Wed 22 Apr 2009
Napolitano says illegal border crossing isn’t a crime; Sen. Sessions demands correction
Posted by Chewie Shofir under Border , Illegal Aliens , Illegal Immigration[5] Comments
Napolitano said the following during an interview with Larry King:
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.
This is wrong because crossing the border illegally is a criminal misdemeanor. 8 USC Sec. 1325(a) says that crossing the border illegally is punishable by up to six months in prison for the first offense. Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Jeff Sessions is demanding a public correction of her statement.
Senator Jeff Sessions has issued the following statement demanding a correction:
It is breathtaking that a cabinet secretary, bestowed by the public with the responsibility to protect our nation’s borders, could be ignorant of the undisputable fact that it is a violation of the criminal code to enter our country illegally. 8 U.S.C. 1325(a), which has been in effect for decades and codified in its current form since 1991, is unambiguous that doing so is a crime. This is one of the most baffling statements from a high government official I have ever heard. …
… Sec. Napolitano must swiftly, clearly, and unambiguously correct her comments on this matter to set the record straight.
Michelle Malkin notes there is now a Fire Napolitano website.
It is frustrating to those of us in Arizona who have watched Napolitano’s record of incompetence for years, elected only due to the liberal media, not any kind of an impressive record. She is frankly an embarrassment to those of us in Arizona now she’s at the national level.
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Since I really am a born and raised Arizona native and Janet Napolitano was not, I consider her an interloper. New Mexico ought to claim her. Her views are much more in line with that state than ours.
April 22nd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Since when has being on the wrong side of the truth been a problem for Janet. You just say it and move on.
She’ll exit in time to make a run at McCain’s Senate seat … making it look like she left on her own terms, as apposed to being fired.
She’ll come ‘home’ to Arizona with her head held high, and to the trumpets of the local MSM and liberals.
President Obama will be spared the indignity of having to fire his first Cabinet Secretary and he’ll try again to repay a campaign promise/payback/kickback with another incompetent selection.
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:46 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK3PzGhbbWA&feature=related
damn it Janet LOL
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
This woman misspeaks about anything and everything, nevertheless, there IS a pattern and that is favoritism toward illegal immigration. This is not the first time she has said that illegal immigration is not illegal. She has also said it is not a felony..and to a certain extent that is true since the FIRST time that the illegal is caught, it is a misdemeanor. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th time and thereafter, it is a felony.
April 24th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Bill Konopnicki agrees with her; crossing the border to take a job in Konopnicki’s McDonalds should not be a crime. (especially if he can pay you less than minimum wage and fire you before you work over 35 hours in a week)