Caribbean immigrants more likely to be rearrested

WASHINGTON (CMC):

A study released by the United States government indicates that one in six illegal Caribbean immigrants is rearrested on criminal charges three years after being released from jail.

The data, analysed by the Washington-based, non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), shows 276,412 reported charges against illegal immigrants over a three-year period.

The charges were highlighted by Secure Communities, a US federal programme that identifies and prioritises which illegal immigrants pose the biggest threat to public safety and should be arrested or deported.

CRS said the data reveals that more than 26,000 illegal Caribbean and other immigrants were re-arrested of the 160,000 people in the database, accounting for about 58,000 crimes and violations.

The re-arrested immigrants committed about 8,500 drunken-driving offences and more than 6,000 drug-related violations, CRS said.

The data also reveals major criminal offences among illegal immigrants, including murder, battery, rape, kidnapping and about 3,000 thefts.