Feds blocked from person of interest after San Bernardino attack, lawmakers told

[HCM]

For those who still think the FED GOV is a monolith....

By way of background, USCIS is the agency solely responsible for adjudicating applications for immigration benefits and applications for United States Citizenship via naturalization. Unfortunately, the incident below is an isolated incident for US CIS.

Feds blocked from person of interest after San Bernardino attack, lawmakers told


Federal agents who sought to interview a man later charged in connection with the San Bernardino terror attack were not even allowed to enter a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office where he was slated to be questioned a day after the massacre, stunned lawmakers were told at a hearing Tuesday.

On Dec. 3, 2015, just one day after Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik murdered 14 people and injured 22 others at a Christmas office party in the Southern California community, the FBI learned that Enrique Marquez, a friend of Farook’s suspected of supplying the assault rifles used in the terrorist attack, was scheduled for an interview at the San Bernardino USCIS office. The FBI asked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to intercept Marquez at the facility, but when the ICE agents arrived, they were denied entry, as well as access to Marquez’s file.

Details of the turf battle were revealed at a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing Tuesday, when Senate Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., questioned directors of both USCIS and ICE.

“This is the kind of mistake that can get people killed."

- Jessica Vaughan, Center for Immigration Studies
“How can you explain that they would not let Homeland Security agents in the building when they are saying, ‘Listen you could have a potential terrorist here involved in what just happened yesterday in the slaughter of 14 Americans?’” an incredulous Johnson asked. “And they don’t even allow them in the office? How could that have possibly happened?”

USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez replied that the agency operates “under certain protocols” and that the administrator in charge of the San Bernardino office checked with his superiors but somehow screwed up anyway.

“The guidance was to facilitate what Homeland Security Investigations was trying to accomplish. Unfortunately, it all happened so quickly that it was incorrectly perceived that our folks were trying to obstruct what ICE was trying to do,” said Rodriguez. “Do we need to look at our protocols to make sure this is something that does not occur? It may well be something we need to do. But there was never an actual intent to prevent them from doing what they needed to do.”

ICE Director Sarah Saldana said she was initially concerned when her agents were blocked, but told lawmakers there was “confusion” and “chaos” in San Bernardino the day after the attack.

“We had immediate conversations when it came to my attention,” she said. “It was taken care of and clarified immediately. We did get the information we needed.

“We can always do things better, and if we don’t, as I tell my son, learn from the mistakes we make, then shame on us,” she added.

Johnson, who learned of the situation from a letter sent to his committee, said it exposes a “potential breakdown of agencies cooperating.”

“I find it pretty disconcerting to say the least,” Johnson said. “Putting myself in the position of the USCIS, if I had the day after a terrorist attack, I had a team, armed, coming into my office and saying, ‘We believe somebody who is involved in that terrorist attack is in your building, we want to come in,’ I would say, ‘Come on in.’ There would not have been a question in my mind, and yet that is not what happened. It is quite puzzling.”

USCIS agents were investigating Marquez for marriage fraud, stemming from his 2014 union with Mariya Chernykh, a Russian national married to Farook’s brother. Marquez, who is now in jail and awaiting trial this summer, is accused of supplying the guns as well as marriage fraud.

The incident reveals how federal immigration agencies are increasingly hostile to the mission of homeland security, said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based research institute.

“I was completely flabbergasted to hear that USCIS managers had obstructed ICE agents in the midst of an urgent terror investigation – one that was the worst terror attack since the Boston Marathon bombing,” Vaughan said after watching the hearing. ”I cannot imagine any possible excuse for USCIS to block agents from their sister homeland security agency from making an arrest in a federal building during a terror investigation, nor can there be any good reason to deny them access to the files.

“This is the kind of mistake that can get people killed, and someone needs to be held accountable for this egregious behavior,” Vaughan added.

