Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) sent a letter today to Senate Judiciary’s Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) requesting a hearing on the sudden release of 2,228 immigrant detainees from Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.
He wrote:
[A]t least 700 of these detainees were directly released into Texas. We also know that at least 30 percent of these released detainees had criminal records—potentially including aggravated assault, financial crimes, theft, larceny, drug offenses, drunk-driving, and domestic violence. At least 8-10 of the criminals released by DHS were classified as "Level one offenders"—the most dangerous group of criminals detained by ICE. This is unacceptable. […]
Though some have suggested that these released criminals were not dangerous offenders, the victims of assault, drug crimes, theft, drunk driving, and domestic violence would strongly disagree. Texans and the rest of America have a right to know exactly what kinds of criminals were released into their communities by DHS and to see that the persons who made these decisions are held fully accountable.
