DeGette: Administration’s Deportation Record Not in Line with Priorities

WASHINGTON –U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01) called on the Obama Administration to change its deportation polices following today’s report in the New York Times. Nearly 67% of the nearly 2 million unauthorized immigrants deported during President Obama’s time in office had minor infractions such as traffic violations or no criminal record at all. This report paints a different picture of the Administration’s publicly-stated goal of narrowing enforcement efforts on serious criminals.

“The President has made his concern about separating families very clear, but this new report reveals a stark contrast between the Administration’s public goal and its record on deportations,” said Rep. DeGette. “Too many parents who dream of a better life for their children are living in fear because of the threat of deportation. It is time for the Administration to align its policies at headquarters with the reality on the ground.”

The Times analysis covered government data on more than 3 million deportations over the last ten years. According to the report, the largest increase of deportations involved illegal immigrants with traffic violations, which increased from 43,000 during the last five years of the Bush Administration to 193,000 during the Obama Administration. That same period indicates that convictions for people who re-entered the country to reunite with family members tripled under the Obama Administration to more than 188,000.

“We all know our immigration system is broken, but we cannot needlessly tear apart families in the meantime. Republican leadership in the House should take up immigration reform immediately, and the Obama Administration should focus enforcement efforts on serious criminals—not people trying to build better lives for their families.”

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