US ends immigration arrests at schools, 'protected' areas
Source: Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. immigration authorities will no longer make routine arrests at schools, hospitals or a range of other protected areas, under new guidelines released Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security.
As part of a further effort to make immigration more targeted, agents and officers are being directed to consider the impact of enforcement actions on communities as well as broader societal interests, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in announcing the new guidelines.
We can accomplish our law enforcement mission without denying individuals access to needed medical care, children access to their schools, the displaced access to food and shelter, people of faith access to their places of worship, and more, Mayorkas said.
The move, part of a series of measures taken under President Joe Biden to unwind some of the harsh immigration policies of his predecessor, is likely to further alienate critics who say weaker enforcement encourages migrants to seek to enter the country illegally.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/immigration-joe-biden-arrests-alejandro-mayorkas-cc175c11da82fb3e46c4220b6e43e4c4