ICE freed over 600 criminal detainees

A detainee found guilty of felony second-degree robbery and countless convictions for prostitution and solicitation for lewd conduct was among more than 300 people Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Phoenix released in February as part of a nationwide operation to save money.

House immigration group reaches a deal

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of House members announced a deal Thursday on sweeping immigration legislation, a breakthrough that could boost chances for one of President Obama’s top second-term priorities.

After years of decline, apprehensions of people crossing the border illegally are on the rise again

A truck with migrants headed north to the border pulls into the "tollbooth" at the south end of the washboard dirt road that is the main route between Altar, Sonora, and Sasabe. The toll is just one of the myriad ways migrants are extorted as they try to reach the U.S.

After years of decline, apprehensions of people crossing the border illegally are on the rise again

The number of people apprehended along the Southwest border is rising for a second fiscal year after an eight-year decline.

Study sets off immigration-bill squabble

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan Senate immigration bill would cost the government a net $6.3 trillion over the next 50 years to provide benefits for millions of people now living in the U.S. illegally, the Heritage Foundation said in a report Monday, setting off a fierce dispute with fellow conser…

Obama's promises proving tough to fulfill

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Obama's promises proving tough to fulfill

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Obama's promises proving tough to fulfill

WASHINGTON - Absent a magic potion or explosive economic growth, it was all but inevitable President Obama would have to break some of his campaign promises to keep others. If there's one thing that distinguished them besides their ambition, it was their incompatibility.

PBS program tonight traces search for migrant

A new documentary premiering today on PBS is one of the latest efforts to shed light on an issue that has claimed the lives of almost 2,000 migrants in the last decade.

Enforcement before amnesty

WASHINGTON - In 1986, Congress passed a large immigration bill based on a simple deal: amnesty for settled illegal immigrants in exchange for stricter enforcement of the law to minimize new illegal immigration.

Learn the lesson of 1986: Secure the border first

WASHINGTON - Speaking contemporaneously of futile efforts being made to prevent World War II, Winston Churchill said, "When the situation was manageable it was neglected, and now that it is thoroughly out of hand we apply too late the remedies which then might have effected a cure."

Immigration reform talks get testy over Boston bombings

Immigration advocates gather Monday outside the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill. They are waiting to attend the committee's hearing on comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

Immigration reform talks get testy over Boston bombings

WASHINGTON - Democratic supporters of a new immigration bill accused opponents Monday of trying to "exploit" the Boston Marathon bombings to hold up the legislation, sparking a testy exchange at a Senate hearing.

McCain: GOP stands to benefit from OK of immigration bill

PHOENIX - Approval of a comprehensive immigration plan with Republican votes would enable the party to once again compete for Latino votes here, Arizona's senior U.S. senator said Thursday.

How immigration bill would affect Arizona and Tucson Sector

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How immigration bill would affect Arizona and Tucson Sector

Senators introduced Tuesday night a long-awaited immigration bill that seeks to reform what many from both sides of the debate call a broken system.

AP source: Immigration bill could exclude many

WASHINGTON — A promised path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally may leave out hundreds of thousands of them.

Senate group wraps up work on immigration bill

WASHINGTON — Democratic and Republican negotiators have reached agreement on all the major elements of sweeping legislation to remake the nation’s immigration laws and expect to unveil the bill next week, lawmakers said Thursday.

AP source: Senate plan would tighten border security

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators finalizing a landmark immigration bill has agreed to require greatly increased surveillance of the border and apprehensions of people trying to cross it, a person familiar with the proposals said Wednesday.

Napolitano says security is 'trending in right direction'

"As illegal immigration has dropped, agents and officers can focus on narco-traffickers and human smugglers," Homeland Security SecretaryJanet Napolitano said Friday at the end of a two-day visit to review border security in Texas and Arizona.