Hundreds of thousands of convicted criminal immigrants remain at large in the U.S. and a number have gone on to commit additional crimes.
According to a March 2, 2015 “ICE Weekly Departures and Detention Report” obtained by Center for Immigration Studies expert Jessica Vaughan and shared with Breitbart News, there were 168,680 convicted criminal immigrants who had final orders of removal but who remained at large in the U.S.
Another 179,018 convicted criminal immigrants with deportation cases pending also remained at large.
While the vast majority were not in custody some were detained — namely 6,220 criminal immigrants facing final deportation orders and another 7,680 convicted criminal immigrants with immigration cases pending.
In recent years there has been a focus on the number of annual criminal immigrant releases.
In 2013 the Obama administration released 36,007 criminal immigrants who had nearly 88,000 convictions. Those convictions included 193 homicide convictions, 426 sexual assault convictions, 303 kidnapping convictions, and 1,075 aggravated assault convictions.
In January, the Department of Homeland Security revealed in a 38-page document to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) showing that of those criminals released in 2013, 1,000 had gone on to commit additional crimes including, terroristic threats, lewd acts with a minor, various types of assault, DUI, robbery, hit-and-run, gang activity, rape, and child cruelty.
“The Obama Administration claims that it is using ‘prosecutorial discretion’ to prioritize the removal of criminal aliens from this country. But this report shows the disturbing truth: 1,000 undocumented aliens previously convicted of crimes who the Administration released in 2013 have gone on to commit further crimes in our communities,” Grassley said in January.
In 2014 the administration released another 30,558 criminal immigrants, who had a total of 79,059 convictions.
The convictions included in the 2014 releases included: 86 homicide convictions, 186 kidnapping convictions, 373 sexual assault convictions, 449 commercialized sexual offenses, 1,194 battery convictions, 1,346 domestic violence convictions, and 13,636 DUIs.
“When aliens released onto the streets go on to commit additional crimes yet could have been placed in ICE custody, this Administration is responsible. From January 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014, over 10,000 detainers were not honored,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) said in April. “The recidivism rate for these aliens was 29 percent. Innocent citizens and law enforcement officers could be injured, maimed, or murdered due to a detainer not being issued or honored because of this Administration’s policies.”
“The Administration is responsible and will be held accountable,” he added.
Often the administration has pointed to the Supreme Court decision in Zadvydas v. Davis — preventing indefinite detention of immigrants facing deportation, most often when the immigrant’s home country will not take them back. However in recent months lawmakers have chipped away at that response.
In April the House Judiciary Committee revealed that of the 30,558 released criminal immigrants in 2014 just 2,457 were released due to Zadvydas or about eight percent.
In May the Obama administration revealed to the Senate Judiciary Committee that between 2010 and 2014, 121 convicted criminal immigrants with final orders of deportation were never removed and now face murder charges.
“Of these 121 individuals who were bonded out, 33 were released on a bond set by [The Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review] and 24 were released pursuant to the Supreme Court decision in Zadvydas v. Davis,” ICE revealed in a released letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Grassley.