Both Farook and Malik were killed by law enforcement after their morning attack. Marquez is accused of making false statements in connection with his weapons purchases used in the San Bernardino shooting. Prosecutors also have alleged that Marquez and Farook plotted in 2011 and 2012 to carry out attacks at Riverside City College and on the 91 Freeway.

Marquez has pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him. If convicted of all counts, Marquez faces up to 50 years in prison.



http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/03/15/feds-blocked-from-person-interest-after-san-bernardino-attack-lawmakers-told.html?intcmp=hplnws

[Dagga Boy]

And people wonder why there is concern about building technology for the Feds to crack the newer iPhones......because they promise it won't be abused and they can secure the technology.
The other issue is accountability. I want to know who got fired over this. I am venturing...nobody.

There are some exceptional folks working in federal law enforcement and various agencies. Unfortunately, for every exceptional one there is almost a requirement for a booger eating moron to balance things out.......and they both have the same chances to be promoted and run things.

[Trooper224]

And people wonder why there is concern about building technology for the Feds to crack the newer iPhones......because they promise it won't be abused and they can secure the technology.
The other issue is accountability. I want to know who got fired over this. I am venturing...nobody.

There are some exceptional folks working in federal law enforcement and various agencies. Unfortunately, for every exceptional one there is almost a requirement for a booger eating moron to balance things out.......and they both have the same chances to be promoted and run things.

It's been my experience that the booger eating morons move up the chain considerably faster.

[TCinVA]

And people wonder why there is concern about building technology for the Feds to crack the newer iPhones......because they promise it won't be abused and they can secure the technology.
The other issue is accountability. I want to know who got fired over this. I am venturing...nobody.

There are some exceptional folks working in federal law enforcement and various agencies. Unfortunately, for every exceptional one there is almost a requirement for a booger eating moron to balance things out.......and they both have the same chances to be promoted and run things.

I'd have to disagree. I think the booger-eating moron has a better shot since the exceptional folks working in the biz often career-limit themselves by being the one dude/dudette in the room with balls and brains enough to stand up and tell the rest of the group thinkers why their idea is completely retarded, probably illegal, and is likely to get somebody killed who doesn't need to be. They may succeed at stopping the stupidity but get "not a team player" stamped on their forehead while the bobble-heads in the room get bumped up the chain.

But that's just my opinion. :cool:

[cclaxton]

And people wonder why there is concern about building technology for the Feds to crack the newer iPhones......because they promise it won't be abused and they can secure the technology.
The idea of forcing companies to allow LE to break encryption is a fools errand. Criminals and terrorists already have the ability to build their own encryption that is virtually unbreakable...within a reasonable period of time. I work in the industry and I know these technologies. We actually will put our citizens and our most secure agencies at risk if we force companies to create a hack to get into these devices. Common criminals may not use advanced encryption, but serious criminals and terrorists will just build their own...and it can be built in days. We should always support better and better encryption technologies and apply them in smart ways. There are ways to identify DEVICES and IP Addresses that are being used, and there are ways to disable or block their data connections and networks. THIS is a much better strategy. This technology hack is just another way to try and do this cheaply and easily...but with very little to gain. We need to do what the Israeli's do: Put agents in the field and rely on moles and good old fashioned human surveillance. Yes, it's more expensive but there are also huge advantages to humans observing suspects over hoping to pick up pieces of a conversation and put it together. Hacking device encryption is bad all the way around.
I had no idea booger eating was that popular.
Cody

[JV_]

Criminals and terrorists already have the ability to build their own encryption that is virtually unbreakable...within a reasonable period of time.It depends on who's doing the decryption. The NSA has been building backdoors in to encryption for a long time, it's done via flawed random number generation systems.

