Immigration enforcement in the US

Federal agencies such as ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) or CBP (Customs and Border Protection), which are branches of DHS (Department of Homeland Security), have many duties, both at the borders of the US and within the country.

These border entities normally follow guidelines and parameters established by the country’s administration, which is responsible for shaping and focusing the tasks of these federal agencies depending on its immigration purposes and goals.

For instance, since the current administration, led by President Donald Trump, has always tried to reduce immigration, these entities have played an essential role in recent years. Therefore, through these agencies, the president and his cabinet increased surveillance at the borders and operations conducted within the US to detain undocumented immigrants and initiate deportation proceedings for them, mainly those who have a criminal record or could pose a threat to the local population.

The Trump administration’s approach to immigration is quite strict and is often classified as “arbitrary and capricious.” Currently, ICE has the power and right to create alliances or agreements with law enforcement entities in each state in order to detain undocumented immigrants in jails or correctional facilities and have access to federal records to locate foreigners who crossed the US’ borders without prior authorization.

Despite the intention of the Trump administration, each state has the power to decide whether to cooperate with border entities like ICE or not and, in fact, there are places known as “Sanctuary Cities or Jurisdictions,” that ban cooperation with ICE and other federal agencies.

Undocumented immigrants in Virginia fear getting a driver’s license

After a long battle led by immigrant rights advocates, beginning January 2, 2021, undocumented immigrants in Virginia will have the possibility to obtain a legal driver’s license, which will allow them to expand their job opportunities and help boost the economy in times of crisis.

Approximately 300,000 undocumented immigrants will be eligible to obtain a driver’s license. However, many of them are skeptical because the document will specify that it is not a valid document to obtain public benefits, vote or board a flight, which makes it clear that the holder is an undocumented immigrant.

They fear that ICE will intervene and try to access the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) database, as it has happened in other states such as North Carolina, and put their life and future in the US at risk. Immigrant rights advocates assure that no border entity will have the right to access the personal information of people who obtain the Driver Privilege Card in Virginia.

Do you need to request your legal documentation in the US? Protect your future, Contact Motion Law Immigration and follow the advice of our experienced attorneys.

Follow legal parameters correctly

It is better to follow legal guidelines when submitting an immigration application. To achieve this goal, we recommend for you to seek reliable help and follow the advice of experts on immigration matters.

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.