(The Center Square) – Nearly 80,000 minors with arrest records have been released into the U.S. in the five years since a new program was created to prevent the deportation of minors brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents.
The majority of those arrested were between the ages of 19 and 22, according to the latest data released by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that he is expanding deportation protections and job opportunities for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which was established by executive order in 2012 by former President Barack Obama.
According to USCIS, DACA applies under a variety of criteria, including to people who were brought to the U.S. before turning 16 and were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012.
Tuesday marked the 12th anniversary of DACA, which federal judges have twice ruled illegal.
According to a report from The Center Square, several states, led by Texas, are still fighting to end DACA, and the case is expected to ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Most DACA supporters say recipients contribute to the U.S. economy and are productive members of society and should be offered citizenship, while others say those with criminal records should at the very least be deported.
According to the USCIS report, during the first five years of DACA’s implementation, from June 2012 to October 2019, approximately 80,000 illegal aliens with arrest records, including for violent crimes, were granted DACA status.
According to the data, of 888,818 DACA applicants, 765,166 were approved, including 79,398 who were approved in arrest status, making up 10.38% of applicants, the report said.
According to the report, a total of 77,833 people had their DACA applications denied or their DACA status revoked, including 30,132 who were arrested, accounting for 38.71% of the total.
A total of 67,861 people with arrest records had their DACA applications approved or denied.
A total of 15,903 arrests were later approved.
In contrast, DACA applicants who had an arrest history (30,132), prior arrests (28,093), or subsequent arrests (5,017) were denied status.
The report also noted that some DACA recipients “may have obtained lawful immigration status but failed to apply for renewal, their renewal applications may have been denied, or their DACA may have been terminated.”
The report also identifies the number of DACA recipients who were released into the country with prior arrests, including more than 25,300 who were arrested for driving-related offenses other than DUI.
Nearly 13,000 people were arrested for immigration-related civil and criminal offenses, nearly 8,000 for theft, nearly 7,000 for drug-related offenses, more than 4,200 for drunk driving, more than 3,400 for assault, more than 3,300 for battery, and more than 3,000 for obstruction, fabrication and false allegations.
The report also noted that 41 illegal aliens who were arrested 10 or more times were granted DACA status, 963 illegal aliens who were arrested five times were granted DACA status, and 15,482 illegal aliens who were arrested two times were granted DACA status.
Of the more than 202,000 reported arrests, the majority of DACA applicants were between the ages of 19 and 22 at the time of their arrest.
The next most common age group for arrests was 23-26 year olds, followed by 15-18 year olds, according to the data.
The largest number of DACA applicants arrested were nationals of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Brazil and Peru.
The states with the highest number of arrests and arrests of DACA applicants were the same three states: California, Texas, and Illinois.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, if a DACA recipient “willfully misrepresents information or knowingly fails to disclose facts in order to obtain DACA or work authorization through this process,” they “will be subject to criminal prosecution and/or removal from the United States.”
According to CIS, DACA will not be granted to anyone who has been convicted of a felony, a serious misdemeanor, or three or more other misdemeanors, or who poses a threat to national security or public safety.
