Bush officials praise border crackdown

[peejay 327]

Bush officials praise border crackdown

'Catch-and-release' era of illegal immigration is over, Chertoff says

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Nearly all non-Mexican illegal immigrants caught sneaking into the United States are being held until they can be returned to their home countries, the Bush administration said Wednesday.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said this marks the end of the “catch-and-release” practice that for years helped many illegal immigrants stay in the United States unhindered.

“There is a real deterrent effect to this policy,” Chertoff told reporters in Washington, pointing to a 20,000 drop in the number of illegal immigrants caught crossing the southwest border between this summer and the same period last year.

“Although we’re not ready to declare victory — we’ve got a lot more work to do — it is encouraging and it is something that ought to inspire us to continue to push forward,” Chertoff said.

The new policy generally does not apply to Mexicans, who are almost immediately returned to Mexico after being stopped by Border Patrol agents, said John Torres, detention and removal director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an arm of Homeland Security.

Most of the more than 1 million illegal immigrants who sneak over the southwest border annually are Mexicans, he said.

Of 2,010 non-Mexican immigrants stopped in the first two weeks of August, only 26 have been released — a 99 percent detention rate, Homeland Security data show.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14486404/

If only we can get George W and crew to give up the retarded notion of amnesty / citizenship for the 12+ million others that stole their way into the USA. That would be a real deterent. Don't reward these people at all and they will take the hint. Cut them off from illegal work and they will go home.

[Ban Hammer 14,297]

also ship them to the southernmost point of mexico. takes them a while to get back that way

[mawilson 2,133]

also ship them to the southernmost point of mexico. takes them a while to get back that way

Why not just ship them to Australia? That's what we used to do with convicts in the old days.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

also ship them to the southernmost point of mexico. takes them a while to get back that way

Why not just ship them to Australia? That's what we used to do with convicts in the old days.

Now we're on to something.