The coronavirus pandemic has forced Immigration and Customs Enforcement to change who it targets for arrest, according to a prepared statement released by the agency.
President Trump expanded priorities for immigration enforcement shortly after taking office in 2017.
Now ICE says its arm that carries out deportations is temporarily focusing efforts on arresting unauthorized immigrants with criminal backgrounds and those considered dangerous.
The agency says enforcement actions against people who don’t fall in those categories will be delayed until the crisis caused by the coronavirus ends, and ICE’s highest priorities right now are to promote life-saving and public safety activities.
ICE’s other arm will continue to go after child predators, gangs, drug traffickers and human smugglers.
