Secretary
U.S.DepartmentofHomelandSecurityWashington,DC20528
HomelandSecurity
August18,2011TheHonorableHarryReidMajorityLeaderUnitedStatesSenateWashington,DC20510DearSenatorReid:ThankyouforyourlettertoPresidentObamaregardingtheAdministration'simmigrationenforcementpoliciesandtheDevelopment,Relief,andEducationforAlienMinors(DREAM)Act.ThePresidenthasaskedmetorespondonhisbehalf.Overthepasttwoyears,theDepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS)hasestablishedclearandwell-reasonedprioritiesthatgovernhowDHSusesitsimmigrationenforcementresources.Theseprioritiesfocusourresourcesonenhancingbordersecurityandidentifyingandremovingcriminalaliens,thosewhoposeathreattopublicsafetyandnationalsecurity,repeatimmigrationlawviolatorsandotherindividualsprioritizedforremoval.InitiallysetforthinaMarch2010memorandumfromU.S.ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE)DirectorJohnMorton,theseprioritieswererecentlyreiteratedandclarifiedinDirectorMorton's
June17,2011memorandumregardingtheexerciseofprosecutoriaIdiscretionbyICEpersonnel.Whileadditionalworkremains,wehavemadetremendousprogressinourefforttofocusDHSresourcesontheseenforcementpriorities.OurFY2010statisticsareillustrative.InFY2010,ICEremoved79,000morealienswhohadbeenconvictedofacrimethanitdidinFY2008.Asaresult,forthefirsttimeeverandduetotheexpansionoftheSecureCommunitiesprogram,over50percentofthealiensremovedbyICEinafiscalyearwereconvictedcriminals.Ofthoseremovedwithnoconfirmedcriminalconviction,morethantwo-thirdswereeither
apprehendedattheborderorwererepeatviolatorsofourimmigrationlaws.Asenforcementdirectivescontinuetobeimplemented,weanticipatethatthesetrendswillincreaseinFY2011.ThePresidenthassaidonnumerousoccasionsthatitmakesnosensetoexpendourenforcementresourcesonlow-prioritycases,suchasindividualslikethoseyoureferenceinyourletter,whowerebroughttothiscountryasyoungchildrenandknownootherhome.Fromalawenforcementandpublicsafetyperspective,DHSenforcementresourcesmustcontinuetobefocusedonourhighestpriorities.Doingotherwisehindersourpublicsafetymission-cloggingimmigrationcourtdocketsanddivertingDHSenforcementresourcesawayfromindividualswhoposeathreattopublicsafety.
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Napolitano Letter on Immigration Deportation Policy
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Thursday that the department will not focus on undocumented immigrants who have no criminal records in a letter to a group of senators who support revamping the immigration system. Under the change, approximately 300,000 deportation cases pending in immigration court will be reviewed case by case.
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