United States President Barack Obama often lavishes illegal immigrants with the highest praise.

One notable example of this came during a prime-time address last year when he said: “I’ve seen the courage of students … who bravely come out as undocumented in hopes they could make a difference in a country they love. … [T]hey did not come here in search of a free ride or an easy life. They came to work, and study, and serve in our military, and above all, contribute to America’s success.”

But does the president’s outreach to illegals draw only individuals who “contribute to America’s success”?

During the six years Mr. Obama has been in power, the Department of Homeland Security (dhs) has knowingly released some 195,900 criminally convicted illegal immigrants onto the streets of America.

That averages out to about 89 convicted criminals released per day.

Thousands of those released have been convicted of violent crimes such as homicide and aggravated assault. In 2013 alone, the releases included 193 convicted murderers, 303 convicted kidnappers, and 426 convicted of sexual assault. Others were convicted of child pornography charges, robbery, aggravated assault, and driving under the influence. More than half of those released have been convicted of multiple felonies. Many are known gang members or affiliates.

Also notable is that the vast majority of the releases were “discretionary,” meaning they were neither the result of local sanctuary guidelines nor required by local laws. In many cases, the releases were apparently in violation of law.

“As a law enforcement officer, I’m really disgusted with it,” said Neil Warren, the sheriff of Cobb County, Georgia, where several of the alien convicts were released.

Former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Republican Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, agrees with Warren’s assessment. He called the releases “the worst prison break in American history,” and said, “President Obama’s lax immigration policies have put the lives of Americans at risk.”

Such concerns have proven well founded, as about 1,000 convicts each year go on to commit other crimes against Americans in the communities where they settle.

After being released into the public, one criminally convicted illegal alien went on to inflict injury on a domestic partner, commit child cruelty (with the possibility of injury or death), violate his probation, drive without a license, and fail to appear in court.

Is this individual—and others who have been released and go on to commit other crimes—contributing to America’s success?

Trying to Keep It on the DL

Unsurprisingly, the administration didn’t want the latest release numbers to be publicly known. But the extent to which it tried to obscure the truth is unnerving. Last May, the dhs failed to respond to a request under the Freedom of Information Act to disclose records about the releases. But after the Judicial Watch group filed a lawsuit against the agency, a federal court ruled for the documents to be released.

“It’s appalling that we’ve had to sue in federal court to get key information about the Obama administration’s release of 165,950 convicted criminal aliens,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. (The figure he cited does not include another 30,000 released in the most recent fiscal year.)

Fitton added: “These documents show the Obama administration is lying when it says that its ‘enforcement priorities’ include deporting illegal aliens who have committed heinous crimes.”

He then asked: “Where do the innocent victims of the illegal alien criminals this president’s appointees have set free go for justice?”

Why Not Deport Them?

The dhs agency responsible for immigration enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ice), says it releases the criminal aliens because their home nations won’t take them back. Furthermore, American laws say immigrants whose countries won’t allow them to return cannot be held indefinitely. So they have to be released into society after a period of time.

Critics have called for rewriting such laws and have said the Obama administration should use its authority to deny visas to leaders of nations refusing to let their citizens return, or otherwise pressure them.

But the administration has taken no such measures, and continues to release criminal convicts onto American streets.

The message this policy sends to other nations is that they can be rid of problem citizens by pushing them into the warm embrace of the United States. The message it sends to convicts wanting to immigrate to the U.S. is that going through legal channels is a waste of time; instead, hop the border and enjoy a fresh start—comparatively hassle free.

Part of a Pattern

This news fits a broader pattern of the Obama administration’s espousal of immigration policies that undermine America’s own interests.

Besides the criminal-convict illegal aliens the dhs has released, the agency has also asked more than 700,000 “noncriminal” illegal aliens to self-deport from the United States. The word “noncriminal” here is a euphemism, considering that just to get inside the U.S., these individuals have broken American immigration laws. After such individuals are released from custody, nothing prevents them from circulating around the United States. Judicial Watch says this is precisely what most do.

In 2013, ice agents were issued a series of directives called “prosecutorial discretion,” which put broad categories of illegal aliens off limits to them. These policies have forced ice to avoid or discontinue deportation action in thousands of cases, including many in which aliens are convicted of crimes.

Recent revelations also show that from October 2013 to October 2014, President Obama sent home fewer than 1 percent of the 12 million illegals living in the United States.

In November, President Obama moved to grant legal status and work permits to nearly 5 million illegal immigrants. His decision to accomplish this by executive action—rather than through Congress—prompted House Speaker John Boehner to accuse the president of acting like an “emperor.”

The vast majority of Americans recognize the danger of such policies. A poll published on May 4 showed that 77 percent now consider illegal immigration a serious problem in America. And 63 percent say it is so serious that the U.S. military should be deployed along the Mexican border to prevent its continuation.

But the administration consistently ignores such polls and forges ahead implementing polices that favor illegals over citizens. Recognition of this prompted Sen. Jeff Session to say, “Immigration enforcement has been destroyed by this president.”

Reports say the dhs will soon announce the conclusion of a review of deportation policies, which the president ordered in reaction to immigrant advocacy group protests. Analysts believe this will usher in policy changes that further multiply the number and categories of illegals who are exempt from immigration enforcement. This would likely increase the number of criminally convicted aliens who are released into the American public.

Are you concerned about where the current administration is leading the United States? The problem is worse than you think, and there is only one way to solve it. To understand what the solution is, read our free booklet America Under Attack.