Deportations Review By Department Of Homeland Security Expanding To An Additional 4 Cities

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Homeland Security will begin to close deportation cases in Seattle, Detroit, New Orleans and Orlando after it temporarily suspends immigration court proceedings in those cities to review thousands of cases.

The review is part of a process initiated by the Obama administration to close cases again undocumented immigrants who are not criminals or who are low-level criminal offenders, particularly those with strong ties to the United States as well as young people who entered the country as children.

The initiative, announced by the government in August, was first piloted in Denver and Baltimore, where 11,682 cases were reviewed and more than 1,600 people were granted reprieve from deportation. Seattle, Detroit, New Orleans and Orlando will be the next cities reviewed. The Washington Post first reported the expansion of the program.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review, part of the Justice Department, confirmed that reviews in those four cities will take place from April 23 to May 4 and proceedings for all cases of non-detained immigrants will be suspended during that time. In the next three cities, proceedings will be partially suspended while reviews take place. New York City will come next, from May 7 to May 18, followed by San Francisco from June 4 to June 15, and then Los Angeles from July 9 to July 20.

Only removal cases against non-detained immigrants will be reviewed during those periods.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has reviewed more than half of the 300,000 deportation cases nationwide pending in immigration courts, agency spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez said in a statement on Friday.

Although decried by Republicans as "backdoor amnesty," the Obama administration says the process will help it focus on deporting the "worst of the worst" -- violent criminals, drug dealers and gang members.

This measure has been applauded by immigrant rights groups and Democrats, who say that in lieu of comprehensive immigration reform something must be done for the nation's undocumented immigrants.

There are an estimated 11 million undocumented people in the United States and few paths to citizenship. The current initiative will not grant citizenship -- or even legal status -- and the individuals whose cases are dropped would potentially re-enter deportation proceedings if they commit a crime.

"Today's announcement of the expansion of the pilot program that began late last year will free additional ICE resources to complete the review and will heighten the Administration’s focus on priority aliens," Gonzalez said in the statement. "The application of prosecutorial discretion allows the agency to ensure that its limited resources are focused on the removal of those who constitute our highest priorities."

President Barack Obama promised to pass immigration reform during his first year in office -- a pledge he failed to pursue. The Dream Act, a narrower measure that would grant legal status to undocumented teens and young adults who entered the country as children, stalled in the Senate in December 2010, just before Republicans took control of the House.

House Republicans are now trying to counter administrative action on deportations, but thus far have had little success.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a hard-liner on immigration, issued a statement on Thursday, arguing that the review "encourages more illegal immigration and rewards those who have broken our laws."

Added Smith: "The Obama administration's decision to expand its backdoor amnesty plan to cities across the United States endangers Americans and insults law enforcement officials."

See the slideshow below for some of the types of cases that could be closed based on the review process:

Comments

[JusticeSleuth]

02:14 AM on 04/05/2012

Ok, this is lenient but... do not forget the ones with criminal records who have been incarcerated and violent felons those should be ICED for deport regardless. No leniency on less than the squeaky clean. We have enough crime to worry about.

[FelineFanatic]

06:47 PM on 04/04/2012

I say deport the criminals and thugs, but give the people who want to become Americans a fighting chance. Help them in any way possible to make this a reality!!!!!
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS CHRIST WOULD DO.

[Justin Write]

03:45 PM on 04/02/2012

FROM HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE, when obama was not servicing his criminal bankster donors, he was HISPANDERING for the LA RAZA vote!

HE HAS FUNDED MEXICAN FASCISM, INFESTED HIS ADMIN WITH LA RAZA SUPREMACIST, SABOTAGED E-VERIFY TO PUT ILLEGALS IN OUR JOBS, SUED AMERICAN STATES ON BEHALF OF HIS LA RAZA PARTY BASE, SABOTAGED VOTER I.D. TO EASE ILLEGALS INTO VOTING BOOTHS!

VIVA LA RAZA?

obama is the first LA RAZA president!

FOR THE ILLEGALS' votes, obama has promised them AMNESTY or continued non-enforcement!

MEXICANOCCUPATION.blogspot.com

[rt1027]

12:26 AM on 04/02/2012

amnesty is amnesty

[inyourface]

06:23 PM on 04/01/2012

As a latino, american citizen by the way, I get really fed up with the weight of illegal immigration issues only attributed to immigrants from latin america. Although it is true that the 'latino' population grew by 43% in the last eight years, it is also true that the asian population grew by 45%. And, although it is true that many illegal immigrants from latim america may take the jobs most americans will NOT do (which is good thing for the economy), it is far more likely that asian immigrants, many of which who are illegally here (like from the Philippines, China and Korea) and who are of a completely different demographic than those from latin america (essentially, they are the well-to-do in their countries), they (asians) are far more likely to be taking the jobs americans DO want to do. The Dream Act is a positive direction on the issue of illegal immigration. Positive action towards this issue will yield positive results for ALL americans.

