Looming Budget Cuts Cited as Reason for the Release of Immigrant Detainees
Bergen County, NJ – The recent release of about 50 immigrant detainees from the Hudson and Bergen County jails was the result of uncertainty caused by the looming budget cuts in the agency budget of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Those who were released in New Jersey and at other facilities around the country were described as non-criminal or low risk offenders by the Federal immigration officials. In Arizona, 300 illegal immigrants were released from federal custody. That has already created a heated controversy as Arizona has one of the nation’s toughest laws against illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants were also released from federal detention in Michigan and Ohio.
ICE is part of the Department of Homeland Security, that faces a $4 billion budget cut as part of the broad Federal budget cuts, under the so-called sequester, which mandates $85 billion in spending cuts during the rest of fiscal 2013 as part of $1.2 trillion over 10 years.
“ICE has reviewed its detained population to ensure detention levels stay within ICE’s current budget,” agency spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said in a statement.
“Over the last week, ICE has reviewed several hundred cases and placed these individuals on methods of supervision less costly than detention. All of these individuals remain in removal proceedings. Priority for detention remains on serious criminal offenders and other individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety.”, the officials said.
Those who were released still eventually face deportation and are required to appear for upcoming court hearings. However, they are no longer detained in immigration jails, where advocacy experts say they cost about $164 per day per person. The supervised release comes with conditions that can include mandatory check-ins, home visits and GPS devices and cost the government from 30 cents to $14 a day, according to the National Immigration Forum, a group that advocates on behalf of immigrants.
Although this move was welcomed by immigrants’ advocates, many lawmakers criticized it saying that it jeopardizes public safety. The strong reaction to the releases prompted a review of the list of detainees’ cases.
The review found that at least one detainee should not have been released, according to the officials. The detainee, whose name was not released, had criminal convictions for bail jumping and a drug-related charge — “nonviolent offenses,” said Gillian M. Christensen.
The detainee had been “inadvertently released” from the Hudson County jail in New Jersey but was found the next day and arrested again by the agents, Ms. Christensen said. Immigration officials said they had no more information about any other detainees who had been released in error.
