Some 1.6 million illegal aliens have final deportation orders, the agency’s acting director has said
There are 1.6 million illegal immigrants with final deportation orders in the US, about half of whom have criminal convictions, acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons has said.
Lyons announced the figures during a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday, amid intense criticism by the Democrats and left-wing activists of the crackdown on illegal immigration by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Of those with final deportation orders, approximately 800,000 have criminal convictions, according to the ICE chief.
A final deportation order marks the point when the US authorities are legally allowed to expel a foreigner who has violated immigration laws. However, individuals can still appeal the deportation or request a delay.
The orders in question have not been issued by ICE or the Department of Homeland Security, but came “through an immigration judge with the Department of Justice separate from Immigration Customs Enforcement,” Lyons clarified.
According to the acting director, there are “16,840 final orders at large in the state of Minnesota,” where tensions have been running high after the fatal shootings of two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal agents during recent enforcement operations. The incidents sparked a public outcry and nationwide protests.
During the hearing, Republican Senator James Lankford defended the ICE agents, arguing that they “have stopped that chaos” through their work and that the thousands of arrests are happening by the book.
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On Thursday, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, announced the conclusion of ICE operations in Minnesota. “A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue to the next week,” he said.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz welcomed the announcement in a post on X, insisting that “immigration is the core of who we are.” According to the governor, there will be a “long road to recovery” for the state after the recent events.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News earlier this week that Trump is “keeping his promise to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in history,” which will focus on “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.”
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