Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency are averaging one illegal alien arrest every two months thanks to President Joe Biden’s gutting of interior immigration enforcement, newly published data reveals.
The data, published by the Washington Post, shows that the Biden administration has drastically cut arrests of illegal aliens as ICE agents worry they will be punished by top Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials for enforcing federal law.
“The agency’s 6,000 officers currently average one arrest every two months,” the Post report details:
ICE officials frustrated with the changes describe a workplace environment where officers spend time doing paperwork, idling or working out, more fearful of facing reprimand for making an arrest than not making one. [Emphasis added]
…“It’s a weird, frustrating time,” said one ICE official, who is not authorized to speak to reporters, describing a climate of distrust. “It feels like the administration doesn’t have our backs.” [Emphasis added]
Compare that level to that of former President Trump’s administration when ICE agents were arresting, on average, nearly 9,000 illegal aliens every month — 90 percent of which had either criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
The massive drop in arrests of illegal aliens is just one result of Biden’s “sanctuary country” orders that prevent ICE agents from arresting and deporting illegal aliens unless they have been recently convicted of an aggravated felony, or are terrorists or known gang members.
ICE agents, whenever attempting to arrest an illegal alien outside of that narrow scope, must ask for permission from top DHS officials.
This month, Arizona Attorney Mark Brnovich — who along with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is suing Biden for the sanctuary country orders — released testimony from former Acting Phoenix ICE Director Albert Carter who confirmed fewer illegal alien arrests inevitably means fewer deportations.
Carter, similarly, said the “only factor” for the drop in deportations — which have hit the lowest monthly levels on record — is Biden’s sanctuary country orders.
In Arizona, as Breitbart News reported, illegal aliens convicted of armed robbery, drunk driving, drug crimes, and arson are walking free out of prisons instead of being turned over to ICE agents for deportation.
Likewise, in Florida, illegal aliens convicted of burglary, cocaine trafficking, grand theft auto, heroin trafficking, credit card fraud, and money laundering are being released back into American communities from prison rather than being taken into ICE custody.
Illegal alien sex offenders, thanks to the Biden orders, have reportedly been released from U.S. Marshal’s custody. Without the sanctuary country orders, they would have been turned over to ICE agents for deportation.
Today, 11 to 22 million illegal aliens are living in the U.S. with more than a million of those illegal aliens having final deportation orders by a federal judge.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.