It makes her nomination for such a special award all-the-more shocking.

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[h=1]Immigration boss who BLOCKED Homeland Security agents from seizing San Bernardino 'gun supplier' one day after the attack is to receive an award, but the agency won't say why[/h]

• Irene Martin prevented armed officers from detaining Enrique Marquez
• He was set to be interviewed alongside Russian wife Mariya Chernykh
• They were being questioned on their links to the attack that left 14 dead
• Homeland Security officials went to arrest Marquez for supplying the guns
• When they arrived, they were forced to wait in the lobby as Martin stalled
• She then told them they couldn't detain anyone in their building
• Martin has since been moved positions, but won't be punished and may receive an award for her work
• The award is usually given to employees who saved lives, like from a burning car

By DAILYMAIL.COM REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 18:05, 23 June 2016 | UPDATED: 00:18, 24 June 2016




An immigration official who stopped Homeland Security agents from arresting the alleged gun supplier of the San Bernardino terrorists the day after the attack, and then lied about it to department investigators, is to receive an award for her work.
Irene Martin allegedly prevented armed officers from detaining Enrique Marquez, who was scheduled to be interviewed alongside his Russian wife Mariya Chernyk, a government report has stated.
Yet despite her deliberate obstruction, where she seemingly blocked five armed Department of Homeland Security agents, she has been nominated for the Secretary's Award for Valor.
Past valor award recipients include government employees who have saved people from burning cars, sinking ships and weapon- wielding assailants.



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Immigration official Irene Martin stopped Homeland Security agents from arresting the alleged gun supplier of the San Bernardino terrorists the day after the attack and then lied about it to department investigators. She has now been nominated to receive an award for her work. (Pictured here on December 9, days later)

Martin prevented armed officers from detaining Enrique Marquez (left and right) who was scheduled to be interviewed the day after the horrific attacks that left 14 people dead. He has since been charged with a string a terrorism offences related to the atrocity

Department of Homeland Security officials refuse to say what Martin did to earn 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.'
FoxNews has applied for a Freedom of Information Act request to establish what the award is for.
A day after the terrorist attack by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, who killed 14 people at an office Christmas party, the FBI learned Enrique Marquez had allegedly supplied the guns.
A team from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office where they were being questioned.
But Martin allegedly refused to allow the officers to get to Marquez and delayed them when they were given permission.


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Martin (center) allegedly refused to allow the officers to get to Marquez and delayed them when they were given permission, yet she has been nominated for an award usually reserved for life-saving heroes






It makes her nomination for such a special award all-the-more shocking.


'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, to Fox News.


What was even more surprising was the announcement was made 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.



A report into the aftermath of the horrific attack slammed the field officer for getting in the way of the investigation.


The damning report reads: 'We concluded that the USCIS Field Office Director at the San Bernardino office improperly delayed HSI agents from conducting a lawful and routine law enforcement action, but when the Field Office Director elevated the situation to her supervisors, the situation was corrected.


'We found that the contract security personnel improperly prevented HSI personnel from entering the building.


Finally, we found that there was no attempt by ICE leadership or supervisory personnel within HSI to attempt to retaliate against the individuals who notified HSGAC of the situation.


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Marquez was being questioned after his friends Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people at an office Christmas party

'We have also concluded that the Field Office Director was not candid with OIG investigators during her interview.'
The report goes on: 'Five HSI agents, dressed in tactical gear, arrived shortly after 12:30 and made contact with Federal Protective Service (FPS) contract security personnel stationed in the lobby of the building.
'They informed the guards they were there on an urgent matter, looking for Marquez, and advised that he may be traveling with a Russian female, and that they may have been connected to the shootings the prior day.
'The FPS guards advised the HSI agents that they had to stay in the lobby until the Field Office Director approved their entry.
'The guards did allow the HSI agents to view surveillance video from various areas around the building to see if anyone matching Marquez's description had already arrived.
'One of the guards told OIG investigators that he could see the look of urgency on the agents' faces, and they seemed 'on edge' due to having to wait until the guards found the Field Office Director.'
The agents were in the lobby for around 10 minutes. Then they were moved to conference room for another 10 minutes.
Martin then went into the room and told the agents they could not 'arrest, detain, or interview anyone in the building based on USCIS policy, and that she would need to obtain guidance from her superior before allowing them access.'
The report goes on: 'When interviewed by OIG, the Field Office Director denied telling the agents they were not allowed to arrest, detain, or interview anyone in the building.
'However, her account is contradicted by that of the other HSI agents present.'


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Marquez has been charged with a number of terrorism-related offences after he allegedly supplied the two San Berardino shooters with the arsenal of weapons they used to gun down 14 people

According to the report Martin had already discovered the link between Chernykh and the shooting.
She claims she didn't know the agents were investigating the shooting until she showed them a picture of the Russian wife.
But she is said to have been told as they arrived.
Martin had her staff check to see if Chernykh had checked in for her appointment. She soon found out she nor Marquez were there.
The conversation then switched from HSI access to the building to HSI access to USCIS information.
According to HSI, the agents then requested information from the USCIS file on Marquez's wife, but the Field Office Director was not forthcoming with information and would not provide the file.
She did provide them with a photo. Agents also asked for known addresses, but the Field Office Director would only confirm the address provided by the agents and did not offer any additional information.
The report continues: 'Here, the agents were justifiably concerned that Marquez and Chernykh may pose a threat to the occupants and visitors of the USCIS facility.
'Less than 24 hours before, individuals associated with the couple had committed an atrocity on an unthinkable scale against unarmed innocents; at the time of HSI's visit to USCIS, Marquez and Chernykh's intentions were unknown.
'In fact, HSI's suspicions were ultimately shown to have merit: Marquez was subsequently charged with a number of terrorism-related offenses, including having plotted with Syed Rizwan Farook to conduct other attacks, and was later ordered detained by a federal magistrate pending trial as a danger to the community.
Martin has since been reassigned to a different office, but has thus far avoided all punishment, despite Marquez having been charged with a number of terrorism-related offenses linked to the atrocity carried out by his friends.


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[superbeets]

It's quite normal in the US government to reward incompetence.


And why exactly does she still have a job at the taxpayers expense?

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[superbeets]

She is going to receive the Liberal Anti-American Act Of The Year Award. Its given to those who obstruct justice and lie to investigators trying to protect real Americans from further te.ror.rist attacks.

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Because she supports the administrations agenda of a destabilized USA, that's why.

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