Trump Administration Allows ICE and CBP to Arrest Criminal Aliens in Sensitive Locations

Jan 21, 2025, 10:42 PM

The Trump administration has rescinded policies that previously limited immigration enforcement actions in sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals. This change allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to conduct arrests in these areas, marking a shift from longstanding guidelines established in 2011 and 2013. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that this move is intended to empower law enforcement to apprehend criminal aliens, including those accused of serious crimes, who have entered the U.S. illegally. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman announced the end of two directives, one of which eliminates a legal pathway for migrants seeking to enter the United States, and the other phases out humanitarian parole programs that allowed certain migrants to live and work temporarily in the country. The administration aims to enforce immigration laws more rigorously and prevent criminals from using sensitive locations as sanctuaries to evade arrest.