[cclaxton]

It depends on who's doing the decryption. The NSA has been building backdoors in to encryption for a long time, it's done via flawed random number generation systems.
Agreed, but the technological change is moving at high speed and that includes encryption. From a security point of view we will always be ahead if we continue to be the best at encryption....and thus breaking encryption and finding innovative ways to get the intelligence we need. My point is that we are wasting time and money and focus by this distraction of trying to get companies to hack their encryption.
Cody

[TAZ]

It's really not a fools errand if you take the government's view point. It's not about San Bernadino or any of the thousands of other pending cases. It's about pushing an agenda of government supervision into everything.

[JV_]

My point is that we are wasting time and money and focus by this distraction of trying to get companies to hack their encryption.
Cody

If by "we", you mean the US Govt, I might agree. The US Govt shouldn't be asking or focusing on this.

If by "we", and you mean citizens are wasting time and money fighting the government on this, then I wholeheartedly disagree.

[RevolverRob]

Okay, so, I agree that they should have let DHS Agents into the building. But if they had this guy in an interview room and were questioning him as part of a criminal investigation, where they were looking to charge and/or indict him, and he is a "person of interest" but not a suspect with a warrant for his arrest in a terrorism case, then DHS can stand in the hall and wait their turn.

The only thing shoe pissing about this particular scenario is the complaints that DHS agents should have the authority to stomp over any pending/active/prior investigations, because "terrorism". I gotta be honest, I would have offered them a chance to detain and interview the suspect, when my CIS agents were completed with their interview, but not before. Period. The person in charge of CIS has a job to do and that is to conduct their investigation.

Its a disturbing day when just saying "terrorism" can cause a panicked frenzy among federal law enforcement. The terrorists are winning.

-Rob

[Drang]

Okay, so, I agree that they should have let DHS Agents into the building. But if they had this guy in an interview room and were questioning him as part of a criminal investigation, where they were looking to charge and/or indict him, and he is a "person of interest" but not a suspect with a warrant for his arrest in a terrorism case, then DHS can stand in the hall and wait their turn.
It was DHS not letting DHS into the room.

[Chance]

Criminals and terrorists already have the ability to build their own encryption that is virtually unbreakable...within a reasonable period of time.

It's been a few years since I've looked at the field, but unless there have been some major advancements I'm not aware of, rolling your own crypto is a bad idea. It's not something you can just throw together and wish for the best, and the NSA has cryptanalysts lying around that can make mince meat of home grown algorithms.


But if they had this guy in an interview room and were questioning him as part of a criminal investigation, where they were looking to charge and/or indict him, and he is a "person of interest" but not a suspect with a warrant for his arrest in a terrorism case, then DHS can stand in the hall and wait their turn.


I'm inclined to agree, but this wasn't the simple specter of terrorism. There were a lot of dead Americans on the other side of town.

[HCM]

And people wonder why there is concern about building technology for the Feds to crack the newer iPhones......because they promise it won't be abused and they can secure the technology.
The other issue is accountability. I want to know who got fired over this. I am venturing...nobody.

There are some exceptional folks working in federal law enforcement and various agencies. Unfortunately, for every exceptional one there is almost a requirement for a booger eating moron to balance things out.......and they both have the same chances to be promoted and run things.

US CIS is part of DHS but is not a LE agency. They have a fraud detection unit but they are not sworn LE. The issue is their management puts the cart before the horse, they see their function as serving aliens rather than serving the American people. USCIS is supposed to be screening aliens for benefits on behalf of their customers, the American people - instead, they believe the aliens are their customers.

This has fuck all to do with encryption. ICE agents have legal authority access to the same DHS alien files as US CIS - by law they are DHS files - all one agency - there are no privacy or third agency concerns here.

Imagine if when you were a cop in SoCal a "hug a thug" minded probation office denied you access to a witness and possible suspect in a multiple murder case. Sure you will find another way but it is a waste of time and resources caused by someone who is supposed to be on your team.

You are correct someone should be fired and it is the USCIS San. Bernardino office director.

