Watchdog: 600-plus ‘criminal’ illegal immigrants released amid 2013 budget cuts

More than 600 illegal immigrants with criminal convictions were released by federal authorities in early 2013 in advance of the "sequester" budget cuts, according to a government watchdog report obtained by FoxNews.com.

The report by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General showed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement released "criminal aliens" from jails all over the country as part of a wave of releases in February 2013. The agency came under fire at the time for the decision, which critics described as politically motivated and dangerous.