Washington, D.C. - Congressman David Price (D-NC), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, today questioned the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on what he argues is the nation's top priority for immigration enforcement: the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes.

In 2006, the DHS Inspector General reported there were over 600,000 criminal aliens held in US custody but largely unknown to ICE, many of whom are simply being released in the United States after completing their sentences.. In the fiscal year 2008 Homeland Security funding legislation, Congress provided $200 million to carry out a nationwide effort to identify and remove all illegal aliens serving time in prison upon completion of their sentences.

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Julie Myers described how her agency was responding to this mandate from Price's subcommittee. She is expected to deliver a final plan for implementing the mandate to the subcommittee by March 25, 2008.

(You can download the 13 MB exchange between Rep. Price and Assistant Secretary Myers: MP3 Audio>>)

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