The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Wednesday that it will halt deportations of certain non-citizens for 100 days.
Acting DHS Secretary David Pekoske ordered the moratorium to review the policies and practices concerning immigration enforcement. The memorandum signed by Pekoske notes the significant challenges facing border security due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It states that pausing certain deportations will ensure that the DHS directs its resources toward protecting “safe, legal and orderly processing.”
The order pausing removals covers most non-citizens in the US, with some exceptions. The moratorium excludes persons suspected of terrorism or espionage, who were not present in the US before November 1, who have waived rights to remain in the US or who have been determined removable by the Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The guidance applies to the Department’s three immigration agencies’ activities—ICE, US Customs and Border Protection, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The memorandum explains that pausing some immigration enforcement measures will allow time for an internal review of the Department’s removal resources. It states that the deportation direction “shall provide for assessments of alternatives to removal including, but not limited to, staying or reopening cases, alternative forms of detention, custodial detention, whether to grant temporary deferred action, or other appropriate action.”
The move follows newly-inaugurated President Joe Biden’s campaign promise to pause deportations. The Biden administration’s policy change will ensure that “we have a fair and effective immigration enforcement system,” according to a DHS press release.
The directive to review the immigration system’s practices emphasizes enforcement of three priorities: safeguarding national security, public safety, and border security. The memorandum states that these priorities will apply to a range of discretionary enforcement decisions as well as formal enforcement decisions.
