The Washington Post just wrote a short piece noting the deportation of illegal immigrants under the Obama administration has reached a record number this year. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/06/AR2010100603301.html?hpid=topnews) While many on the right still complain that not enough is being done to combat illegal immigration this number still won’t do anything to please them because they turn a blind eye to the most important aspect of this record: Criminal illegal aliens.
As a law enforcement professional I lean more towards the enforcement side of things regarding immigration but have always noted that enforcement must go after criminal illegal aliens. I define criminal illegal aliens as those who come into contact with law enforcement around the country while in the commission of another criminal violation at the state or local level (Murder, gang participation, sexual assault, drunk driving, robbery, etc). The article noted that 392,000 illegal immigrants were removed from the country and nearly half of them, 195,000 had criminal convictions to include such offenses as murder, sexual assault and drunk driving. While the article did not distinguish the other half who were removed and the basis for their deportation the overall fact that more criminal illegal aliens were removed should be applauded by critics of the Obama administration’s new policy in dealing with illegal immigration and using Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a “crime-fighting tool.”
People need to realize that until the system is overhauled in finding a proper balance between smart enforcement and pathways to citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants in this country ICE and the Department of Homeland Security needs to prioritize who they are going to go after as the serious threats to public safety. While both sides agree on very little, one issue I see them agreeing on is that criminal illegal aliens deserve no sympathy from anyone and should be deported. If ICE is spending their time on illegal aliens with no criminal records one has to assume that is a time and resource lost on a violent criminal alien who should be detained and removed for everyone’s safety. Luckily for everyone the Obama administration recognizes this and has prioritized enforcement efforts the way they should be: Smart, efficient and effective!
