Trump issues guidelines to speed up removal of illegal immigrants

The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued new tough guidelines that expand the number of immigrants targeted for deportation and speed up the process for their removal.

It includes those without documents who are arrested for traffic violations or shop-lifting along with those convicted of more serious crimes.

New rules

• Expanding deportations to undocumented immigrants who have been charged with a crime.

• Placing those caught on the border into detention centres until cases are resolved. (They were previously released)

• The sending on non Mexican migrants crossing the southern US border back into Mexico.

• Prosecution of parents who help smuggle their children into the US

* The guidelines leave in place protections for immigrants who entered the US illegally as children, known as “dreamers.”

Read the memos signed by DHS Secretary Kelly on new guidelines for deporting illegal immigrants https://t.co/ZW8OQrmqKD

— MigrationExpert US (@MigrationE_US) February 20, 2017

Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer says the changes are not new laws:

“This morning Secretary Kelly and the department of Homeland and Security released memos regarding the implementation of two of the president executive orders that are designed to protect the homeland. Perhaps most critically, the president is empowering the DHS (Department of Homeland and Security) to carry out the immigration laws currently on the books.”

The DHS plans to hire an extra 10,000 agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 5,000 more border patrol officers to enforce the new guidance.

Protesters on the US’s southern boarder with Mexico last week complained that detentions are already on the increase. In theory Congress should be given time to assess the changes plus there should be negotiations with other nations before they are implemented.

There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the US, it a figure which Donald Trump pledged to reduce during his presidential campaign.

Trump goes after all immigrants who don't have correct papers & Kelly lies about 'surge in migration' at S border:https://t.co/Wq3wdF0DNl

— Ian Homer (@IHphoto) February 21, 2017