Key facts
- ICE agents are patrolling US airports to arrest individuals who have overstayed their visas.
- The strategy uses TSA traveler data to identify individuals scheduled to fly domestically.
- At least 27 arrests have been made across nine states.
- DHS stated that visa overstayers will only be permitted to use airports to 'self-deport'.
- The move is part of an effort to increase deportations and meet campaign goals.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have begun patrolling U.S. airports to arrest individuals who have overstayed their visas and are planning to take domestic flights. This new strategy, reported by ABC News, utilizes traveler data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to identify and apprehend these individuals. So far, at least 27 people have been arrested across nine states.
Visa overstays have historically been treated as civil violations. However, this intensified enforcement aligns with the Trump administration's stated goal of increasing deportations, with a target of one million deportations annually. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, has indicated that visa overstayers will only be allowed to use airports for the purpose of 'self-deportation'.
ICE has recently experienced a significant increase in detentions, with its highest number of bookings since the beginning of the Trump administration. In June, over 43,000 people were taken into custody, averaging 1,500 arrests per day. Despite DHS claims of no arrest quotas, some ICE agents have reportedly discussed receiving bonuses for increased arrests.
The administration's immigration policy also includes ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for individuals from countries deemed unsafe for return. TPS has already been terminated for several nations, including Myanmar, Venezuela, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, and Cameroon. The designations for Haiti and Syria are also set to expire, potentially making hundreds of thousands of citizens subject to arrest and detention by ICE.
DHS has issued warnings about enforcement and suggested that individuals can leave voluntarily, offering up to $2,500 in reimbursements for those who use the 'CBP Home' app to arrange their departure. Public opinion on immigration has also shifted, with a recent Gallup poll indicating a decrease in the percentage of Americans who want to reduce immigration.