Criminal Deportation for Dangerous Drugs on the Rise
As the debate over illegal immigration continues to grip the country, the increasing number of criminal immigrants being deported could reach record levels.
October 01, 2010
As the debate over illegal immigration continues to grip the country, the increasing number of criminal immigrants being deported could reach record levels.In 2009, the United States deported nearly 390,000 people according to the Department of Homeland Security. This number represents a 5 percent increase from 2008 and more than triples the number of deportations in 2001.
Of the 390,000 people removed from the country last year, over 128,000 were considered criminal immigrants and nearly 30 percent of those were deported for crimes involving dangerous drugs. According to the DHS, "dangerous drug crimes" include the distribution, sale or manufacturing of illegal drugs.
Another 16 percent were removed for minor traffic offenses, leading critics to question the Obama administration for its harsh treatment of people with minor offenses.
This year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is predicting a record number of criminal immigrants will be deported, with an emphasis on removing those who have committed more serious crimes, such as murder and rape. As of July 22, ICE has removed over 290,000 people from the country with almost half of those deported so far considered criminals.
While the focus may appear to be on deporting individuals who have committed serious crimes, others who commit non-drug related crimes, or no crimes at all, are also being removed. Under the new Secure Communities program, which reviews millions of fingerprints from local law enforcement agencies, nearly 50,000 people have been deported.
According to the fact sheet released by ICE, the program focuses on three main priorities:
- Identify criminals through information sharing
- Prioritize enforcement actions to ensure that dangerous criminals are apprehended and removed
- Transforming the criminal alien process to achieve lasting results
Despite the emphasis on removing dangerous criminals, most of those forced to leave committed minor offenses, while 25 percent committed no crime at all.
Article provided by Jim Newton
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