U.S. Returns Illegal Alien Criminals To Sender

Hundreds of illegal immigrants who had been previously deported for criminal convictions were arrested in a long overdue sweep that spanned across five Southern California cities this week.

In all, 750 illegal immigrants from 14 different countries were arrested by federal authorities and most, either have criminal records or remained in the United States undetected after being deported. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials estimate that 600,000 illegal immigrants who have ignored deportation orders still live in the United States illegally.

Long known as an illegal immigrant hotbed, Southern California is a notorious haven for those who wish to evade the system and remain in the country illegally. This sweep, among the largest in U.S. history, netted aliens from Mexico, Honduras, Ukraine, India, Japan, Poland and Trinidad to name a few.

Most of the violators were arrested at their home. Federal officials also identified prison inmates who are in the country illegally and go free after serving their sentence because most local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from inquiring about immigration status. In this sweep, several hundred were taken into federal custody at county jails and they will get deported after completion of their sentence.

The California raids were conducted under a federal program, launched by ICE in May 2006, to rid the country of dangerous criminal aliens. Operation Return To Sender has resulted in 13,000 arrests nationwide and the apprehension of several thousand criminal aliens, illegal alien gang members and fugitive aliens.

While immigration officials pat themselves on the back for the arrests, Barking Moonbat calls it a drop in the bucket, pointing out that they make up only a small percentage – 0.12%–of the estimated 11 million illegal aliens in the country. Political Dishonesty writes that the feds can brag all they want about rounding up 13,000 since June but the fact is that thousands cross the border daily.