ICE can raid schools, churches under new Trump administration order

The Trump administration has reversed longstanding policies that limited immigration enforcement in sensitive locations such as schools and churches. This change allows officers to arrest migrants in these areas, aiming to strengthen immigration law enforcement.

What We Know

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can now conduct arrests in sensitive locations. This decision overturns guidance from 2011 and 2013 that restricted such actions. The DHS statement emphasized that this move empowers law enforcement to apprehend criminal aliens, including those accused of serious crimes, who have entered the U.S. illegally.

Under the "sensitive locations" guidance, officers were generally required to get approval for any enforcement operations at those locations, although exceptions were allowed for things like national security.

What They’re Saying

According to a DHS spokesperson, the new directive is designed to prevent criminals from using schools and churches as sanctuaries to evade arrest. The statement highlighted the administration's commitment to enforcing immigration laws and ensuring public safety.

"This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murderers and rapists — who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Tuesday.

The Backstory

The previous guidelines, established in 2011 for ICE and in 2013 for CBP, were intended to limit immigration enforcement in sensitive areas to protect vulnerable populations and maintain community trust. These policies have been in place for over a decade, reflecting a more cautious approach to enforcement in locations deemed sensitive.

What’s Next

With the reversal of these policies, ICE and CBP will begin implementing the new directives, allowing for broader enforcement actions in previously restricted areas. This change is expected to impact how and where immigration laws are enforced, with a focus on apprehending individuals deemed a threat to public safety.

Sanctuary Cities 

It's unclear if this new move will apply for sanctuary cities and/or states. In 2017, California became a Sanctuary State, increasing protection for immigrants. As a sanctuary state, local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from using resources to investigate, detain, report or arrest people for immigration violations. Law enforcement is also prohibited from inquiring about an individual’s immigration status. 

Los Angeles formally adopted a sanctuary city ordinance in December 2024, prohibiting city resources or personnel from being used to help federal enforcement of immigration laws.

The Source: The information in this article comes from a press release from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ImmigrationInstastories