ICE agent, attorney accused of deportation bribery scheme | FOX 2 Detroit

ICE agent, attorney accused of deportation bribery scheme

A former Warren city councilman and an immigration agent could both be headed to prison. The two men are accused of running a bribery scheme allowing immigrants to dodge deportation for cash.

Attorney Charles Busse and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Clifton Divers have been indicted for a bribery scheme.

Busse is accused of paying special agent divers thousands of dollars over the years to falsely make immigrants from Mexico, Albania and Iraq into confidential informants to prevent deportation.

Maze has been in court with Busse several times.

"For those of us who have been there for years, we knew it, the judges probably knew it," Maze said. "The government lawyers probably knew it but until the shoe drops, you don't know what is going on behind closed doors."

Busse, who is a former Warren city councilman, beat seven felony corruption charges back in 2003. But apparently, the 58-year-old had been dealing with other legal troubles.

Furthermore, several sources say Busse was already being investigated by the attorney grievance commission for several complaints filed by dozens of other immigrant clients who Busse allegedly wronged. In some cases, convincing them to pay for legal services they did not need.

"All the attorneys in town are picking up the pieces, we're trying to do the right thing, we're working with ICE officers, they're trying to do the right thing, and this really makes it difficult for all involved."

No one at Busse's Birmingham home came to the door to respond to the allegations.

The alleged incidents were going on from 2009 to 2015 leading to these particular charges. Busse allegedly received money from immigrants and their families to avoid deportation. Maze said many of the immigrants will now likely be deported anyway.

As for the ICE agent Clifton Divers, US Immigration Customs and Enforcement he was forced to surrender his weapon and credentials in Sept. 2015 when the allegations first surfaced. He has been on desk duty ever since.

"Even though it is a crime against the government of the United States, it really is a full-fledged injustice to all people."

In response - an ICE spokesperson said the agency takes all allegations of employee misconduct very seriously and will respond appropriately based on the investigative findings.