OBP006041

March 2008 Update Deleted: January

Deleted: February

BORDER SECURITY AND INTERIOR

ENFORCEMENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
President Bush Has Increased Resources For Border Security And Interior Enforcement:
The Administration Will More than Double Funding For Border Security Under This President.
Since 2001, funding for border security has increased 170 percent– from $4.6 billion in 2001 to $12.4
billion in 2008.

 This request will result in (b) Border Patrol agents, (b) miles of fences and (b) miles of
vehicle fence, and (b) funded detention beds by the(7)
(7)(E) end of Calendar Year (CY)
(7) 2008 Deleted:
(7)(E)
The Administration Will Double The Pre 9-11-2001 Size Of The Border Patrol By The End Of (CY)
2008.

 The Administration has expanded the Border Patrol from approximately (b) agents in 2001 to
(b) agents today (as of February 16, 2008). (7) Deleted: (b
(7)(E) Deleted: December 22, 2007
o The bulk of this increase has been in Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 ((b) additional agents) and
FY 2007 ((b) agents). (7)
(7)
 The FY 2008 enacted level of $673 million provides funding to continue hiring more Border Deleted:
Patrol agents and support.

Operation Jump Start (OJS): In May 2006, the President announced a 2-year plan to deploy National
Guard members at the border in Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico as the Border Patrol was
increased. The plan called for 6,000 Guard members to be deployed between July 2006 and July 2007 and
3,000 between July 2007 and July 2008. Since the beginning of OJS:

 (b) Border Patrol agents have moved from support roles into frontline positions.
(7)
 Guard members have assisted in apprehending (b) (7) illegal immigrants and seizing (b) (7) Deleted (
pounds of illegal drugs (as of February 27, 2008).
(E) (E) Deleted (
Deleted: (b
Increased Detention Space. In FY 2001, the funded bed population was (b) (7) The Administration has
provided funding for an additional (b) new beds to accommodate apprehended
(E) illegal immigrants – a
(b percent increase. The FY 2008 funded
(7)(E) bed level is (b) beds.
) (7)(E)
Border Fencing Increased. As of February 29, 2008 there were (b) miles of pedestrian fence along Deleted: December
the Southwest border. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) plans(7)
to have a total of (b) miles of Deleted: 31, 2007
primary fence in place by the end of CY 2008. (7) Deleted: (

More Vehicle Fences Are In Place. As of February 29, 2008 there were (b) miles of vehicle fence Deleted: December 31, 2007,
along the Southwest border. DHS plans to have a total of (b) miles of vehicle
(7) fence by the end of CY Deleted: (b)
2008. CBP recently conducted a re-assessment of vehicle(7)fence assets to include fixed vehicle fence and Deleted: ern
mobile vehicle fence into the baseline. CBP re-assessed current mileage using a more standardized
methodology and advanced geospatial measurement tools.
The Administration has Improved Infrastructure and Technology At The Border. In his FY 2008
Deleted: Secure Border Initiativ
budget, the President requested $1 billion for the Border Security, Fencing, Infrastructure and
Deleted: e
Formatted: Font: 11 pt

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OBP006042
March 2008 Update Deleted: January
Deleted: February

Technology (BSFIT), which among other things encompasses a comprehensive upgrading of the
technology and infrastructure used in controlling our border. Today, there are in place:

 (b) (7)(E)

Deleted (
b
Deleted: ¶
Increased Resources are Having an Impact:
Formal Removals Have Increased From 187,140 In FY 2001 To 303,430 In FY 2007, a(b) Percent
Increase. Of the aliens removed in FY 2007 (as of September 30): (7)
 (b) (7)(E)
Deleted: December 31, 2007
Deleted: (b)
Deleted: December 31, 2007

As of February 29, 2008, 120,522 aliens were formally removed in FY 2008. Deleted: (b
Deleted: nd
In FY 2007, Nearly (b) (7) (About (b) A Day) Illegal Aliens Were Returned Voluntarily. To This Comment [AU1]: SBCCO
Point in FY 2008 (as(E)
of February 29,
(7)2008) More Than (b) (7) Illegal Aliens Were Returned recommends the use of OTMs instead of
Voluntarily. (E) non-Mexicans for consistency
Deleted: ern
 The large majority are Mexican nationals caught at the border are generally returned the same day Deleted: non-Mexicans
without a hearing.
Deleted: who are apprehended along
the border and are
The Administration Ended The Long-Held “Catch & Release” Practice: Because the Administration
has been able to increase detention space and increase the efficiency of the removal process, the Deleted: now
Administration in, August 2006, ended the practice of “catch and release” for non-Mexicans at the Deleted: until they are processed out of
Southwest border. the country, rather than receiving
Deleted: eing
 All non-Mexicans apprehended along the border who are subject to detention pending removal Deleted: The Administration has
and otherwise ineligible for release from custody under U.S. Immigration law are detained. In the Continued its Annual Summer
past, aliens would be issued a notice to appear in court and be immediately released into society. Mexican Interior Repatriation
Program. The Administration has
continued the practice of returning at-risk
 The current expedited removal process for aliens apprehended at the border takes approximately persons (elderly and children) who cross
21 days. our deserts in the height of summer
Those at-risk persons are returned to their
homes in Mexico via aircraft in order to
o DHS’s goal is to reduce this number to 15 days. separate them from the smugglers who
placed these migrants’ lives at risk ¶
Deleted: Increased Border
Apprehensions: The number of people apprehended in FY 2007 for illegally crossing the U.S. Southwest Enforcement Means Fewer People are
border was down by approximately (b percent from FY 2006. Trying to Cross the Border
) Deleted: .
 The Cost Of Attempting to Illegally Cross the Border is Also Up. Today, it costs a Mexican
Deleted: ern
national between $1,500 and $3,500 to cross the border. For someone from Central America, it
can cost as much as $6,500. Deleted: Trying to
Deleted:

