Contrary to their portrait in the media, not all Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiaries are future brain surgeons and civic leaders. In fact, two DACA aliens were arrested this week for crimes far more serious than jaywalking.
On October 1, Border Patrol agents in California’s El Centro sector announced that one beneficiary was arrested after three illegal aliens were found stuffed into a trunk in an attempt to smuggle them into the country, which is a felony crime.
Customs and Border Patrol tweeted the individual will face imprisonment and “DACA privileges are now in jeopardy.”
In jeopardy? That there is even a question about whether status would be revoked shows one of the many problems with the unconstitutional program.
Just two days later in the same area, CBP agents arrested a 22-year old DACA beneficiary as he was trying to smuggle more than 17 pounds of methamphetamine – which has an estimated value of $34,284 – into the country.
The crimes involved – human and drug smuggling – impact entire communities and should raise questions about the vetting of DACA applicants and just how many of those living under the unconstitutional protections of DACA are committing similar crimes.
A quick review of 2018 press releases shows there are legitimate, real-world concerns about simply granting anyone protected status without proper vetting.
In January, two were arrested for involvement with human smuggling in San Diego and another in Arizona. A month later, a DACA beneficiary was busted in Laredo, Texas, on human smuggling charges.
In June, a DACA beneficiary was arrested in New Mexico on charges of human smuggling.
A more detailed analysis released in June by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) found that almost 8 percent of the 59,786 individuals who have requested DACA status, had arrest records at the time their application was submitted.
The crimes included those as serious as assault and battery, rape, murder, and drunk driving.
One startling statistic: 199 individuals who requested DACA had 10 or more arrests – and 51 percent of them had their DACA status recently “approved.”
There not only is a constitutional problem with DACA, but a real-world concern when individuals with a criminal history are afforded protection from deportation. Maybe those who are pushing for full amnesty for DACA beneficiaries will take the two recent arrestees into their homes.