News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Jan. 2013: A total of 55,742 criminal immigrants were sent packing from the U.S. and back to their homelands in the Caribbean and Latin America in 2012, New Americas has found.

Data NAN obtained and analyzed from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on deportee rates to Latin America and the Caribbean, found that while some 4,898 of all criminal immigrants were sent back to the Caribbean last year, Latin America accounted for over 12 time that number with 50,844.
A “criminal alien” is defined under U.S. immigration laws as a migrant who is convicted of a crime. Most of those deported were sent back for murders and sex and drug crimes.

Non-criminal immigrants deported to the Caribbean totaled 1,612 while to Latin America the number was a whopping 176,589. In total, the number of all immigrants sent back to the Caribbean region in 2012 was put at 6,510 by ICE and 227, 433 to Latin America.

But the number was actually a marked drop from 2011 when 14,912 Caribbean migrants were sent back and 555,801 Latin Americans.

For the Caribbean in 2012, the most criminal deportees were sent back to the Dominican Republic with a massive 2,264 while Jamaica was second with 1,213.

The rates for other countries were as follows:
Haiti: 758 total removals (568 criminal and 190 non-criminal);
Trinidad and Tobago: 242 total removals (187 criminal and 55 non-criminal);
Belize: 217 total removals (152 criminal and 65 non-criminal);
Guyana: 182 total removals (154 criminal and 28 non-criminal);
The Bahamas: 123 total removals (98 criminal and 25 non-criminal);
Cuba: 66 total removals (55 criminal and 11 non-criminal);
Barbados: 50 total removals (45 criminal and 5 non-criminal);
Dominica: 41 total removals (19 criminal and 22 non-criminal);
St. Kitts-Nevis: 40 total removals (32 criminal and 8 non-criminal);
Antigua & Barbuda: 36 total removals (25 criminal and 11 non-criminal)
St Lucia: 28 total removals (14 criminal and 14 non-criminal);
Grenada: 25 total removals (15 criminal and 10 non-criminal);
Turks Caicos Islands: 10 total removals (7 criminal and 3 non-criminal).
British Virgin Islands: 9 total removals (7 criminal and 2 non-criminal);
Bermuda: 8 total removals (5 criminal and 3 non-criminal);
Suriname: 6 total removals (6 criminal and 0 non-criminal);
Guadeloupe: 2 total removals (1 criminal and 1 non-criminal);
Montserrat: 2 total removals (2 criminal and 0 non-criminal);
Netherlands Antilles, inclusive of St. Maarten, Curacao, Saba, Bonaire: 2 total removals (1 criminal and 1 non-criminal);
Anguilla: 1 total removal (0 criminal and 1 non-criminal);
Cayman Islands: 1 total removals (1 criminal and 0 non-criminal);
Aruba: 0 total removal;
For Latin America, Mexico topped the list with 289,686 total removals including174,003 criminal and 115,683 non-criminals while Guatemala was second with 40,498 total removals (14,251 criminal and 26,247 non-criminal).
Other country rates were as follows:
Honduras: 32,464 total removals (14,180 criminal and 18,284 non-criminal);
El Salvador: 19,694 total removals (9,095 criminal and 10,599 non-criminal);
Brazil: 2,804 total removals (509 criminal and 2,295 non-criminal);
Ecuador: 1,976 total removals (819 criminal and 1,157 non-criminal);
Colombia: 1,681 total removals (1,121 criminal and 560 non-criminal);
Nicaragua: 1,507 total removals (777 criminal and 730 non-criminal);
Costa Rica: 380 total removals (152 criminal and 228 non-criminal);
Venezuela: 284 total removals (131 criminal and 153 non-criminal);
Argentina: 226 total removals (119 criminal and 107 non-criminal);
Bolivia: 197 total removals (131 criminal and 66 non-criminal);
Panama: 137 total removals (100 criminal and 37 non-criminal);
Uruguay: 119 total removals (63 criminal and 56 non-criminal)
Chile: 115 total removals (74 criminal and 41 non-criminal);
Peru: 908 total removals (504 criminal and 404 non-criminal);
Paraguay: 18 total removals (10 criminal and 8 non-criminal).

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they deported 409,849 immigrants who broke criminal laws, were threats to national security and were recent border crossers and repeat violators of immigration law, around the globe in 2012.

