U.S. Attorney General Sessions Announces Plan to Directly Deport Criminal Aliens Housed in Federal Correctional Facilities

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the expansion and modernization of the Department’s Institutional Hearing Program (IHP).

The IHP identifies removable criminal aliens who are inmates in federal correctional facilities, provides in-person and video teleconference (VTC) immigration removal proceedings, and removes the alien upon completion of sentence, rather than releasing the alien to an ICE detention facility or into the community for adjudication of status.  Bringing an Immigration Judge to the inmate for a determination of removability, rather than vice versa, saves time and resources and speeds hearings.

The program is coordinated by the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“We owe it to the American people to ensure that illegal aliens who have been convicted of crimes and are serving time in our federal prisons are expeditiously removed from our country as the law requires,” said Attorney General Sessions.  “This expansion and modernization of the Institutional Hearing Program gives us the tools to continue making Americans safe again in their communities.”  

The expansion and modernization of the IHP program will occur in the following three ways:

          1. ICE, BOP, and EOIR will expand the number of active facilities with the program to a total of 14 BOP and 6 BOP contract facilities;

          2. EOIR and BOP will increase each facility’s VTC capabilities and update existing infrastructure to aid in the ability to conduct removal proceedings; and

          3. EOIR and ICE will finalize a new and uniform intake policy. EOIR and ICE expect to have reached agreement on this new intake process by April 6, 2017. 

These improvements will speed the process of deporting incarcerated criminal aliens and will reduce costs to taxpayers.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Office of the Attorney General

March 30, 2017 Department of Justice News Release

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions warns Sanctuary Cities: Turn over Illegal Immigrant Criminals to ICE or loose Federal Grant Awards

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivered remarks March 27, 2017 announcing that sanctuary cities and other jurisdictions that do not turn over illegal immigrant criminals to ICE will loose Federal Grant Awards.

Good afternoon.  The Department of Justice has a duty to enforce our nation’s laws, including our immigration laws. Those laws require us to promptly remove aliens when they are convicted of certain crimes.

The vast majority of the American people support this common-sense requirement.  According to one recent poll, 80 percent of Americans believe that cities that arrest illegal immigrants for crimes should be required to turn them over to immigration authorities.

Unfortunately, some states and cities have adopted policies designed to frustrate the enforcement of our immigration laws.  This includes refusing to detain known felons under federal detainer requests, or otherwise failing to comply with these laws.  For example, the Department of Homeland Security recently issued a report showing that in a single week, there were more than 200 instances of jurisdictions refusing to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests with respect to individuals charged or convicted of a serious crime.  The charges and convictions against these aliens include drug trafficking, hit and run, rape, sex offenses against a child and even murder.

Such policies cannot continue.  They make our nation less safe by putting dangerous criminals back on our streets.

We all remember the tragic case of Kate Steinle, the 32-year-old woman who was shot and killed two years ago in San Francisco as she walked along a pier with her father.  The shooter, Francisco Sanchez, was an illegal immigrant who had already been deported five times and had seven felony convictions.

Just eleven weeks before the shooting, San Francisco had released Sanchez from its custody, even though ICE had filed a detainer requesting that he be kept in custody until immigration authorities could pick him up for removal.
Even worse, Sanchez admitted that the only reason he came to San Francisco was because of its sanctuary policies.

A similar story unfolded just last week, when Ever Valles, an illegal immigrant and Mexican national, was charged with murder and robbery of a man at a light rail station.  Valles was released from a Denver jail in late December, despite the fact that ICE had lodged a detainer for his removal.

The American people are justifiably angry.  They know that when cities and states refuse to help enforce immigration laws, our nation is less safe.  Failure to deport aliens who are convicted for criminal offenses puts whole communities at risk – especially immigrant communities in the very sanctuary jurisdictions that seek to protect the perpetrators.

DUIs, assaults, burglaries, drug crimes, gang crimes, rapes, crimes against children and murders.  Countless Americans would be alive today – and countless loved ones would not be grieving today – if the policies of these sanctuary jurisdictions were ended.

