Interior immigration enforcement has expanded significantly under the current administration. ICE operations are no longer limited to individuals with serious criminal histories. Understanding the current enforcement priorities is essential for immigrants, their families, and the communities where they live and work.
Current Priority Categories
Unlike previous administrations that maintained a tiered priority system focusing on criminals and national security threats, the current enforcement posture treats virtually all removable noncitizens as enforcement priorities. In practice, the following groups face the highest risk:
- Individuals with final orders of removal — Anyone who has been ordered removed by an immigration judge and has not departed
- Immigration court absconders — Individuals who failed to appear at a scheduled hearing and received an in absentia removal order
- Individuals with criminal convictions — Any criminal history, including misdemeanors
- Individuals encountered during targeted operations — Collateral arrests during operations targeting specific individuals
- Individuals with prior immigration violations — Previous deportations, illegal reentry, or immigration fraud
Types of ICE Operations
Targeted arrests: Operations focused on specific individuals identified through databases, tips, or court records.
Worksite enforcement: Raids on businesses suspected of employing unauthorized workers. May include I-9 audits followed by targeted arrests.
Courthouse arrests: ICE has conducted arrests at or near courthouses, although this practice remains controversial.
At-large operations: Broader sweeps in specific neighborhoods or areas, often resulting in collateral arrests of individuals not originally targeted.
Sensitive Locations Policy
Previous administrations maintained a policy limiting enforcement actions at sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, and churches. The current policy has narrowed these protections significantly. Individuals should not assume that any location is immune from enforcement activity.
What You Should Do
- Know your rights — see our Know Your Rights guide
- Carry a know-your-rights card at all times
- Have an emergency plan including childcare, power of attorney, and access to documents
- Do not carry foreign identity documents that reveal your country of origin
- Consult an immigration attorney to assess your risk and explore relief options
- Keep all immigration court dates — failure to appear guarantees a removal order