[HCM]

Okay, so, I agree that they should have let DHS Agents into the building. But if they had this guy in an interview room and were questioning him as part of a criminal investigation, where they were looking to charge and/or indict him, and he is a "person of interest" but not a suspect with a warrant for his arrest in a terrorism case, then DHS can stand in the hall and wait their turn.

The only thing shoe pissing about this particular scenario is the complaints that DHS agents should have the authority to stomp over any pending/active/prior investigations, because "terrorism". I gotta be honest, I would have offered them a chance to detain and interview the suspect, when my CIS agents were completed with their interview, but not before. Period. The person in charge of CIS has a job to do and that is to conduct their investigation.

Its a disturbing day when just saying "terrorism" can cause a panicked frenzy among federal law enforcement. The terrorists are winning.

-Rob

US CIS is not an LE agency. They conduct administrative interviews for immigration benefits and if they suspect fraud they are supposed to refer it to ICE. Of course that does not always happen because CIS believes their mission is creating a "safe space" for illegal aliens seeking benefits rather than screening those aliens on behalf of the American people.

Forget the terrorism angle - say you have a person of interest in a multiple murder x14 going to the welfare office for benefits interview because they are suspected of welfare fraud. What is the higher priority, an administrative interview regarding welfare fraud or the 14 murders?

[HCM]

It was DHS not letting DHS into the room.

This ^^^ exactly.

[Dagga Boy]

HCM, trust me we had plenty of probation and parole folks with misguided alliances and priorities. Which is my point, as their people are on probation or parole for a fricking reason. Also, the folks in those places who were always in trouble were the ones I. The field with the traditional LE people helping and really holding their assigned idiots to the terms of their release.

Didn't mean to go down the encryption hole, my point was that we have a ton of people in the system that is supposed to be protecting us that is not concerned with that. When the top federal Authorites can say "Islamic Terror", then we can point a finger at Apple.

[RevolverRob]

US CIS is part of DHS but is not a LE agency. They have a fraud detection unit but they are not sworn LE.

ICE agents have legal authority access to the same DHS alien files as US CIS - by law they are DHS files - all one agency - there are no privacy or third agency concerns here.

Ah. That part wasn't clear to me. I was operating under the idea that CIS not only handled benefits/citizenship applications but handled a portion of enforcement related to crimes in those cases. CIS isn't an LE agency and they only conduct administrative interviews, then indeed, a huge mistake was made here. No problem in my book axing the top of the CIS office as needed.

-Rob

[Gadfly]

Before DHS, back the INS days, investigations (the Agents) were upstairs and CIS (adjudications, the benefits folks) were downstairs. I had occasion to go down and arrest folks on the first floor. The Adjudications people were quite upset that I would cuff people and walk them through the lobby to the holding cells. Apparently, folks would take off running form the lobby thinking that we were (God forbid) arresting illegal aliens! They wanted me to not cuff but to simply walk the aliens to the back holding cells... Of course I still cuffed them, I just avoided cutting through the lobby and took the long way around the building.

That was always the conflicting mission of the INS. First floor is handing out Employment Authorization documents to illegals, and green cards to illegals adjusting status. Second floor was tasked with catching and deporting these folks. The District Director had to split his budget and resources between Arrest/deportation and benefits/services. The two missions conflicted, but the District Director could squash turf wars in house. NOW, CIS and ICE are different agencies with competing missions, but turf battles have to go to DC to get sorted out. It is a mess some days. Inter agency rivalries are not bad at the field agent level, but managment loves to have their pissing matches...

This event had zero to do with terror suspects, and lots to do with "you can't come barging into my office and tell me what to do".

[TCinVA]

This event had zero to do with terror suspects, and lots to do with "you can't come barging into my office and tell me what to do".

This is one of the reasons why I'm not a big fan of government conspiracy theories. Not because the people in government are universally virtuous, but they are often so narrowly interested that they do not play well with others.

[Drang]

But consolidating all those agencies under one Department will lead to significant improvements in efficiency!

