The US Citizenship and Immigration Services will expand its law enforcement authorities, allowing 'special agents' to investigate, arrest and present for prosecution any individual who violates American immigration laws.
In an official statement released by the USCIS, the Department of Homeland Security provided the agency authorities to make arrests, carry firearms, execute search and arrest warrants, and other powers standard for federal law enforcement.
The new rule will allow USCIS to implement DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's delegation of certain law enforcement authorities to the agency. It said that with this, the agency will be able to thoroughly fulfil its national security, fraud detection, and public safety missions in connection with immigration matters.
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USCIS Director Joseph B Edlow said, "USCIS has always been an enforcement agency. By upholding the integrity of our immigration system, we enforce the laws of this nation. As Secretary Noem delegated lawful authorities to expand the agency’s law enforcement capabilities, this rule allows us to fulfill our critical mission."
"This historic moment will better address immigration crimes, hold those that perpetrate immigration fraud accountable, and act as a force multiplier for DHS and our federal law enforcement partners, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force,” he added.
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{{/usCountry}}"This historic moment will better address immigration crimes, hold those that perpetrate immigration fraud accountable, and act as a force multiplier for DHS and our federal law enforcement partners, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force,” he added.
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{{/usCountry}}The USCIS director will also be authorised to order expedited removal and probe into civil and criminal violations of American immigration laws within his agency's jurisdiction.
The official release stated that the decision will also allow the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to focus on their crackdown on transnational crime and detaining and deporting illegal aliens.
It said that USCIS will recruit and train special agents who will exercise additional law enforcement authorities.
The final rule will take effect 30 days from the publication of the decision, i,e., from September 4.
The move comes just weeks after the Trump administration said that it would assess immigration visa applicants for "anti-Americanism" and count any such finding against them.
The USCIS had said in a "policy alert" that it gave new directives to immigration officials on how to exercise discretion in cases where foreign applicants "support or promote anti-American ideologies or activities" as well as "antisemitic terrorism."
"Anti-American activity will be an overwhelmingly negative factor in any discretionary analysis," USCIS said.
It added that the US's benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies.
The announcement, however, did not define anti-Americanism. The policy manual mentioned a section of federal law prohibiting naturalisation of people "opposed to government or law, or who favour totalitarian forms of government".
The full text mentioned supporters of communism or totalitarian regimes, and people who advocate opposition to the US government and violence against administration officials, among other factors.
The US President has been expanding his crackdown on illegal immigration since his inauguration to the White House in January.