Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents deported the final known wanted Nazi war criminal living in the United States to face charges in Germany for playing an “indispensable role” in the extermination of thousands. (Fox News)
Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador who arrived in Germany earlier this year after political maneuvering by Democrats held up his nomination for months, told “FOX & friends” in an exclusive interview that President Trump — who is from New York — instructed him to make the removal of Jakiw Palij a priority. Grenell said the new German government, which took office in March, brought “new energy” to the matter.
“It’s really a credit to President Trump, who was very clear about this case, made clear he wanted this individual out of the United States,” Grenell said, later adding, “it’s a great day for the United States to have this man out of our country.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Tuesday implemented a deportation order against Palij that dated to 2004. But kicking out Palij, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1949 and became a citizen in 1957 after concealing his Nazi background, was no easy task.
Grenell said the deportation came after months of diplomatic negotiations, and was “difficult” because Palij is not a German citizen and was stateless after losing his citizenship in the U.S.
Palij admitted to the officials in the George W. Bush Justice Department that he trained in Hitler’s vaunted SS and carried out the Third Reich’s plan to murder Jews.
Based on his confession, officials concluded he actively participated in a 1943 mass shooting of 6,000 Jews in a single massacre in occupied-Poland.