[Gadfly]

But consolidating all those agencies under one Department will lead to significant improvements in efficiency!

When the INS was single department, you had some what more efficient transfer of information, BUT, depending on which month it was, we had to divert budget from enforcement to services. When we arrest folks, we have to pay for feeding and housing and transporting them back overseas. When you give them a card, its much cheaper. Soooo, what are the Directors priorities this month? Budget shortfalls? Stop arresting...

The Ideal behind splitting the agency and having enforcement with ICE/HSI, and services with CIS, was to streamline the missions without conflict. And it is separate, AND still filled with conflicting missions. Gotta love working for the "G".

[JV_]

They're efficient at being inefficient.

[HCM]

When the INS was single department, you had some what more efficient transfer of information, BUT, depending on which month it was, we had to divert budget from enforcement to services. When we arrest folks, we have to pay for feeding and housing and transporting them back overseas. When you give them a card, its much cheaper. Soooo, what are the Directors priorities this month? Budget shortfalls? Stop arresting...

The Ideal behind splitting the agency and having enforcement with ICE/HSI, and services with CIS, was to streamline the missions without conflict. And it is separate, AND still filled with conflicting missions. Gotta love working for the "G".

Plus in the old INS days, your senior manager (District. Director or OIC) could be a former BP Agent, SA etc or they could be someone who spent their entire career in adjudications. So you sometimes had someone with no LE experience supervising enforcement.

[NEPAKevin]

It's been my experience that the booger eating morons move up the chain considerably faster.

FWIW, when I was briefly a federal employee, this is not an uncommon practice as terminating a BEM is an arduous task, while promoting one out of your section takes the path of least resistance. Things may have changed, but I doubt it.

ETA: promoting may not be the right term. The basic concept is you have two guys apply for a better paying job and the bosses would give the hard worker a positive recommendation while the slacker would get a more positive recommendation. Win-win for the bosses.

[JV_]

Things may have changed, but I doubt it.Nope, they haven't.

Up is always easier than out. Sometimes you go up and over to some "project" no one knows or cares about, all you do is keep a seat warm (and hope you just upped your high-3).

[Hambo]

I'd have to disagree. I think the booger-eating moron has a better shot since the exceptional folks working in the biz often career-limit themselves by being the one dude/dudette in the room with balls and brains enough to stand up and tell the rest of the group thinkers why their idea is completely retarded, probably illegal, and is likely to get somebody killed who doesn't need to be. They may succeed at stopping the stupidity but get "not a team player" stamped on their forehead while the bobble-heads in the room get bumped up the chain.

But that's just my opinion. :cool:

Got it in one.

[Gadfly]

Up is always easier than out. Sometimes you go up and over to some "project" no one knows or cares about, all you do is keep a seat warm (and hope you just upped your high-3).

The say "you have to f--k up to move up" in government.

We had a Supervisor screw up an operation, bad. A budget of $1 million pissed away bad. A projected 600 arrest operation that netted 23... She went from being a supervisor in Texas to a RAC in Idaho...

I hear it went something like:
"Congratulations, your in charge of -------, Idaho!"
"But, I like it here in Texas"
"Congratulations, you start in Idaho next month!"
"But....I don't know anyone in Idaho."
"You don't understand, con-grat-u-la-tions, pack your shit, you are promoted..."

There was nothing major to be screwed up where she went.

I will never be promoted to management, not because I have not screwed up. I have. But my screw ups are minor, not major.

[Trooper224]

FWIW, when I was briefly a federal employee, this is not an uncommon practice as terminating a BEM is an arduous task, while promoting one out of your section takes the path of least resistance. Things may have changed, but I doubt it.

ETA: promoting may not be the right term. The basic concept is you have two guys apply for a better paying job and the bosses would give the hard worker a positive recommendation while the slacker would get a more positive recommendation. Win-win for the bosses.