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OBP006043
March 2008 Update Deleted: January
Deleted: February

Worksite and Interior Enforcement Actions Have Increased:

Operation Community Shield: Operation Community Shield, launched by U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) in February 2005, is a comprehensive nationwide law enforcement initiative
targeting violent criminal street gangs.

 Since inception through February 29, 2008, ICE agents have arrested (b) gang members and Deleted: Through December 31, 2007,
associates, representing (b) different gangs. (7) Deleted: (b)
(7) Deleted: (
o Approximately (b) of these gang members and associates have been removed from the
U.S. (7) Deleted: (

 Along with the arrests of gang members, ICE has seized (b) firearms. Deleted: (
(7)
US-VISIT is Denying Entry To Criminals, Visa Violators. US-VISIT biometric program watch list
hits were up (b) percent in FY 2007 compared to FY 2006. Using biometrics, DHS denied entry to more
than (b) known
(7) criminals and visa violators.
(7)
Operation Return to Sender: Operation Return to Sender is an interior enforcement initiative
that applies an organized and methodical approach to the identification, location, and arrest of
ICE fugitive aliens (individuals who have unexecuted final orders of removal from the Executive
Office for Immigration Review). The operation combines ICE National Fugitive Operations
Program (NFOP) resources with those of other federal, state, and local law enforcement entities
to eliminate the backlog of ICE criminal and non-criminal fugitive cases.
In FY07, National Fugitive Operations Teams arrested (b) illegal aliens, including (b) ICE
fugitive aliens. Of the total (b) aliens arrested under(7)(E)
this initiative, (b) were removed.
(7)(E)
(7)(E) (7)(E)
Criminal Alien Program: This program identifies criminal aliens incarcerated in federal, state, and local
facilities, ensuring they are not released into the community.
In FY 2007, charging documents (a formal notice initiating the process to remove the alien) were issued
on (b) (7) incarcerated criminal aliens. In FY 2008, through March 2, 2008 charging documents were Deleted: December 31, 2007
issued
(E) on (b) incarcerated criminal aliens Deleted: (b)
(7)(E) Deleted: ¶
Workplace Violators Now Face Criminal Prosecution and Asset Forfeiture. ICE has supplemented
the old system of administrative hearings and fines with a tougher combination of criminal prosecutions
and asset forfeitures – a much more aggressive approach toward cracking down on employers who
knowingly hire illegal aliens.

 Arrests for criminal violations during worksite enforcement actions have increased from (b in FY
2001 to a record (b) in FY 2007. In FY 2008, through February 29, 2008, there have been ) (b)
arrests for criminal
(7)violations. (7)

o In FY 2008 through February 29, 2008, ICE agents have initiated (b) new worksite Deleted: December 31, 2007
enforcement investigations. (7) Deleted: (b
o Formatted: Bullets and Numbering
o In FY 2008 through February 29, 2008, there have been (b) criminal arrests and (b)
Deleted: December 31, 2007
administrative arrests. (7) (7)
Deleted: (b
Deleted: (b

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OBP006044
March 2008 Update Deleted: January
Deleted: February

Criminal arrests Administrative Arrests C rim ina l a rre

(b)
(b)

(b) (b) (b)

(b) (b) (b) (b) (b) (b) (b) (b)
(b (b (b (b) (b) (b)
(b (b (b
FY01 FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY01 FY02 FY03
Feb 29

Deleted:

 In FY 2008 through February 29, 2008, ICE has obtained forfeitures, criminal fines, and Deleted: December 31, 2007
restitutions of $3,669,329 (U.S. dollars) in worksite enforcement investigations against egregious Deleted: in excess
violators. Deleted: 4 million

More Employers are Using E-Verify (formerly Basic Pilot). E-Verify is a voluntary web-based
program that helps U.S. employers verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees and avoid
hiring an unauthorized worker.

 As of February 29, 2008, there were (b) employers participating in E-Verify. The number of Deleted: December 31, 2007
queries by participating employers in(7)(E)
February 2008 was (b) (7) Deleted: (b)
(E) Deleted: December 2007
 At the end of FY 2007, there were (b) employers participating in E-Verify - over (b) the
Deleted: (b)
number of employer participants from FY 2006. Participation (b) (7) again in the first
(7)(E) (7)four
months of FY 2008 . Approximately (b) new employers enroll Deleted: ,
(E) each week.
(7) Deleted: in
Deleted ( since
2001
Deleted: