The Washington Times
The nation's border czar yesterday said it is "not realistic" to think that law-enforcement authorities can arrest or deport the millions of illegal aliens now in the United States and does not think the American public has the "will ... to uproot" those aliens.
Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson also said taxpayers "might be afraid" to learn how much it would take in manpower and resources to control the nation's borders and described as "probably accurate" a statement that no law-enforcement officials are looking for the vast majority of the 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens thought to be in the country.
"It's not realistic to say we're going to reduce that number," Mr. Hutchinson said during a luncheon meeting with editors and reporters at The Washington Times. "We don't set goals like that. Our goal is to enforce the law as we see violations of the law.
"But I don't think America has the will," he added. "I think they have too much compassion to tell our law-enforcement people to go out there and uproot those 8 million here — some of whom might have been here 8 or 12 years, who got kids here that are American citizens — and to send them out of the country."Mr. Hutchinson, who leads the nation's border and transportation security agencies, said although securing the nation's borders against terrorists, illegal aliens, smugglers and others who pose a threat is his top priority, the department is attempting to do so by laying "a foundation" for a strategy that can be "reasonably considered.