Immigrants Without Criminal Records Arrested By ICE Triples In New England

Immigrants Without Criminal Records Arrested By ICE Triples In New England

ICE arrests of non-criminal immigrants living in New England without authorization have more than tripled so far this year.

Even before then-President-elect Trump took office, his message on immigration was clear — he planned to deport millions of immigrants living in the country without documentation. And, in an interview with “60 Minutes,” Trump said he’d first focus on criminals:

What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, we have a lot of these people, probably 2 million — it could even be 3 million — we’re getting them out of our country or we’re going to incarcerate but, we’re getting them out of our country, they’re here illegally.

But looking at a breakdown of the arrests made by ICE since January, it’s clear that non-criminals are being arrested at a higher clip. Nationwide, the number has more than doubled compared to the same time last year.

In the “Boston Area of Responsibility” — which includes all of New England — ICE has arrested more than three times as many non-criminals as of the end of April, 335, up from 104 last year.

“This administration is carrying out the mass deportation agenda that it promised on the campaign trail,” says Sarah Sherman-Stokes, a clinical instructor at Boston University’s Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Program.

Sherman-Stokes says an increase in ICE arrests this year is unsurprising given Trump’s executive orders. The action broadened enforcement priorities for ICE to include not only serious criminals but also those whose only offense is entering the country without authorization.

In 2014, then-President Obama sought to narrow enforcement priorities by focusing on “deporting felons not families.” While deportations did rise to historic levels under Obama, numbers decreased toward the end of his second term. Still, Sherman-Stokes says some of the enforcement patterns we’re seeing now began well before Trump’s executive orders.

“You know, I’m surprised that the numbers have gone up so dramatically,” she says, “although, they are not surprising insofar as they are a continuation of the trajectory that we were already on under the Obama administration.”

Of particular concern now, Sherman-Stokes says, is the spike in arrests of non-criminals.

“When the system of priorities collapses on itself, as it has done under this administration, how does law enforcement focus on serious threats if they’re focusing on everyone? It’s impossible,” she says.

The Trump administration has said it hopes to beef up the number of ICE agents in an effort to support the new enforcement priorities.

https://www.wbur.org/news/2017/05/31/non-criminal-ice-arrests-new-england-triple

STRATEGY SESSION

Schedule Your Consultation Now

Name

All fields are required. Florida Immigration Law Counsel is a law firm. However, the use of the internet or this form for communication with us does not establish an attorney-client relationship. We will discuss your options with you.

More Posts

More Posts

Attorney Saman Movassaghi, Esq.

Caring and compassionate, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is a Florida immigration attorney dedicated to producing the results her clients need. She has over 17 years of experience helping both corporate and individual clients with an emphasis in employment/investment cases and family adjustment cases.

As the Managing Attorney at Florida Immigration Law Counsel, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez and her team are capable of representing and helping individuals looking to attain a Family VisaWork Visa, and Citizenship/Naturalization. Her experience successfully representing clients in front of the Department of Justice for cases involving Deportation/Removal Proceedings will lead to success in your case.

Her experience and expertise in immigration litigation has led to multiple Avvo awards and other accolades, including the Clients’ Choice for 2017 Immigration Attorney. Her clients also consistently post positive reviews on her Facebook page. Her experience has also allowed her to teach a new generation of lawyers as an adjunct professor of law at Nova Southeastern University, and she also regularly gives speeches on immigration matters.

Counselor Gonzalez is also experienced in helping corporate clients through the process of filing for Employment Visas, Labor Certifications, and Business and Investment Visas with the Department of Labor. She takes on the entire case from start to finish, simplifying the process for her clients and allowing them to focus on their business.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and Farsi – Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is dedicated to making her clients feel comfortable and assured in making her their go-to immigration attorney in Florida. Her goal is to ensure that those who want to live the American dream have a professional fighting for them and making the process as painless as possible.

Saman’s passion for immigration law stems from her personal life as the daughter of immigrants. Her parents were recipients of the student F1 visa in 1971. Her father came into this country with the goal to improve his life and the life of his children. He earned a PhD in Civil Engineering and Business, instilling in his daughter a strong work ethic that she carries to this day. Saman saw firsthand what it means to be an immigrant and achieve the American Dream.

Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez can personally understand the struggle of immigrants and the children of immigrants navigating through the bureaucratic process of immigration law. Because of this, she dedicates herself fully and provides her personal attention to every case. She prides herself on developing a strong relationship with each and every client, and she is not afraid of pushing the envelope and looking for answers where other attorneys have failed.

Saman Movassaghi makes it her goal to provide you with only the best representation for immigration matters because she believes it’s time for you to live the American dream!