Violent illegal immigrants released

HOUSTON, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Immigration officials have allowed violent criminals to leave the Houston jail despite being told they were illegal immigrants, an investigation found.

The Houston Chronicle reported Sunday that records shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials didn't file the necessary paperwork to detain about 75 percent of the more than 3,500 inmates who told jailers during the booking process that they were in the U.S. illegally.

The newspaper said most of the released inmates were in jail for minor offenses while hundreds were behind bars for such crimes as rape, molestation and drug dealing.

Kenneth Landgrebe, ICE field office director for detention and removal in Houston, said local officials are doing the best they can.

"No agency has enough law enforcement officers to do the job the way they'd like," Landgrebe said. "If you look at law enforcement in general -- at Houston or New York City or Los Angeles police -- do they apprehend every criminal that commits a crime? No. Do they arrest every person that speeds in a traffic zone? No. We have to prioritize what we handle."