ICE under the Trump administration

ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is one of the branches of DHS (Department of Homeland Security), which is currently in charge of enforcing immigration law within the US. Among many other tasks, ICE:

• Supervises immigration detention centers across the country.
• Conducts investigations and operations to detain undocumented immigrants who might pose a threat to national security or the local population.
• Carries out deportation proceedings for undocumented immigrants who managed to cross the borders without prior authorization.

However, ICE’s tasks intensified under the Donald Trump administration (2017-2021), which had the firm intention of reducing irregular immigration through enforcement strategies to, in its own words, “teach a lesson” to undocumented immigrant communities. Therefore, the Trump administration:

• Hired thousands of ICE employees.
• Increased immigration detention operations within the country.
• Expedited deportation processes.
• Created agreements with state agencies to adopt cooperative immigration detention methods.
• Signed contracts with private prison companies to hold undocumented immigrants in their facilities.
• Expanded scenarios in which ICE could arrest and deport undocumented immigrants.

Do you need help with a Deportation Case? Our team can help you. Adding to that, if you need help with an immigration process of any kind, feel free to contact Motion Law Immigration and schedule a FREE Consultation with our experienced attorneys.

The Biden administration plans to reorient ICE

It is well known that, for both the previous administration and the current administration (Biden-Harris), immigration is a priority, but from a diametrically opposite perspective. Unlike Trump, President Biden states that immigrant communities contribute greatly to the socioeconomic development of the US and that it is extremely important to protect essential foreign workers, regardless of their immigration status.

Therefore, the Biden administration is bringing a new vision and a new approach to the immigration sector compared to the previous administration’s strict vision. Naturally, as an immigration enforcement entity, ICE is also included in Biden’s plans.

In fact, according to a report by The Washington Post, the Biden administration recently stated that it plans to analyze ICE’s current protocols, especially when it comes to expedited and massive deportation proceedings.

In spite of the fact that dozens of activists and immigrant rights advocates have asked the Biden administration to abolish ICE, the Secretary of DHS explained that he does not plan to remove this entity, but rather to reorganize and reorient its duties so that it is not only an immigration agency, but also a support entity to protect national security from potential threats other than irregular migration.

Adding to that, two important facts are worth mentioning:

• Deportation figures have already dropped substantially under the Biden administration. For instance, in April, ICE completed fewer than 3,000 deportation proceedings. This means that each immigration agent is carrying out one arrest every two months.
• In February, ICE issued an interim operating guidance to handle deportations in the US, substantially decreasing the scenarios in which ICE agents can detain and deport undocumented immigrants without prior authorization.

Follow the advice of professionals during your immigration journey!

We understand that starting an immigration process requires constant dedication and expert help. Our team is highly qualified to guide you through your immigration journey in the US, so 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.