ICE will halt immigration enforcement amid coronavirus outbreak, shifting its focus to illegal migrants who pose a ‘public safety threat’
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced it will hold off on most of its arrests due to coronavirus fears
- The agency will focus more heavily on apprehending those who may be a public safety risk or who have committed serious criminal acts
- ICE said the policy change was designed to ‘ensure the welfare and safety of the general public as well as officers and agents’
- ICE has nearly 38,000 illegal immigrants under detention throughout the U.S.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on Wednesday it will delay the majority of its arrests of illegal immigrants as a result of the corona pandemic.
The agency says it will focus its attention and resources on capturing those who may be a public safety risk or who have committed serious criminal acts.
According to a statement from the agency, it has adopted the temporary policy to ‘ensure the welfare and safety of the general public as well as officers and agents.’
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have decided to delay the arrest of most illegal immigrants unless they ‘pose public safety threat’
ICE said they wouldn’t arrest anyone near a hospital or medical facility unless they commit a serious crime.
ICE has nearly 38,000 illegal immigrants under detention but the the American Civil Liberties Union demanded Washington state to release sick and elderly detainees
Around the United States, ICE has close to 38,000 illegal immigrants under detention.
The agency also said it wouldn’t arrest anyone near hospitals or health clinics “except in the most extraordinary of circumstances.”
ICE decided to change its policy after immigrant rights activists began complaining when the agency wouldn’t slow down its enforcement efforts. The criticism came after public officials reportedly called for ICE to increase social distancing.
‘For those individuals who do not fall into those categories, [ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations] will exercise discretion to delay enforcement actions until after the crisis or utilize alternatives to detention, as appropriate.’
Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin will refuse to accept new ICE detainees into its jail, citing the risk of coronavirus infection.
According to the Los Angeles Times, ‘More than 45 organizations signed a letter this week calling on the Department of Homeland Security to suspend such actions.’
To keep from spreading coronavirus, police departments around the country decided to adopt similar policies.
Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn have all de-emphasized low-level crimes and have given their officers the discretion not to arrest suspects.
Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union demanded Washington state to release sick and elderly detainees.
The announcement of an ICE slowdown comes as another federal agency is dealing with a potential coronavirus crisis.
Close to 500 Homeland Security employees have been quarantined due to potential coronavirus infection. That includes at least 13 who are confirmed to have the virus.