ATLANTA — This weekend's planned raids have become a big part of the immigration conversation.
So far, we haven't seen any action here in Metro Atlanta, but many of you have asked who is in the country illegally and where they have come from.
Immigration Customs and Enforcement plays a big role in enforcing the Trump Administration's immigration policies. The agency says their numbers show significant successes in identifying, arresting and removing people from the country.
ICE says its enforcement and removal operations have arrested 158,581 people during the 2018 fiscal year, an 11 percent increase from the previous period.
These were administrative arrests for civil violations of U.S. Immigration laws, although about 90 percent of those persons have criminal records. That is a fact that ICE says shows its focus on those who pose a threat to public safety or national security.
But what about people being put out of the country?
An ICE report counted more than 256,000 people removed from the U.S. in the 2018 fiscal year, the highest level since that same period in 2014.
They come with citizenship from more than 185 countries, the greatest numbers from Latin America. Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic make up the top five.
- MEXICO 141,045
- GUATEMALA 50,390
- HONDURAS 28,894
- EL SALVADOR 15,445
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 1,769
Outside of that region, you'll find several other continents represented. China, India, Romania, Nigeria and Canada with the number ranging from the 700 to 300 range.
- CHINA 726
- INDIA 611
- ROMANIA 403
- NIGERIA 369
- CANADA 342