Trump Revokes Immigration Arrest Limits, Raising Deportation Fears

Trump Administration Revokes Biden-Era Immigration Arrest Guidelines

On his first day in office, President Trump's administration revoked a Biden-era policy that prohibited arrests by U.S. immigration agents at or near schools, places of worship, and other "sensitive locations." This move sparked concerns among pro-immigrant advocates who feared it would lead to mass deportations from churches and schools.

The Trump administration defended the decision, stating that it would allow immigration officials to target unauthorized immigrants with serious criminal histories. They emphasized that criminals would no longer be able to hide in schools and churches to avoid arrest.

This action is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to eliminate limits placed on ICE operations by previous administrations. They plan to ramp up immigration arrests in cities and communities with "sanctuary" policies and rescind other Biden administration memos that limited ICE arrests to serious criminals.

Mr. Trump's "border czar," Tom Homan, has repeatedly stated that the new administration will prioritize the arrest of immigrants who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes. However, he has also warned that no one will be exempt from immigration enforcement if they are in the U.S. illegally, suggesting that arrests of non-criminal unauthorized immigrants are likely.

President Trump's first day back in office saw a flurry of activity aimed at cracking down on immigration. In addition to revoking the Biden-era arrest guidelines, he also issued orders to deny birthright citizenship to the children of unauthorized immigrants and temporary visa holders, suspend asylum and refugee admissions, and enlist the military's aid in border enforcement. He also directed officials to expand detention sites and increase agreements with local law enforcement authorities to arrest and detain unauthorized immigrants.