WASHINGTON -- As Republicans accuse the Obama administration of shirking its responsibilities on immigration enforcement, the agency responsible for it announced Monday the arrest of more than 3,100 convicted criminals and illegal re-entrants within a six-day period last week.
From Saturday, March 24, to Thursday, March 29, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 2,834 convicted criminals and 698 people who had illegally re-entered the country after being removed.
"These are not people we want roaming our streets," ICE Director John Morton said at a press conference on Monday.
The Obama administration is attempting to counteract two dramatically different charges leveled against it on immigration enforcement. From the right, there is a claim that the administration is more interested in providing "amnesty" to undocumented immigrants than enforcing the law. From the left, immigrant advocates point out the large number of non-criminals and low-level offenders -- many of whom have families in the United States -- that are netted and deported by ICE.
Deporting convicted criminals, and touting it, is meant to thread the needle between the two. Last week's operation was the third of its kind: The first, in which 2,442 convicted criminals were arrested, took place in May 2011; the second, which netted 2,901, took place in September 2011.
Many of the arrests were of "immigration fugitives" -- people who were given deportation orders but didn't leave -- and those who illegally re-entered the country, according to ICE. About 150 people convicted of sexual assault were arrested, they said.
Morton announced in a June 2011 memo that ICE would focus on undocumented immigrants who had committed crimes, and the administration announced in August that it would review and, in some cases, close, deportation cases against those deemed low-priority for removal.
Morton said Monday that last week's arrests proved those efforts were working. He also referenced fiscal year 2011 deportation figures, which broke the record for removals in a single year.
More than half of those deported in the 2011 fiscal year were convicted of felonies or misdemeanors.
"We are focusing our efforts now to beat that record this year," Tom Homan, deputy executive associate director for Enforcement and Removal Operations, said Monday of deportations of criminals.
One effort to find undocumented immigrants arrested for crimes, a program called "Secure Communities," will continue expansion despite concerns from some communities, Morton said.
The program, which shares fingerprint data from local arrests with the federal government in order to find undocumented immigrants, was met with resistance in some states and localities that attempted to opt-out and were then told they could not. Secure Communities also faces opposition from immigrant rights groups who say it could encourage racial profiling and put innocent people, including the victims of crime, into deportation proceedings.
Morton echoed previous statements that the agency will not suspend the program to address these potential problems.
"There are a lot of plans to work with these communities, none to slow down the process," he said. "We're in 45 states out of 50, and guess what, the sky hasn't fallen. Secure Communities makes a lot of sense."
Morton said the administration would continue to focus on criminals, but admitted that some could be parents and others with ties to the United States. The agency reported last week that it deported nearly 46,500 parents of U.S. citizens in the first half of 2011.
"We want to retain the unity wherever we can," he said. "At the same time, we can't have a system that having a child in the United States is license to stay here unlawfully and commit crimes."
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.