Washington, July 16 – The Trump administration has taken a firm stance on deporting millions of undocumented immigrants residing in the United States. In a move that marks a significant shift in immigration enforcement, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has implemented a stringent new policy under which undocumented immigrants will be deemed ineligible for bond hearings. As a result, such individuals may be held in detention for months or even years while their immigration cases are processed.
As per agency report, legal experts believe the underlying objective of this policy is to expedite deportation efforts. The policy was revealed by ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons on July 8, who stated that the Department of Homeland Security has re-evaluated the legal framework concerning detention and release. It has now been decided that immigrants who enter the country illegally will be detained for the full duration of their removal proceedings.
Previously, undocumented immigrants generally had the right to request bond hearings before an immigration judge. With the new policy in place, legal advocates argue that detainees will find it increasingly difficult to present their cases effectively. The new rules are expected to impact even those immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for decades and whose children may be American citizens.
According to The Washington Post, ICE has received billions of dollars in funding to support the expanded detention framework. Federal officials have projected that this budget will allow the number of beds in ICE detention centers to increase from 80,000 to nearly 100,000 over the next four years.
An ICE spokesperson told The Independent newspaper that the policy aims to address a legal loophole that previously compromised U.S. security. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that President Trump and Secretary Noem are enforcing this policy to keep America safe. She asserted that despite public sympathy for undocumented immigrants, the administration would not allow lawbreakers to remain free on American streets.
Prominent Dallas-based immigration lawyer Paul Hunker expressed concern, stating that the new rules could result in immigrants being held indefinitely until they are deported. Legal advocates warn that denying access to bond hearings further hampers the ability of detainees to fight their cases in court and could lead to significant human rights implications.
