About 111,000 illegal immigrants in state and local lockups, officials say

More than 111,000 illegal immigrants are serving time in state and local prisons and jails in the U.S., Obama administration officials said today.

The figure is based on reports from 95 jurisdictions in 11 states participating in a national program, Secure Communities. The program, which began in October 2008, identified people who were charged with or convicted of murder, kidnapping, rape and burglary, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The federal government has struggled for years to identify imprisoned illegal immigrants, with an eye toward deporting them after they finish their sentences. Immigration officials say they have had difficulty collecting accurate information from such a diffuse system.

By providing links to federal fingerprint databases, the government is having more success identifying illegal immigrants, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said.

“Secure Communities provides our local partners with an effective tool to identify and remove dangerous criminal aliens,” she said in a statement.

The Obama administration has made the removal of illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes a priority.

-- Bloomberg News

Comments

[M. Scott]

What a joke. How many are on welfare? All illegals should be deported.

[whamo]

It's time to start killing the violent offenders because it's too expensive to keep them incarcerated. The system of appeals should not apply to illegal aliens.

[RICAERDOH]

This info is just from 11 states and we don't even know if it includes California. It is just for murder,rape, kidnapping, and burglary. Why is the government so afraid of giving us all the information.

[Dou Lobbs]

This is only the ones who were caught, charged, prosecuted and sentenced. Imagine the true number of illegal immigrants engaged in crime.

[KK]

110,000 at $46K each will cost about $5 billion a year to the state. No wonder why we are literally banckrupt! Thank you to all the liberals and the pro open-border for destroying this country.

[Megan]

The article concludes with, "The Obama administration has made the removal of illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes a priority." Why not the minor crimes, too? They are not here legally in the first place! Our laws and enforcement seem to be so lax , which explains the huge numbers which our tax dollars are used to support!

[JayCeezy]

The federal government has struggled for years to identify imprisoned illegal immigrants...

That's a laugher. They have avoided it, as have state and local governments. If they got a real count, they might have to do something about the borders.

[Warren]

All illegals in jail should be deported. I don't care if they are in jail for jay walking. deport them!

[JWest]

So then if you count illegals incarcerated for ALL crimes--not just murder, kidnapping, rape and burglary--the figure must be much higher, right? In California alone in 2005 the Department of Corrections reported a prison population of 162,000 inmates, of which over 17,650 were convicted foreign nationals. The average yearly cost to house just one inmate in the California prison system is $31,000 (approximately 547 million dollars per year for all convicted alien offenders in California).

[Louweegie272]

It's unclear as to which States this article is referring to, 11 is a very small sample. The actual figure for the entire country must be huge or it would have been reported. This article is meant to placate the citizens so an amnesty can be passed. We're not that dumb.

[Erwin fookenbacker]

What percentage of crime in the USA is perpretrated by African Americans?
A question the press has refused to deal with for three or four decades now.
Political correctness is still very strong in the press, but the press itself is on its last legs - good riddance LA behind the Times.

[Ramon]

No wonder this Country is in a sham. We cater to the world's illegals, and give them our hard earned money. This needs to stop. Poor Dobbs made an effort to bring a light to this, and was asked to leave the liberal media he helped build over his 25 years. What a spineless Country we have become.

[CACHIMBON]

SEND ALL THE ILEGALS BACK AND GIVE THE MEXICANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS THEIR LAND BACK AS WELL. DAM MAYFLOWER.

[Chris]

The comments in your post are absurd, KK. The fact that you blame liberals for the illegal aliens who choose to rape and murder shows how muddy your logic is. Also, you wrote: "110,000 at $46K each will cost about $5 billion a year to the state. No wonder why we are literally banckrupt!" My first suggestion to you would be: LEARN HOW TO READ! This statistic is for 11 states, not just CA. Oh, and as for your assertion about liberals destroying the country, how about put blame where it's due: on the previous president who ran this country into the ground...

[Chris]

This is to M. Scott: Why don't you do the research instead of asking how many illegal immigrants are on welfare? You're the joke; illegal immigrants are unable to receive welfare. Oh, and why don't you look up the numbers of caucasians on welfare?

If we've got 10-20 million illegal immigrants in the country, how do you propose we deport them? Instead of posting inane comments, how about spending some time using your brain. It's supply and demand; would a mass of people immigrate here if there weren't jobs we needed filled? Oh, next I'm sure you're going to blame high unemployment rates on immigration...

By the way a person isn't an "illegal." "Illegal" is an adjective. A person is a person. People aren't illegal; actions are.

[Bevery]

The percentage of crimes perpetrated by African Americans is probably the equivalent of how many White Americans are child molesters or who murder their family members for insurance money, yet can afford a lawyer and get a great plea bargain on their behalf. That being said, your point is what? Oh wait you don't have one. Then again most racists don't.

TOPIC: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. Try to keep Up . . . .*rolls eyes*

[Tracey]

Almost every week there is a news story about a rape or attempted kidnapping. Almost always the suspect is hispanic.

