Official website of the Department of Homeland Security
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Dan Ragsdale and Virginia Congressman Rep. Gerry Connolly today unveiled a major renovation of the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Forensic Laboratory in Tysons Corner, Virginia, to support the growing mission and capabilities of the one-of-a-kind lab.
Last week I visited El Salvador and Honduras. I met with the Presidents and other senior officials of both countries. While in both countries, I also visited reception centers that welcome those who have been sent home by the U.S. government after entering our country illegally. I observed the arrival of a repatriation flight. I am impressed with the efforts both governments are making to repatriate, resettle, and reintegrate their citizens who have been deported home by our country.
U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations International Operations Assistant Director Lev Kubiak addresses the international engagement efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In February 2016, apprehensions by the Border Patrol on our southwest border – an indicator of total attempts to cross the border illegally – increased slightly from January, but remained substantially below the month-to-month numbers of apprehensions we saw in the latter part of 2015. The numbers of unaccompanied children and family members remained at the same levels as January, which is greatly reduced from the apprehension numbers at the end of 2015. The overall 10 percent increase from January is due to an increase in apprehensions of single adults, from 17,505 in January to 19,917 in February, 71.5 percent of whom are from Mexico. Notably, one year ago, in February 2015, the number of apprehensions of single adults was 19,950, and in February 2014 the number was 28,277.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Executive Associate Director Thomas Homan addresses ICE’s role in addressing issues related to unaccompanied children arriving in the United States.
In connection with the latest monthly release of the numbers of apprehensions on our southwest border, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh C. Johnson made the following statement:
As I have said repeatedly, our borders are not open to illegal migration; if you come here illegally, we will send you back consistent with our laws and values.
Como he dicho en muchas ocasiones, nuestras fronteras no están abiertas a la inmigración ilegal; si usted viene a este país, le enviaremos de vuelta de acuerdo a lo que dictan nuestras leyes y valores.
On 13 November, the EU-US Ministerial Meeting on Justice and Home Affairs took place. This is a meeting held twice a year with the aim to oversee the Trans-Atlantic cooperation to fight terrorism and transnational crime.
I commend the great work of our special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which is part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. HSI worked with law enforcement authorities in El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico to take down a human smuggling network suspected of illegally smuggling hundreds of individuals each week – including children and families – throughout Central America and Mexico into the United States.
