The U.S. border arrest rate in 2017 dropped to the lowest level in 45 years

The U.S. border arrest rate in 2017 dropped to the lowest level in 45 years China News Service, Houston, December 5th (Xinhua) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on the 5th that 2017...

China News Service, Houston, December 5th (China News Service, Houston, December 5th) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on the 5th the statistics of illegal immigrants arrested at the U.S. border in fiscal year 2017. Data shows arrest rates are at their lowest level in 45 years.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Thomas Homan told the media on the 5th that U.S. President Trump clearly stated in the executive order that no one can enter the United States illegally. "If someone enters the country illegally, law enforcement officers will arrest them," he said.

Reports pointed out that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement usually detains illegal immigrants and then deports them. This operation is called "interior removals". The media pointed out that the decline in border apprehensions means more people are being deported. In fiscal year 2017, 81,603 people were “internally purged”. Compared with the same period in 2016, this number increased by 37%.

>National Public Radio pointed out that the reason for the sharp decline in U.S. border arrest rates is unclear. The Trump administration has yet to secure funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. At the same time, the number of border police officers is declining. There are currently less than 19,500 people.

However, after U.S. President Trump took office, in February 2017, his main aide and former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security John Leigh canceled the policy of restricting the deportation of illegal persons during the Obama administration. The media believes that Trump’s tough stance on immigration policy may have deterred some people from trying to enter the United States illegally.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Director Ronald Vitiello pointed out that since May 2017, the illegal immigrants arrested by the U.S. Border Police have shown new characteristics: first, they are mainly families and unaccompanied children; second, about 60% of the arrested people are not from Mexico, but from Central America; third, more people choose to enter through southern Texas, abandoning the usual "corridor" of the Arizona border.

Regarding external accusations that the agency uses excessive force to arrest illegal personnel, Ronald said that agency personnel have increased the use of "less lethal" equipment for law enforcement. For example, pepper spray was used 979 times in fiscal year 2017, an increase from 2016. (over)