Rep. Zoe Lofgren - chair of the Immigration Subcommittee and a former immigration lawyer - sent a letter to Julie Myers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 1 demanding information on their recent sweeps called "Operation Return to Sender" [1]. That operation was designed to pick up around 1000 fugitive and criminal aliens - hundreds of them already in jails - and the far-lefties and some Democratic leaders won't even let ICE do something so limited it's almost meaningless. This show once again that those who support immigration "reform" are simply opposed to deportations. They might used enhanced enforcement to sell "reform" now, but after it passes there's almost no chance they would allow that enforcement to take place.

The letter makes clear that Lofgren has taken the hysterical word of far-lefties for the raids, as she rattles off twenty questions for Myers, which are followed by about a dozen more. Here's the money question:

What is the average cost per person of executing a warrant for arrest, detaining the individual, and pursuing the removal pursuant to Operation Return to Sender?

Her goal appears to be to try to use that information to say it's not worth it, perhaps even engaging in a Center for American Progress-style slight-of-hand. Lofgren also requests a Congressional hearing, as well as field hearings in "areas of enforcement open to interested NGOs and the general public so that you may individually address their questions and concerns." I'm sure the Mexican government could help Lofgren by encouraging their citizens to show up for the hearings and ask questions.

[1] The letter is at lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/files/lofgren_ice_raid_letter_307.pdf