President Joe Biden’s administration has cut arrests of illegal aliens conducted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency by up to 80 percent, a new report details.
An exclusive report by the Washington Times reveals that the Biden administration — thanks to its “sanctuary country” orders implemented in February — has made 75 percent fewer arrests for illegal aliens it considers “priority” and has cut those it considers “non-priority” by more than 80 percent compared to the same time last year.
Specifically, those “non-priority” arrests of illegal aliens by ICE have been cut from 17,810 at the beginning of 2020 to just 3,306 arrests in the first seven weeks of the Biden administration.
Even for the most hardened convicted criminal illegal aliens, the Biden administration has reduced the total arrested by ICE, the Times reports. The data shows:
- Arrests of illegal aliens charged with homicide cut by 17 percent
- Arrests of illegal aliens charged with sexual assault cut by 22 percent
- Arrests of illegal aliens charged with burglary cut by 60 percent
- Arrests of illegal aliens charged with drunk driving cut by 71 percent
- Arrests of illegal aliens considered security threats cut by 42 percent
- Arrests of illegal aliens charged with immigration crimes cut by 54 percent
- Arrests of illegal aliens charged with kidnapping cut by 40 percent
- Arrests of illegal aliens charged with gun crimes cut by 30 percent
“The Biden [administration’s] immigration policies are undoubtedly endangering Americans,” Jon Feere, a former ICE official, wrote in a post online.
In addition to cutting the number of arrests of illegal aliens by ICE agents, the Biden administration has massively reduced the total level of illegal aliens who are in ICE custody.
Data collected from January 21 to March 31 shows that the number of illegal aliens in ICE custody has dropped by 70 percent since 2019. Today, there are less than 14,000 illegal aliens in ICE custody — the lowest level in the agency’s history — compared to May 2019 when nearly 50,000 illegal aliens were in the custody of ICE.
Of the less than 14,000 illegal aliens in ICE custody today, more than 5,100 are convicted criminals and 919 others have pending criminal charges against them, indicating a 70 percent and 84 percent reduction in the number of criminal illegal aliens in ICE custody.
In February, top DHS officials announced sanctuary country policies that prevent ICE agents from arresting and deporting about 9-in-10 illegal aliens who would otherwise be deported.
These policies require that ICE agents only prioritize arrest and deportation for illegal aliens who have been recently convicted of aggravated felonies or are terrorists or known gang members. As a result, convicted illegal alien felons are being released into American communities.
Now, multiple states — including Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Montana, and Arizona — are suing the Biden administration over the orders, arguing that the White House is violating federal immigration law by providing sanctuary to the vast majority of illegal aliens living in the U.S.
There are anywhere between 11 and 22 million illegal aliens in the U.S., about eight million of which hold American jobs.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.