ICYMI: Sen. Cruz Grills ICE Director About Thousands Of Criminal Illegal Aliens Released

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) yesterday demanded answers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldaña in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, which focused on the Administration’s egregious release of criminal illegal aliens and its refusal to enforce immigration laws. 

Fox News: Father of Kate Steinle blasts ‘legal loopholes’ that helped daughter’s alleged killer

In dramatic Capitol Hill testimony, Jim Steinle and other relatives of people killed by illegal immigrants called on Congress to pass new laws aimed at keeping illegal immigrant criminals off the streets. 

NBC: Victims' Families Call for Congressional Immigration Reform

Less than a month after Kathryn Steinle was fatally shot by an undocumented immigrant in San Francisco, conservative senators went head-to-head with Obama administration officials in an emotional and heated hearing on immigration enforcement policy on Tuesday.

Newsmax: Kate Steinle's Mother: Sanctuary Cities' Law Has 'Gotten Totally Crazy'

In a tense exchange, Cruz…pressed Saldaña on how many illegal criminals ICE released in 2013. She said about 30,000 — but Cruz charged that it was actually 104,000, since the Obama administration refused to bring deportation hearings against 68,000 criminals, as required by federal law. ICE also released 36,000 illegals with criminal records who were in deportation hearings that year, the senator said.

SF Gate: Steinle’s father tells Senate U.S. needs new immigration approach

Steinle endorsed new legislation, known as “Kate’s Law,” by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that requires a five-year mandatory sentence for undocumented immigrants who re-enter the country after deportation, saying, “If Kate’s Law saves one daughter, one son, a mother, a father — Kate’s death won’t be in vain.”

The Blaze: Watch as ICE Director Is Forced to Tell Ted Cruz He’s ‘Absolutely Right’ After He Disputes Her Claim During Hearing

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) interrogated the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director in a contentious exchange during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration policy on Tuesday. One particularly interesting back-and-forth occurred when ICE Director Sarah Saldana disputed Cruz’s assertion that the Obama administration released 104,000 “criminal illegal aliens.” 

Real Clear Politics: Ted Cruz Grills ICE Director About Thousands Of Criminal Illegal Aliens Released Without Charge

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration policy on Tuesday, Sen. Ted Cruz questioned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Sarah Saldana about the number of "criminal illegal aliens" released by the federal government. Saldana tried to justify the release of thousands of convicted criminal illegal aliens when Cruz confronted her with the statistics. "193 murderers with homicide convictions. 426 people with sexual assault convictions. 16,000 criminal illegal aliens with drunk driving convictions," released in 2014 instead of being deported or undergoing criminal proceedings.

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