The US federal government is planning a series of raids beginning next month to round up and deport hundreds of unauthorized immigrant families, hoping to discourage a renewed surge in illegal border crossings, but risking a firestorm in an election year when immigration is again a dominant topic.
The raids in communities across the country is to begin almost two years after nearly 100,000 families and tens of thousands of unaccompanied children started illegally crossing the southern border with Mexico, mostly from Central America.
That surge overwhelmed detention facilities, sending most families into US cities with little more than a court summons. Many failed to appear in court on the appointed days and were ordered deported.
Photo: Reuters
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are to fan out across the country to enforce hundreds of those orders, according to immigration officials who refused to be identified because they were not allowed to openly discuss an enforcement program that has yet to begin.
When they find the families, agents will detain and immediately deport them, officials said.
Plans for the raids were first reported by the Washington Post.
“Our border is not open to illegal immigration, and if individuals come here illegally, do not qualify for asylum or other relief, and have final orders of removal, they will be sent back consistent with our laws and our values,” ICE press secretary Gillian Christensen said.
The raids come at a sensitive time for US President Barack Obama and the Democratic front-runner to succeed him, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
A record pace for deportations last year earned Obama the disparaging nickname “deporter in chief” among pro-immigrant activists whose criticism helped inspire executive orders to pull back on deportations and offer temporary legal status to hundreds of thousands of unauthorized workers.
However, those orders have been blocked in court, as Republican presidential candidates gain traction on pledges to get tough on such immigrants. Clinton has largely sided with the pro-immigration community, but the new sweeps could test her resolve.
“To even contemplate this kind of aggressive roundup is to double down on a failed policy,” said Gregory Chen, director of advocacy for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “These are Central American families who are seeking asylum and should be given humanitarian protection rather than being treated as illegal border crossers.”
The raids are intended to stem a renewed surge in families and children crossing the border. Alarm bells sounded last month after a sharp increase in the number of youths with and without parents who were being apprehended by the border authorities, mainly in South Texas.
A total of 5,622 unaccompanied youths were stopped at the border with Mexico, more than double the number seen in November last year. The surge is particularly worrisome since illegal crossings typically decline during the fall and winter.
Families and young people are coming mostly from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Underlying factors include a surge in gang-related violence in El Salvador and Honduras, a deteriorating economy in Guatemala and a regionwide drought.
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
SELF-DETERMINATION: German lawmakers add earth to an art installation in front of the Reichstag to show that the face of a nation lies with its people, Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan’s future should be decided by Taiwanese, German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group chairman Till Steffen said yesterday, while giving former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) a tour of the German parliament building. Tsai arrived in Berlin on Sunday and the following day delivered a keynote speech at the Berlin Freedom Conference titled “Threats facing democracies: Taiwan’s experience defending freedom.” Tsai yesterday attended a tea gathering at the Bundestag, joined by former friendship group chairman of 15 years Klaus-Peter Willsch, German defense affairs specialist Roderich Kiesewetter and Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth Parliamentary State Secretary Michael Brand. Noting that the
BOOST IN CONFIDENCE: The sale sends a clear message of support for Taiwan and dispels rumors that US President Donald Trump ‘sold out’ the nation, an expert said The US government on Thursday announced a possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet parts, which was estimated to cost about US$330 million, in a move that an expert said “sends a clear message of support for Taiwan” amid fears that Washington might be wavering in its attitude toward Taipei. It was the first announcement of an arms sale to Taiwan since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House earlier this year. The proposed package includes non-standard components, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, as well repair and return support for the F-16, C-130 and Indigenous Defense Fighter aircraft,
RSS