Immigration plan will focus on enforcement against criminals

WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says President Barack Obama’s immigration plan will focus enforcement efforts on immigrants who are serious criminals — and those who crossed into the U.S. illegally or were ordered from the country in the last year.

Johnson is detailing the plan to Homeland Security Department employees at three agencies in charge of enforcing immigration laws.

He says going after immigrants with serious criminal records, including adult gang members, will be an enforcement priority.

A lower enforcement priority will be immigrants with convictions for three or more misdemeanors or for “significant” misdemeanors. Johnson isn’t say what a significant misdemeanor is.

Johnson says the lowest priority will be immigrants who crossed the border illegally since Jan. 1, 2014, and those ordered to leave since that date.

ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press