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ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT WELCOMES WHITE HOUSE NOMINEE

WASHINGTON, D.C. Attorney General John Ashcroft today welcomed President George W. Bush's announcement of his intention to nominate James Ziglar to be Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

"Jim Ziglar has my full confidence," Ashcroft said. "His post is a crucial one, because while we must guard our nation's borders with vigilance, we must also remember that the greatness of our nation comes from generations of immigrants. Legal immigrants should be greeted with open arms, not endless lines. I look forward to working with Jim to implement such ideals, and I know he will lead the INS with honor."

Ziglar was elected to serve as Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate beginning in 1998. In that capacity, he serves as chief protocol and law enforcement officer of the Senate, as well as the principal administrative officer for the support services provided to Senators and their staffs.

Previously, Ziglar was a Managing Director of PaineWebber Incorporated, where he held senior management positions. From 1987-1988 he served as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science, directing the operations of the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines. Prior to that, he worked as an aide to former U.S. Senator James Eastland and served as a public affairs officer at the Department of Justice. He also clerked for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun.

Ziglar also has extensive legal experience, working as an associate at the New York law firm of Mudge Rose Guthrie Alexander & Ferdon and partner at the Phoenix law firm of O'Connor, Cavanaugh, Anderson, Westover, Killingsworth & Beshears.

Ziglar received both his undergraduate degree and his law degree from George Washington University and is a member of the New York, Washington DC, Virginia and Arizona bars. He is a native of Pascagoula, Mississippi.

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