By REBECCA SANTANA
WASHINGTON (AP) — Immigration law enforcement officers will now have the authority to make arrests at sensitive locations such as schools and churches following the Trump administration’s decision to eliminate restrictions on where these arrests can occur.
The announcement on Tuesday overturned policies that had limited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from conducting immigration enforcement in sensitive areas for over a decade.
The Department of Homeland Security stated, “This action enables CBP and ICE agents to uphold our immigration laws and apprehend criminal aliens, including murderers and rapists, who have entered the country illegally. Criminals will no longer be able to seek refuge in schools and churches to evade arrest.”
The ICE guidance was established in 2011, while Customs and Border Protection issued similar guidance in 2013.
President Trump has prioritized cracking down on immigration, as he did during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021. His recent executive actions include cutting off access to an app that facilitated migrant entry, suspending the refugee system, and enhancing collaboration between ICE and local governments.
Advocates have raised concerns about the potential negative impact of deportations at sensitive locations, such as deterring migrants from accessing medical care or sending their children to school.
The Center for Law and Social Policy expressed, “This action could have devastating consequences for immigrant families and their children, including U.S. citizen children, deterring them from receiving medical attention, seeking out disaster relief, attending school, and carrying out everyday activities.”
Published: January 21, 2025 at 3:50 PM MST