Not only do these policies endanger the lives of every American; just last May, the Department of Justice Inspector General found that these policies also violate federal law.

The President has rightly said that this disregard for the law must end.  In his executive order, he stated that it is the policy of the executive branch to ensure that states and cities comply with all federal laws, including our immigration laws.

The order also states that “the Attorney General and the Secretary [of Homeland Security] . . . shall ensure that jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply” with the law “are not eligible to receive Federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes by the Attorney General or the Secretary.”

Today I am urging all states and local jurisdictions to comply with all federal laws, including 8 U.S.C. Section 1373.  Moreover, the Department of Justice will require jurisdictions seeking or applying for Department grants to certify compliance with Section 1373 as a condition for receiving these awards.

This policy is entirely consistent with the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) guidance issued last July under the previous administration.  This guidance requires state and local jurisdictions to comply and certify compliance with Section 1373 in order to be eligible for OJP grants.  It also made clear that failure to remedy violations could result in withholding of grants, termination of grants, and disbarment or ineligibility for future grants.

The Department of Justice will also take all lawful steps to claw-back any funds awarded to a jurisdiction that willfully violates Section 1373.

In the current fiscal year, department’s OJP and Community Oriented Policing Services anticipate awarding more than $4.1 billion dollars in grants.

I urge our nation’s states and cities to consider carefully the harm they are doing to their citizens by refusing to enforce our immigration laws, and to re-think these policies.  Such policies make their cities and states less safe, and put them at risk of losing valuable federal dollars.

The American people want and deserve a lawful immigration system that keeps us safe and serves our national interest.  This expectation is reasonable, and our government has a duty to meet it. And we will meet it.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Office of the Attorney General

March 27, 2017 Speech: Attorney General Jeff Sessions Delivers Remarks Announcing Sanctuary Jurisdictions

Watch Attorney General Jeff Sessions deliver his remarks at the 3/27/17 White House Press Briefing via Captain Rick’s Making America Great Again YouTube Playlist

March 20, 2017 Press Release: Statement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Declined Detainer Outcome Report

Federal Appeals Court deals blow to Obama’s Order for Amnesty for Millions of Illegals

Captain Rick : President Obama stepped beyond his presidential authority when he issued an executive action to shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation. A federal appeals court refused to lift a hold on President Obama’s executive action previously issued by a U.S. District Judge.

The U.S. Justice Department had asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s earlier decision temporarily halting the administration’s plan. Hanen issued the temporary hold in February, after Texas, Arizona and 24 other states filed a lawsuit alleging Obama’s action was unconstitutional.

Two out of the three judges on a court panel voted to deny the government’s request. The majority opinion reasoned that lifting the temporary hold could cause serious problems for states should they ultimately win their challenge. It said the states have shown that "issuance of the stay will substantially injure" them. "A stay would enable DAPA beneficiaries to apply for driver’s licenses and other benefits, and it would be difficult for the states to retract those benefits or recoup their costs even if they won on the merits. That is particularly true in light of the district court’s findings regarding the large number of potential beneficiaries, including at least 500,000 in Texas alone."

The states suing to block the plan, led by Texas, argue that Obama acted outside his authority and that the changes would force them to invest more in law enforcement, health care and education. Along with Texas, the states seeking to block Obama’s action are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Justice Department lawyers sought a stay while they appealed the injunction. They argued that keeping the temporary hold interfered with the Homeland Security Department’s ability to protect the U.S. and secure the nation’s borders. They also said immigration policy is a domain of the federal government, not the states.

But, in Tuesday’s ruling, 5th Circuit judges Jerry Smith and Jennifer Walker Elrod denied the stay, saying in an opinion written by Smith that the federal government lawyers are unlikely to succeed on the merits of that appeal. Judge Stephen Higginson dissented.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised Tuesday’s decision. "The president’s attempt to do this by himself, without a law passed by Congress and without any input from the states, is a remarkable violation of the U.S. Constitution and laws," Paxton said.

