Federal immigration authorities have revealed that more than 13,000 illegal immigrants convicted of homicide are currently not in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and could be roaming free in the United States.
The data was disclosed in a Sept. 25 letter from ICE deputy director Patrick Lechleitner to Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who issued a statement calling the situation “beyond disturbing.”
“The truth is clear—illegal immigrants with a criminal record are coming into our country,” Gonzales said.
Lechleitner’s letter to Gonzales indicates that as of July 21, there were 662,566 illegal immigrants with criminal histories on the agency’s national docket. Of these, 435,719 have been convicted of crimes, while another 226,847 face pending criminal charges.