INS Questioned on Freeing Convicts

Nearly 12,000 immigrants with criminal records released into U.S. communities over the last five years went on to commit more crimes, an outraged House subcommittee chairman said. Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) demanded to know why the Immigration and Naturalization Service had freed 35,318 criminal immigrants rather than deport them. Among the crimes were 98 homicides, 142 sexual assaults and 347 robberies, Justice Department figures show. INS Commissioner Doris Meissner noted that many of the releases weren’t at the INS’ discretion.