Rabat – Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have revealed details regarding US President, Donald Trump’s, intentions for his immigration policies, according to a report from CNN.
Officials from the DHS revealed detailson Tuesday, from so-called “guidance memos” regarding changes Trump intends to make to existing American immigration policies. The memos being referred to were signed by Homeland Security Secretary, John Kelly.
Two executive orders are in the offing. One will pertain to border security and purportedly involve the construction of a border fence along the US border with Mexico. The second order will refer to interior enforcement policy and procedural changes.
The guidance memos released by the DHS predict a massive increase in resources being allocated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, building that wall, now downgraded to a fence, at the Mexican border and a hard-line approach to undocumented immigrants.
The memos give a strong indication that the number of people at risk of being deported will be vastly increased. To achieve this, the Trump administration will authorize a broader use of the existing “expedited removal” procedures, greatly reducing the need for court proceedings.
According to the same source, under the changes about to be imposed, if someone cannot prove they have lived in the US for two continuous years, they could be eligible for “expedited removal.” This provision has historically been reserved only for people apprehended within 100 miles of the border, or those who had arrived only 1-2 weeks previous to their apprehension.
Changes are also being predicted to the “catch and release” program, with the intent of eventually bringing an end to it altogether. Currently, undocumented immigrants can be caught, then released pending their court appearance. These appearances sometimes don’t take place until years after the immigrant’s apprehension. The guidance memos released by the DHS clearly point to this policy as a Trump target.
