U.S. Authorities Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration

Federal officials recently began enforcing immigration laws by making a number of high-profile arrests, with media reports circulating that U.S. officials took more than 120 illegal immigrants into custody over a single weekend.

The arrests and detentions became a priority for the federal government in recent months, especially as law enforcement and immigration officials came under heightened scrutiny for not doing more to target immigrants who were in the country illegally.

Now federal authorities are cracking down on illegal immigrants, with those who entered the country illegally after May 2014 being targeted and arrested. A total of 121 people were recently taken into custody by immigration enforcement officials. Most of the illegal immigrants were apprehended, and subsequently detained, in North Carolina, Georgia and Texas.

Those individuals who were detained will now be put through the deportation, or removal, process. Since the recent apprehensions involved several families, many of those individuals who are about to go through the removal process will first be sent to family residential centers located in the U.S. It is expected that they will eventually be placed on flights headed back to their countries of origin.

The recent apprehensions, and expected deportations, follow a year in which the rate of deportation of illegal immigrants increased, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson issued a statement highlighting the agency’s prioritization of removing unaccompanied children who have illegally crossed the U.S. border. In 2014, tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors entered the U.S. by crossing the southern border.

Another priority for immigration officials has been finding and removing convicted criminals who are not legally permitted to remain in the U.S. The White House specifically noted that the Obama administration’s priority when it comes to illegal immigration is deporting felons, “not families.”

For more information on the recent efforts to deport illegal immigrants, check out the Yahoo.com article, “U.S. Takes 121 Illegal Immigrants into Custody for Deportation: Officials.”

If you or a family member is dealing with immigration issues, including possible deportation, it is crucial that you speak with a qualified immigration attorney. Michael Noriega, Esq., is a knowledgeable immigration lawyer at Bramnick, Rodriguez, Grabas, Arnold & Mangan, LLC. Mr. Noriega is prepared to assist you with your case and help you legally remain in the United States. Contact him today to schedule a free consultation about your case.