A Year of Terror from ICE, Trump's Anti-Immigrant Enforcement Agency - EL PAÍS
Key Takeaways
- El País reports that during Donald Trump’s first year in office, ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) rapidly expanded interior enforcement, intensifying fear in immigrant communities.
- 2017 DHS directives broadened enforcement priorities beyond serious criminals, driving more arrests of people with civil immigration violations and no convictions.
- Tactics included greater use of detainers, courthouse arrests, and partnerships with local police under 287(g) agreements, according to the report.
- For immigrants today, enforcement priorities can change quickly; understanding current policy, court backlogs, and rights during encounters with ICE remains critical.
Background and policy shifts
El País describes “a year of terror” as ICE became the sharp edge of Trump’s immigration agenda. The shift began with early 2017 executive orders and DHS guidance that removed most categorical protections and made virtually any undocumented person a priority for arrest. Under those directives, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) allegedly increased interior arrests and issued more detainers—requests that local jails hold people for ICE pick-up—while expanding 287(g) agreements that deputize local officers to perform certain immigration functions. Although ICE’s “sensitive locations” guidance (covering places like schools and churches) remained on paper, courthouses were not deemed sensitive, opening the door to higher-profile arrests in and around court settings.
Enforcement on the ground
It has been reported that the practical consequences were swift: more at-large operations, workplace sweeps, and arrests of people without criminal convictions, alongside continued removals of individuals with criminal records. Community advocates cited chilled access to courts and services as immigrants—especially those in mixed‑status families—avoided hospitals, schools, and civil hearings for fear of apprehension. At the same time, immigration courts run by EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review) absorbed a surge of Notices to Appear (NTAs), adding to a backlog that stretched cases out for months or years, while ICE detention capacity grew to meet demand.
What this means for immigrants and practitioners now
While enforcement priorities have shifted again under subsequent guidance, the El País account underscores how quickly policy can reset the risk calculus for noncitizens. For people in the process today—whether applying through USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services), seeking asylum, or managing an old removal order—the lesson is to stay current on ICE priorities in your area, understand how detainers and 287(g) partnerships work locally, and know your rights in any encounter. Lawyers should anticipate renewed policy swings in an election cycle and monitor prosecutorial discretion practices, which can affect arrests, detention, and case closure options. Above all, keep records updated with USCIS, attend all hearings, and seek qualified legal counsel before interacting with law enforcement.
Source: Original Article