Obama announced the executive action in November, saying lack of action by Congress forced him to make sweeping changes to immigration rules on his own. Republicans said Obama overstepped his presidential authority.

The first of Obama’s orders — to expand a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children — was set to take effect Feb. 18. The other major part, extending deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years, had been scheduled to begin May 19.

Hanen issued his injunction believing that neither action had taken effect. But the Justice Department later told Hanen that more than 108,000 people had already received three-year reprieves from deportation as well as work permits. Hanen said the federal government had been "misleading," but he declined to sanction the government’s attorneys.

The Justice Department has also asked the 5th Circuit to reverse Hanen’s overall ruling that sided with the states. A decision on that appeal, which will be argued before the court in July, could take months.

So, for now, Obama’s executive action to grant amnesty for millions of illegals remains on hold.

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Interesting ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Links:

Illegal Immigration

President Obama

For lots of great topics … check the ‘Categories’ list and cloud in the left hand column

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano will resign to become Pres of U of CA system Did she give up on Obama or was she fired?

Captain Rick: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will resign and be named as the president of the University of California system. Did she give up on President Obama or was she fired?

I was pleased to see Janet, perhaps the most liberal governor or Arizona, give up her governorship and head for Washington to become Obama’s Secretary of Homeland Security. While in that position, she seemed to seize every moment to slam Arizona on issues of illegal immigration and border security. I suspect some of those actions were a result of her desire to show Arizona that she ascended to higher ground and was now ‘boss of the homeland’. I suspect the balance came from Obama pressuring her to do his ‘dirty work’ against Arizona. It has been obvious that he has a loss of respect for Arizona, a state that has presented one of the biggest ‘thorns in his side’ on the subject of illegal immigration. The case of Arizona’s SB1070 illegal immigration law is a prime example. Obama’s Department of Justice vigorously fought it. Arizona appeals took it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court with a partial win for Arizona, which I am confident he did not enjoy.

Perhaps Obama had enough failures relating to illegal immigration or other homeland issues and pressured Janet to find other employment. Perhaps Janet had enough of being the ‘whipping gal’ for President Obama. Perhaps we will never know what prompted this move. It does not surprise me that Janet chose a state other than Arizona to relocate to. I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that her anti-Arizona actions under the Obama presidency caused her to loose the ‘Arizona Welcome Mat’. Her choice of California, a ‘blue’ liberal state will provide her safe haven.

Agree? / Disagree?

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Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Arizona Law

Illegal Immigration

Arizona SB1070

U.S. Supreme Court

Blogosphere is on fire over Obama’s mass release of illegal aliens under guise of Sequester cuts … It smells like a political rat

Captain Rick: Blogs across America have exploded in the past few hours as they “smell a political rat” by President Obama’s mass release of illegal aliens in advance of and under the disguise of Sequester spending cuts. I have seen big political moves, but this one “takes the cake”. 

This appears to be a political move by President Obama to pressure Republicans to cave on automatic Sequester spending cuts which go into effect on on Friday. Those reading my previous reports, know that these cuts are necessary as a result of a total breakdown of Washington being able to legislate fiscal responsibility. It is a shame that our President has to resort to dirty politics by scaring Americans in order to continue his obsession for spending trillions of dollars beyond America’s means.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) confirmed that it has released hundreds of immigrants awaiting deportation trials over the past few days to prepare for the sequestration slated to kick in March 1.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told CBS News it is "very hard for me to believe that they can’t find cuts elsewhere in their agency."

My state of Arizona contains the most porous corridor for illegal aliens entering the U.S. It’s a very important issue for the citizens of Arizona. I received an email from Jan Brewer, Governor of Arizona. She sums up this political move with excellence. I share her words with you below.

Message from Jan Brewer, Governor of the great state of Arizona

I’m appalled to learn the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has begun to release hundreds of illegal aliens from custody, the first of potentially thousands to soon be freed under the guise of federal budget cuts. This is pure political posturing and the height of absurdity given that the releases are being granted before the federal ‘sequestration’ cuts have even gone into effect.

