May 23 (UPI) -- The Department of Homeland Security said it suspects 628,799 visitors of remaining in the United States after overstaying their visas, which is about 1.25 percent of all foreign students, workers and tourists.
The DHS on Monday released the 2016 Entry/Exit Overstay Report, which includes data on the departure and overstay of non-immigrant foreign visitors who entered through U.S. air and sea ports of entry.
The report does not provide a total estimate of the in-country overstay population in the United States, but rather data on foreign visitors who did not leave the country when they were expected to depart in 2016.
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection processed 50,437,278 in-scope non-immigrant admissions at U.S. air and sea POEs who were expected to depart in FY16, of which 739,478 overstayed their admission, resulting in a total overstay rate of 1.47 percent," the DHS wrote in a statement. "Of the more than 739,000 overstays, DHS determined 628,799 were suspected 'in-country' overstays, resulting in a suspected in-country overstay rate of 1.25 percent."
Related
The DHS said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has increased "overstay enforcement operations" to "protect the American people from those who seek to do us harm, and to ensure the integrity of the immigration system."
Out of the 21.6 million Visa Waiver Program visitors who were expected to leave the United States in 2016, about 147,282 overstayed their terms of admission -- 128,806 of which are suspected to be in-country overstays.
The DHS said of the 1,457,556 students and exchange visitors who were scheduled to complete their program in 2016, about 79,800 stayed beyond their authorized window -- about 41,000 of whom are believed to be in-country overstays.
