Not true that Trump is deporting criminal immigrants at a record rate

Official government data shows that the immigration problem is far from being resolved, despite the official rhetoric about a purported reduction in illegal immigration. Although President Trump has tried to criminalize immigrants, the organizations that defend their rights maintain that most of them do not represent any risk to national security.

And many of the deportees had been in the country for a long time, had strong family ties and paid taxes.

"Criminal" immigrants

Univision Noticias reviewed the numbers of immigrants with and without criminal records who were deported by the agency for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) between (fiscal years) 2013-2018.

In January ICE expelled 10,601 persons with criminal records, compared to 10,000 deported in the same month in 2017, when Barack Obama was still in the White House. In March 2013, the number of deportees with criminal records hit 18,440.

In February, ICE expelled 10,385 immigrant criminals compared to 9,952 in 2017. In Febrary 2016, Obama deported 10,509 individuals and in February 2013 the figure reached 17,300.

In March, ICE deported 10,744 undocumented people with criminal records, compared to 11,858 expelled in January of last year. In March 2013, the figure reached 18,580.

Non-criminal immigrants

In the case of deported immigrants without a criminal record, similar differences were recorded. In January ICE deported 8,225 undocumented noncriminals compared to the 8,925 expelled in January 2017. In January 2013, Obama deported 11,864 foreigners who had not committed crimes.

February figures reflect a slight increase. ICE says it deported a total of 9,031 undocumented immigrants with no record compared to the 8,263 expelled last year. But in February 2014, Obama deported 10,747 non-criminal individuals and in February 2013 the figure was 11,869.

In March there was another increase in the number of deportees with 10,227, compared to 8,235 registered in the same month in 2017. However, in March 2013, Obama expelled 14,369 foreigners and in Marvch 2014 it was 12,727.

Crimes committed

A recent report from the Center for Information and Access to Transactional Records (TRAC) of Syracuse University of New York, reveals that, of the 97,498 new orders of deportation issued prior to March 31 by immigration courts, the majority were not for serious crimes such as murder, rape or drug trafficking, the sort of crimes repeatedly cited by Trump since the beginning of his presidential campaign in mid-2015.

The TRAC report shows:

• 1,179 (1.8%) for charges related to terrorism

• 3,875 (4%) for charges related to national security

• 6,717 (6.9) for charges related to serious crimes (felonies)

• 41,102 (42.2%) for charges related to illegal entry into the country

• 44,008 (45.1%) for other charges related to immigration.

Until January 25, 2017, undocumented stay in the United States was considered a non-criminal civil offense. But on January 25, 2017 Trump signed a series of executive orders to build his "wall" along the Mexico border, impose sanction on "sanctuary cities" as well as declaring that persons residing in the Unuited States without proper authorization were a threat to the public and national security.