ICE Enforcement Surge
DHS denies ICE halted non-criminal arrests amid rising enforcement numbers.
Anonymous
ICE has increasingly used rapid, low-profile arrests at workplaces, traffic stops, shops and airports, recording nearly 50,000 arrests in July, a monthly high. Reports citing ICE sources said officers were briefly told to limit arrests to people with criminal records and stop collateral arrests, including arrests of people with final deportation orders but no criminal record. DHS denied that any policy change had occurred, saying anyone in the country illegally remains subject to arrest; a former ICE official attributed the conflicting guidance to miscommunication. The initial report said some officers objected and suggested the guidance may have been intended to ease public backlash ahead of the midterms.
Key Points
1
ICE’s expansion has been backed by $75 billion in congressional funding, and the agency’s workforce more than doubled this year to over 22,000 officers and staff.
2
By September 15, ICE had signed more than 2,500 agreements that allow state and local law enforcement agencies to participate in federal immigration enforcement.
3
DHS said it wants people in the country illegally to fly only when they are leaving the United States, making airports a focus of enforcement.
4
Former ICE deputy director Scott Mechkowski said the guidance was intended to make criminal arrests a priority for ICE officers working their dockets—not to halt arrests of people without criminal records encountered by state and local partners.
5
In its denial, DHS said ICE had begun a nationwide public-safety surge in sanctuary cities, describing the targets as criminal immigrants—including people accused of murder, rape, child predation and gang activity.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
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Reach
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