President Donald Trump’s deputies have expanded the fast-track deportation authority of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to make it easier to deport illegal aliens.
The January 21 memo by acting homeland security secretary, Benjamine C. Huffman rescinded Joe Biden’s March 21, 2022, policy to curb the use of “Expedited Removal” of illegal migrants.
With Trump’s new policy, ICE officers can use the “Expedited Removal” process to deport migrants from anywhere in the country without a court hearing.
The process can be applied to migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years.
“The effect of this change will be to enhance national security and public safety — while reducing government costs — by facilitating prompt immigration determinations,” Tuesday’s memo reads.
Trump attempted to put this policy in place during his first administration, but activist lawsuits stymied implementation until a court finally approved the policy in 2020, the New York Times reported. Naturally, Biden jettisoned the rules as soon as he came to office.
It is possible activists will again challenge the rule, despite its success in court in 2020. But this time the rule sits on firmer ground having already weathered challenges in court.
Trump has moved across several fronts to implement his deportation plan.
In one case, the Department of Justice directed federal prosecutors to begin reviewing policies, practices, and laws of cities and states that claim to be “sanctuary” jurisdictions to determine where and how they might violate federal law, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The DOJ order directs prosecutors to “take all steps necessary to protect the public and secure the American border by removing illegal aliens from the country and prosecuting illegal aliens for crimes” committed in the U.S.
“Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests,” the DOJ memo adds. “The U.S. Attorney’s Offices and litigating components of the Department of Justice shall investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution.”
In other moves, the Trump administration put a halt to refugee flights as it begins to reassess who will be allowed in. Trump also declared a national emergency at the southern border and re-implemented the “Remain in Mexico” policy to force illegal aliens to wait in Mexico to be approved for entry to the U.S. The administration also is allowing the states to help in securing the border, among other orders.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston.
The post Trump Administration Expands ICE Powers to Streamline Deportations appeared first on Breitbart.
