Putting TRAC to Work
  Legal and Scholarly
Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare
March 2012

The Criminalization of Immigration: Value Conflicts for the Social Work Profession
By Rich Furman , Alissa R. Ackerman, Melody Loya and Nalini Negi


In 2007 alone, over 280,000 immigrants were deported,which was a significant increase from the previous year (Immigrant Justice Network, 2011). In 2008 and 2009, the Obama administration deported 359,795 and 395,165 immigrants, respectively. These years account for the largest numbers of immigrant removal in United States history (Department of Homeland Security, 2011). The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) of Syracuse University states that criminal prosecutions of undocumented immigrants reached its zenith in early 2008 when immigration cases accounted for almost 60% of all new federal cases (www.trac.syr.edu).Currently, over 24,000 individuals, roughly 12% of the federal prison population, are incarcerated for immigration crimes or violations (Federal Bureau of Prisons, 2011).


Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, Syracuse University
Copyright 2012
TRAC TRAC at Work TRAC TRAC at Work News Organizations News Organizations