[bigjonmustafa]

Reagan (the $#$@!!#@@ A-HOLE) gave illegals amnesty now he's dead. Bush ignored the whole issue (I guess someone in the family was humping one). Finally someone makes an effort to find out where we are with illegals and you slacked jawed, Missouri Child Molesting Hillbillies, want to make this a conservative liberal thing. Why don't you find a new set of teeth "Bruford" go back to South Carolina and screw the lifestock. Make sure it's of age this time!!!!

[emm305]

The US and Mexico need to come to an agreement for the US to build a prison, well it sounds like prisonS are needed, in Mexico, monitor their operation, offer to get the famiy members, legal and illegal, back to Mexico to be near their jailed ones.
This is the only way to rid ourselves of the incentive for the prisoner and family to serve the sentence here.
Stay in Mexico to begin with. If you come here and get arrested, expect to go back and serve your time there.

[Randy L. AZ Resident]

Didn't any of you see that 111,000 is expected to top 1.4 million once it's fully implemented?

"Officials plan to expand it to nearly all local jails by the end of 2013, potentially resulting in a tenfold increase in the total number of criminal illegal immigrants deported, from 117,000 last year to 1.4 million."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/12/AR2009111209444.html

Yes, we can rid our country of EVERY illegal alien.

[riposter]

The problem with this article is that is NOT what the government reported. Here is what the news release actually said.

"ICE's Secure Communities initiative-a partnership with local law enforcement agencies that uses biometrics to identify and remove criminal aliens-identified more than 111,000 criminal aliens in local custody during its first year."

That number was only for those identified by the government using the methodologies it employs in those 95 jurisdictions that participate in the program for crimes that met the program's specifications. That amounted to:

"11,000 aliens charged or convicted with Level 1 crimes, such as murder, rape and kidnapping-1,900 of which have already been removed from the United States-and more than 100,000 aliens convicted of Level 2 and 3 crimes, including burglary and serious property crimes."

That's 17% of murderers, rapist and kidnappers that were removed, but how many of the Level 2 and 3 criminals, almost ten times the amount of the former, were removed? And how many of those who committed crimes other than those that meet government criteria weren't counted?

[LisaLisa]

To Erwin fookenbacker ... At least with African Americans - we know that our taxes are being spent accordingly as opposed to paying for illegal immigrants using our prison system!

[Jim H]

No statistical data indicates that illegal immigrants engage in crime at a higher rate than Americans or legal residents. In fact, a lower percentage do. The great majority of illegals are very hard-working people doing their best to send money back to their relatives or trying to hang on to life in the U.S.

What we have is illegal employers, and a completely non-functional labor policy in the U.S.

On the other hand, it's very clear that many of the anti-immigrant groups love to demonize and dehumanize illegals for their own ulterior political motives. With all these accusations of "Hitler" running around in right-wing circles, it's easy to forget that the extreme demonization and foaming rants against Mexicans and South American illegals is very reminiscent of what a certain German politician said about Jews.

[Juan hernadez]

Basically Illegal Immigration is unjustice to the legal Immigrates. Why should any support given to someone that cuts in line and passes Legal Immigrates. Legal Immigrates go through criminal and medical background checks. Why is this? {the goverment doesn't want to pay medical services of new immigrates.) Many legal Immigrates obtain Bachelor degrees to work here in America. The legal Immigrate also spend years waiting for jobs and Immigration backlogs to clear prior to entering the U.S.A. Legal Immigration Yes Illegal Immigration No. Remove all Democratic leaders that contiually withdrawal money for our borders! These people are nothing more than traitors to thier country. Allowing Terrorist, Illegal Immigration,Sex trade, and Drug Trade to continue along our borders.

[my2cents]

@Chris: Regarding your attack on M.Scott: Actually he's right about Welfare. Illegal immigrants do collect Welfare for each of their US born children. You can argue that the Welfare is for the children, but it's a mute point. The illegal parents are the ones who collect and spend the money, for up to 18 years for each child.
As far as touching on unemployment, well, it's a real touchy subject. So. CA has the highest unemployment rate in the country, and rather than impart your harsh words, I'll just say, there are plenty of statistics to support the displacement of jobs via illegal employment practices.
Next, although I understand your feelings about the use of the word "illegal" in defining a human being, it doesn't change the fact that this is the term commonly used nationwide. Perhaps a PC petition should be circulated with a less demeaning term? You decide.
Finally, the subject matter always pushes buttons, as other issues, such as abortion does. And it would be so nice if people could exercise civil debate practices, so that we all could actually learn something new in the blogs.

[LAT subscriber]

To bigjonmustafa--- Most of us know that the problems existed long before the two presidents you mentioned were in office. But, I am not responding to you for this reason. Your comment paints "conservative liberals" with an ugly paintbrush. And although it appears this was not your intention, it was the result, and only causes further division among people who need to learn to work together. If there was an "inappropriate comment" button that could be pushed in response to your comment, I've no doubt it would have been. Your comment defeats the purpose, and I find it offensive to both Liberals and "Hillbillies", as you've coined them.

