By Tate Miller
The Center Square

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests surged by 367% in Georgia this year, with 4,500 illegal aliens arrested in the state between January 20 and July 31, compared to the 963 made under the Biden administration during the same time period in 2021, the Department of Homeland Security says.

Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies Jessica Vaughan told The Center Square that ”the big increase in ICE arrests in Georgia, particularly the arrests of criminal aliens, should have a noticeable effect on public safety, assuming that ICE is able to promptly process and remove them.”

The Center for Immigration Studies is an “independent, non-partisan, non-profit, research organization,” according to its website.

Vaughan said that “removing so many criminal aliens from the community will mean safer streets, safer playgrounds, and safer businesses for everyone.”

Vaughan told The Center Square that “the increase in ICE activity is noticed by other illegal aliens in the community, and many of them are realizing that even if they have not committed other crimes, they may be discovered and arrested, so they are deciding to go home on their own.

“This will open up job opportunities for Americans in Georgia, and relieve the cost to Georgia taxpayers of providing welfare benefits, health care, and education for illegal migrants and their families,” Vaughan said.

“The brunt of the problems from the border crisis under the Biden administration policies was borne by local communities, so now these communities can start to recover,” Vaughan said.

“We are stuck with American criminals, but those criminals who are here in defiance of our laws should be removed so they will not victimize more people,” Vaughan said.

According to a Department of Homeland Security news release, some of the “worst of the worst” arrested in Georgia include noncitizens who have been convicted of trafficking drugs, statutory rape, a hit-and-run, sexual battery against minors, and child molestation.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the news release: “Biden’s open border [policies] allowed Laken Riley’s killer to be in the country and gave him the opportunity [to] brutally murder the young Georgia nursing student.”

“President Trump promised to put Americans first and remove violent criminals from our country and that’s exactly what we are doing,” McLaughlin said.

“Thanks to his and Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership, ICE is once again empowered to remove the worst of the worst – including murderers, pedophiles, gang members, drug traffickers, and terrorists,” McLaughlin said.

Vaughan told The Center Square that “the accelerated pace of interior enforcement is a benefit to the entire country.”

“Illegal migrants who are security threats are being taken off the streets, illegal workers are being sent home, and communities will see some fiscal relief from the need to provide services and schooling to so many new arrivals,” Vaughan said.