It's exactly the same at the state level. Long ago I chose not to pursue promotion, mainly because I have too much self respect. I've also told too many Lieutenants and Captains things like, "You're a f***ing idiot." , so I think it's out of my hands. :o I once told my current Captain, soon after his promotion, when he arrived on scene at an incident while off duty, "You're not getting paid to be the Captain right now so why don't you get the f*** out of here." He wanted me suspended for three days, but HQ gave me a one day suspension and tacked it onto a weekend off. I took that to mean, "We agree but we have to do something." In the end it was worth it. I got a long weekend and one more story to enhance my already legendary reputation. :cool:

[Zhurdan]

It's been my experience that the booger eating morons move up the chain considerably faster.

Promoted out of areas of real responsibility? I'd agree. An example of the stupid amount of non-essential positions that make a metric crap ton more than most people probably know.

[GardoneVT]

The say "you have to f--k up to move up" in government.

We had a Supervisor screw up an operation, bad. A budget of $1 million pissed away bad. A projected 600 arrest operation that netted 23... She went from being a supervisor in Texas to a RAC in Idaho...

I hear it went something like:
"Congratulations, your in charge of -------, Idaho!"
"But, I like it here in Texas"
"Congratulations, you start in Idaho next month!"
"But....I don't know anyone in Idaho."
"You don't understand, con-grat-u-la-tions, pack your shit, you are promoted..."

There was nothing major to be screwed up where she went.

I will never be promoted to management, not because I have not screwed up. I have. But my screw ups are minor, not major.

When a senior Air Force Officer blows it but can't be canned for the fail, their next billet is typically " Special Assistant To Organization X".

[HCM]

Lawmaker warns DHS not to punish whistleblowers for San Bernardino disclosure



A key lawmaker who exposed a troubling federal turf battle in the immediate aftermath of December’s San Bernardino terror attack charged Wednesday that government officials are following a familiar pattern by hunting down the whistleblowers behind the disclosure.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said he learned his sources are being sought by Immigration and Customs Enforcement immediately following a dramatic hearing Tuesday in which ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials acknowledged the disturbing incident on Dec. 3, one day after a terrorist couple gunned down 14 at a county office party.

“I am concerned that ICE is attempting to identify and retaliate against whistleblowers who revealed a lack of cooperation between USCIS and ICE in the aftermath of the terror attacks in San Bernardino,” Johnson said in a follow-up hearing Wednesday. “Those who have the courage to come forward should not be retaliated against.”

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/03/18/lawmaker-warns-dhs-not-to-punish-whistleblowers-for-san-bernardino-disclosure.html?intcmp=hplnws

Looks like we are on step 4....

1)Enthusiasm,
2)Disillusionment,
3)Panic and hysteria,
4)Hunt for the guilty,
5)Punishment of the innocent, and
6)Praise and Reward for the uninvolved.

[HCM]

Immigration boss who barred feds from terror suspect up for award, but agency won't say why


A U.S. immigration official blamed in a federal report for barring law enforcement agents from a suspect in the San Bernardino terror attack has been nominated for a prestigious agency award – but her bosses in Washington refuse to say what she did to earn consideration.

Irene Martin heads the San Bernardino U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, where last December, she allegedly blocked five armed Department of Homeland Security agents from the man authorities say supplied the firepower in the deadly attack a day earlier. Although an Inspector General's report found she acted improperly, and then lied to investigators, FoxNews.com has learned she has been nominated for the Secretary’s Award for Valor.

“To give Irene Martin an award for valor is insulting to all the prior awardees – the agents and officers who truly displayed valor and risked their lives to save someone else,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based research institute.

Department of Homeland Security officials declined to say what Martin did to merit consideration for the award, which is described as “the highest departmental recognition for extraordinary acts of valor by an employee or group, occurring while on or off duty” and is reserved for “those who have demonstrated extraordinary courage in a highly dangerous, life-threatening situation or emergency under extreme stress and involving a specific act of valor, such as saving another person’s life or property.”

