The Department of Homeland Security is developing an automated system to alert state and local law enforcement when illegal immigrants with serious criminal records are released into their jurisdictions.
Two members of Congress from Texas — Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican, and Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat — described the plan in a letter sent yesterday to Thomas Winkowski, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Associated Press first reported the contents of the letter, which The Daily Signal also obtained.
In the letter, Cornyn and O’Rourke say they were told about the notification system last month by a senior ICE official.
The letter doesn’t provide details of how the notification system would work or when it will be launched.
>>> Obama Administration Released Over 600 Illegal Immigrants With Criminal Convictions
Lawmakers previously criticized ICE for releasing convicted criminals facing deportation from immigration jails.
According to AP, during the 2013 budget year, ICE released 36,007 such criminal immigrants, including those convicted of 193 homicides and 426 sexual assaults.
Cornyn and O’Rourke wrote to Winkowski with questions about the process by which ICE releases such convicts.
