The Incoming Trump Administration Plans to Rescind Policy Preventing ICE Agents from Arresting Undocumented People at Sensitive Locations
The incoming Trump administration intends to rescind a long-standing policy that prohibits Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from arresting undocumented people at or near sensitive locations, such as houses of worship, schools, hospitals, and public events, without approval from supervisors. The move is part of Trump’s plan to carry out what he has described as the “largest deportation operation in American history.”
The policy, which has been in place since 2011, was implemented to allow undocumented people to operate freely in certain public areas without fear of being arrested. It requires agents to get approval from supervisors to make arrests in sensitive locations, unless there are national security or terror concerns, or a felon considered dangerous is present.
However, some are concerned that the change will lead to increased arrests at sensitive locations, such as hospitals, schools, and houses of worship, without proper oversight. “We don’t want people with contagious diseases too scared to go to the hospital or children going uneducated because of poorly considered deportation policies,” said Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.
Some church leaders are already worried about the impact of a policy change, with some churches providing sanctuary space to migrants. “A lot of churches, faith communities are very concerned that there could be backlash,” said a deacon at a church in Arizona that has served as a sanctuary space for migrants in the past.
The policy change could also have significant implications for the hundreds of people who have sought deportation protection by living at sensitive locations such as churches. In 2019, there were at least 46 people staying in churches across 15 states, according to Church World Service, a faith-based organization that tracked the number of sanctuary seekers in America.