Of the total number removed, approximately 55 percent, or 225,390 were convicted of felonies or misdemeanors – almost double the removal of criminals in FY 2008. This includes 1,215 immigrants convicted of homicide; 5,557 immigrants convicted of sexual offenses; 40,448 immigrants convicted for crimes involving drugs; and 36,166 aliens convicted for driving under the influence.

ICE said it continues to make progress with regard to other categories prioritized for removal. Some 96 percent of all ICE’s removals fell into a priority category – a record high.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director, John Morton, said the administration’s focus remains on removing from the country convicted criminals and other individuals that fall into priority areas for enforcement.

“Smart and effective immigration enforcement relies on setting priorities for removal and executing on those priorities,” said Director Morton. “In order to further enhance our ability to focus enforcement efforts on serious offenders, we are changing who ICE will issue detainers against. While the FY 2012 removals indicate that we continue to make progress in focusing resources on criminal and priority aliens, with more convicted criminals being removed from the country than ever before, we are constantly looking for ways to ensure that we are doing everything we can to utilize our resources in a way that maximizes public safety.”

The distinguished panel of judges includes: Singer-Songwriter and Coach of NBC’s The Voice, CeeLo Green, Two-Time World Series Champion and MVP with the San Francisco Giants
Pablo Sandoval, Photographer and Host of Oxygen’s new series The Face, Nigel Barker, Singer and Actor best known for starring role in “Rock of Ages” film, Diego Boneta, TV Personality from the E! Network, Scott Disick, Celebrity Stylist and Star of Bravo’s It’s a Brad, Brad World, Brad Goreski, Star of Iron Chef and Award-Winning Chef, Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Miss Universe 2010 and Face of L’Oreal, Ximena Navarrete, Three-time US Olympic Gold Medalist in Beach Volleyball, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Star on Bravo’s hit series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and new series Vanderpump Rules, Lisa Vanderpump.

Miss Universe 2011Leila Lopes of Angola will crown her successor. Lopes has used her title to champion HIV/AIDS prevention and has shown the world that there is more to Africa than poverty, hunger and disease.

The Latin America and Caribbean contestants are: Miss St. Lucia Tara Edward; Miss Bolivia Yessica Mouton, Miss Honduras Jennifer Andrade, Miss Puerto Rico Bodine Koehler, Miss Trinidad and Tobago Avionne Mark, Miss Jamaica Chantal Zaky, Miss British Virgin Islands Abigail Hyndman, Miss Peru Nicole Faveron, Miss Brazil Gabriela Markus, Miss Venezuela Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, Miss Mexico Karina Gonzalez, Miss Argentina, Camila Solórzano, Miss Aruba Liza Helder, Miss Bahamas Celeste Marshall, Miss Cayman Islands Lindsay Japal, Miss Chile Ana Luisa Konig, Miss Costa Rica, Nazareth Cascante, Miss Columbia Daniella Álvarez Vasquez, Miss Curacao Monifa Joanne Marie Jansen, Miss Dominican Republic Dulcita Lynn Lieggi, Miss Ecuador Carolina Andrea Aguirre Pérez, Miss El Salvador, Ana Yancy Clavel, Miss Guatemala Laura Godoy Calle, Miss Guyana Ruqayyah Boyer, Miss Haiti, Christela Jacques, Miss Panama, Stephanie Vander Werf and Miss Peru, Nicole Faveron.

Mexico President addressing the UN General Assembly on Sept. 21, 2011. (Hayden Roger Celestin image)

President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández, said Argentina officially recognizes the State of Palestine and believes its recognition as a United Nations Member State would prove beneficial to Israel.

Fernandez argued that excluding Palestine would create greater global instability.

“Allowing Palestine to take its seat as Member State number 194 would result in a world that was not only more secure but also more just,” she told the body.
Mexico’s President, Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, also called for the establishment of a Palestinian State as did Honduras’ President Porfirio Lobo Sosa.

“Honduras has recognized Palestine as a State and look forward to a negotiated settlement of the Middle East conflict on the basis of the two-State solution, corresponding to the needs of the two peoples involved,” he said.

