Lott: About That New Data On Migrant Crime

New data reveals that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has allowed 435,719 convicted criminals and 226,847 people with pending criminal charges into the US. As of July 21, 2024, ICE cleared these individuals, including 13,099 with homicide convictions and 9,461 with sex offense convictions. The data suggests that migrants are committing murder at a rate 50% higher than the rest of the US population. The numbers likely underestimate the crime rate of noncitizens, as those who don't turn themselves in are more likely to have something to hide. Under the Remain-in-Mexico policy, background checks were more thorough, but ICE agents are overwhelmed and don't have access to the same databases. As a result, ICE has released criminals into the country without proper background checks. The Biden administration took over six months to respond to a congressional request for these numbers, and the deputy director for ICE apologized for the delay. The administration's policy has a higher error rate compared to Trump's Remain-in-Mexico approach, and Democrats have pointed out that some criminals came in before the Biden administration. The American people have a right to expect those entering the country to be screened to prevent criminals from entering. The Biden administration has the authority to call for expedited extradition for criminal illegal aliens but has instead made extradition more difficult.