Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have launched a nationwide initiative to arrest illegal immigrants as they leave their immigration and asylum hearings, Fox News reports.
New Policy Targets Recent Arrivals
The effort focuses on migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years. Under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strategy, immigration cases are dropped first, allowing ICE to arrest the individuals and place them into expedited deportation proceedings.
- Cases must be dropped because expedited removal cannot occur if a migrant has a pending court case
- ICE sources say Americans should expect more arrests under this policy
- This shift may increase deportations of migrants without serious criminal records, differing from previous focus on convicted criminals
Legal Challenges and Court Rulings
The DHS faces multiple legal battles over deportation actions.
- A federal judge ruled DHS violated a court order by deporting eight migrants to South Sudan without proper “credible fear interviews”
- These interviews allow migrants to argue that deportation to a third country could put them in danger
- The judge is investigating if these interviews can be conducted in South Sudan instead of requiring migrants to return to the U.S.
- Previous rulings forbid deportations to countries like Libya without notice, protecting migrants’ legal rights
What’s Next?
The new enforcement approach is expected to escalate deportations but faces ongoing court scrutiny. DHS will likely continue adjusting its methods while balancing legal rulings and immigration policies.
Information sourced from:
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Fox News
- U.S. District Court rulings