by SBG San Antonio Staff Reports | Natali Castillo
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tony Gonzales confirmed on Friday more than 662,000 undocumented immigrants with criminal histories have been released into U.S. communities.
According to a press release by Rep. Tony Gonzales’ office, on March, 13, 2024, Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) wrote a letter to President Biden and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressing his concern over policies in sanctuary cities that shield noncitizens from federal law enforcement.
He also requested information on undocumented immigrants on ICE’s docket to better understand how many potential individuals with criminal backgrounds were being released into U.S. communities.
On Thursday evening, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Patrick Lechleiter responded to this letter with data that confirms as of July 2024, 662,566 undocumented immigrants on ICE’s docket have a criminal history.
“We’ve known for far too long that the Biden-Harris border crisis poses a direct threat to Americans. The truth is clear—illegal immigrants with a criminal record are coming into our country. The data released by ICE is beyond disturbing, and it should be a wake-up call for the Biden-Harris administration and cities across the country that hide behind sanctuary policies,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales. “It’s time for Washington to move past rhetoric and toward results. Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities. As an Appropriator, I will do everything in my power to ensure ICE has the resources necessary to deport noncitizens with a criminal record—this must be a priority. The Biden-Harris administration also plays a part in cleaning up the mess their failed policies have created. They have the ear of sanctuary city mayors—it’s time to encourage them to reverse course and put the safety of American citizens first.”
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