The Department of Homeland Security under President Donald Trump's second administration signals major policy shifts in immigration enforcement.
According to Fox News, DHS has issued a new directive empowering Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to review and potentially terminate the parole status of migrants admitted through the Biden administration's humanitarian parole programs.
The directive, signed by acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman on Thursday, expands the use of expedited removal powers. This expansion allows for swift deportation of recent arrivals who either fail to claim asylum or don't meet initial requirements. The policy now applies to migrants throughout the United States who have been present for less than two years.
The new memo specifically targets nearly 1.5 million migrants who entered the United States through various Biden-era programs. These initiatives included the CBP One app appointments and special parole processes for citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Both programs were terminated on Trump's first day back in office.
The administration emphasizes that parole authority should be limited and used on a case-by-case basis. Acting Secretary Huffman's memo explicitly states that previous categorical parole programs exceeded statutory limitations.
ICE officials have already begun implementing more aggressive enforcement measures. In a single day, agents arrested over 530 undocumented immigrants across the country. While focusing on public safety threats, officials maintain that any individual without legal status could face deportation.
Acting Secretary Huffman outlined the statutory limitations of parole in his memo. As stated in the document: "This may include steps to terminate any ongoing removal proceeding and/or any active parole status."
The directive requires ICE and Customs and Border Protection leadership to compile and evaluate all existing parole-related policies. They must then develop plans to phase out programs that don't align with statutory requirements.
These changes reflect a broader pattern of immigration policy reversals under the new Trump administration. Recent weeks have seen multiple initiatives, including military deployment to the border, suspension of refugee resettlement, and renewed border wall construction.
The administration's approach represents a significant departure from previous policies. Officials can now review the parole status for individuals who entered through various humanitarian programs, including those for Ukrainian and Afghan nationals.
Huffman's memo emphasizes the discretionary nature of parole. The document states:
Parole is a positive exercise of enforcement discretion to which no alien is entitled and that parole shall not be regarded as an admission of the alien.
The expanded expedited removal authority gives immigration officials broader jurisdiction. They can now operate throughout the entire country rather than being restricted to border regions, marking a substantial increase in enforcement capabilities.
The Trump administration's recent directive represents a fundamental shift in U.S. immigration policy, targeting Biden-era parole programs that allowed approximately 1.5 million migrants to enter the country. The DHS memo, signed by Acting Secretary Huffman, expands expedited removal powers nationwide and orders comprehensive review of existing parole statuses. These changes, coupled with increased ICE operations and border security measures, signal a robust enforcement approach that could lead to significant deportations of previously admitted migrants.
