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.

Amicus Brief Argues that Exclusionary Rule in Criminal Proceedings Should Apply to Evidence Related to Identity in Prosecutions for Illegal Reentry

In the amicus brief filed with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Council argues that the exclusionary rule in criminal proceedings should apply to evidence related to identity, because it is an essential deterrent to ICE’s widespread racially discriminatory enforcement practices.

Government Must Release Names of Border Patrol Agents Involved in Illegal Pilot Program, Court Orders

In a victory for government transparency, earlier this month a federal district court ordered the government to release the names of the Border Patrol agents involved in a program to screen asylum seekers through credible fear interviews. Beginning in April 2019, the secretive pilot program replaced experienced asylum officers with Border Patrol agents. Border Patrol—a […]

DHS Watchdog Recommends Immediate Action to Address Horrific Conditions in ICE Detention

In an unprecedented move, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’) watchdog agency—the Office of the Inspector General (OIG)—just recommended that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) relocate all noncitizens currently held in its Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico. According to OIG, its unannounced inspection in early February revealed critical staffing shortages, poor […]

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Issues Annual Report—What Does It Really Mean?

Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released its fiscal year 2021 annual report. In it, the agency reported a significant decrease in both overall deportations and internal apprehensions from fiscal year 2020 and prior years. While related media coverage has largely attributed these changing trends to policy decisions made by the Biden administration, much […]

Dueling Court Orders May Decide Fate of President Biden’s Title 42 Expulsions

In just under two years, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has carried out over 1.5 million rapid “expulsions” of asylum seekers and migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border under Title 42, a controversial public health law invoked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least 200,000 parents and children have been expelled, […]

New Border Surveillance Technology Raises Privacy Concerns and Could Increase Deaths

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that it has been developing and testing robot dogs for use by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) at the U.S.-Mexico border. The robots are just one of several types of new surveillance technology CBP has implemented or tested. This technology raises privacy concerns for citizens and […]

Settlement Thwarts ICE’s Ability to Conduct Warrantless Sweeps

A federal court in Illinois recently approved a settlement agreement governing unlawful, warrantless arrests and vehicle stops. The settlement requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to adopt new policies related to warrantless arrests, re-train its officers, and release people from detention if ICE violates the settlement. The case, Castanon Nava v. ICE, was filed […]