President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to focus on immigrants with criminal backgrounds as he initiates a large-scale deportation effort to remove millions of individuals from the country. In reality, the actual number of undocumented immigrants with criminal records other than immigration violations is in the hundreds of thousands, not millions. These individuals pose significant challenges for ICE in terms of locating and apprehending them. With approximately 6,000 deportation agents, ICE faces a caseload of 7.6 million noncitizens, including over 660,000 with criminal records or pending charges.
ICE agents recently arrested a man from El Salvador with a criminal record in Herndon, VA. The agency primarily makes two types of arrests: “at-large” in the community and “custodial” inside jails. Making arrests in the community requires eight times the personnel compared to arrests in jails, with each at-large arrest estimated to cost taxpayers $6,653. ICE’s field office director for Virginia and Washington, D.C., Liana Castano, emphasized the agency’s mission to bring individuals evading immigration laws to justice and ensure their removal from the country.
In “sanctuary” jurisdictions like Fairfax County, which is home to over 550 detention centers, individuals without legal status are not held after their sentence completion without a court order. Fairfax County officials have stated that their policy balances the rights of inmates with those of the public, and they will only detain individuals with a judicial warrant. ICE is notified whenever an undocumented immigrant is taken into the county’s custody, but efforts to obtain a judicial warrant for detainment are often not pursued.
ICE views DUI as a serious offense due to the potential risks associated with drunk driving. The agency aims for a smoother process where local partners inform ICE once they have such individuals in custody, facilitating a transfer of custody from jail to ICE agents.
ICE agents were anticipating the arrival of their target, referred to as “Tango,” in the parking lot at 5:30 a.m. They communicated via radio, with one agent announcing, “Hey guys, it looks like Tango is coming out.” Observing the situation, another agent narrated, “Stand by. He’s grabbing his tools. He just closed the trunk. Passenger door opens. Passenger door is closed. Execute,” giving the order for two ICE vehicles to move in and surround the Corolla. Agents swiftly emerged from the vehicles, encircling the car.
Over the past decade, ICE has faced challenges in enforcing immigration laws within the country, with a growing caseload and demands on the agency. While Border Patrol monitors the borders, ICE focuses on detaining and deporting immigrants residing across the United States. However, crises at the U.S.-Mexico border have led successive administrations to redeploy ICE agents and resources from interior enforcement to border security, a trend evident in ICE annual reports over the years.
In 2012, during the Obama administration, there was a peak in deportations from the interior, which was difficult for subsequent administrations to match due to the influx of border crossings. The Trump administration witnessed a high number of deportations in 2019, with a majority of removals occurring at the border. The percentage of border-related removals increased to 82% under the Biden administration last year, despite a significant decrease in illegal immigration.
Following the arrest of Bustamante-Cespedez, ICE agents tracked their next target, Nicolas Hernandez-Lopez, in Fairfax County. Hernandez-Lopez, who had been convicted of sexual assault in Virginia, served prison time, and was deported to El Salvador in 2023, had re-entered the country unlawfully. Agents planned to tail him to his workplace, avoiding an arrest at his residence due to safety concerns.
As dawn broke, agents monitored Hernandez-Lopez as he drove to work, with additional agents stationed at key points. Moments before he arrived at his job, agents blocked his path with their vehicles, apprehending him. With changes expected under the new administration, ICE may shift its focus back to interior enforcement after years of prioritizing border security.
The president has announced plans to sign executive orders that will give ICE more power to arrest and detain immigrants and will urge local jurisdictions to cooperate with ICE. Meanwhile, Congress is considering the Laken Riley Act, which would significantly broaden the scope of immigrants targeted for deportation by ICE. If the act is approved in the final vote on Wednesday, it would mandate the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with or convicted of nonviolent offenses like shoplifting. Critics, such as Sarah Mehta of the ACLU, argue that this legislation would greatly increase mandatory detention and limit the discretion of immigration officers and judges in assessing risk factors. Senator Patty Murray has expressed concerns about the potential consequences, including the need for a substantial increase in detention facilities and deportation flights.
To achieve the large-scale deportations previously discussed by President Trump, ICE would need to target individuals with minor infractions related to immigration law, as noted by experts. However, the current system is not equipped for mass deportations, as highlighted by Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute. Despite past efforts to ramp up deportations, challenges persist due to the reliance on state and local law enforcement to identify and hand over undocumented individuals.
A poll conducted by the National Immigration Forum and Bullfinch Group indicates that a majority of Americans, including moderates and conservatives, believe that immigration enforcement should prioritize removing violent criminals over individuals without legal status. This sentiment aligns with the desire for a focused and effective approach to immigration enforcement.
Headline: Trump Administration Targets Immigrant with Final Removal Order
In a recent development, Roberto Hernandez-Lopez, an immigrant with a final order of removal, faces imminent detention and deportation back to El Salvador. The announcement came from authorities indicating that Hernandez-Lopez could be deported within a matter of weeks.
The decision to deport Hernandez-Lopez highlights the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to crack down on immigrants with criminal backgrounds. The administration’s hardline stance on immigration has stirred debate and raised questions about the feasibility and ethics of targeting individuals who have already been ordered to leave the country.
As the story unfolds, the fate of Hernandez-Lopez hangs in the balance, with the looming threat of deportation casting a shadow over his future. The potential separation from his current life and loved ones in the United States serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges facing immigrants navigating the country’s immigration system.
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding Hernandez-Lopez’s situation, the broader implications of the administration’s deportation policies come into focus. The push to remove individuals with criminal histories underscores the administration’s priorities in addressing public safety concerns and enforcing immigration laws.
Sarah Wire’s contribution to the reporting sheds light on the intricacies of the case, providing valuable insights into the legal and procedural aspects of Hernandez-Lopez’s pending deportation. Wire’s expertise enriches the narrative, offering readers a deeper understanding of the implications of the administration’s actions.
Looking ahead, the story of Hernandez-Lopez serves as a microcosm of the larger immigration debate unfolding in the United States. The tension between upholding the rule of law and showing compassion and understanding towards immigrants underscores the complexities inherent in immigration policy and enforcement.
For further inquiries or comments on this developing story, please reach out to Lauren Villagran at lvillagran@usatoday.com. Villagran’s dedication to investigative journalism ensures that the story continues to evolve and provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by immigrants in the current political climate.
As the Trump administration doubles down on its efforts to deport immigrants with criminal backgrounds, the question remains: Can these individuals be effectively tracked down and removed from the country? The answer lies at the intersection of legal mandates, logistical challenges, and moral considerations, shaping the ongoing debate on immigration policy in the United States.
