Mystery of the missing illegals

The wave of Central American illegals welcomed by the Obama administration this year is one of the major stories of 2014. Yet the media have mostly gone silent on it.

The Obama administration’s preferred method of dealing with the illegals was release pending administrative hearings. How are the hearings going?

At NRO, Mark Krikorian notes that the investigative unit at Houston’s KPRC decided to find out (video below). The Daily Signal’s Natalie Johnson also picks up the story. Krikorian jumps to the story’s major finding” “Looking at the completed cases of people who snuck over the border and were released over a three-month period, the reporter found that more than 90 percent of them didn’t show up for their immigration hearings and joined the illegal population.”

Robert Arnold’s KPRC story is posted online here. Arnold reports:

According to the [Executive Office of Immigration Review], of the 30,467 families and unaccompanied children caught crossing the border between July and October, only 22 percent have received a final disposition as to whether they will be allowed to stay in the U.S. or be deported.

Of the 15,614 families caught crossing the border, but not detained, 4,197 have been ordered removed from the U.S. However, 96 percent of those removal orders were done “in absentia.”

The EOIR states an “in absentia” order is done when a person fails to show in immigration court.

Out of the 1,428 families caught crossing the border and detained, 21 have been ordered removed. Forty-three percent of these orders were done “in absentia.”

Of the 13,425 unaccompanied children caught crossing the border between July and October, 1,671 have been ordered removed from the U.S. Ninety-two percent of these orders were done “in absentia.”

Typically the EOIR reports an annual 11 to 15 percent “in absentia” rate.

Arnold concludes on this mordant note courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security:

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security reiterated all those caught crossing the border after Jan. 1 are a top priority to have their cases decided in immigration court and to track down those who’ve disappeared.

What a relief; they’ll be right on it! In reality, we can only hope that KPRC stays on the case.

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