ICE’s recent growth

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency was created in 2003, during the term of George Bush. This entity is in charge of enforcing federal laws related to customs processes, illegal immigration and border protection.

This agency is also in charge of overseeing and monitoring immigration detention centers that are intended to house foreigners who attempt to cross the borders of the US unlawfully (without legal documentation).

Apart from that, ICE has the task to conduct specialized investigations to locate undocumented immigrants around the country and initiate deportation proceedings for them.

ICE has been a major topic of public disagreement for the past three years for multiple reasons. Let’s see some of them:

• The entity’s growth has been substantial during the presidency of Donald Trump. By this, we refer to staff growth, infrastructure, investment and profits.
  Thus, terror has invaded immigrant communities that fear deportation, even if they have active processes to obtain legal documentation.
• The number of deportations from ICE has increased dramatically with the current administration of the US, which is focused on giving a “lesson” to immigrants who cross borders without prior authorization.
• Due to the massive outbreak of Coronavirus in the North American territory, ICE has the right to use express deportations when detaining immigrants during the current juncture, this includes the removal of minors who arrive to the country unaccompanied.
• Immigrant detention centers are overcrowded. Thus, the spread of COVID-19 has been alarming and the number of people infected within ICE facilities continues to grow exponentially.

ICE stops construction of a new detention center

ICE has increased its arrests around the country and because immigration detention centers are currently overcrowded, the agency has built several detention centers in recent years and had a plan to build one near Chicago.

However, ICE stopped the search for a contractor to build this center because, broadly speaking, it is not viable for the agency.

The federal entity also declared that immigrants detained in Illinois will be transferred to other detention centers around the country while their deportation processes are completed.

Immigrant rights advocates celebrate the news

Multiple organizations dedicated to defending the rights of immigrants openly expressed their satisfaction with this news.

They argue that if ICE builds a detention center in Chicago, the agency will have the power to inordinately capture immigrants who are awaiting legal documentation and possibly their families as well.

In fact, they published an official statement exposing the benefits of ceasing the construction of this immigration detention center.

Adding to that, they assure that they will continue confronting ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), “to stop the harms they are inflicting and the fear they are creating in our communities, and to make Illinois welcoming for all.”

Obtain your legal documentation

In these times of crisis, the best solution is to submit your immigration application as soon as possible and avoid a deportation process in the midst of the current juncture.

There are multiple processes available for you to request legal documentation in the US. The best alternative is to follow the advice of experienced attorneys, so that you do not miss the opportunity you currently have to submit a properly organized application.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.