Report: 481 Fugitives From Terror-Linked Nations Now Loose in U.S.

Friday, 13 Aug 2010 05:57 PM
By: David A. Patten

The Department of Homeland Security is trying to hunt down 481 "fugitive illegals" from dangerous countries -- including aliens from four nations designated as state sponsors of terror -- who were arrested and placed in government custody but subsequently released with the United States.

Letting such fugitives loose appears to be routine DHS policy. The releases took place over three years from 2007 to 2009.

According to a CNSNews.com investigation, the missing fugitives were discovered by searching an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) database. The Web site used a Freedom of Information Act filing to obtain the database.

CNSNews reports nearly 200 of the 481 fugitives are from four nations designated as state sponsors of terror: Cuba (137 fugitives), Iran (29 fugitives), Sudan (14) fugitives, and Syria (13 fugitives). While Cubans who reach America are automatically eligible for refugee status, their eligibility can be revoked if they are convicted of a crime.

Other illegals released came from "countries of interest" including Pakistan, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia.

ICE declares someone a fugitive when two conditions are met: A final order has been issued for their deportation, and they have eluded apprehension.

News of the missing illegals comes at a bad time for the Obama administration, which is trying to reassure voters that it intends to secure the border.

On Friday, the president signed a bill meant to bolster border security. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano heralded the legislation, which provides funding for 1,000 additional border patrol agents, as evidence that the Obama administration has "added more technology, manpower, and resources to the border than ever before."

So why would authorities release 481 illegals from potentially dangerous countries back inside the United States? The Department of Homeland Security did not return a Newsmax request for comment Friday. But ICE spokeswoman Gillian Brigham told CNSNews.com that it is impossible to hold all the illegals who are processed.

“On any given day," Brigham told the Web site, "the immigration detention system has about 32,000 beds available for people going through immigration proceedings. There are 1.6 million people going through some kind of immigration court proceeding. So you can’t detain everyone.â€