Expedited Removal and Facilities for Families

May 15, 2006

DHS Press Release

DHS CLOSES LOOPHOLE BY EXPANDINGEXPEDITED REMOVAL TO COVER ILLEGAL ALIEN FAMILIES

NewFacility in Texas Opens Today for Illegal Alien Families

WASHINGTON, DC– As part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Secure Border Initiative, Immigrationand Customs Enforcement (ICE) today announced the expansion of the processknown as Expedited Removal to cover illegal alien families apprehended in areasalong the nation’s southern, northern and coastal borders. To house these families, a new 500-bedfacility in Williamson County, Texas which is specially-equipped to meet familyneeds opened today.

“By expanding Expedited Removal to coverillegal alien families, DHS is closing down a loophole that has been exploitedby human smugglers and helping stop future illegal immigration,” said JulieMyers, Assistant Secretary for ICE. “This new facility enables us to have deterrence with dignity byallowing families to remain together, while sending the clear message thatfamilies entering the United States illegally will be returned home.”

Because of limited family bed spacefamilies caught at the border were often released with “Notices toAppear.” Smugglers were well aware ofthis practice and often exploited this loophole to create the image of a familyunit by encouraging children to bebrought on these dangerous journeys, thus putting them in harm’s way. In cases where families were detained, thefamilies, including children, were detained separately.

Under the new policy, illegal alien familyunits caught at the border are now subject to Expedited Removal, a process thatprovides DHS with the authority to expeditiously return applicable illegalaliens to their country of origin as soon as circumstances will allow. The new policy is part of DHS’s Secure Border Initiative, which amongother things, is designed to eliminate the practice of “catch and release” andreplace it with a practice of “catch and return.”

Illegal alien family units that have spent14 days or less in the United States; are either apprehended within 100 milesof the border with Mexico or Canada; or arrive by sea and are apprehendedwithin 100 miles of a coastal border area are subject to the new policy.

Expedited Removal disrupts the varioushuman smuggling cycles that occur along the border by substantially reducingthe time from arrest to ultimate removal from the United States and foreclosingopportunities for these illegal aliens to reconnect with their smugglers andguides.

Assuming processing efficiencies consistentwith single adults placed in expedited removal proceedings, DHS anticipatesthat ICE could remove approximately 1,000 individuals per month through theWilliamson County facility.

Expedited Removal authority was established by the IllegalImmigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and appliedinitially at the nation’s ports-of-entry. Since last September, DHS hassuccessfully implemented Expedited Removal between the ports-of-entry at allnine U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Sectors on the Southwestborder. In January 2006, DHS expanded Expedited Removal to the entireU.S.-Canadian border and all U.S. coastal areas.