Department of Homeland Security announces end-of-year immigration enforcement numbers

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released Tuesday its end-of-year immigration enforcement statistics, which showed historically low border apprehension numbers but an increase in removals.

We have clearly seen the successful results of the President’s commitment to supporting the frontline officers and agents of DHS as they enforce the law and secure our borders,” Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke said. “We have an obligation to uphold the integrity of our immigration system, but we must do more to step up and close loopholes to protect the American worker, our economy, and our communities.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted 310,531 apprehensions nationwide in Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, 303,916 of which were along the Southwest border. This represents a 30 percent decline from FY 2016 numbers. CBP also reported 216,370 inadmissible cases in FY17, a 23.7 percent decline.

CBP also said it began to see a month-over-month increase in apprehensions and inadmissible cases along the Southwest border in May, especially from children, either unaccompanied or with family members. The agency also noted a rise in attempts to smuggle narcotics.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations (ERO) reported 143,470 arrests and 226,119 removals. Total ICE removal numbers for FY17 declined by six percent from FY2016, largely due to the decline in border apprehensions.

From the start of the Trump Administration through the end of the fiscal year, however, ERO made 110,568 arrests compared to 77,806 in FY2016, a 40 percent increase. During the same period, removals resulting from an ICE arrest rose by 37 percent.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) reported for FY201 74,818 criminal arrests related to gang activity and 892 administrative arrests as a result of gang investigations. Arrests of MS-13 gang members and associates increased by 83 percent from 434 to 796. ERO administratively arrested 5,225 gang members and associates.

HSI conducted a total 32,958 total of criminal arrests and seized $524 million in illicit currency and assets in FY2017.

“These results are proof of what the men and women of ICE can accomplish when they are empowered to fulfill their mission,” ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan said. “We need to maintain this momentum by matching the dedication and drive of our personnel with the resources they need to perform at even higher levels. We need to confront and address misguided policies and loopholes that only serve as a pull factor for illegal immigration. We must continue to target violent gangs like MS-13, and prevent them from rebuilding what we have begun to dismantle. Finally, we need to find a solution to the dangerous sanctuary city policies and the politicians who needlessly risk innocent lives to protect criminals who are illegally present in the United States.”