U.S. immigration law is more strictly enforced at the borders

Most Florida residents who follow immigration news are probably aware that the Obama administration has carried out more deportations of undocumented immigrants than either the Bush or Clinton administrations. Deportations began to rise in 1996 and increased significantly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which led to the devotion of greater resources to immigration enforcement.

After peaking in 2012, however, deportations declined through 2015. This has occurred as the number of apprehensions near the Mexican border has dropped. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that those apprehensions so far in 2016 are up slightly over 2015 but are still well below the numbers for 2013 and 2014.

The location where an undocumented immigrant is apprehended makes a big difference in whether or not the person will be deported. At the border the U.S. government enforces a zero tolerance policy for illegal immigration. On the other hand, for undocumented immigrants discovered in the interior of the country, the government exercises more discretion and the odds of deportation are significantly lower. In 2008, 64 percent of deportations involved people apprehended in the interior of the country. By 2015, that figure was down to 30 percent.

A number of potential defense strategies can be employed in deportation proceedings, including application for cancellation of removal, application for the Deferred Action for Certain Childhood Arrivals program, criminal and non-criminal waivers, motions to suppress based on denial of due process and others. A knowledgeable and aggressive defense strategy is essential for those who are facing deportation proceedings. Anyone in this situation can benefit from exploring their deportation defense options.

Source: National Public Radio, “5 Things To Know About Obama’s Enforcement Of Immigration Laws,” Scott Horsley, Aug. 31, 2016