Immigration Arrests Up Nearly 40 Percent

WASHINGTON, DC — Immigration officers are making more than 400 arrests per day, including "egregious, violent offenders" since President Trump signed his controversial immigration enforcement orders. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials announced on Wednesday that the agency has arrested more than 41,000 people who are either known or suspected of being in the country illegally. This reflects 37.6 percent increase over the same period in 2016.

"Between Jan. 22 and April 29, 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers administratively arrested 41,318 individuals on civil immigration charges," federal immigration officials said. "Between Jan. 24 and April 30, 2016, ERO arrested 30,028." (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Miami Patch.

“These statistics reflect President Trump’s commitment to enforce our immigration laws fairly and across the board. ICE agents and officers have been given clear direction to focus on threats to public safety and national security, which has resulted in a substantial increase in the arrest of convicted criminal aliens," explained ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan.

"However, when we encounter others who are in the country unlawfully, we will execute our sworn duty and enforce the law," he added. "As the data demonstrates, ICE continues to execute our mission professionally and in accordance with the law, and our communities will be much safer for it."

ICE officials said that nearly 75 percent of those arrested during this period in 2017 were convicted criminals, who were charged with offenses ranging from homicide and assault to sexual abuse and drug-related charges.

"The arrest of aliens at-large in the community increased by more than 50 percent, from 8,381 last year to 12,766 arrests this year during the same period," officials said.

The arrest of convicted criminal aliens climbed nearly 20 percent, from 25,786 last year to 30,473 this year.
Violent crimes such as homicide, rape, kidnapping and assault accounted for more than 2,700 convictions, officials added.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement