Jerry Seper, Washington Times, March 16, 2008
The Department of Homeland Security, continuing to enforce what it calls a “strict policy of arresting, prosecuting and jailing” illegal immigrants, deported a record number of those caught on the nation’s borders last year—more than 280,000 in fiscal year 2007 compared to 186,000 a year earlier.
It was the largest number of illegals ever removed from the country in a single year.
The increase is attributable to what veteran law enforcement authorities said is a revised apprehension process, adding that the department no longer is targeting only criminal aliens for removal, but seeks eventually to apprehend, charge and deport all those who cross illegally into the United States.
To that end, Homeland Security has initiated “Operation Streamline” along some sectors of the U.S.-Mexico border, which brings those who cross illegally into the U.S. into the criminal justice system where they are prosecuted either for a misdemeanor on their first offense or a felony if they have been caught before.
{snip}
Mr. Chertoff noted that between October and December, the Justice Department prosecuted 1,200 cases under the new program and, as a consequence, apprehension rates dropped nearly 70 percent in those areas.
{snip}
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokeswoman Ernestine Fobbs said the agency’s Office of Detention and Removal Operations removed to 195 countries throughout the world a total of 280,523 illegal immigrants during fiscal 2007—which ended Sept. 30.
Through Feb. 18 of fiscal 2008, she said, the agency has removed 94,237 illegal immigrants.
But Operation Streamline is under way in only selected areas of the Arizona and Texas border, enforced by agents from ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) who seek to put an end to the so-called “catch-and-release” of illegal immigrants at popular alien-smuggling corridors.
Under the program, illegals caught entering the country are fingerprinted, prosecuted and can spend up to 180 days in jail.
{snip}
On average, about half of those caught at the Southwest border are Mexican nationals. Currently, they face formal deportation procedures only in those limited areas covered by Operation Streamline or if they have been identified as convicted criminals.
Ms. Fobbs said that during fiscal 2007, a total of 136,712 Mexican nationals were returned home—67,793 of whom were identified as criminal aliens.
{snip}
The U.S. Marshals Service, which is responsible for returning illegal immigrants to their countries of origin, is strapped for both resources and manpower to carry out the program. The Justice Department, asked to prosecute the newly-charged illegals, lacks the manpower to get the job done.
{snip}
Law enforcement officials, however, also point to a lack of detention space as a critical concern, noting that border detention facilities already are overburdened by rising drug, sex and violent crime cases. An internal report by the Marshals Service in January said “the sheer number of prisoners” along the border “makes finding sufficient detention space on a daily basis particularly challenging.”
{snip}
Original article
(Posted on March 19, 2008)
Comments
Millions upon millions who have entered here illegally, of course, will be given amnesty, sooner or later, by one of the “leaders” that Americans will “elect” this year. One of the “leaders” of the American citizenry. Excuse me while I take a quick trip to the bathroom.
Posted by Bobby at 7:06 PM on March 19
Trying to throw their base a bone in an election year after losing the house and senate?…
Posted by toonces in indianapolis. at 7:07 PM on March 19
Well….it’s a start. If this becomes the permanent policy of DHS and we supplement this with a properly manned border fence and implement reasonable measures to make sure people who visit this country actually leave when their time is up, the illegal immigration problem could easily be solved in a rather short period of time.
More importantly, as we reap the benefits on all levels of society, from decreased crime, the effective removal of most drugs from society, removal of theft from our welfare, healthcare and educational systems and quite frankly a massive savings in human and monetary costs from top to bottom in our society, this will prove once and for all that abusive immigration is extremely harmful but can easily be prevented by simply choosing to enforce our laws. It’s what people have wanted for decades now. That want has turned into a demand, to an issue highly dangerous for politicians stupid enough to oppose it.
I see some permanent change on the horizon. As someone who works tirelessly to lobby on this issue, it shows something equally as important. We live in a democracy. Although many would have you believe otherwise, democracy works…..when you can be bothered to engage the process. Stay informed….vote. Keep track of what your representatives are doing and let them know constantly when you are happy and when you are not. When problems crop up, work collectively with others to help guide politicians to the correct solutions.
Posted by at 7:08 PM on March 19
Enforcement works. All the small efforts cause the illegals to leave.
Now since the Government of Mexico has aided illegals by giving maps and information about where to cross illegally and providing Cards to help illegals open accounts and stay in the USA illegally charge the Government of Mexico with the crimes of aiding and abetting both before and after the fact and levy crimonal costs on the Government of Mexico as habitual criminals they should never be allowed in the US again and never get any foreign aid.
Prosecute all the churches and others who aid the illegals in the US and take away their charity status for criminal activity.
A lawyer I have talked to here says that the laws are already on the books to do this.
Posted by Oldman at 7:24 PM on March 19
“Millions upon millions who have entered here illegally, of course, will be given amnesty.”
