New figures revealed by The Huffington Post show U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported more than 72,000 parents of U.S.-born children last year. The plight of parents with American children has been a key subject in the immigration reform debate, with advocates urging President Obama to take executive action to stop the separation of millions of families. The 72,000 figure includes more than 10,000 deported parents with no criminal convictions. The news comes as the Obama administration grapples with an influx of thousands of undocumented children fleeing violence and poverty in Central America. On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson visited a federal immigration center in Arizona where he made a public appeal to the parents of child migrants. Johnson said children are making dangerous treks to the U.S. border based on false hopes of citizenship.