Trump Admin. Considering Ending Policy Prohibiting ICE Arrests at Churches, Schools – JP
The incoming Trump administration is reportedly considering rescinding a long-standing policy that limits Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from making arrests at “sensitive locations” like churches, schools, and hospitals without supervisor approval. According to NBC News, a source claimed that President-elect Donald Trump plans to eliminate the policy on his first day in office to bolster ICE’s authority and expedite arrests, aligning with his commitment to execute the “largest deportation operation in American history.”
The current policy, introduced in 2011 under then-ICE Director John Morton, allows arrests in sensitive locations only under specific circumstances, such as national security threats or exigent situations. Even then, agents must seek approval from supervisors before or after the arrest. The Biden administration expanded the policy in 2021 to protect more areas, with the intent of promoting community well-being by ensuring that illegal immigrants can safely access essential services.
Critics of the potential policy reversal warn of its broader consequences. Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, argued, “Immigration enforcement has always required a balance. … Merely because it may be lawful to make an arrest at hospitals and schools doesn’t mean it’s humane or wise public policy.” He added, “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.”
Supporters of rescinding the policy believe it has been misused. A former Department of Homeland Security official stated, “I think maybe at the time, there was good reason for it. I don’t think it’s necessary anymore,” adding that removing the restrictions would make enforcement “less administratively burdensome.”
Data from Trump’s first term revealed at least 63 planned and five exigent ICE arrests at sensitive locations between 2017 and 2020. While the original policy was intended to balance enforcement with community trust, proponents of change argue that the restrictions have hindered ICE’s ability to act effectively.