Thread: Can this be verified?

Or is it just another "dog and pony show" by our el Presidente?

Catch and release over on the border.

WASHINGTON - Nearly all non-Mexican illegal immigrants caught sneaking into the United States are being held until they can be returned to their home countries, the Bush administration said Wednesday.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said this marks the end of the “catch-and-release” practice that for years helped many illegal immigrants stay in the United States unhindered.

“There is a real deterrent effect to this policy,” Chertoff told reporters in Washington, pointing to a 20,000 drop in the number of illegal immigrants caught crossing the southwest border between this summer and the same period last year.

Story continues below ↓
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Although we’re not ready to declare victory — we’ve got a lot more work to do — it is encouraging and it is something that ought to inspire us to continue to push forward,” Chertoff said.

The new policy generally does not apply to Mexicans, who are almost immediately returned to Mexico after being stopped by Border Patrol agents, said John Torres, detention and removal director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an arm of Homeland Security.

Most of the more than 1 million illegal immigrants who sneak over the southwest border annually are Mexicans, he said.

Of 2,010 non-Mexican immigrants stopped in the first two weeks of August, only 26 have been released — a 99 percent detention rate, Homeland Security data show.

Detained for less time
Moreover, the immigrants are detained for an average of 21 days — down from 90 days a year ago — before they are taken home, Torres said.

Immigrant rights advocates have questioned whether the border crackdown actually deters people from sneaking into the U.S., noting that some illegal immigrants may just be shifting entry points to cross at more remote and dangerous areas.

But Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar said far fewer immigrants have been seen at traditional staging points in Mexico, where thousands of people often meet up before trying to cross the border.

“We’re not seeing that any more,” Aguilar said.

Homeland Security also is putting more technology in remote parts of the 2,000-mile border to detect immigrants trying avoid U.S. agents, Chertoff said. “As it gets harder, fewer people will try to come,” he said.

In May, President Bush called for deploying 6,000 National Guard troops to the southwest border. The move was widely seen as an election-year nod to conservatives who have long complained about that porous border and the growing number of illegal immigrants in the country.

About 11 million illegal immigrants were living in the U.S. at the start of this year, compared with an estimated 8.5 million living in the country in January 2000, Homeland Security data show.

Hey David,

IMHO - doubt it.

Compare the following two variations of the first part of the verbiage:

Original:

"Nearly all non-Mexican illegal immigrants caught sneaking into the United States are being held until they can be returned to their home countries, the Bush administration said Wednesday."

My Variation:

"All non-Mexican illegal immigrants caught sneaking into the United States are being held until they can be returned to their home countries, the Bush administration said Wednesday. "

The nuances are subtle, but leaving out the 'nearly' makes a BIG difference in the meaning, doesn't it? The second could be verified fairly easily (go to an ICE detention facility and starting asking for 'non-Mexicans' - should get nil as a result). The first, well....????

I don't know - but I say doubt it.

Of 2,010 non-Mexican immigrants stopped in the first two weeks of August, only 26 have been released — a 99 percent detention rate, Homeland Security data show.

Okay, I'll bite Secretary Chertoff, why were the 26 released? One is one too many!

What about the millions already residing inside the United States? Are the ones caught no longer being released after receiving an immigration hearing date? I know the borders a problem, but I would also like to see some serious interior enforcement.

Of 2,010 non-Mexican immigrants stopped in the first two weeks of August, only 26 have been released — a 99 percent detention rate, Homeland Security data show.

Okay this may not be totally accurate or even fair but lets say there is an article that says,

The proposed budget would also increase funding for the detention and removal of aliens by $176 million, bringing the total to just under $1.5 billion. The budget would allocate $5.4 million to expand alternative detention methods, including intensive supervision arrangements, in order to improve the treatment of non-criminal aliens, particularly asylum seekers, awaiting court appearances.

http://www.migrationinformation.org/...lay.cfm?id=292

Wouldn't that mean they are burning through 57,692,307 every two weeks. Or 28,702 per illegal alien counting the 26 released.

Remember the year we had 4 businesses that got in trouble? That would come out to about 375,000,000 each business.

There is one huge loophole in this "new" policy.

It only applies to those caught within 100 miles of the border.

Make to 101 miles, and you're home free.

non-Mexican?

Does this mean the Mexicans are still being released? Are'nt they biggest percentage or am I just being to picky?

Trouble