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US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have reportedly been instructed to stop arresting immigrants who have no criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, according to agency sources cited by The Daily Wire.
Under the reported directive, federal immigration agents may continue arresting immigrants with criminal convictions or pending charges. People with final deportation orders but no criminal convictions or pending charges would reportedly not be arrested.
The change would also end so-called “collateral arrests”, in which officers detain other people without legal status encountered while pursuing a criminal suspect, the sources said.
Reported policy change
The reported directive comes as the Trump administration faces increased scrutiny over its immigration enforcement policies and ICE operations.
Several ICE officers reportedly expressed frustration over the change. One source suggested it could be connected to the upcoming midterm elections, saying: “We believe it has something to do with the midterms coming up. They’re trying to calm things down before the elections.”
Another source predicted that “arrest numbers” would decline.
Texas shooting and body-camera reminder
The reported change came about a week after an ICE officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in Texas during an attempted traffic stop.
US media reports citing federal officials said the officer was hired by ICE last year after previously working for another federal law enforcement agency. Although he had been issued a body camera, he was not wearing it during the incident.
ICE subsequently reminded officers that they “must activate” their body cameras during enforcement activities, according to an internal notice cited by The Washington Post.
A federal judge ordered Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, from Venezuela, to appear at a Sept. 30 hearing, temporarily preventing his deportation.
An ICE source questioned whether US President Donald Trump was aware of the reported directive, saying: “I hope Trump finds out about this and puts an end to it.”
