Scores of undocumented immigrants are being released from federal detention facilities thanks to looming sequester cuts expected to go into effect at the end of the week.

According to a report in the Tucson Daily Star, more than 100 detainees had already been let go from Arizona’s Eloy Detention Center alone.


“In order to make the best use of our limited detention resources in the current fiscal climate and to manage our detention population under current congressionally mandated levels, ICE has directed field offices to review the detained population to ensure it is in line with available funding,” Gillian Christensen, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, told reporters Monday in a written statement. She added that those affected would receive an “appropriate, more cost-effective form of supervised release” and their cases would still be processed.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters at a White House briefing earlier the same day that sequester cuts would leave ICE unable to maintain its current detention capacity.

[link to tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com]

Good Job, everyone! (sarcasm)