Citizenship & Spies: Just How Stupid Are We?

Source: wapo

As our president pursues his misguided amnesty policy he continues to blather on and on about how there will be checks on the immigrants. That we won't be importing even more delightful rapists, pedophiles, savages, jihadists, murderers, drunk drivers, etc. etc.

Well, not to drop a turd in the champagne but, before we allow him to remake this country in an image more pleasing to him wouldn't it be prudent to see if there might be any contemporaneous examples of just how well the government is screening immigrants?

Why what do we have here?

Translator Who Faked Identity Pleads Guilty To Having Secret Data

An Arabic translator who used an assumed identity to get work as a contractor for the U.S. Army in Iraq pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges of possessing classified national defense documents, including sensitive material about the insurgency that he took from an 82nd Airborne Division intelligence group in 2004.

The translator obtained U.S. citizenship under a false identity before securing a job in August 2003 with Titan Corp., which supplied translators to the U.S. military to aid in fighting the war in Iraq. The man then used his false identity to get secret and top-secret clearances -- access to extremely sensitive material that is supposed to be given only after thorough background checks -- Justice Department officials said.

Authorities said yesterday in a news release that they do not even know the translator's real name and that they refer to him in court documents under several of his aliases, including "Abu Hakim" and "Abdulhakeem Nour."

Michael Cutler writing at the Counterterrorism Blog has this to say...

Next we need to ask, how did the translator obtain resident alien status and then go on to acquire United States citizenship through the naturalization process? It is really disturbing that the prosecutors are now conceding that they do not even know the true name of the translator who, in effect, engaged in espionage. There have been a number of naturalized United States citizens from a wide variety of countries who have engaged in espionage against our government, using their acquired citizenship as a means of embedding themselves within our nation so that they would be eligible to be granted high-level security clearances to enable them to have access to highly sensitive military information or knowledge about highly important technology with clear national security ramifications.

It is interesting that the unnamed Justice Department officials who were quoted in the article stated: "The translator obtained U.S. citizenship under a false identity before securing a job in August 2003 with Titan Corp., which supplied translators to the U.S. military to aid in fighting the war in Iraq. The man then used his false identity to get secret and top-secret clearances -- access to extremely sensitive material that is supposed to be given only after thorough background checks --..." This is the same sort of statement made when we hear about the way that applications for a wide variety of immigration benefits are vetted, through "background checks." What is interesting about that term is that a background check is not the same thing as a background investigation.

A background investigation is a labor-intensive task requiring that field agents knock on doors and interview relatives, neighbors, friends and employers. A background check generally just involves running fingerprints on a computer along with the name the applicant provides on his application for immigration benefits or for employment. When you are dealing with a large number of people and have a limited number of agents, you resort to background checks which, as we have seen time and time again, often fails to accomplish the purpose of the mission in the first place, to determine the trustworthiness of the applicant as well as to determine if he (she) lied on the application about a material fact, thereby committing fraud.

Next we need to consider the fact that when an alien applies for naturalization, he may legally change his name when he is sworn in as a new United States citizen and, for no extra charge! When he is granted a United States passport, the passport only reflects the name the alien assumed on the day he naturalized. In effect the newly minted citizen can put himself in his own quasi "witness protection program!" He can travel to countries that may be looking for him under his old name confident that his entry will go undetected.

I'm thinking the answer is: they are not doing a very good job!

Toni @ Bear Creek Ledger adds...

What will happen when the US has 20 million illegal aliens applying for green cards and “supposedly” citizenship? The level of background investigation is ludicrous and then you add in another 20 million to the mix? Pftttt. There will be no checks on these people.

As an extra added bonus Toni has posted a comment from a raving lefty who is apparently illiterate, or just delightfully stupid, you decide, who glossed over the fact that this guy was spying to start slinging poor, tasty, minty fresh illegal alien canards! Good on ya mate!

Jake can't wait until these guys get citizenship...

Because, like our president, I'm certain that every headchopping jihadi Islamotard strengthens this nation!

I'm the new and improved (and slightly brain damaged) Jake and I approve this message!

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