DHS releasing illegal immigrants before sequester

By The Associated Press ·

The Department of Homeland Security is releasing hundreds of jailed illegal immigrants ahead of the "sequester" due to automatic budget cuts. Deportation cases will still proceed, says ICE. This begs the question: Did these immigrants really need to be jailed if apparently it's OK to let them go free like this? -- Rickey

DHS releasing illegal immigrants being released from immigration jails ahead of sequester

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security is releasing some illegal immigrants being held in immigration jails in advance of automatic budget cuts set to go into effect later this week.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Gillian Christensen, says the immigrants were being held around the country and being released and "placed on an appropriate, more cost-effective form of supervised release." She did not say how many immigrants were released or how they were selected.

Congress requires that ICE maintain 34,000 immigration detention beds. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano warned Monday that the mandatory cuts would impact the entire department, and specifically mentioned the cost of maintaining jail beds.

Christensen said the deportation cases against the released immigrants would continue.

Copyright (2013) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. Users may not download or reproduce a substantial portion of the AP material found on this web site. AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing.


Image: http://pixel.newscred.com/px.gif?key=YXJ0aWNsZT02YTQ1NTkwYjk2OWQ0NzQ2N2E5Y2JiNzMwMTA5NWNjZCZvd25lcj1lOTllZDJiYjAxYjQzNmJkZWEyOWQ2NjAyYTg2NTY4NSZub25jZT1hYmM5YTZjYi1jMjVkLTQ2NDAtOWUxYi04ZDgxMDM1YTNiNWUmcHVibGlzaGVyPTNhN2IwNTFkY2RiODNmOWQ3ZDFiMDRhZWI2YjBiMGNk

Politics