by J. Krishna Moorthi:

The implementation of tougher immigration laws in the U.S. during the first year of the Trump presidency has resulted in a 30% increase in arrests, compared to the previous year, but deportations have decreased. The overall number of illegal immigrants deported from the .U.S. in 2017 fell from 2016, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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Meanwhile, a report released by the administration linked its case for changing the immigration policy to national security and the ability of the immigrants to assimilate.

An official, speaking on background Tuesday morning, said 402 of the 549 people convicted of international terrorism-related charges in the U.S., since September 11, 2001, were foreign born.  “Those who come to this country must love this country, should speak English…,” the official said, promising measures to ensure that only those who can contribute to the country’s prosperity and can assimilate will be allowed to immigrate.

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ICE has said its enforcement raids targeting illegals will continue in 2018.

Last week ICE agents raided dozens of stores and arrested over 20 undocumented workers.

Describing the raids as “a harbinger of what’s to come,”  Derek N. Benner, acting head of the ICE Homeland Security Investigation, said, “This is what we’re gearing up for this year and what you’re going to see more and more is these large-scale compliance inspections, just for starters.”

The U.S. deported 226,000 people in 2017, compared to 240,000 in 2016, and a vast majority of them were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. ICE has said the decrease in deportation is due to prevention at the border and reduction in attempts by people to enter the U.S. illegally, given the tough enforcement.