[rt1027]

12:29 AM on 04/02/2012

no way should an illegal pay less than any US citizen that wants to go to the same school

[Lynn Faris]

04:20 PM on 04/04/2012

Legal americans want some of the Dreams that is being offered to illegal immigrants. If companies would follow the everify checks on all workers then those who are legally here would be able to find jobs, and for those on welfare there would be jobs out there that they could work while getting an education even if it is only minimum wage instead of getting free money from the government that is comming from the taxpayers which illegals are not paying taxes. Sorry but we have a path for legal immigration and that path needs to be followed if you are here without proper permission then you have broken a law and need to return to your home country and apply for citizenship through the proper channels. We have the easiest system to get approved for citizenship of all the major world leaders. Try getting citizenship in France, England or even Germany and you would see it is a lot harder and the illegal immigrants are delt with faster because they are deported faster.

[Susan Cassady]

05:28 PM on 04/01/2012

Question...how many commenting here are American because really anyone else needs not speak.
Question...how many of those American's here know the stories of their families immigration to America & how many corners they had to cut here or there to obtain legal rights?
My view is if you're here illegal it's your option to figure out how to stay legally or simply go back to where ever you've come from. There are too many opportunities to work with NCICS & too many cracks in the existing system than to have to watch my communist president open more availability to those who are unwilling to obtain legal status until they are given an exit pass.
Bottom line illegals need to be deported doesn't matter if they were 3 years old upon entry this issue needs to be taken up with those who brought them in....doesn't matter if they've been here 30 plus years & their neighbors adore them as they knew this day may eventually come.
Question...if I steal from you & you catch me am I free from prosecution because I said I was sorry??

[benseccorp]

05:06 PM on 04/01/2012

Thus far all of the comments I see here are relating to Hispanics. In relaity the illiegal immigration issues relate to all ethnicities. Yes, to inlcude those Caucasion Europeans as well.

[spytheweb]

04:54 AM on 04/04/2012

Illegal Canadians and Europeans are 6% of the illegal, Mexicans are 62%. Not even close. All legals should be deported.

[benseccorp]

08:20 AM on 04/04/2012

Illegal is illegal , I am not for it. But it is just not a Hispanic problem as depcited in the media. It also depends what part of thecountry you are in for the illegal immigration problem. Like it or not, that is the truth. Yep, they all need to be deported. But NAFTA needs to be repealed to. Rather than worrying about jobs in other countries, we need to be worrying about jobs here. It all goes hand in hand..

[benseccorp]

05:02 PM on 04/01/2012

Well you can tell it is an election year!!

[hrpmap]

07:42 PM on 03/31/2012

If they are here illegally deport, Obama stop wasting taxpayer money. Oh wait...never mind.

[mrgene2004]

01:20 PM on 03/31/2012

I often wondered why the people of mexico don't protest against the mexican govt. to create more jobs or to help the people prosper. I also think the mexican govt encourges its people to go north so they don't have to deal with issues such as job creation.

[hrpmap]

07:43 PM on 03/31/2012

And you would be right.

[Viper1st]

06:52 AM on 04/01/2012

June 2011 ~ Mexico's unemployment rate = 5.45%

[AIlegroTroppo]

01:11 PM on 03/31/2012

Where are the pics of Mara Salvatrucha?!

[AIlegroTroppo]

01:10 PM on 03/31/2012

"The U.S. Border Patrol, in one week (March 25-31) arrested 11 previously deported gang members attempting to re-enter the United States. "

When were were 6 y.o. they also looked cute and pics of these precious darlings could've been used to pitch the nobility and goodness of illegal immigrants.

[AIlegroTroppo]

01:00 PM on 03/31/2012

Very important article!!!
Please re-post in all Latin American news services.
This is how you will be abused by Americanos if you come here! think twice... better make million times before coming to the oppressive land of these Yankee.
Reform your own country. No place better than home!!

[AIlegroTroppo]

12:24 PM on 03/31/2012

Beautiful pictures.
Here are some more of the same from a human rights organization that fights for the human dignity of the documented workers.
It's called MS13. M stands for Manifesto, S stands for Socialist. And 13 stands for the number of noble demands in the Manifesto.

Here are some pics of the committee board.
http://suburbansurvivalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ms13-gang-hoboken.jpg

[skippy42]

07:00 PM on 03/30/2012

(AP) — The case of a Vietnamese ex-con accused of brutally slaying five people in a San Francisco home has shed harsh light on Supreme Court rulings that have allowed the release of thousands of criminal immigrants into U.S. communities because their own countries refused to take them back.

After Binh Thai Luc, 35, spent years behind bars in San Quentin for armed robbery, an immigration judge ordered him deported six years ago. Instead, he resumed his old life in a quiet San Francisco neighborhood because Vietnam never provided the travel documents required for his return.

While Luc's case is a particularly striking one, it is far from uncommon. From 2009 through spring of last year, records show 8,740 immigrants ordered to leave the country after serving time in prison, but ICE let them go because their native countries wouldn't take them back Two Supreme Court rulings established immigrants who have committed a broad range of criminal offenses can't be locked up in detention indefinitely while they await deportation, and should be released after 180 days unless they ar to be deported soon. If the government decides they pose a terrorist threat or deem they are especially dangerous, such as sex offenders, some provisions allow for them held for a longer period.


as the investigation into the gruesome San Francisco homicides continues, political debate over legal standards that allow criminal immigrants to remain on U.S. soil if their own countries refuse them is flaring again.

[troadio]

11:01 PM on 04/01/2012

this is such a good government, with or without paper they should send them back to their Country and wash our hand like Pontius Pilate