‘Prompt removal’: Trump DHS expands expedited deportation powers as operations ramp up

The Trump administration has taken significant steps to expand its powers in deporting illegal immigrants quickly, as part of its commitment to carrying out a mass deportation operation. One of the recent moves made by the administration is the removal of limits on expedited removal powers that were put in place during the Biden administration in March 2022.

Expedited removal allows for the swift deportation of illegal immigrants who do not meet the criteria for asylum or have not requested asylum. The new memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security removes the 2022 limits, allowing immigration officers to remove individuals who cannot prove they have been living in the U.S. for at least two years.

The notice signed by acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman states that immigration officers can now apply expedited removal to aliens apprehended anywhere in the United States for up to two years after their arrival, as long as they arrived by sea and meet the conditions for expedited removal. This new authority aims to address the large number of unlawfully present aliens in the country and ensure the prompt removal of those who are not entitled to stay.

In addition to the expansion of expedited removal powers, the Trump administration also rescinded a Biden-era memo that limited the places where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers could arrest illegal immigrants. Another memo ordered a review of the use of humanitarian parole to admit migrants.

These actions follow a series of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump, declaring a national emergency at the border, halting refugee resettlement, ordering a removal process without asylum, reconstructing the border wall, and deploying the military to the border. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, confirmed that a mass deportation operation is already underway, with ICE teams actively targeting public safety threats.

It is evident that the Trump administration is ramping up its efforts to enforce immigration laws and secure the border. These rapid-fire moves signify a shift towards a stricter immigration policy and a crackdown on illegal immigration. The administration’s actions have sparked debates and discussions surrounding immigration policies and border security in the United States.