[John Baird]

Duh!

If the Moon had "People", this "stupider" state, (California) and our country would want to supply them with their issue of entitlements.
When do we put "Americans first"?

[karen]

its funny how many do not like immigrants.when they are the ones doing the work most of you can not even do.who are the ones picking up your vegetables and building your houses?

[Tara]

why not deport them upon conviction? why waste taxpayer money on their "three hots and a cot" in the prison system? glad some numbers are out, now we can do the $ math.

[Life-long Californian]

Karen, you need to understand what's happening. We know two separate families, who have been life-long friends, both husbands started out as Carpenters, and over thirty years worked their way up to Contractors. They provided their employees with fair wages, Workers Comp. Insurance, as well as other benefits, and they paid taxes for everything. Both families have lost their businesses, and their homes, in this crisis, because they can't compete with the illegal Construction business practices in California (hiring illegal immigrants and underpaying them, with no insurance or benefits). It is a crime. We wish we could help, but we cannot. They are moving out of state, as a last resort. It is very sad. To say that we should be more compliant because the illegal aliens are the ones building our homes, is wrong. The illegal practices are undermining the American's livelihoods. It must stop.

[Frankie G]

There is difference what American will do for work. Our Employment laws are based on minuim wage. Most American will not allow their Employer to exploit their wages and work enviroment.Illegal Aliens will allow this and will continual allow this practice even if amenesty was granted.Amnesty has been granted at least 11 times since Ronald Regan granted the first Amnesty. Ever time these Amnesty are granted a huge group of illegal alien cross our borders to replace the now legals. The only hope America has to help curb this illegal immigration is the 287g program,Mandate E-verify Nation wide, Have the Sumpreme Court revist the 14th Amendment, Double layer our borders.

[Life-long Californian]

To Karen, it's not that we don't like immigrants. Our country was built on immigrants! It's the illegal "black market" that has been created through illegal employment practices using illegal immigrants that is the problem. Paying wages that are below the costs of living to illegal immigrants, with no insurance, benefits, etc. is putting law-abiding citizens out of work, because they cannot compete, reducing them to poverty, and costing us billions to support not only our impoverished citizens, but the impoverished illegal aliens. The only ones who gain from this are the criminal businesses who employ the illegal aliens, evading the laws. We simply cannot survive on the current course. We must enforce legal employment practices. And if we can do that, it will mean that multitudes of illegal aliens will find themselves unemployable. This is the hard truth. And it is a truth that nobody wants to face. But, this country cannot survive any other way. Our system is designed to maintain itself through legal employment practices. That's not just taxes, but standard of living issues, such as minimum wage requirements, etc. It all balances out if it's done legally. Currently, in California, it does not. Corrections are long overdue.

[rollingthunder6]

why don't we form them up into penal battalions and use them in afghanistan?

[carla123]

Karen, those illegals are stealing the jobs Americans want.
We don't want them building our houses, or picking our food.
We want them to go back to their home countries.
Look at how much they send back to Mexico alone.
All the money that was never taxed or spent here to boost the American economy.
20 million can be deported. Making it really hard for them to get the free stuff here and jobs will also help them self deport.

[Blanca T]

Dear M. Scott...if you are undocumented, YOU CAN'T GET ON WELFARE. You need to be a legal resident or US citizen to apply for welfare. Plus, as long as capitalism exists, cheap labor will be needed in the US, and immigrants will be pulled here from countries all over the world. So good luck getting rid of capitalism.

[Old Wobbly]

Under the 8 years of the last Republican administration we saw the greatest rise in illegal immigration EVER. Why? Because the Republicans wanted to let Big Business have access to cheap labor. That's why it's taken so long to secure the borders - they were dragging their feet. This flood of cheap labor who couldn't complain about working conditions had a second effect of undermining the bargaining power of American labor unions and screwing the working and middle class. Most people who are in America illegally do not want to get arrested and deported so they do everything they can to be law-abiding. We need to secure the borders first.

[mamaorca]

@Blanca T: you stated "Dear M. Scott...if you are undocumented, YOU CAN'T GET ON WELFARE."
Quoting Taxpayer Revolution: "The CA Legislature allows issuance of child Welfare to illegal aliens for 18 years. Law-abiding citizens can only receive the benefit for five years. Between 1988-1995 this welfare program quadrupled..." "and continues to spiral out of control. In spite of the budget deficits the Legislature refuses to end this welfare magnet."
Please note that it does not take a Constitutional Amendment to change this. An example is the state of Oklahoma whose internal law states: Public benefits issued to only citizens, or QUALIFIED ALIENS WITH SIGNED AFFIDAVITS VERIFIED FOR LAWFUL STATUS. The Dept. of Health and Human Services confirmed the state can require lawful presence of all applicants to prevent state block grant funds from going to illegal aliens with US born children.
In CA, illegal aliens do get Welfare for their US born children for 18 years, and they average four children per couple. If CA wanted to change this, they could, and it does not require an amendment to the Constitution, as Oklahoma has proven.