No Exceptions Under New Immigration Policies

US Checkpoint Sign” by Jonathan McIntosh licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: The New York Times

On February 21st, the Department of Homeland Security released memos announcing that the U.S. government’s new immigration policies “no longer will exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement”. This is a stark contrast to the guidelines that were issued under the Obama administration, which placed highest priority on illegal immigrants in gangs and those who committed serious crimes.

The new rigid immigration policies will allow immigration agents to remove and deport anyone charged with or convicted of any crime, including minor infringements, and even unauthorized immigrants who have no criminal record.

In addition to putting more people at risk for deportation, the Trump administration will enforce expedited removal of unauthorized immigrants, although since 2002 it was only applicable towards immigrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two weeks and were caught within 100 miles of the Mexican border.

Read full story at: The New York Times

Justice & Poverty, News
Justice & Poverty, News