FOIA Analysis by Marshall Project Casts Doubt on “Felons, Not Families” Narrative

“Felons, not families,” said President Obama in his November 2014 speech outlining the Administration’s prosecutorial discretion policies in immigration.

But data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Marshall Project casts doubt on the contention that the Administration has actually deported individuals with serious crimes:

The majority — roughly 60 percent — were of immigrants with no criminal conviction or whose only crime was immigration-related, such as illegal entry or re-entry. Twenty-one percent were convicted of nonviolent crimes other than immigration. Fewer than 20 percent had potentially violent convictions, such as assault, DUI or weapons offenses.

The articles concludes by quoting Grace Meng of Human Rights Watch:  “When you’re aiming for a high number [of deportations], you’re necessarily going to get a lot of people with minor offenses…How is this a smart form of crime control?”

-JKoh