John Kelly, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has authorized the hiring of an extra 10,000 agents and enforcement officers by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The DHS move is delivering on a promise made by President Donald Trump during his election campaign to increase immigration enforcement, especially on the removal of criminal immigrants from within the US.
According to a DHS memo, the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been ordered by the Secretary to start the hiring of 10,000 agents to enforce immigration laws inside the US. Kelly has also given authorization for the agency to begin hiring extra mission support, legal, and operational staff.
Kelly says that the memo begins the implementation of the executive order issued on 25 January by President Trump. Earlier this month, agents and enforcement officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out a targeted roundup of criminal immigrants across the US in metropolitan areas, with a total of more than 600 taken into custody across as many as 11 states. The raids were roundly criticized by the media and immigrant advocates, who claimed they were creating an atmosphere of fear within immigrant communities.
Such targeted enforcement operations are routine for ICE enforcement officers, but the addition of another 10,000 officers and agents is likely to increase the capability of the Department of Homeland Security regarding the enforcement of immigration laws in the US.