Recalling that Paraguay had established diplomatic relations with Palestine in March 2005, President Fernando Lugo Méndez said it recognized a free, independent State within the pre-1967 borders while Guatemala’s President, Álvaro Colom Caballeros, insisted his country supports “the creation of a viable and prosperous Palestinian State, living in peace and harmony, behind secure and defensible borders, next to the State of Israel.”

Guyana’s President, Bharrat Jagdeo, the lone Caribbean leader to speak Wednesday, also added his support for Palestinian statehood, telling the body his country also supports the right of the Palestinian people to full statehood.

Their comments came after U.S. President Barack Obama switched his tune from a year ago and yesterday instead said “peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the U.N.”

Blas Perez, Luis Tejada and Gabriel Gomez scored for Panama to hand the side the win.

The victory was only Panama’s second in its last eight Gold Cup matches and avenged a 2-1 loss to the French Caribbean island two years ago in the opening round of the tournament.

The Panamanians next face the United States in Tampa on Saturday. Guadeloupe takes on Canada.

Meanwhile, the U.S. whipped Canada 2-0 Tuesday night. Jamaica beat Grenada 4-0 Monday night while Honduras played to a 0-0 tie with Guatemala.

Tomorrow, Costa Rica plays El Salvador and Cuba takes on Mexico at 7 and 9 p.m., respectively.

Mario Canahuati, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras Date: June 01, 2011 Place: Washington, DC Credit: Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS

The General Assembly of the OAS on Wednesday decided to lift the suspension against Honduras during its Forty-first Special Session.

The resolution titled, “Participation of Honduras in the Organization of American States,” was approved by a vote of 32 in favor. Ecuador, however, voted against the reentry noting that “the right and sufficient conditions are not present yet for the return of the sister Republic of Honduras to this Organization, since the full restoration of democracy and the Rule of Law in that country is necessary for its return and has not been met yet.”

Once the vote was approved, the Assembly was joined by the delegation of Honduras, integrated by the country’s Foreign Minister, Mario Canahuati; the Republic’s Vice President, María Antonieta Guillén de Bográn; the Minister of Planning and Development, Arturo Corrales; and the Ambassador of Honduras to the United States, Jorge Ramón Hernández Alcerro.
María Antonieta Guillén de Bográn, addressed the General Assembly on behalf of the Government of President Porfirio Lobo and asserted that “the moment for the healing of wounds has arrived,” emphasizing that this chapter has left her country stronger than before.

The State of Honduras had been suspended from participating in the OAS since July 5, 2009, as a consequence of the coup d’état that ousted then-President of the Republic José Manuel Zelaya.

The move paving the way for his re-entry comes following a signed agreement with his successor, Porfirio Lobo.

Zelaya and Lobo smiled and shook hands as they signed the agreement in the Colombian city of Cartagena.

The accord also paves the way for Honduras’ re-entry into the Organisation of American States (OAS). Honduras was expelled from the OAS after Zelaya was removed from power. Many governments, including the US, have recognized the Honduran government’s legitimacy and re-established the ties cut during the height of the crisis.

Zelaya was bundled out of Honduras by the military in June 2009 after he failed to abide by a Supreme Court order to cancel a non-binding vote on changing the constitution.

The decision came after Defense Force failed to meet the tournament requirements regarding a suitable stadium for the competition and was disallowed from competing. This is the third straight year Belize’s berth has been reallocated for failing to meet the stadium standard.

Olimpia has replaced Defense Force, giving Honduras a third berth in the annual club championship.

This will be a fourth straight appearance for the Honduran side, which was eliminated in the quarterfinals of this past season’s Champions League by Saprissa in March.

It will join Honduran Clausura champion Motagua in the Preliminary Round, while Apertura winner Real Espana will be placed in the Group Stage. Honduras was granted the extra berth based on the results of its teams in last season’s Champions League.

Olimpia was beaten in the Preliminary Round in 2008 by the Montreal Impact and by Arabe Unido of Panama in 2009.

The United States, together with all OAS Member States, suspended Honduras’ participation in the OAS in July 2009. President Lobo was democratically elected in November 2009 and took office in January 2010 helping restore democratic and constitutional order in Honduras.
Since his inauguration, President Lobo has moved swiftly to pursue national reconciliation, strengthen governance, stabilize the economy, and improve human rights conditions.

