ImmigrationStudy calls latest ICE deportation figures into question

ICE deportations may not be what was claimed // Source: tugentelatina.com

A recent Syracuse University study found that DHS’ latest deportation figures were incorrect and that the majority of deportations in Colorado for the last fiscal year were not in fact high-priority criminals as the agency claimed.

According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), of DHS’ 5,207 deportation cases in Colorado last year, 3,602 were against immigrants accused of crossing the border illegally. Meanwhile an additional 827 were accused of other immigration charges like not having a valid visa, returning to the country after being deported, or falsely claiming citizenship.

The numbers contradict President Obama’s recent announcement that federal immigration officials had shifted their resources and energies to only deporting dangerous illegal immigrants with criminal records. In response to the latest study, Nicole Navas, a spokeswoman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, said, “TRAC’s report is wildly misleading.” According to Navas, the TRAC report only focused on the technical reasons for why individuals were reported and did not look to see if they had a criminal history. She added that ICE is not required to include criminal histories in the charging documents filed in courts.

Based on its figures, ICE maintains that 55 percent of those deported last fiscal year had a criminal background.  

Sue Long, a senior researcher at TRAC, insisted that her organization’s numbers are correct as they were based on ICE reports obtained through a Freedom of Information request. Long said she has contacted ICE for more information to determine why their numbers vary, but so far the agency has not released any further details.