(January 8, 2007)--Caught but released, then caught again and released, over and over.

New Justice Department data indicates that illegal immigrants are re-arrested as many as six times on average.

The findings are based on a sampling of 100 illegal immigrants arrested by state and local authorities in 2004.

Of the 100 immigrants arrested, 73 were arrested a collective 429 times on charges ranging from traffic tickets to weapons violations.

The Justice Department's inspector general notes that more than 262,000 illegal immigrants who already had criminal histories were arrested in 2004.

While he could not say how many had been re-arrested, based on the data, he figures it was an "extremely high" number.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff last year declared an end to the "catch and release" practice that for years helped many illegal immigrants stay in the United States.

His audit examined how local and state authorities getting Justice Department funding to help catch and detain illegal immigrants are working with the Homeland Security Department.

It shows 752 cities, counties and states participating in the program received $287 million in 2005, the audit noted.

Five states, California, New York, Texas, Florida and Arizona, received the bulk of the money, together pulling in more than $184 million.

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