Federal immigration authorities will be permitted to target schools and churches after President Donald Trump revoked a directive barring arrests in “sensitive” areas.
The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday it would roll back the policy to “thwart law enforcement in or near so-called sensitive areas.”
First enacted in 2011, the directive prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol officers from arresting suspected undocumented immigrants in a variety of locations.
Schools and houses of worship were deemed off-limits, as were hospitals, funerals, weddings and public demonstrations.
In a statement touting the move Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said law enforcement would use “common sense” in making arrests.
“This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murders and rapists — who have illegally come into our country,” the spokesperson said.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the statement continued. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
ICE can also now conduct immigration raids near courthouses, according to a memo obtained Wednesday by ABC News.
The guidance is sharply different from the prior administration, which did not allow ICE to conduct enforcement operations at or near courthouses.
“ICE officers or agents may conduct civil immigration enforcement actions in or near courthouses when they have credible information that leads them to believe the targeted alien(s) is or will be present at a specific location, and where such action is not precluded by laws imposed by the jurisdiction in which the enforcement action will take place,” the memo sent to ICE employees said.
The memo also said ICE should go after those who are in court for criminal proceedings and not civil matters, like in family court or small claims court.
“Additionally, civil immigration enforcement actions in or near courthouses should, to the extent practicable, continue to take place in non-public areas of the courthouse, be conducted in collaboration with court security staff, and utilize the court building’s non-public entrances and exits. When practicable, ICE officers and agents will conduct civil immigration enforcement actions against targeted aliens discreetly to minimize their impact on court proceedings,” the memo said. “ICE officers and agents should generally avoid enforcement actions in or near court-houses, or areas within courthouses, that are wholly dedicated to non-criminal proceedings (e.g., family court, small claims court).”
ICE will also change their terminology at Trump’s direction, according to another internal memo obtained by ABC News.
From now on, those they are arresting will be referred to as “alien,” as opposed to “noncitizen,” and those in the country illegally will be referred to as “illegal alien,” the memo said.
“ICE employees are directed to use the lexicon consistent with the immigration and nationality act and the language historically used by the agency,” the memo said.
Former President Joe Biden’s administration changed the language in 2021 when former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued terminology guidance.
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