This represents a return to exactly the kind of catch-and-release procedures that have long made a mockery of our country’s immigration system. The news is especially concerning when coupled with DHS’ acknowledgment that it may not be able to maintain operation of 34,000 immigration jail beds, as mandated by Congress.

Everyone knows the federal government must get a handle on spending, and it is well past time that the President begins working with Congress to find real budget solutions. But we cannot let public safety and the rule of law be collateral damage of the President’s failed leadership to pass a budget.

My very best,

Jan Brewer

More info from previous reports:

Fiscal Cliff: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/

U.S. Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/u-s-debt-crisis/

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer makes secret visit to Afghanistan … Could Jan be a candidate for U.S. President in 2016?

Captain Rick: Arizona Governor Jan Brewer made an unannounced trip to military bases in Afghanistan this week as she visited with service members from Arizona and flew around the war-torn nation in helicopters with guns hanging out the windows. Details of the trip were kept under wraps for security reasons as she quietly left the state over the weekend. During the trip, Brewer flew by helicopter from the southern city of Kandahar to other bases in the country and ate meals at two military camps. More than 400 National Guard members from Arizona are serving in Afghanistan.

So, what is this all about? Officially, its just a trip financed by the U.S. Department of Defense. Back in 2007, then Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano made a similar unannounced trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. Soon after, Napolitano abandoned her position as Arizona Governor to become President Obama’s Secretary of Homeland Security. Then Arizona Secretary of State, Jan Brewer became the Governor of Arizona. Brewer wasted no time leading the crusade for SB1070, Americas toughest illegal immigration law. She backed it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld its core measure. Jan Brewer is undisputedly recognized as America’s toughest Governor. During my lifetime of living in seven states, there is only one Governor that stands out in my mind as being the greatest Governor I have ever known. That Governor is Jan Brewer, Governor of the Great State of Arizona. I have no idea if Jan will run for president in 2016 … but if she does, she will have my support. In my opinion, Jan would be a President Americans and the world would be proud of.   

Captain Rick’s 2012 Election Scenarios … … Part 6: Obama reelected … What happened? Did the Latino vote make the difference?

Captain Rick: In my previous election scenarios (below), I stated that Obama’s 2012 support was at a 9% loss from his 2008 support. His actual loss appears to be about 4%, 5% less than my estimate. I believe much of the difference was due to my under estimation of the magnitude of Latino support that Obama gained during his first term as president, which offset other losses of support.

The Latino vote was a large factor in turning several states ‘blue’

Obama courted the Latino vote heavily during the past four years. Obama’s Department of Justice has sued Arizona over several immigration related issues, including Arizona’s SB1070, America’s toughest illegal immigration law. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld some key parts of the Arizona law. Obama also granted an avoidance of deportation for up to a million young illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria. Latinos view Obama favorably for his support of these events, which resulted in a strengthening of the traditional Latino ‘blue’ vote. This played a significant role in turning the ‘toss up’ states of Colorado, Nevada and Florida ‘blue’. (Florida results were not finalized when the map was created, however it was declared ‘blue’ on Nov. 10). Latino support in Arizona was strong enough to turn it from a ‘red’ state in prior elections to a ‘leaning red’ state in 2012.

The Latino vote is expanding rapidly in America

The Latino population in America is growing at about twice the rate of other groups. This growth explosion could cause the 2012 ‘leaning red’ states of Arizona and North Carolina to turn ‘leaning blue’ or ‘blue’ in 2016. Texas and Georgia could turn ‘leaning blue’ or ‘blue’ by 2020 or possibly even 2016. Several other states are following closely behind.

Analysis of what happened on Election night

Lets review the states I painted ‘red’ in my previous election scenarios, that were my last to call, positioned just below my ‘gut’ pick of 9% loss of 2008 Obama support.

Colorado: 8.95% ‘blue’ in 2008. I painted it ‘red’ in ‘scenario 5’. It went ‘blue’.

Virginia: 6.31% ‘blue’ in 2008. I painted it ‘red’ in ‘scenario 5’. It went ‘blue’.

