Obama Administration Deported Fewer in 2015 than in prior years

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration formally disclosed Tuesday that it deported the fewest immigrants since 2006. 

Between October 2014 and September 2015 the Homeland Security Department oversaw the deportation of about 235,413 people. At the same time, 337,117 people were arrested trying to cross the border illegally. 

The Associated Press in October reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported about 231,000 people as of Sept. 28. 

DHS has previously said the drop in deportations overseen by ICE is largely due to the decline in arrests at the border. Border arrests dropped about 30 percent from 2014 to 2015. The 2015 border arrests included roughly 79,800 people traveling as families and children traveling alone, mostly from Central America. 

The overall total of deportations generally does not include Mexicans caught at the border and quickly returned home by the Border Patrol. 

"Last year's removal numbers reflect this department's increased focus on prioritizing convicted criminals and threats to public safety, border security and national security," DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement. 

Roughly 136,700 convicted criminals were deported in the 2015 budget year. The share of criminal immigrant deported rose slightly from about 56 percent to roughly 59 percent from 2014 to 2015, though the overall num.