The United States on Wednesday supported the immediate lifting of the suspension of Honduras and supported OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza’s intention to initiate consultations with member states on this issue.

Full participation in the OAS would enable Honduras to benefit fully from the OAS capacity to promote human rights and good governance, the U.S. said.

That’s according to the International Press Institute’s “World Press Freedom Review 2010 – Focus on the Americas.

“Although popular consciousness is attuned to war correspondents dying in conflict zones that are in the international eye such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and, more recently, Libya, in Mexico there’s another no-less-deadly front line,” said World Press Freedom Review Managing Editor Anthony Mills.

Mexico and Honduras accounted for nearly a quarter of reporters killed in 2010 in the Americas. There were 12 deaths reported in Mexico and 10 in Honduras. All of the 12 in Mexico were murdered, with all but one – whose throat was slit – shot. One was killed in a shootout between members of the military and cartel gunmen, leaving it unclear whether he was specifically targeted.

Many were also kidnapped and tortured prior to their deaths, like Valentín Valdés Espinosa, a reporter with the Mexican daily Zócalo Saltillo in the northeastern state of Coahuila. His body was found with a note addressed to “everyone” warning that “this will happen to anybody who does not understand.”

Two journalists in Colombia were shot by unknown attackers and a third was stabbed to death, while two journalists in Brazil were gunned down by assailants on motorcycles.

Argentina and Guatemala each saw one murder, and a second reporter in Guatemala was killed by volcanic stone rain as he reported on an eruption. One journalist died in Nicaragua when the truck in which she was travelling was washed away during flooding, while another died in Ecuador in a suspicious road collision.

No deaths were reported in the Caribbean, a trend which has continued since 2008, when a reporter in the Dominican Republic was shot dead. Nonetheless, journalists in the Caribbean must contend with outdated criminal defamation laws.

In the Americas, as elsewhere across the world, impunity for those who murder, assault, harass and intimidate journalists remained the unacceptable norm, the report said.

“Impunity continues to be an issue at the forefront of IPI’s concerns,” IPI Director Alison Bethel McKenzie said. “We urge our colleagues in more democratic countries in the Americas to add their voices to ours in calling for authorities to bring murderers of journalists to justice.”

The Americas’ journalist death count in 2010 came second only to Asia, which with 40 deaths held on to its title as the most dangerous region for journalists. Pakistan, with 16 deaths, was the most dangerous country in Asia, and the world, for journalists last year. Fifteen journalists died in sub-Saharan Africa in 2010, while eight died in the Middle East and North Africa and seven died in Europe.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation data obtained by NAN show that from the beginning of the 2011 fiscal year in October last year to the end of March this year, 88,497 criminal “aliens” or migrants were deported back to their country of birth in the Latin/Caribbean region. A “criminal alien” is defined under U.S. immigration laws as a migrant who is convicted of a crime.

The number sent back to Latin America alone stood at 86,469 while 2,028 were sent back to the Caribbean. For the entire Fiscal Year 2010, from October 2009 to September 30, 2010, some 190,860 criminal migrants were deported.

There was no surprise as the biggest receiver of criminal migrants was Mexico for Latin America, with 70,874 deported as of March 28th. The second largest number was returned to Guatemala; some 5,163, while Honduras followed with 4,682.

El Salvador was fourth with 3,956.Other Latin nations received far less deportees – Colombia, 471; Nicaragua, 365; Ecuador, 337 and Brazil 260.
Sixty criminal deportees have been sent back to Bolivia so far this fiscal year while there were 50 each for Venezuela and Argentina. Chile has received 49; Panama, 47; Uruguay, 27 and Paraguay, 6.

For the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic received the most criminal deportees, some 1,066. They were followed by Jamaica which has received 528 since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2011. Trinidad and Tobago was third with 125 followed by Belize with 74, the Bahamas with 65 and Guyana with 64. So far this fiscal year, 50 migrants have been sent back to Aruba and 31 to the earth-quake ravaged Haiti. Other Caribbean nations received far less criminal deportees.

Cuba received 20 in the past six months; Barbados was sent 11; Dominica 10; St. Lucia seven and Antigua five. Bermuda has received four criminal migrants since last October while St. Kitts received 3; Suriname, the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands, 2 each, and Anguilla and the Turks and Caicos, one each.