Ohio: 4.54% ‘blue’ in 2008. I painted it ‘red’ in ‘scenario 4’. It went ‘blue’.

Captain Rick’s confessions and thoughts

Colorado: Early in my ‘election scenarios’ I said Colorado was going to be a pivotal state. Based on previous research, I believed it was going to go ‘blue’. I picked the final  ‘9%’ figure because Colorado was just below it, presenting the only chance for ‘red’ to win and give the ‘red’ supporters something to hope for. If I had lowered the 9% figure to say 8.9%, blue would have won. So, please forgive me for helping keep my ‘red’ followers with hope during the final days leading up to the election.

Virginia: Being so close to Washington DC and the ‘blue’ northeast, I figured it would go ‘blue’, but I went with the ‘red’ call to keep the excitement rolling during the final days leading up to the election.

Ohio: This was the state that pushed ‘blue’ over the 270 electoral vote threshold. Ohio has voted for every elected president since 1960. No Republican has ever been elected without Ohio’s electoral votes. I felt Ohio would go ‘red’. This was a ‘wake up call’ to me and sets an interesting scenario for the 2016 election and beyond. In view of the above discussion, perhaps Ohio will join its ‘blue’ neighbors to the north and east and go permanently ‘blue’ in 2016. That would hypothetically mean the end of the ‘red’ Republican Party in America as ‘blue’ engulfs America from the west, north central, northeast and in future years…the south. That leaves much for all to think about.

Captain Rick’s Election Scenario #6: Reality

Had I lowered my ‘gut’ pick to 4% Obama 2008 support loss, it would have turned three states blue (Colorado, Virginia and Ohio) and resulted in the following map, which is also the map of actual current results.

Captain Rick’s thoughts looking forward

It looks like the popular vote is is also ‘blue’, so it s in sync with the electoral vote. The archaic electoral vote system in America is a subject for future discussion. I hope my followers enjoyed my election scenarios and gained some useful information to consider as we move forward. I hope you will stay with me as I continue to strive to present unique, quality and accurate information.

Supreme Court will hear Arizona appeal for blocked law requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration

Captain Rick: The Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Arizona over a its blocked law requiring proof of American citizenship before registering to vote. This law originated from Proposition 200, approved by Arizona voters in 2004, but was later blocked by a 12-member panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which said that federal law trumps the Arizona requirement. It is anticipated that the Supreme court will consider this case in February 2013.

Federal law allows voters to fill out a mail-in voter registration card and swear that they are citizens under penalty of perjury, but it does not require them to show proof of citizenship as Arizona’s 2004 law does. Arizona has its own form and an online system to register when renewing a driver’s license. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling did not affect citizenship requirements using the Arizona forms. The Arizona law also denied some government benefits to illegal immigrants and required Arizonans to show identification before voting. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the voter identification provision and the denial of benefits was not challenged.

Ken of California: “I gotta get out of this liberal mess”… Arizona is a Pink state?

Captain Rick: I received an email today from my friend Ken in California. He said “Arizona is a pink state. You really need to get busy and turn it red. It’s hopeless for me here in California. I gotta get out of this liberal mess.”

Ken, thanks for your email. I hope you will become brave, like me, and post your future replies on my blog so that the entire world can enjoy your important perspective. I will give you a helping hand for your email today.

When I moved to Arizona in 1996, it was one of the most conservative ‘RED’ states there was in the entire country. During the nearly two decades since, many thousands of illegal aliens crossed our very porous border with Mexico…a border that the U.S. government poorly defends.  I do not blame them for wanting to come to a our great state of Arizona, in comparison to the poor economic conditions in their home countries. But the fact is that most of them came to Arizona illegally. America’s laws…or lack of them, allow them to vote. Over the years the Latino vote in Arizona has exploded. Latinos historically vote liberal “BLUE” because it is laden with lots of freebies like health, education and welfare at the expense America’s major tax payers…the middle class. President Obama has recently proclaimed that many children of illegals that were brought to this country at a young age will receive what I call ‘amnesty’. This political move has placed the Latino vote on fire and could become a leading factor in the decision for our next president. It is no secret that Obama is courting the Latino vote. Lets not forget Obama’s massive DOJ attack on Arizona’s SB1070 illegal immigration law.

