Enforcement

The enforcement of immigration laws is a complex and hotly-debated topic. Learn more about the costs of immigration enforcement and the ways in which the U.S. can enforce our immigration laws humanely and in a manner that ensures due process.

Despite Bipartisan Amendments, House Committee Passes Enforcement-Focused Bill

The House Appropriations Committee passed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill that provides the agency with its budget for Fiscal Year 2019, which begins October 1, 2018. The bill includes funding for record high levels of detention beds and billions for President Trump’s controversial border wall. Surprisingly, several amendments were attached that provide […]

ICE Targets ‘Sanctuary’ Jurisdictions in Worksite Investigations

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday that its agents had delivered I-9 audit notices to more than 5,200 businesses since January 2018, many of which were served in so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions around the country. These audit notices, known as notices of inspection (NOIs), tell business owners that ICE is going to examine […]

The Trump Administration Is Funneling Money From Health Programs to Fund Its Family Separation Policy

The cost of the Trump administration’s family separation policy continues to skyrocket. In order to finance its self-made crisis, the administration has dipped into funds that were reserved for the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) medical research and rural health services. The financial ramifications of separating, detaining, and reuniting migrant children and their […]

Government Uses Separated Children as Leverage to Coerce Parents Into Signing for Deportation

Among the many questions presented by the separation of immigrant families at the border is whether detained parents are being coerced into signing paperwork ensuring their deportation. Without knowing whether or when they would see their children again, many parents may have unintentionally waived their right to seek asylum in a desperate attempt to speed […]

USCIS Is Redefining Who Qualifies For Asylum in This New Guidance

In its latest attack on asylum seekers, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new guidance to asylum officers that will make it much harder for victims of domestic violence and gang violence to obtain asylum. The guidance follows a strongly worded opinion known as “Matter of AB” issued by Attorney General Jeff Sessions last […]

Federal Audit Outlines Lasting Impacts of Trump’s Executive Orders on Immigration

President Trump wasted no time after assuming office in signing three executive orders which fundamentally changed the nature of immigration enforcement in the United States: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements; Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States; and Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States (commonly known […]

Trump Administration Misses the First Deadline to Reunite Children With Parents

After being order last month by a federal judge to reunite the thousands of children it had separated from their parents under the “zero tolerance” policy, the Trump administration said it would not meet the first court-mandated deadline to reunite all children under the age of  five. This admission coincided with a separate federal ruling […]

Federal Investigation Finds ICE Fails to Address Sexual Assault, Abuse in Immigrant Detention Centers

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) consistently fails to conduct adequate inspections of its detention facilities or to follow up on recommended corrections at facilities that are found not to meet agency standards. As a result, many immigrant detainees are held in conditions that threaten their health and safety, or which fail to respect their […]

Demanding Answers from ICE and CBP Regarding Their Aggressive Immigration Enforcement Tactics

The American Immigration Council filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with ICE and CBP on October 13, 2017, seeking data on enforcement actions and outcomes since January 2016. With this data, the Council will be able to assess who is being targeted for removal and what the consequences are of the current enforcement framework.