ICE Union President Tells Senate Committee Law Enforcement Locked Out of Negotiations

ICE Union President Chris Crane has been critical of the Gang of Eight’s intentional decision to ignore law enforcement while drafting its “comprehensive immigration reform” bill that would grant amnesty to most of the nation’s 11-18 million illegal aliens. He’s sent a letter to the Gang requesting a meeting, he’s asked for a meeting while talking with the press, and he’s even got himself thrown out of the Gang’s public unveiling last week when he tried to ask a question during the Q&A portion. Yesterday, he told the Senate Judiciary Committee about the Gang’s refusal to talk with immigration enforcement agents.”This legislation was crafted behind closed doors with big business, big unions, and groups representing illegal aliens,” Crane testified. “Groups with their own interests. Groups that stand to make millions from this legislation. Anyone with a significantly different opinion on immigration reform was prohibited by the Gang of Eight from having input.”Lawmaking in our nation has indeed taken a strange twist as Senators invite illegal aliens to testify before Congress and groups representing illegal aliens are brought into the development of our nation’s laws, but America’s citizens working as law enforcement officers within our nation’s broken immigration system are purposely excluded from the process and prohibited from providing input.”Crane discussed the times that law enforcement tried to be heard by the Gang of Eight, but was instead ignored or shunned.”Last week, desperate to be heard, border sheriffs, interior sheriffs, deputies and immigration agents all came to Washington, D.C. with the hope that the Gang of Eight would hear their concerns,” Crane said. “They held two meetings on two separate days, not one member of the Gang of Eight attended. “Last week when I respectfully asked a question to the Gang of Eight at their press conference, I was escorted out by police and Senate staff. I was spoken to with anger and disrespect.”Never before have I seen such contempt for law enforcement officers as what I’ve seen from the Gang of Eight.”Watch Chris Crane’s entire testimony below.