Reason for mass release of illegal immigrants "hard to believe," Boehner says

Updated 6:55 PM ET

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Tuesday in an interview with CBS News blasted the "outrageous" move by federal immigration officials to OK the release of hundreds of illegal immigrants as a way to save money ahead of Friday's fast-approaching sequestration.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier today announced it had released on probation "a number of detained aliens" around the country "in order to make the best use of our limited detention resources in the current fiscal climate, and to manage our detention population under current congressionally mandate levels."

The deep and across-the-board sequester cuts that will go into effect barring an 11th hour act of compromise on Capitol Hill would mean fewer border security agents and less money to house detained illegal immigrants.

"This is very hard for me to believe, that they can't find cuts elsewhere in their agency," Boehner told "CBS Evening News" anchor Scott Pelley. "I frankly think this is outrageous."

Complete coverage: The sequester

Boehner's indignation has been matched throughout the day by fellow Republicans who have called it a political gambit by the White House administration. President Obama has been touring the country sounding the alarm on the dramatic impact of the cuts and calling on Congress to pass an alternative before the March 1 deadline that combines spending cuts with additional revenue by way of tax increases.

"I'm looking for more facts," Boehner continued, "but I can't believe that they can't find the kind of savings they need out of that department short of letting criminals go free."

Asked by Pelley on what he thinks is going on, Boehner replied: "I think that the administration is trying to play games -- play games with the American people, scare the American people. This is not leadership."

The speaker also added: ["The White House is] out there making a lot of noise. What they really ought to be doing is coming up to the Hill and working with the Senate Democrats to pass a bill that can replace the sequester, and begin to deal with our long-term spending problem."

ICE in a statement stressed that it will continue to supervise the released detainees and prosecute them in immigration court - "and, when ordered, will seek their removal from the country." Detaining "serious criminal offenders and other individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety," the statement said, remains a priority.

[stamicrach]

Obstructionist Boehner has no room to talk about Obama; playing games and trying to scare people.

He has been doing this for the last our years, and he stated even before the election he was going to on this same path.

I agree that Obama is out there playing games, lying through his teeth and fear mongering in an attempt to gain more political capital.

THIS IS NOTHING NEW.!!!!!

I do not understand why the media even bothers to release all this BS; when nothing has changed and looks like it's going to get worse.

For the uninformed; this game is called "divide and conquer", and it's only going to get worse as long as Obama and Boehner have any say what's going to go on in this county.!

[stamicrach]

Obstructionist Boehner has no room to talk about Obama; playing games and trying to scare people.

He has been doing this for the last our years, and he stated even before the election he was going to on this same path.

I agree that Obama is out there playing games, lying through his teeth and fear mongering in an attempt to gain more political capital.

THIS IS NOTHING NEW.!!!!!

I do not understand why the media even bothers to release all this BS; when nothing has changed and looks like it's going to get worse.

For the uninformed; this game is called "divide and conquer", and it's only going to get worse as long as Obama and Boehner have any say what's going to go on in this county.!

[ksartgirl]

I whole heartedly agree with Speaker Boehner and yes the Whitehouse is "fear mongering". Perhaps Scott Pelley should make the Whitehouse as accountable as he is trying to the Speaker. Seriously, Scott, get some guts!

[cntrygirl3]

I did not get the impression these people were detained for anything but being in the country illegally. Just wait until the justice dept. runs out of money and starts releasing real criminals.

[pcw777]

The prisoners who were released in Arizona were being held on charges ranging from burglary to aggravated assault. Moreover, the administration made no effort to warn local or state law enforcement officials that these people were being released.

[pcw777]

This is absolutely outrageous and indefensible . Our President has released criminals (who are charged with crimes beyond the fact that they are here illegally) into the streets, who have no resources, no money, no where to go and who present a an undeniable danger to lawful citizens of this country. All to make a political point.

This is the act of a third world dictator, not a president of the United States.

The sequestration, which hasn't even taken place, is a reduction in the rate of future spending growth - it is not a base line budget cut! Growing slower is not a cut! There is no excuse whatsoever for endangering people's lives and property under the pretense of catastrophic consequences of 2% growth reduction.

Am I in favor, of sequester? No, it's a horrible plan! It's a sign of failed leadership. But rather than do the hard work of negotiation, this administration would rather bring in officers over the weekend, pay them overtime and release thousands of criminals into the streets. It's vindictive, dangerous and corrupt.

This is no longer a partisan issue - it's an American issue. Think about it, we have a president who is willing to deliberately inflict tangible harm on the American people for the sake of politics. It's inexcusable.

[brasileira2]

WOW! Bohener is not crying on this one???

[Protect_US_Jobs]

We need to Stop ILLEGAL immigration! They're not just doing jobs that Americans don't want. Do they pay taxes? Don't get me wrong most of these people work very hard, but are a drain on the system if they don't pay taxes, have healthcare coverage, learn the language or get paid wages that are in line with their American counterparts. Who's footing the bill for the education of their children and the infrastructure around them? We all know that the health care provided to uninsured illegals here in the states is being averaged into our hospital costs and our insurance premiums, which have PROPORTIONATELY increased along with illegal immigration over the last 20 years? These costs are also being passed along to Medicaid and Medicare, which means that not only are they increasing our insurance premiums, but that we're paying for them again with our tax dollars.

Our tax dollars and insurance premiums should not be used to recoup the cost of healthcare given to illegal immigrants, who shouldn't even be here in our country in the first place.

To the people that disagree, we should ask them should this: If a few illegal immigrants knocked on your door and demanded that you pay some medical bills for them, would you pay them?

Just look around and you'll see who's doing 90% of the residential renovations, construction and property maintenance jobs. That's certainly what we're seeing in the northeast. These are not just jobs that Americans don't want.

Unfortunately the hiring of cheap illegal labor causes a chain reaction. The contractors who hire cheap, uninsured, non-taxpaying, ILLEGAL aliens undercut the contractors who hire US Citizens or Legal immigrants. Even if the contractor wants to continue to employ US Citizens or Legal tax-paying immigrants, they end up replacing their Legal employees with illegals just to be able to get the jobs.

Let's get the good productive ILLEGAL Aliens into the system and paying federal and state income tax or get them out and not let more in unless they come in as Legal Immigrants. Make them apply for legal visas and or U.S. citizenship and if they don't, then get them out. If they get rejected get them out or give them one quick appeal and if they still get rejected, then get them out.

Let's send the bad ILLEGAL Aliens back to where they came in and let's put a stop to more ILLEGAL Aliens getting in.

[brasileira2]

Well said !!!

[Tank_Commander]

If the democrats and republicans had made e-verify mandatory with penalties like jail and fines for employers, they wouldn't have anyone detained to release. As to the cuts, it's a dollar amount, it's up to the respective bean counter cabinet secretaries to determine precisely what will be cut.

[the_egret]

"Outrageous"? Boehner, you did this with your own little garden tools. Stop the posturing and poker playing. We had a referendum on all this stuff. It was called a National Election. You lost. Now stop impeding what America voted for.

[Wondering53]

Not all of America voted for the idiotic ideas of the dems. Your way is not working!!!!

[robert1129]

"I'm looking for more facts," Boehner continued, "but I can't believe that they can't find the kind of savings they need out of that department short of letting criminals go free."
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Boehner is nuts. The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1986 governs illegal immigration. In the law, it states that persons in the USA that simply are undocumented as not criminals. That is the law.
With his stupid statement that the released folks are criminals (only folks lacking documentation were released), Boehner confirmed Jindal's assertion that the GOP is stupid.