. The driver was an illegal alien.
He didn't speak English, so a translator
[[Page H3687]]
was called. The man had been in the United States for 6 years. He had
been arrested before. He had no job. He didn't know where he lived. He
had $3,000 cash in his pockets, and he had two public benefit access
cards. When the police chief called Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, ICE said, ``Let him go.''
At a time when our Nation is broke and when programs for our elderly
are being cut, ICE must not allow people like this to defraud the
American taxpayers.
Mr. Speaker, 3 weeks ago I asked ICE to explain this decision and put
in writing the policy regarding the detention of illegal aliens found
by local law enforcement. Why was this man let go? Three weeks later
and I am still waiting. I demand an answer. My constituents deserve an
answer, and millions of Americans deserve an answer. We're all still
waiting.
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