{"id":16719,"date":"2018-03-23T14:19:38","date_gmt":"2018-03-23T18:19:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/live-immigrationreform.pantheonsite.io\/?p=16719"},"modified":"2018-12-28T10:42:58","modified_gmt":"2018-12-28T15:42:58","slug":"border-council-rips-catch-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/2018\/03\/23\/border-council-rips-catch-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Border Council Rips \u2018Catch and Release\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
Tough immigration enforcement directives from the White House are being thwarted by \u201cCatch and Release\u201d<\/a> policies held over from the Obama administration, according the head of the National Border Patrol Council<\/a>.<\/p>\n Under catch and release, federal immigration agencies are freeing illegal aliens at the border when there is no bed space at detention facilities. They\u2019re even getting taxpayer-funded air transportation into the interior U.S.<\/p>\n Department of Homeland Security officials revealed in January that groups of illegal aliens were put on planes in Texas and Arizona bound for Salt Lake City and Minneapolis, respectively. Accompanied by Department of Health and Human Services escorts, they were flown to destinations of their choice, with priority boarding to boot.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thought there would be a massive change [with President Trump taking office], but that hasn\u2019t happened,\u201d NBPC President Brandon Judd told FAIR this week.<\/p>\n In a January 2017 executive order, Trump directed DHS to \u201cimmediately take all appropriate actions to ensure the detention of aliens apprehended for violations of immigration law pending the outcome of their removal proceedings or their removal from the country to the extent permitted by law.\u201d<\/p>\n U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement \u201cis committed to supporting the executive order,\u201d ICE spokesman Matthew Bourke told FAIR.<\/p>\n Bourke said the agency is adding detention space and working to expedite hearings at backlogged immigration courts. The average daily population at ICE detention facilities grew from 28,449 in fiscal 2015 to 38,106 in fiscal 2017.<\/p>\n