Politics

New DHS Immigration Memos Explained

New DHS Immigration Memos ExplainedJay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), and Miles Terry of ACLJ released an explanation of Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) memos outlining the Trump Administration’s plan to enforce current immigration laws.

Miles Terry of ACLJ explained:

Earlier today the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released two new memos outlining the Trump Administration’s plan to aggressively enforce the current immigration laws of the country, which will likely result in a massive expansion of the number of illegal immigrants detained and deported.

These memos clearly bolster and aggressively reinforce the Administration’s ability, currently allowed under the law, to confront the issue of illegal immigration, as the country awaits rulings by numerous federal courts on the President’s last three Executive Orders released in January on this issue.  Separately, the White House is still preparing to reissue an Executive Order in the coming days that would replace the one on travel and refugees currently being challenged in the courts.

Both guidance memos released by DHS were signed by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

One memo was focused on the issue of implementing current immigration policy mandated by law and the other on the matter of enforcement.

The memos clearly reaffirm the Administration’s commitment to the current immigration laws on the books by:

  • Strengthening current programs designed to facilitate the efficient and faithful execution of the immigration laws of the United States

  • Establishing the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office

  • Ensuring that the Department’s privacy policies are all aligned with the current law

  • Allocating a major increase in resources to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection required to immediately begin building a wall along the southern border

  • Hiring of 10,000 new ICE and Immigration Officers and 5,000 new border patrol agents

  • Ending the former practice of “catch and release”

  • Expanding the government’s immigration enforcement operations currently allowed under law by instructing agencies to implement unused parts of existing laws and regulations to achieve the Administration’s goals

  • Clarifying the proper standards that should be observed by all government and law enforcement officials charged with the processing of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

  • Expanding the number of individuals who can be deported using the current “expedited removal” procedures.

    • This would likely include all individuals in the country illegally and charged with a criminal act, charged with government welfare fraud, or unable to prove that they have been living in the country continuously for two years.

  • Commissioning a new study focused on Border Security

  • Encouraging new engagement with Mexico on the issue of illegal immigration

  • Expanding the role of local law enforcement to serve patrol and immigration functions on border when necessary and where applicable

  • Reviewing the current Parole Process

  • Reporting publicly new apprehension and deporting data as it becomes available.

The memos stated that they would not affect the current Deferred Action of Child Arrivals (DACA) policy and program originally initiated in 2012 by the Obama Administration.

More at American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

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CLC

Fmr. Sgt, USAF Intelligence, NSA/DOD; Studied Cryptology at Community College of the Air Force

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