Obama rep. to ICE: only enough in budget to remove 400,000 aliens a year-June 29 memo

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• 8/8, "Lack of resources curtails ICE tracking of illegals, agents told to 'prioritize'," Washington Times, J. Seper

"New guidance telling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to focus on apprehending terrorists and criminals has many of ICE's rank-and-file agents wondering who then is responsible for tracking down and detaining the millions of other illegal border-crossers and fugitive aliens now in the country.

• The new guidelines are outlined in a June 29 memo
  

from Assistant Secretary John Morton, who heads the agency, to all ICE employees regarding the apprehension, detention and removal of illegal immigrants, noting that the agency

• "only has resources to remove approximately 400,000 aliens per year, less than 4 percent of the estimated illegal-alien population in the United States."

Mr. Morton said ICE needed to focus wisely on the limited resources Congress had provided the agency and would "prioritize the apprehension and removal of aliens who only pose a threat to national security and/or public safety, such as criminals and terrorists.""...

• photo, Persons waiting for nightfall on Mexico side of US/Mexico border from Washington Times file, undated. via Drudge Report