Tuesday, May 29, 2012
For the second consecutive election, the Obama administration has touted efforts to arrest illegal immigrants with criminal records.
Six months before voters decide whether to grant President Barack Obama a second term, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has boosted its manpower by 25% for pursuing undocumented immigrants convicted of at least one felony or multiple misdemeanors.
ICE’s fugitive operations teams have increased in number from 104 to 129, with each team charged with arresting 50 suspects per month.
Critics within and outside of the administration have accused the White House of expanding ICE’s criminal deportations in order to help the president’s reelection campaign.
A similar surge occurred before the November 2010 election, when ICE officials announced a record number of arrests and deportations of illegal immigrants. The move was done to counter attacks by Republicans who claimed Democrats had not been tough enough on illegal immigration.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
To Learn More:
U.S. Steps Up Deportation Efforts for Criminal Immigrants (by Brian Bennett, Los Angeles Times)
Obama Administration Drastically Steps Up Deportation of Parents of U.S.-Born Citizens (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
Deportations at Record High (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
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