(NewsNation) — President-elect Donald Trump plans to provide ICE agents with more authority to take illegal immigrants into custody in places like churches and hospitals as soon as he takes office as part of his mass deportation efforts to secure the southern border.
NBC News reported that Trump is set to scrap restrictions that date back to 2011 that restrict ICE officials from apprehending immigrants in sensitive locations such as churches, schools and medical facilities. Sources told NBC that Trump plans to rescind the long-standing policy on the first day in the White House.
The policy requires a supervisor at sensitive locations to sign off on immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally to be taken into federal custody. The policy also removes extenuating circumstances such as national security, terror threats, and the arrest of a dangerous felon would still require proper approval.
Incoming border czar outlines mass deportation plans
Trump and his border czar Tom Homan have outlined plans for mass deportations, which has struck fear among immigrants living in the U.S. as well as organizations that protect the rights of immigrants and asylum-seekers.
Immigration officials who spoke to NewsNation said that removing restrictions on ICE will “speed up” the mass deportation mission.
Federal immigration officials estimate there are an estimated 11 million immigrants living illegally in the United States. Removing the restrictions will make the jobs of ICE easier, officials told NewsNation.
“It will have an effect because the front line won’t have to call Washington to carry out the priorities of taking criminals who are also in the country illegally off the street,” Ron Vitello, the former acting director of ICE said. “Their workflow will get easier Jan. 20.”
Advocates fear immigrant protections will vanish
Organizations like the ACLU and Human Rights Watch are concerned that the removal of restrictions on ICE agents will have a ripple effect as existing protections for immigrants are set to go away.
Vicki Gaubeca, the association director of immigration for Human Rights Watch, told NewsNation that the policy change will keep students from attending school as they are fearful that they could be taken into federal custody.
Meanwhile, church leaders who have provided housing to immigrants and have been harassed fear that could get worse once Trump takes office.