Fact Sheet: ICE Enforcement in Arizona

November 14, 2011

Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations

During an average week in 2011, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers:

  • Responded to 22 law enforcement agency calls that resulted in 55 arrests;
  • Initiated prosecutions on 32 foreign born individuals for criminal immigration violations;
  • Arrested 284 foreign born individuals for immigration violations; and
  • Removed more than 1,080 foreign born individuals from the United States, 536 of whom had criminal convictions.

ERO programs and initiatives in Arizona include:

Criminal Alien Program

The Criminal Alien Program assists in identifying and arresting aliens who are incarcerated within federal, state and local prisons and jails, as well as at-large criminal aliens. It consists of the Law Enforcement Agency Response Unit (LEAR), Rapid REPAT, and the Violent Criminal Alien Section. ICE ensures that aliens are successfully removed by quickly processing the alien and securing a final order of removal for an incarcerated alien before the alien is released to ICE custody. Doing so decreases or eliminates the time spent in ICE custody and reduces the overall cost to the federal government.

During fiscal year 2011 the Phoenix Field Office’s Criminal Alien Program generated 10,381 immigration related encounters; lodged 4,730 detainers with federal, state and local jails; made 3,609 arrests for immigration violations and issued 6,177 charging documents.

Law Enforcement Agency Response Unit (LEAR)

ICE ERO in Phoenix established the Law Enforcement Agency Response Unit (LEAR) on Sept. 4, 2006. LEAR enables Arizona’s state and local law enforcement agencies to directly report immigration violators 24 hours a day, seven days a week. LEAR determines the nationality, immigration status, and amenability to removal; makes arrests; places immigration detainers; provides transportation; and processes aliens found amenable to removal.

During fiscal year 2011, the Criminal Alien Program and LEAR resulted in:

  • 2,642 immigration-related encounters,
  • 961 immigration detainers with federal, state and local jails,
  • 340 arrests for immigration violations,
  • 2,091 charging documents.

Rapid Removal of Eligible Parolees Accepted for Transfer (Rapid REPAT)

Rapid REPAT capitalizes on ICE’s ability to more effectively identify and ultimately remove criminal aliens from the United States while still preserving the integrity of the criminal justice system. This program is a joint partnership with state correctional/parole agencies.

For instance, certain aliens who are incarcerated in state prison and have been convicted of non-violent offenses may receive early conditional release. This release is only granted if they have a final order of removal and agree not to return to the United States. If aliens re-enter the United States, state statutes must provide for revocation of parole and confinement for the remainder of the alien’s original sentence. By identifying and processing incarcerated criminal aliens prior to release, ICE reduces the number of detained aliens. This results in decreased costs and burden to the federal government.

During fiscal year 2011, Phoenix’s Rapid REPAT processed 391 criminal aliens, which resulted in an estimated cost savings of nearly $12.5 million to the state of Arizona.

Violent Criminal Alien Section

The Violent Criminal Alien Section screens recidivist criminal aliens encountered through ICE ERO. The Section deters and reduces future recidivism rates of violent criminal aliens by seeking criminal prosecution. In coordination with U.S. attorney offices, the Violent Criminal Alien Section prioritizes federal criminal prosecution of egregious recidivist criminal aliens for felony violations. Illegal re-entry after deportation in violation of 8 USC 1326 is currently the most prosecuted federal offense nationwide.

During fiscal year 2011, Phoenix’s Violent Criminal Alien Section presented 1,707 cases for federal prosecution, secured 1,218 indictments, made 1,580 criminal arrests and obtained 1,298 convictions.