The government of US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that it has implemented a policy to “expeditiously” deport undocumented immigrants who cannot prove that they have been in the United States for at least two years, without previously presenting them to an immigration judge.
This was communicated by the Immigration and Customs Service (ICE), which the federal agency in charge of deportations, in a statement in which it indicated that as of today it can “accelerate” the expulsion of certain immigrants without documents and with criminal records thanks to to a recently issued court order by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
“Our ability to implement this important statutory tool will allow us to further protect our communities and preserve the integrity of the immigration laws required by our nation’s Congress,” said Tony Pham, Acting Director of ICE.
Before the implementation of this new guideline, immigration authorities could only use “expedited deportation” with immigrants detained within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the border who were not able to demonstrate that they entered the country legally and that they had not been in the US for at least two weeks.
The measure targets those foreigners who are in the US “without having been admitted or on probation after inspection by an immigration agent at a port of entry” -process applied for asylum seekers- and to whom they did not arrive by sea and that they have not been physically in the country in the two years prior to their inadmissibility determination.
In addition, it will affect those who have been in the country continuously for at least 14 days, but less than two years.
According to the norm, foreigners who are placed in a process of “accelerated deportation” and who express their intention to request asylum by expressing fear of being persecuted, tortured or returning to their country, “will be interviewed by an asylum officer” who will determine if you have “a credible fear.”
Immigrants who are subject to possible expedited deportation will be able to prove that they have been in the country for more than two years with bank account documents, invoices, receipts, letters, school records, or tax payments, among others.
Regarding the application of this law, ICE explained that all its agents and attorneys “must complete the required training” on the agency’s website “before they can implement” the program.
The new measure begins less than two weeks before the presidential elections on November 3, which will put Republican Trump against Democratic candidate Joe Biden.