Trump Expands Deportation Powers to DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Amid Fast-Track Deportation of Migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti

Jan 24, 2025, 11:39 AM

The Trump administration is expanding its deportation efforts by granting federal agents across multiple agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Marshals Service, the authority to arrest illegal immigrants. This move is part of a broader strategy to increase law enforcement's role in immigration enforcement, allowing these agents to operate with the same powers as immigration officers. Additionally, the administration is implementing fast-track deportation processes for migrants who were allowed entry into the U.S. under temporary protections established by the previous Biden administration. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to expedite the deportation of these migrants, which includes individuals from countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti. Critics have raised concerns about the potential for mistakes in these expedited processes.