DHS Shifts Immigration Enforcement Focus to Serious Offenders Amid Polling Concerns
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will amend its immigration enforcement strategy to prioritize arresting illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes rather than conducting broad nationwide raids, according to NewsNation citing DHS.
Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino is set to lead targeted enforcement efforts focused on offenders with serious criminal backgrounds.
Large-scale raids, such as those previously conducted at Home Depot locations, and street-arrest operations will be deprioritized. Traffic-stop enforcement will continue, although such arrests are expected to be rare.
This policy shift comes amid negative public opinion on former President Trump’s immigration crackdown. Polling data includes a Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) showing approval falling from 42% to 33%, a YouGov poll where a majority oppose ICE operations associated with Trump, and a Kaiser Family Foundation-New York Times survey indicating many immigrants feel less safe under Trump's policies.
An ongoing operation in New Orleans, called "Catahoula Crunch," will continue under these updated tactics. More than 250 arrests have been made so far, with DHS aiming for a total of 5,000.
Previously, enforcement reportedly included targeting criteria such as ethnicity, accent, language, or location, like being present at a Home Depot or a car wash.
