ICE Forced to Rein In Two Controversial Tactics Within 24 Hours

Within the past 24 hours, federal immigration agents were told to change two of their tactics for targeting alleged illegal immigrants in recent days, with a judge seeking to end detentions outside immigration court and ICE’s executive associate director issuing a policy memo altering traffic stops.

The changes could have a major effect on how agents target those in the U.S. without legal status, but who do not necessarily have criminal records, with ICE having heavily targeted immigration courts where immigrants are facing hearings on their cases, leading to a steep rise in detentions.

The agency, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has also come under scrutiny for its use of vehicle stops and high-speed chases, with some incidents leading to injuries. {snip}

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On Thursday, a federal judge in New York ruled that ICE could not continue to detain people at immigration court anywhere in the country.

Judge P. Kevin Castel, an appointee of George W. Bush, ruled in New York Thursday that a Trump administration-era policy of arresting immigrants at their court hearings was “arbitrary and capricious.”

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A policy memo seen by The Associated Press Thursday showed agents had been told Wednesday to stop high-speed chases and only engage in vehicle stops once they have completed specific training.

The memo, signed by ICE executive associate director Marcos D. Charles, includes steps meant to improve the safety of vehicle stops for ICE agents, as well as the drivers they are targeting, and others in the cars or nearby.

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