Report: Criminal illegal alien deportations up, but overall number ticks down

By MANUEL VALDES Associated Press Writer

Summary

The data released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency shows that for fiscal year 2009 - which spans from October, 2008 to September of this year - 10,793 people were deported from the Pacific Northwest, a drop of 117 compared to the previous year.

Story Published: Nov 19, 2009 at 1:22 PM PST

Story Updated: Nov 19, 2009 at 1:22 PM PST

Report: Criminal illegal alien deportations up, but overall number ticks down

In this photo released Monday, June 8, 2009, by the United States Border Patrol, 73 immigrants are seen after being smuggled into California. (AP Photo/United States Border Patrol)

 

SEATTLE (AP) - New federal data shows that deportations of illegal immigrants with criminal records from Alaska, Oregon, and Washington this past year spiked by nearly 40 percent, while overall removals dropped slightly.

The data released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency shows that for fiscal year 2009 - which spans from October, 2008 to September of this year - 10,793 people were deported from the Pacific Northwest, a drop of 117 compared to the previous year.

That marks the first time in the last five years deportations from the Northwest have dropped.

But removals of people with criminal records went from more than 3,100 to nearly 4,500 - a jump of 39.7 percent.

ICE spokeswoman Lorie Dankers says the agency its putting its resources into what it sees as the bigger threat to public safety, and that is illegal immigrants with criminal records.

 

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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