DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement released statistics for the 2019 fiscal year on Wednesday in Dallas.
ICE Acting Director Matthew T. Albence explained how the unprecedented crisis at the border during this fiscal year impacted nearly every area of the agency’s operations, including interior enforcement, detention capacity, transportation, removals, personnel, and overall expenditures. In FY 2019, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations officers arrested approximately 143,000 aliens and removed more than 267,000 – which is an increase in removals from the prior year.
According to ICE, while the numbers of individuals apprehended or found inadmissible at the border nationwide increased 68% over the previous fiscal year, the total number of aliens arrested by ICE dropped by nearly 10% compared to FY 2018. More than 86% of those arrested by ICE had criminal convictions or pending charges. Albence said ICE expected the lower numbers due to the crisis at the border because ICE needed to redirect resources to combat this unprecedented surge of illegal activity, and clearly demonstrated the detrimental effect the border crisis had on public safety.
“There is no doubt that the border crisis, coupled with the unwillingness of some local jurisdictions that choose to put politics over public safety has made it more difficult for ICE to carry out its Congressionally mandated interior enforcement mission,” said Albence. “No matter where you live in the U.S., your safety is impacted by criminal aliens who came to this country illegally and now live in your neighborhoods. Despite our significant challenges, and as evidenced by the tremendous work of the professional men and women of ERO, ICE remains committed to removing dangerous, recidivist criminals from our communities and restoring integrity to the nation’s immigration system.”
Below are statistics for the ICE Dallas area of responsibility released by the Dallas ICE Office, which includes 128 counties in North Texas and the state of Oklahoma. Included below are six general summaries of criminal aliens encountered:
ADMINISTRATIVE ARRESTS:
The Dallas Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) led the nation in the number of aliens administratively arrested in fiscal year (FY) 2019 with 16,900. The total number of admin arrests for the nation was 143,099.
Dallas also led the nation with the number of arrests of aliens with criminal convictions (12,578). Throughout the nation, 92,108 criminal aliens were arrested.
Dallas also led the nation in the number of arrests of aliens with pending criminal charges with 3,499. Nationwide, there were 31,020 such arrests.
Of the 16,900 aliens arrested by the Dallas Office in FY 2019, more than 95% had a criminal conviction or were pending criminal charges.
REMOVALS (DEPORTATIONS):
The Dallas Office in FY 2019 removed 14,981 aliens to their country of origin. Of that total, 11,791 had criminal convictions, and 1,873 had pending criminal charges.
Of the 14,981 aliens removed by the Dallas Office in FY 2019, more than 91% were aliens with criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
Nationwide, ERO removed 267,258 aliens to their country of origin in FY 2019. Of that total, 150,141 had criminal convictions; and 23,658 had pending criminal charges.
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