ICE Cancels Operations Targeting Illegal Immigrants with Sex Crime Cases

By Mary Anne R. First Posted: Feb 10, 2021 10:39 PM EST

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has canceled its operations focusing on illegal immigrants with convictions for sex crimes, according to ICE head Thomas Homan.

"On Wednesday, February 3rd, another email went out to the field shutting down the national Operation Talon, that sought to arrest at-large illegal aliens with sex crime convictions to include child molestation," Homan was quoted on a Fox News report.

An ICE official said that the Biden administration has nothing to do with the agency's decision. However, it was possible staffers set aside while waiting new instructions from the administration.

Homan said that thousands of investigative hours go into planning for these operations from identifying targets, to locating them, as well as to ensuring that there is right coordination with other law enforcement entities.

An ICE spokesperson said that it was not able to confirm or discuss future operations until they are complete.

However, ICE's new operational plans are not yet final. Interim instructions were already sent to senior officials point to a major shift in enforcement. Agents will now focus instead on national security threats, recent border crossers, and people completing prison and jail terms for aggravated felony convictions, according to a Washington Post report.

"Generally, these convictions would not include drug based crimes (less serious offenses), simple assault, DUI, money laundering, property crimes, fraud, tax crimes, solicitation, or charges without convictions," acting director Tae Johnson was quoted on a report.

Biden Administration's Immigration Approach

Biden announced on Thursday that his administration will increase the number of admissions of refugees into the US., marking the latest shift in the immigration policy in his administration.

Biden said in a speech as the State Department that he is approving an executive order to start the hard work of restoring their refugee admissions program to help meet the unprecedented global need.

"It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged but that's precisely what we're going to do," Biden was quoted in another Fox News report.

The president said he will up the number of refugees in the U.S. brings in each year from 15,000 to 125,000. The said number would be higher than what was recorded during President Barack Obama, which was by 15,000. Biden said the aim is to raise it for the first full fiscal year, starting October.

Meanwhile, ICE officials say the proposed changes will take away agents' discretion and severely constrain their ability to arrest and deport criminals.

A draft memo circulating in the agency stated that agents seeking to arrest fugitives outside of jails and prisons will need prior approval from the agency's director in Washington to justify the decision. The agents would also need to explain how the enforcement action shows a proper allocation of limited resources.

One distraught official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that they have abolished ICE without abolishing the agency.

The official added that the pendulum swing is extreme and it feels like they have gone from the ability to fully enforce the immigration laws to now being told to enforce nothing.