Annual deportations in the United States have increased nearly 400 percent since 1996, and a record number of individuals will be deported this year alone.

The deportation program responsible for these numbers is called Secure Communities. It is a lynchpin of the Obama Administration's immigration enforcement strategy, but critics say the program is not hitting its mark. As a matter of fact, critics claim it has led to the wrongful removal of lawful immigrants as well as the wrongful arrest of hundreds of U.S. citizens. Even more upsetting is that a large number of people deported under the program have spouses and children who are U.S. citizens, which makes them undeportable as well under current law.

The Secure Communities program also has drawn criticism from state officials who claim it is not finding the intended immigration offenders. They say the program should be deporting individuals who are the most dangerous and pose the greatest security and safety threats to police and communities where they live. Many believe law enforcement officials are not doing their homework and instead are interrogating people simply because of their Latino background - whether the people are legally in the U.S. or not.

The Obama Administration strongly defends the program. White House officials are quick to point out that the deportations are justified and occurring in record numbers, claiming that 55 percent of the people deported last year had criminal convictions. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement maintains that its highest priority is the removal of aliens with criminal convictions who pose a threat to the safety of the general public.

The deportation of U.S. citizens is downright unlawful. And, critics of the Secure Communities program maintain that the "band-aid" fix created by the program will only create further problems in the future, stating that a complete overhaul of our nation's immigration policies is the only real solution.

If you or someone you know has been wrongfully deported or is in deportation proceedings, contact an attorney with immigration and naturalization experience to learn about your rights and the legal action you may pursue.