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U.S. boosts deportation of illegal immigrants

March 17, 2008 in Main Page | No comments

The largest number of illegal immigrants deported from the United States in one year happened in 2007. More than 280,000 illegal immigrants were deported, that is nearly 100,000 more than 2006. The increase can be attributed to The Department of Homeland Securities which now adheres to the “strict policy of arresting, prosecuting and jailing.” The Washington Timesdetails the progress being made in border security and the challenges we still face, to read the entire story click here.

The Washington Times

U.S. boosts deportation of illegals

By Jerry Seper

March 17, 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 with 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 illegals 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 illegal immigrants into the U.S. criminal justice system, where they are prosecuted either for a misdemeanor on their first offense or a felony if they have been caught before.

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Under the program, illegals caught entering the country are fingerprinted, prosecuted and can spend up to 180 days in jail.

Prior to the program, illegal immigrants from Mexico who did not have a criminal history were returned to their home country almost immediately, without jail time or a formal deportation order. Apprehended illegal immigrants identified as “other than Mexican,” or OTMs, were given notices to appear at a future deportation hearing. The notices were referred to by the U.S. Border Patrol as “notices to disappear,” since only about 13 percent ever showed up.