Past valor award recipients include government employees who have saved people from burning cars, sinking ships and weapon- wielding assailants.


The nomination from Martin’s superiors was stunning to staff members because it was announced just days after a June 1 DHS Inspector General’s report found Martin improperly hindered the work of five armed agents on site just 24 hours after the attack.


Martin also lied to the Inspector General’s investigators, according to the June 6 report, about her role in what has been characterized as a turf battle. Lying to federal investigators is a felony and can result in dismissal and criminal charges.

“We concluded that the USCIS Field Office Director at the San Bernardino office improperly delayed … agents from conducting a lawful and routine law enforcement action,” the report stated. “We have also concluded that the Field Office Director was not candid with OIG investigators during her interview.”

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/23/immigration-boss-who-barred-feds-from-terror-suspect-up-for-award-but-agency-wont-say-why.html?intcmp=hplnws

[HCM]

Disgraced immigration boss nominated for 'valor' award for calming employees amid terror attack


A U.S. immigration official accused in a federal report of hindering law enforcement agents seeking a suspect in the San Bernardino terror attack and then lying about it has been nominated for a prestigious award – for telling her employees to stay calm and fetching one who was eating lunch in his car.

FoxNews.com reported in June that Irene Martin, who heads the San Bernardino U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, had been nominated for the Department of Homeland Security “Award for Valor.” But the department refused to say what Martin had done to earn consideration for an award previously given to government employees who saved people from sinking ships and burning cars and confronted gun-wielding criminals.

The answer was only revealed through a Freedom of Information Act request. As the Dec. 2, 2015, attack unfolded a mile and a half away, Martin “warned [her] employees to be very careful and to be vigil (sic) about their surroundings,” according to the nominating petition.

hen Martin learned that one member of her staff was sitting in his car after returning from lunch, a security guard refused to go and get him, saying the office was under lockdown.

“[Director] Martin took it upon herself to walk out to the parking lot, locate the employee and escort him back inside where he would be safer,” the petition stated, adding that she also soothed members of the public who were temporarily stranded in the building.

“Martin’s actions on that terrible day demonstrated not only her professionalism and exceptional leadership, but also her compassion and caring for her employees and the public we serve,” read the nomination.



Basically, Ms. Martin followed standard operating procedures for an emergency situation in the area by addressing the staff, suspending programs and sending everyone home early – it’s what thousands of supervisors around San Bernardino must have been doing that day,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based research institute.

The nomination was made by Martin’s supervisors in Washington on March 3, just over a week before the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth launched his investigation into Martin’s behavior the day after the attack. Roth’s probe found that Martin blocked five armed Department of Homeland Security agents seeking the man authorities now say supplied the firepower in the deadly attack. The report also said she lied to investigators about her actions.

Vaughan said she suspects the award nomination was put forward to give cover to Martin, who may have broken the law.


Roth’s report found Martin improperly hindered the work of five armed agents on site just 24 hours after the attack. It noted DHS agents were sent to the USCIS building to arrest Marquez, who authorities were frantically trying to track down. Marquez, it turned out, had not shown up for his scheduled appointment at the USCIS building, but Martin kept agents waiting 30 minutes before meeting with them, and another hour before she turned over the USCIS file on Marquez.

Marquez was eventually arrested and is being held on charges related to supplying the guns as well as marriage fraud.

Martin also lied to the Inspector General’s investigators, according to the June 6 report, about her role in what has been characterized as a turf battle. Lying to federal investigators is a felony and can result in dismissal and criminal charges.

“We concluded that the USCIS Field Office Director at the San Bernardino office improperly delayed … agents from conducting a lawful and routine law enforcement action,” the report stated. “We have also concluded that the Field Office Director was not candid with OIG investigators during her interview.”

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/08/09/disgraced-immigration-boss-nominated-for-valor-award-for-calming-employees-amid-terror-attack.html