Posted by Bobby at 7:06 PM on March 19
Oh, I disagree.
The problem will get better; that is, worse for the illegals. Every recent poll taken that I’m aware of shows that illegal immigration is the number one domestic issue on the minds of Americans today.
Posted by White, Jewish, and Proud at 7:29 PM on March 19
Deportation produces a one for one benefit. By all means continue, but we should move the focus to jailing employers. Include those who hire nannies and pick up day laborers. Focus on ending the magnets, ending the benefits, ending the anchor scam. Every drive by pick up of a day laborer should result in the arrest of both parties. For every hospital administrator that looks the other way over fraudulent documents, fines for the hospital, jail for the CEO. For every criminal act of aiding and abetting that is punished, whether intentional or not, the reduction in illegal entry would be tenfold. Progress will only happen when deportations exceed the entries. A double layer fence would reduce the pressure even more. Where is it?
Posted by Edward at 8:08 PM on March 19
Obama and Clinton will give them total and probably immediate amnesty.
McCain might try to secure the border first, as he sees that that’s what Americans demand, but he may wind up giving them total amnesy as well.
Whatever the case, McCain is still not as bad as Clinton on the amnesty and border issues, and Obama is probably the worst.
Posted by Angry White Guy at 8:09 PM on March 19
On the fifth anniversary of the commencement of our misbegotten Iraq war, I can’t help but wonder where our country would be today if the government instead had poured over $1 trillion into border security and enforcement of immigration laws (not to mention making us truly safer from terrorist acts).
Posted by Kevin at 8:37 PM on March 19
Yea, sure! The government is catching a few thousand as millions come in each year. In 2050 60 million illegal aliens will be living here and the borders will still be open and the fence will still be in the planning stage.
Posted by the Soviet Republic of New Jersey at 8:59 PM on March 19
They wouldn’t even have to worry about “catching” any future illegal immigrants if they’d just simply BUILD the double-layer fence on our border with Mexico. We’d save tens of millions of dollars in the process as well as reduce the crime rate.
Posted by at 10:10 PM on March 19
First we need to make English the national official language.
Divide the ones that are here into groups.
The ones who want to asimilate into our culture willingly.
The one that hesitate, to show patriotism go back, including flying the mexican flag.
The ones who contribute and are not illegal can stay.
The ones who are legal can stay, if they take a english speaking and reading test.
If they break the law, revokation of citizenship/don’t break up families though, send them all back.
Start hauling them back. Intern them in work camps and have them build the wall, and fix our roads while they wait for the next bus “home”.
Posted by Steve in Lewsiville, Texas at 10:17 PM on March 19
The constant, eternal refrain of the open borders crowd is that you can’t stop illegal immigrants. That they will keep trying to cross the border until they succeed.
Well it’s all so simple. The first time they’re caught book ‘em, fingerprint ‘em, photograph ‘em, and ship ‘em back to the point in their country farthest from the US border. The next time they’re caught lock them up for 2 years. You will have few if any re-attempts.
Posted by Alan at 1:13 AM on March 20
I’m happy to disappoint you, Angry White Guy, but neither Billary nor the Obaminable Showman can issue a blanket amnesty, any more than Shrubya has been able to. Any amnesty would still have to get through the House of Representatives and the Senate first. While the Senate has shown itself to be beholden to big business interests on the illegal alien issue, the House has not. The House is not very likely to change this election, either. Since illegal immigration is a hot issue for the voting US public, anti-amnesty candidates are more likely to be reelected than pro-amnesty types, I suspect.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 12:58 PM on March 20
White, Jewish and proud, I hope your right. If amnesty happens with the subsequent tens of millions more allowed, because of chain migration, then the social, economic, and cultural problems it creates for this nation will lead to its demise. That is my considered opinion.
Posted by Bobby at 5:47 PM on March 20
Michael C. Scott:
Maybe a President is unable to issue a blanket “amnesty,” in the proper sense of the word. But the President is able to issue blanket pardons, so if s/he pardons all illegal aliens with one fell swoop of an ink pen, effective amnesty. Also, the President has control of all Federal law enforcement agencies — the President could issue an executive order (or a silent admonition) that ICE not arrest illegal aliens. Effective amnesty.
Posted by Question Diversity at 9:19 PM on March 20
I think we’ve already crossed the point of no return. So many of them are having children with automatic US citizenship that ICE won’t dare touch them. Big business has the politicians in their pocket and even many constituents see it as a counter force to black political and economic aspirations.
Posted by at 10:49 PM on March 21
The Hispanic invaders won’t leave until fed-up Americans start using them for target practice. Any action short of this is an exercise in self-delusion and millions more illegals will continue pouring over our border every year add infinitum…
Posted by at 5:50 PM on April 1
