As reported by AP News, a January 25th Draft Memorandum outlines government options to deputize troops in order to carry out the administration’s planned Immigration enforcement actions. AP News reports that White House spokesman Sean Spicer denies plans to use the National Guard for Immigration enforcement and a DHS official noted that the memo was only a draft and deployment has not been seriously considered.
In response to criticism against the Trump Administration’s recent raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Immigrant communities, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly defended the actions and issued a statement on February 13th, indicating that the raids which have lead to the arrest of 700 Immigrants are “targeted enforcement operations” aimed at criminals and individuals who violated immigration laws.
According to POLITICO, top ICE officials then met with a bipartisan group of congress members on February 16th and indicated that more similar type raids, arrest and removals of “unauthorized” Immigrants should be expected throughout the year. Concerns were further heightened last week, as a 23 year old DREAMER, Daniel Ramirez Medina, protected under the DACA program (with no criminal record) who was brought to the U.S. at age 7, was arrested and detained.
And while Immigration attorneys are fighting ICE on his behalf, this may be a foreshadowing of a very troubling policy shift emerging from the Whitehouse, to make good on Trump’s campaign promises, even if it means deporting innocent Immigrants like Daniel.
The big question which looms large in the minds of many Immigrants’ rights advocates, is what now constitutes a “crime” and a “criminal” and has the definition been expanded by the new Trump administration to include any individual in the U.S. who does not currently have lawful immigration status? If this is the case, then simply being in the U.S. without legal status would be a crime, making millions of Immigrants subject to arrest and removal. Does this really mean that Trump is quietly beginning to implement a policy he promised during his campaign of the mass deportation of millions of Immigrants? It’s hard to imagine, but almost nothing is too crazy now, given recently events.
In response, many Immigrants rights organizations like Americasvoice.org are gearing up to provide resources to Immigrants, including publishing a “Raid Watch” and urging those who see Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in a community use the hashtag #ExposeICE.
You can read more about these new enforcement measures by visiting our website at: www.Immigratetoday.com and clicking on the Immigration Newsletter link.