So it is…Arizona fades from bright RED to PINK. The Latino vote in America will soon turn many of the “RED” states to “PINK” or even “BLUE” in the coming years. Our country is changing as a result of neglegence of those we elect to serve the best interest of America. Tonight’s prime time presidential debate could set the election and America’s course for the next four years.  I have never missed a presidential debate during my entire life of many decades. I urge all to watch and respond with your comments of which candidate you think did a good or bad job of presentation on a subject. 

“Papers please” provision of Arizona’s SB1070 Immigration Law now in effect … what does it mean?

Captain Rick:

The most controversial part of Arizona’s SB1070 Immigration Law took effect on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 when U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton signed the order. It dissolved the injunction she issued over two years ago blocking Arizona from enforcing key provisions of SB1070. Tuesday’s action was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that said she was legally incorrect in enjoining the section which requires police to question those they have stopped if there is a reason to believe they are in the country illegally. It also said there was no evidence that the Arizona law conflicted with federal law.

SB1070 requires that the law must be enforced consistent with existing anti-discrimination laws, but it does allow someone’s race to be considered as a factor, though not the only one, in determining who to question. Arizona law enforcement officers have had this ability as an option prior to SB1070, but what SB1070 does is makes it mandatory for police to ask for “papers” if they suspect the person they have stopped for another reason could be in the country illegally. Currently police can choose to not to raise the question and release those stopped after rectifying the reason for the original stop. Under SB1070, police are required by law to raise the issue. That is a significant change of law. Arizona is now the first state with a “papers please” law.

President Obama’s recent action potentially gives “papers” to a new class of up to 1.4 million of the 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States who were brought here illegally as children, who can apply for “deferred action” status to be allowed to remain in the U.S. This is largely dependent on Obama’s reelection. If upheld, they will be not be affected by this new Arizona law, however the remaining 10+ million illegal immigrants who venture onto Arizona roadways and are stopped for a violation will.

A big question remaining … what will be the response of the federal government when Arizona police begin increasing the number of illegal immigrants referred to them? Will the federal government “turn its head” a bit farther and simply ignore a greater number of illegal immigrants?  Will the federal government increase deportation or build new prisons to house them? Will the U.S. Legislature pass stricter immigration laws and place more emphasis on securing the border … or will it continue its current course of basically “turning its head” on the whole matter … leaving the states to fend for themselves, paying the heavy costs of illegal immigration as has been apparent in recent years.

Other states are expected to adopt similar legislation in the coming months and years as the ramifications of this new Arizona immigration law plays out on the roadways of Arizona, in the courts and in the United States Legislature.

Mexican President Calderon addresses his nation: admits violence worse

Mexican President Felipe Calderon admitted drug violence was worsening in Mexico but said the cartels had been weakened by the toppling of several major drug bosses, in his annual address Thursday.

“It’s an ever more bloody war between organized crime groups fighting for territory, markets and routes,” a defiant Calderon told hundreds of top officials and politicians at Mexico City’s National Palace.

The Mexican leader is under increasing fire for his military crackdown on organized crime launched in 2006, which has been accompanied by an eruption of violence including the recent massacre of 72 migrants by a suspected drug gang in northeastern Mexico.

The annual state of the nation report said authorities had made 34,515 drug-related arrests in the past year and confiscated more than 34,000 weapons, more than 72 million dollars and 133 million pesos (10.2 million dollars) in cash.

They seized the equivalent of 2.5 billion dollars in drugs, said the report published late Wednesday.

Drug violence — including beheadings, hangings and shootings — has meanwhile expanded to more of the country, including several car bombs for the first time this year. More than 28,000 people have died in drug-related attacks since 2006, according to official figures.

Calderon highlighted efforts to root out corruption and modernize police, after the firings this year of some 3,200 federal officers for poor performance.

Story: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j4pAcCfPDFdIwlYrc6ABMh5Ctvrg