Criminal Alien Statistics: Information on Incarcerations, Arrests and Costs

Polls on Immigration Reform

Government estimates put the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States at more than 10 million. Debates over immigration reform commonly involve disputes over the costs and benefits of these immigrants to the society at large.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely Voters think when it comes to immigration reform, gaining control of the border is more important than legalizing the status of undocumented workers who are already in the United States.

Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of Likely Voters say the policies and practices of the federal government encourage people to enter the United States illegally.

The CBO Report

A 2011 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Criminal Alien Statistics: Information on Incarcerations, Arrests and Costs” (PDF), analyzed the scope of criminal activity by undocumented immigrants, their nationality and the estimated costs of such criminality to the United States.

The number of criminal aliens in U.S. federal prisons in 2010 was estimated to be 55,000, a 7 percent increase since 2005. In the 2005 criminal alien population in federal prisons was around 27 percent. The total inmate population, and from fiscal years 2006 through 2010 remained consistently around 25 percent.

Key findings of the report include:

·         The number of criminal aliens in U.S. federal prisons in 2010 was estimated to be 55,000, a 7% increase since 2005.

·         The total number of criminal aliens estimated to be in state and local prisons in 2009 was 296,000.

·         The number of criminal alien incarcerations in state prison systems increased by about 25 percent and the number in local jails increased by about 40 percent.

·         Between 2005 and 2009, the total annual cost of housing this population at all levels was between $1.5 and $1.6 billion.

·         The average criminal alien has been arrested seven times. Approximately 50% have been arrested for a drug-related offense, 65% for an immigration-related offense, 35% for assault, 19% for weapons violations and 8% for homicide.

·         Mexico is the country of origin for 68% of criminal aliens. Columbia and the Dominican Republic are the next most likely countries of origin, representing 5% each of the alien incarcerated population.

·         States with more than 10,000 criminal alien incarcerations are California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York. 74% of total incarcerations took place in California, Arizona and Texas.

The number of criminal alien apprehensions by ICE, removal proceedings, and removals ordered increased significantly from calendar years 2007 through 2010. The number of criminal alien apprehensions increased by about 85 percent, removal proceedings increased by 71 percent, and removals ordered increased more than seven fold from about 9,000 in 2007 to about 79,000 in 2010.

The number of criminal alien removals from the United States in which ICE later recorded an individual was apprehended for reentering the country illegally increased about 42 percent (to 27,337) from calendar years 2007 through 2009, but declined 35 percent (to 17,797) from 2009 to 2010.

Conclusion

This article is not an attack on the people who come to this country to make a life for themselves or their families. There are many people who come to the United States each year following the legal procedures. Most of our families immigrated to the US at some point.

This does highlight the need, as the government’s own report shows here, to shore our borders and increase security on those borders. This report and article do not even cover the human costs of trafficking, (which will be covered later), for those seeking to enter the USA.  This report only includes the criminal acts of some that is not representative of all people from any other country. It also is not meant to include social costs (such as Medicare, Medicaid, or other welfare programs) spent by US taxpayers on folks here illegally.

The purpose of this article with the information taken from the CBO report suggests that the need to secure our borders is a national security concern.