ICE has made the policy official
(Newsweek) Immigration agents are being told it is official U.S. government policy to capture and detain undocumented immigrants in federal, state and local courthouses.
The new guidelines were reportedly formalized Wednesday. The policy, however, runs counter to concerns raised by civil rights groups; California’s Supreme Court chief justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye; and so-called sanctuary cities, where local authorities do not, as a rule, turn over illegal immigrants to federal officials.
“Courthouse arrests are often necessitated by the unwillingness of jurisdictions to cooperate with ICE in the transfer of custody of aliens from their prisons and jails,†wrote U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Thomas Homan in the directive, dated January 10, arguing for its necessity.
Homan points out that illegals tend to be a bit easier to arrest, since they will have been screened for weapons.
The new directive tells agents to specifically go after those with criminal pasts, including gang members and those with criminal convictions as well as those who have been ordered to leave the U.S. and people who have re-entered illegally after being deported.
It also tells agents not to arrest family members or friends accompanying the undocumented person they’re targeting, or other undocumented immigrants who are appearing as a witness in a case. Making arrests in family or small claims courts is also out of bounds, the directive said.
This won’t satisfy the people who support illegal aliens, who clearly also support the criminals, as they caterwaul about detaining them in a manner that makes it safe for law enforcement.
