The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's probe into Immigration and Customs Enforcement found thousands of immigrant detainees were released in less than one month in 2013. ICE's decision to release the immigrants was done for budgetary reasons and was finalized without the consent of the White House or the Department of Homeland Security.

The media reported the release of the detainees last year, but the White House denied the reports. The lack of communication with the White House led to an investigation from Homeland Security. Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General determined ICE released 2,226 immigrant detainees between Feb. 9 and March 1 last year. Homeland Security's report noted 1,450 of the 2,226 detainees were released during one-single weekend -- Feb. 23, 2013.

Budgetary concerns were credited with the release of the immigrant detainees. The report acknowledged ICE is required to maintain an average daily population of 34,000 detainees. Congressional appropriations cover at least 31,300 beds for the detainees, while other sources of funding come from "fluctuating" revenue sources or transfer funds from other programs. But with an increase in detainees, ICE has inadequate resources.

From 2011 to 2012, apprehensions from the Rio Grande Valley sector increase from 59,000 to 98,000, or 66 percent. In 2013, ICE started the fiscal year with a median daily population of 35,610 in its immigration detention facilities. Budget cuts became a problem for ICE yet the agency did not develop a plan to address the shortfalls.

"The execution of the releases was problematic as well," said Inspector General John Roth. "Insufficient ICE executive leadership planning and limited engagement with its Enforcement and Removal Operations field offices contributed to the timing and number of alien releases."

The 41-page report said ICE's executive leadership did not communicate "effectively" to Homeland Security or the White House about the budgetary problems and plans to release detainees as a consequence of funding issues.

The immigrant detainees released included aliens with criminal convictions, but not individuals who were a "danger to the community." The probe found ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations officers' selection criteria and process was done "appropriately."

Following the release of the immigrant detainees, ICE has yet to develop or improve its budget. The Office of the Inspector General determined ICE must develop a transparent budget process and engage with Congress to fund detention bed space with "multiple year or no year appropriations."

Arizona Republican Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake issued a joint statement in response to the report.

"We cannot secure our border communities if [the Department of Homeland Security] fails to coordinate the activities of its component agencies or act on intelligence indicating new risks," said Flake and McCain.

The senators included seven questions to Homeland Security including "What concrete steps will DHS take to ensure that unplanned releases of detainees do not occur in the future?" and "When a criminal undocumented immigrant is deported, what mechanisms are in place to deter that individual from attempting to reenter the United States?"

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