The Attorney General intervened in a immigration case where an administrative closure was used. This may be one of his most important actions to date.
According to the article an administrative closure is basically placing a decision on the back burner, by removing the case from the judge's docket, without a future date. I can see where this would be necessary with unique cases, and allow the judge to continue with their other cases, but I can also see where this allows the judge to avoid what may be important decisions. That and allowing people that illegally entered the United States to remain, and slip through the cracks.
The case Sessions intervened in was placed in administrative closure after the defendant failed to appear in court. Not only did they not appear, an attorney didn't appear either.
The defendant came to the United States illegally as a child in 2014. The age wasn't given, but regardless of the age at this point, the defendant is still here illegally, and anyone knowing of their location is helping to continue with their illegal actions, while hiding behind a bureaucratic action.
The judge is avoiding their assigned duty, which they may feel is necessary, but I don't see they can justify helping someone that ignores the demand of a court and fails to appear. Any other criminal action would require an arrest warrant and more criminal charges.
Illegal immigration was a huge concern of voters before the last national election. Those elected promised to alleviate this concern, and it's obvious Sessions is addressing the will of the majority of citizens. While administrative closures may be needed, using it to decrease case loads may lead to a dangerous individual's freedom and those that allowed this freedom immunity from the responsibility of their actions.
Sessions wants to know how judges will handle the thousands of cases with administrative closures, the authority that allows these closures, whether he should revoke the authority, and if there is another method to handle legitimate concerns. Otherwise, he's cracking the whip and it's obvious many will be resentful of his actions.
Is Sessions waking up?
ReplyDeleteSessions stayed out of the Russian collusion investigation, which removed a direct path of any accusations of meddling. With the knowledge he probably had of how it was all fabricated evidence, the subversion of high level officials, and seeing to many of the players were now involved with what would be exposed, he knew much would be allowed without too much media scrutiny.
DeleteI think Sessions was busy from the beginning, and much of what happened to date was part of the Trump Administration effort to eliminate subversive activities by individuals trusted with promoting the integrity of civil service.
Time will tell, but when Mueller is finally faced with the fact his team can't escape their involvement with trying to influence an election, he either does a Nixon, or does his job.