Benedict Smith
28 September 2024 1:48am
Hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants with criminal convictions have been released into the US by immigration authorities, according to new figures.
They include some 13,099 people convicted of homicide, 14,301 of burglary, and 15,811 of sexual assault, who were detained as they crossed into the US before being set free while their cases are pending.
A further 62,631 had convictions of assault, 10,031 for robbery, and 56,553 for an unspecified dangerous drugs offence, according to data up to July 21 2024.
In all, 425,431 migrants with criminal convictions have been released, among whom the most common crime was traffic offences of which 77,074 had been convicted.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made the admission in response to a request for information from Tony Gonzales, a Republican member of the House of Representatives’ homeland security committee.
The issue is a hugely controversial one following several alleged killings of Americans by migrants. The death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, caused outrage in February when an illegal immigrant from Venezuela was charged with her murder.
Harris on tour
The newly released figures came as Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, visited the US-Mexican border on Friday, where she pledged to tighten up rules for asylum seekers.
Republicans were quick to turn the new figures on Ms Harris, although the ICE data did not indicate when the migrants had entered the US or been released from detention.
“In March, I requested data from the Biden-Harris administration on how many illegal immigrants with a criminal history have been released in our communities,” Mr Gonzales wrote on X.
“I just received an answer this week. Remember this as VP Harris tries to tout the administrations’ ‘success’ during her dog and pony show at the border.”
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, wrote on his Truth Social platform: “13,000 people convicted of murder have crossed into our country through Kamala Harris’ open border – non-detained, non-citizen, non-convicted criminals.
“I’ve been saying this from the beginning of the Harris-Biden administration, as soon as I learned they opened the borders.”
‘Bad timing’
Seemingly referring to the fact that the figures were released six months after Mr Gonzales’ request, Trump added: “Bad timing for [Ms Harris] to show up to the border today, after not going for four years.
“Why didn’t she release these numbers earlier?”
More than 10,000 migrants with criminal convictions remain in detention, ICE figures show.
Those with a criminal history who are released from detention may be assigned to a programme for closer monitoring, which may include location-tracking technology or regular check-ins with the authorities.
Patrick J Lechleitner, the acting head of ICE, said in a letter to the homeland security committee: “ICE is bound by statutory requirements not to release certain noncitizens from ICE custody during the pendency of removal proceedings.
“Most noncitizens who are convicted of homicide are typically not eligible for release from ICE custody under §236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”
He added: “From mid-May 2023 through the end of July 2024, DHS removed or returned more than 893,600 individuals.”
ICE has been approached for comment.
The post Revealed: The number of criminal migrants released into the US appeared first on The Telegraph.
