By Kevin Deutsch
[email protected]
The Biden administration issued new instructions to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers Thursday limiting their ability to deport people, following four years of hardline enforcement under Donald Trump.
The temporary enforcement guidelines, which officials said will be in effect for three months while fixed guidelines are crafted, allow for the deportation of people deemed a national security threat as a result of suspected espionage or terrorism, as well as people who lawlessly crossed the U.S. border after Nov. 1, 2020.
Officials said there will also be more oversight of ICE officers, and a more rigorous approval process for officers seeking to deport.
“By focusing our limited resources on cases that present threats to national security, border security, and public safety, our agency will more ably and effectively execute its law enforcement mission,” ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson said in a written statement.
“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.”