| Immigration: Illegal Immigration |
Total number of illegal immigrants aliens located
Immigration Detainees Rise with Doubled Funding
Published Friday, March 20th, 2009 by Lacey Loftin
The number of Immigrants who are detained inside America’s detention system as a part of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) effort to sweep up criminals and undocumented workers has risen in the last decade. Normally, they are deported voluntarily or they are deported to their country of origin. However, information provided by the ICE, obtained by the Freedom of Information Act, stated that the detention population at exactly 32,000 as of January 25, 2009. 18,690 immigrants do not have a criminal record, some have been there for at least a year, and nearly 10,000 had been there for longer than the requisite 31 days in which authorities state is the amount of time needed to discourage further illegal immigration on the part of the detainee. Many of the long-term detainees are not criminals nor illegal immigrants, but asylum seekers or persons whose country of origin will not accept them. 58% of these are delayed due to a lack of legal counsel.
Since the 1990’s, the number of illegal immigrants has remained on a rollercoaster rate between 900,000 and 180,000, lessening since 2001. However, since 2003, Congress has doubled to $1.7 billion the amount dedicated to imprisoning immigrants. However, the number of those who have voluntarily left the country and those deported has decreased dramatically from 1999-2000–at a rate of 1 million removed and 13.6 million voluntarily departures—to 2001-2004—0.8 million deported and 4 million voluntarily departed. The cost per night—according to the data given—is $141 for every immigrant detained, the amount to monitor the ankle bracelets amounts to $13 a day—a method that has a near perfect compliance rate.
Posted in Immigration | No Comments »
Immigration Law Enforcement
Published Friday, December 5th, 2008 by Lacey Loftin
President-Elect Obama has announced the appointment of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as the new chief of Homeland Security, a department of 208,000 people who are responsible for, amongst other things, securing the boarders and immigration. A governor of a border state, Napolitano has had many opportunities to deal with immigration. She has passed new immigration laws that revoke the business licenses of companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. On the Federal level, she repeatedly opposed the Homeland Security Department’s plans to build hundreds of miles of new fencing along the Mexican border, which as of today is 90% completed.
Remarking on the appointment, out-going DHS Chief Michael Chertoff stated that the efforts to enforce immigration laws were working and “For the first time, we’ve reversed momentum.” As of today, the number of border petrol officers have doubled to 18,000 since 2000. The number of illegals crossing the border and located have been reducing sharply since 2000 with only a spike in 2004-2006. Presently the number stands at aproximatly 900,000. Legal immigration has had its up and downs, especially after 9/11and the beginning of the 1990’s. However, today the rate of legal immigration has returned to the previous trend begun in 1941.
Posted in Immigration | No Comments »
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Immigration - http://www.dhs.gov/http://www.dhs.gov/ximgtn/statistics/publications/yearbook.shtm
The Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provides data on foreign nationals who, during a fiscal year, were granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., admitted as immigrants or became legal permanent residents), were admitted into the United States on a temporary basis (e.g., tourists, students, or workers), applied for asylum or refugee status, or were naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration law enforcement actions, including alien apprehensions, removals, and prosecutions.
White House Immigration Reform - http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/immigration/
America is a welcoming nation, and the hard work and strength of our immigrants have made our Nation prosperous. Many immigrants and sons and daughters of immigrants have joined the military to help safeguard the liberty of America. Illegal immigration, however, creates an underclass of workers, afraid and vulnerable to exploitation. Current immigration law can also hinder companies from finding willing workers. Without harming the economic security of Americans, reform of our Nation's immigration laws will create a system that is fairer, more consistent, and more compassionate.