Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers nationwide were told this weekend to stop arresting undocumented immigrants who have no criminal convictions or pending charges, according to agency sources who spoke with The Daily Wire. The directive marks a significant pullback from the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign and has left some agents frustrated and searching for answers.
Under the new guidance, federal immigration agents may only arrest illegal immigrants who have criminal convictions or are facing criminal charges. Those who have final deportation orders but no criminal record will not be taken into custody, the sources said. The change also eliminates so-called “collateral arrests,” meaning officers who locate a criminal target alongside other undocumented immigrants may detain only the target.
Officers Point to Election-Year Motives
Several ICE officers voiced frustration over the abrupt shift, with one suggesting it may be an attempt to win public favor ahead of the midterm elections.
“We believe it has something to do with the midterms coming up,” one source told The Daily Wire. “They’re trying to calm things down before the elections.”
Another source predicted the directive would produce a visible drop in enforcement numbers. “We’ll see the arrest numbers go down,” the source said.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The timing of the change follows a recent Fox News poll showing that 53% of registered voters believe the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement has gone too far. President Donald Trump’s approval rating on immigration stands at 43%, down from a high of 48% last summer, according to Fox News.
The policy shift comes on the heels of a shooting in Austin last weekend, where an ICE officer shot a Venezuelan illegal migrant. The officer, reportedly a recent ICE hire who previously worked for Border Patrol, had been issued a body camera but was not wearing it at the time of the shooting, according to the sources.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis initially said the shooting occurred after a “small foot pursuit,” NBC News reported. Following the incident, ICE officers across the country received a notice reminding them that body cameras must be worn during arrests, the sources said.
Leadership Questions and Past Precedent
Within DHS, Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reportedly struggling to establish his footing after the White House withdrew the nomination of Lance Schroyer, his pick to lead ICE, according to The New York Times.
One ICE source questioned whether agency leadership had informed Trump before calling off non-criminal arrests. Similar questions arose in July, when Mullin briefly halted ICE traffic stops following two fatal shootings by ICE officers in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston.
Trump quickly restored traffic stops after publicly opposing the pause.
“I hope Trump finds out about this sh*t and puts an end to it,” the source said.
The directive represents a notable departure from the administration’s previous posture, which had encouraged aggressive enforcement and broadly defined arrest targets. Whether the pause holds or is reversed remains uncertain, but for now, ICE officers on the ground have been told to narrow their focus to immigrants with criminal records — a change that some within the agency see as a temporary political calculation rather than a lasting policy shift.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-ice-officers-told-to-stop-arresting-non-criminals