Immigration Prosecutions Estimated to Increase 7.7% Nationwide in FY 2013; 32.4% Increase Since 2008

Five years ago, the Government brought 27,428 immigration prosecutions nationwide.  A November 13, 2013, TRAC-Immigration report estimates that FY 2013 will see 99,061 immigration prosecutions, an increase of 32.4% since 2008 and a 7.7% increase over FY 2012.  “Overall, the data show that prosecutions of this type are up 468 percent from the level of 6,398 reported in 2003 and up 1518 percent from the level of 2,244 reported in 1993.”

Prosecutions in the District of New Mexico increased the most since FY 2012 (45.7%).  The second highest increase was in the Western District of Texas (32%) and then the Southern District of Texas (24%).  Immigration prosecutions in the other judicial districts bordering Mexico decreased, District of Arizona by 21.6% and Southern District of California by 13.3%.

The three lead charges filed in the first eleven months of FY 2013 were illegal entry (50,683), illegal reentry (34,365), and bringing in and harboring certain aliens (3,239).  Illegal entry, 8 U.S.C. § 1325, also had the largest increase (15.2%) compared to one year ago.

In the first eleven months of FY 2013, the Southern District of Texas had the most immigration prosecutions (30,810), then the Western District of Texas (22,970), then the District of Arizona (21,163), followed by the District of New Mexico at a distant fourth (5,999).