The reported change comes as public support for large-scale ICE raids declines and lawsuits challenge recent enforcement tactics.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Department of Homeland Security is adjusting its immigration enforcement strategy to focus more narrowly on arresting illegal immigrants with serious criminal convictions, moving away from broad, high-visibility raids, according to a new report.
Teams operating under U.S. Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino will increasingly target illegal immigrants who have been convicted of serious offenses, rather than conducting large-scale sweeps aimed at wide populations, NewsNation reported. The shift is expected to reduce the emphasis on mass raids at locations such as Home Depot stores and similar public gathering places.
Under the revised approach, federal agents are expected to prioritize specific investigative targets instead of conducting generalized operations. While traffic-stop enforcement will continue, Border Patrol agents are reportedly less likely to detain individuals simply by approaching people in public spaces, according to the outlet.
The report said prior enforcement actions had drawn criticism for allegedly targeting illegal immigrants based on characteristics such as ethnicity, accent, language, or presence in certain locations, including retail parking lots and car washes. The revised strategy is intended to narrow enforcement activity to individuals with documented criminal histories.
The reported change comes amid declining public support for President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies. A survey released earlier this week by the Public Religion Research Institute found that approval of Trump’s handling of immigration dropped from 42 percent in March to 33 percent. A separate YouGov poll conducted last month found that a majority of Americans oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations tied to the administration’s immigration crackdown.
Concerns about enforcement have also been reflected among immigrant communities. In a survey conducted last month by health policy research group KFF in partnership with The New York Times, roughly half of immigrant respondents said they and their family members feel less safe with Trump as president.
Despite the reported shift in tactics, immigration enforcement activity has continued in multiple cities this year, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte. Those operations have prompted protests and legal challenges, with critics alleging that some raids exceeded constitutional boundaries.
Not all enforcement efforts are expected to scale back. A new operation in New Orleans, known as “Catahoula Crunch,” is continuing despite the tactical adjustments. According to NewsNation, agents involved in the operation have already arrested more than 250 individuals, and DHS aims to reach a total of 5,000 arrests.
The reported strategy change reflects an effort by federal authorities to recalibrate immigration enforcement as political pressure mounts and legal scrutiny of large-scale raids intensifies.
Original article
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