The Associated Press reported on February 2 that although U.S. President Biden promised to stop expelling most illegal immigrants in the United States after taking office during the election, his government has now expelled hundreds of immigrants.
Last week, Texas federal judge Drew Tipton ruled that the Biden administration’s 100-day suspension of repatriation was illegal, but the ruling did not require the government to arrange repatriation time.
In recent days, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported immigrants to at least three countries. 15 people were sent to Jamaica last Thursday local time, and 269 people were sent to Guatemala and Honduras last Friday.
It is not clear how many of these people are considered a threat to U.S. national security or public safety, or recently illegally crossed the border, which is a priority in the new guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to law enforcement agencies.
The White House issued a statement on Friday saying it deemed the suspension of repatriation measures “exactly appropriate”, adding that “President Biden remains committed to taking immediate action to reform our immigration system to ensure the safety of our communities while preserving American values.”
Biden will issue a series of immigration-related executive orders on Tuesday amid the expectation that Alejandro Mayorkas will be recognized as Homeland Security Secretary, the report said.
The orders are expected to include the formation of a task force to reunite families who have been separated during Trump’s tenure.
