Illegal immigrants with criminal records, the deportation priority of President-elect Trump, total at least 820,000, with most having felony and serious misdemeanor convictions, according to a new report.

Some estimates have suggested up to two million criminal illegals, but the numbers cited by the Center for Immigration Studies still show an enormous group larger than the populations of four states, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont or Wyoming.

The immigration think tank cited numbers from the Urban Institute. That group downplayed the crimes and also questioned deporting any of those who are parents of children who might get left behind.

"Some estimates say that there are only 820,000 undocumented immigrants with criminal records in the country, including 690,000 with a felony or serious misdemeanor conviction," said that report.

In doubting the severity of the crimes, the Urban Institute added, "Felony under immigration law can mean something different than under criminal law. Some of these estimated 690,000 have likely committed relatively minor crimes. For example, theft and simple battery are felonies under immigration law."

CIS fellow David North blogged:

Those cheerful souls at UI were arguing against the concept that the number might be higher, and noted that some of the 820,000 "have likely committed relatively minor crimes."

They missed the point, I guess, that an illegal alien with a shoplifting record, for example, is an illegal alien who does not belong here in the first place.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com