Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers deported a record low number of people from the United States in April.
ICE expelled a total of 2,962 immigrants in April, a 20% decline from March, when authorities sent away 3,716 people. The data marks the first time on record that the agency deported fewer than 3,000 individuals, according to statistics obtained by the Washington Examiner.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has concentrated its limited law enforcement resources on threats to national security, border security, and public safety,” the agency said in a statement. “This has allowed ICE to focus on the quality of enforcement actions and how they further the security and safety of our communities rather than the simple quantity of arrests and removals.”
The drop in enforcement follows February rule changes from top leadership within ICE, which mandated the agency divert its attention from immigrants who committed less serious crimes and instead focus on those who are national security, border security, or public safety threats. Law enforcement choosing to pursue immigrants who are not considered an imminent issue have been required to seek approval from a supervisor, contrary to policy during former President Donald Trump’s administration when agents didn’t need to.
ICE TO CUT ARRESTS OF VIOLENT CRIMINAL ALIENS 50%
“Like every law enforcement agency at the local, state, and federal level, we must prioritize our efforts to achieve the greatest security and safety impact,” acting ICE Director Tae Johnson said in a statement at the time. “By implementing a system for obtaining prior approval before pursuing certain cases, and through regular reporting of civil immigration enforcement actions, we will better coordinate our efforts, achieve consistency in our operations, and inform the development of the secretary’s new enforcement guidelines.”
Under the Trump administration, ICE personnel were permitted to arrest and deport immigrants with criminal histories, including those convicted of driving under the influence and other less violent offenses that may still be characterized as serious in the eyes of some.
Last week, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said the ICE rule changes will likely lead to a 50% decline in arrests and deportations of criminal illegal aliens. He estimated up to 8,000 arrested on charges of murder, rape, drug dealing, and kidnapping will go free.
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed a multitude of executive orders pertaining to immigration, including a directive to the Department of Homeland Security to review U.S. border enforcement and construct reformative policies. The administration also implemented a 100-day moratorium on deportations, though the move has been stalled by federal judges.
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Biden has faced bipartisan backlash for his handling of the crisis at the southern border as migrants continue to flood facilities at a record pace. The administration has also scrambled to muster alternative housing for a number of unaccompanied migrant children.
Well over a dozen intake facilities have sprung up throughout the U.S. since he assumed office, including many that sit miles away from the U.S.-Mexico Border.
