Interagency 'drug deal' reached

Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 1:56 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Security

From NBC’s Mike Kosnar
Letting the cat out of the bag a bit early, Attorney General Eric Holder said today that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will get expanded powers to engage in international drug investigations, particularly on the border with Mexico.

For several years the Department of Homeland Security has been in a turf battle with the Department of Justice over the enforcement of drug laws.

Holder, appearing before the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on oversight, revealed that a new agreement has been reached between the two departments giving so-called Title 21 authority to more ICE agents.

In the past, when ICE agents wanted to work on their own drug investigations, they had to seek the permission of the DEA and make sure that the ICE agents involved had Title 21 authority. ICE maintained this scenario hampered their ability to work cases, especially on the border where ICE has such a large presence. DEA fought back, claiming that ICE agents did not have the expertise to handle narcotics investigations.

Sources tell us the new agreement will be announced tomorrow at a press conference in Washington.

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Comments

Sounds like more Illinois corruption.

Sick em, Obie! Go for the ankles.

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:02 PM)

ICE, ICE Baby!

cindy, las vegas, nv (Sent Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:06 PM)

Not sure what good this will do as the war on drugs is an utter failure, as is the idiotic war on illegal immigrants. Decriminalize marijuana and stop wasting taxpayer money on the 35 year old failed drug war. Plus decriminalization would help cut down border violence in a way that the feds have never been able to accomplish. Not to mention we could have a new source of tax dollars coming in to fund our government.

Decriminalize Marijuana Now!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:07 PM)

When SAM, USA talks about dumb politicians, he's got to be talking Joe Biden.

I mean, Mark, look at the gaffes that are hurting his image and even Obie's.

Now Biden is calling them intentional jokes. I get it. Another type of covering up, like Obie does.

Bad Chihuahua (Sent Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:08 PM)

The drug war is a joke. Leave it to the states, and get these GI Joe drug enforcers off of the federal payroll. It does nothing but create crime by criminalizing a medical problem. We wonder why we have such a high percentage of our population in prison it's because of these useless departments trying to regulate how people are allowed to destroy their lives. I can't drink myself to oblivion in the privacy of my own home, but if I'm caught with a controlled substance I go to jail...stupid, stupid stupid, and typical government

Jonathan Flint, MI (Sent Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:10 PM)

A real world example would be when ICE agents raid a safe house full of illegal immigrants and discover that it’s really a drug operation. Under the current regulations, the ICE agents would not be allowed to make any drug-related arrests unless the DEA was called to the scene.

Sources tell us the new agreement will be announced tomorrow at a press conference in Washington
------------------------------------------------
finally getting to the meat of the issue of the drug enforcement laws. Of course ICE agens didn't have the authority to arrest drug offenders during imigration raids. This would be an excellent start to "really" cracking down on drug trafficking on the boarders.

Why didn't the last administration expand the ICE authority? Because they weren't sincere about stopping the drug trade. There is a saying amongst the traders...when republicans are in office, there are drugs a plenty. When Democrats are in office there durgs are difficult to get and difficult to deal. I have relatives that are in law enforcement.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:19 PM)

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