June 27, 2008
The growing story about U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes' efforts on behalf of a Mexican national kidnapped in Juarez has taken several turns. To follow the various angles, we offer this compilation of sources:
1. A statement issued by Reyes' office today on his relationship to the kidnap victim and his role in helping secure her release. That statement can be viewed in its entirety below.
2. An article in today's El Paso Times in which relatives of U.S. citizens disappeared in Juarez complain about a lack of help from Reyes in the past. [link]
3. An article in the Washington Times in which two former federal officials call Reyes' role, and the agency responses of ICE and the FBI, into question. [link]
4. The article in the Web site Narconews, which was first to break the story and to post copies of an internal ICE document that indicated Reyes' involvement. [link]
5. A statement issued by the group Ctiziens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington asking for an investigation into Reyes' actions. That statement can be viewed below.
6. A statement issued by ICE public information officer Leticia Zamarripa regarding the agency's role in securing the release of the abductee.
***
1. Reyes Statement
Washington, D.C. – The following statement was released by the Office of Congressman Silvestre Reyes, following reports that a relative of Rep. Silvestre Reyes was kidnapped in Juárez, Mexico. This statement may be attributed to Vincent Perez, a spokesman for Congressman Silvestre Reyes:
“Congressman Reyes is grateful that the victim is safe. The kidnapping victim is not the Congressman’s sister-in-law, as has been reported. The victim, whom the Congressman has never met, is a distant relative of the Congressman’s wife, and it does not appear that she was targeted because of her connection to the Congressman’s relatives.
“Whenever the Office of Congressman Silvestre Reyes is notified of a potential criminal matter, the incident is immediately reported to law enforcement, particularly when an individual may be in imminent danger. This kidnapping was reported to Congressman Reyes’s district office by the victim’s family, who are citizens of the United States and constituents of the 16th District of Texas. The Congressman’s staff immediately notified law enforcement authorities. We notify law enforcement in these circumstances without regard to the victim’s identity, country of citizenship, or legal status.
“Congressman Reyes was informed of the incident by his staff after law enforcement had been notified. While the Congressman was kept apprised of the situation, he had no other role. Any suggestion that Congressman Reyes somehow influenced the actions of law enforcement is false.
“As always, the Congressman is appreciative of the efforts by law enforcement officers, on both sides of the border, which led to the victim’s safe return.”
***
5. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington statement
Washington, DC – Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking for an investigation into Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) recent efforts in procuring the release of a Mexican woman kidnapped in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
Earlier this week, a sensitive memo prepared by Donald Bruckschen in ICE Office of International Affairs to ICE Assistant Secretary Julie Myers was leaked, detailing ICE’s role in the matter. On June 19, 2008, ICE was contacted by an aide to Cong. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for assistance in procuring the release of Erika Posselt, a relative of his wife who had been kidnapped from an auto glass store she owned in Mexico.
ICE officials contacted Mexican authorities to coordinate efforts to recover Ms. Posselt. ICE authorities met with Mexican authorities in El Paso to map out a strategy and Washington, D.C. officials offered technical assistance. On June 22nd, Ms. Posselt and another hostage were released. Ms. Posselt was transported to the United States.
CREW is asking Secretary Chertoff to immediately order an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding ICE’s involvement in the matter to determine the nature of the inquiry by Cong. Reyes’ office, whether ICE had the legal authority to intercede in this matter, why ICE chose to get involved in this matter, whether the State Department was consulted, and whether ICE has offered assistance in other cases involving foreign nationals kidnapped on foreign soil.
CREW’s executive director Melanie Sloan stated, “While the release of any kidnapping victim is always a positive development, this matter raises serious questions about whether ICE acted appropriately here.” Sloan continued, “Did ICE officials assist in resolving a foreign kidnapping simply because the victim is related to a powerful member of Congress? While Congressman Reyes undoubtedly was overwhelmed by concern for his relative, officials with more objectivity should have been considering the greater political and policy issues raised by ICE’s intercession.”
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.
For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565/nseligman@citizensforethics.org.
***
6. ICE Statement
I've received many inquiries about ICE's role in the much-publicized
case involving a criminal investigation by Mexican authorities. I hope
the following statement helps address some of your questions.
Lettie
"ICE received information from an individual about an alleged crime that
had recently occurred. We quickly passed that information along to the
appropriate law enforcement agency - in this case the attorney general's
office of Chihuahua, Mexico - for its action. At the request of Mexican
law enforcement, ICE provided support in the form of techincal
assistance, logistical assistance in the form of secure office space in
ICE offices the U.S. and Mexico for the purpose of facilitating
communication with U.S. citizens and other sources of information who
might have information on the case, transportation, and interviews of
individuals in the United States who were believed to have information
related to the kidnapping. This type of law enforcement cooperation and
mutual assistance is standard practice. Contrary to some media reports,
ICE had no role in the negotiation of the release of the individual or
provision of ransom in this case.
For ICE, this type of international law enforcement cooperation is not
unusual. In any case where ICE is provided credible and specific
information related to ongoing serious criminal conduct, we would seek
to contact the appropriate law enforcement agency and offer assistance
upon request. In February, for example, ICE and Mexican authorities were
able to reunite a baby girl who was abducted and smuggled into the
United States with her mother. Acting on information and leads on both
sides of the border, law enforcement were similarly able to locate and
return the child."