As we head into yet another year wondering whether Washington, meaning President Obama and both political parties, will finally betray the nation and pass some form of illegal-immigrant amnesty, "Machiavelli" at the Virtuous Republic blog reminds us that the argument is about more than depressed wages, "keeping families together," and (in the misguided minds of Catholic bishops) Christian charity.
Machiavelli went to Immigration and Customs Enforcement records for 2013 and found the following crime-related information the establishment press is extremely reluctant to acknowledge at its main page for removal statistics (bolds are mine throughout this post):
In FY 2013:
- ICE conducted a total of 368,644 removals.
- ICE conducted 133,551 removals of individuals apprehended in the interior of the U.S.
--- 82 percent of all interior removals had been previously convicted of a crime.- ICE conducted 235,093 removals of individuals apprehended along our borders while attempting to unlawfully enter the U.S.
- 59 percent of all ICE removals, a total of 216,810, had been previously convicted of a crime.
--- ICE apprehended and removed 110,115 criminals removed from the interior of the U.S.
--- ICE removed 106,695 criminals apprehended at the border while attempting to unlawfully enter the U.S.- 98 percent of all ICE FY 2013 removals, a total of 360,313, met one or more of ICE's stated civil immigration enforcement priorities.
- Of the 151,834 removals of individuals without a criminal conviction, 84 percent, or 128,398, were apprehended at the border while attempting to unlawfully enter the U.S. and 95 percent fell within one of ICE's stated immigration enforcement priorities.
I would additionally argue that it should be intuitively obvious to anyone, even the relatively uneducated, that if you have to sneak into a country to gain access, you're committing a criminal act (and you legally are).
Machiavelli, who presents a great deal of detailed information about the degrees of criminality found in those who were removed, writes:
What do these numbers say about the alien population that does make it across the border?
Well, certainly, it should put to rest the idea that only hard working, honest people are illegally entering our nation. Instead, our politicians have unleashed a horde of criminals on us. Illegal immigration not only depresses wages, but ruins the quality of life in the United States by allowing unfit and dangerous people in our nation. Amnesty, I fear will just attract more criminals, looking for new opportunities.
Of course it will, but that point never seems to come up with the Chamber of Commerce types, congresspersons, administration officials, and press apparatchiks who are pushing mightily for what promises, for all of its alleged but already dubious merits, to bring on the mother of all crime waves.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
