A major shift in immigration enforcement has left lawyers and families struggling to locate detainees facing deportation, as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency quietly removed thousands of cases from its public detainee tracking system. The move aligns with stricter policies introduced during the previous administration, with officials confirming the change was implemented without prior notice. Legal representatives have already reported difficulties locating clients, while professional groups have issued warnings to members about the new obstacles. The decision raises concerns over transparency and access in the immigration detention process.
Immigration agency’s move makes it harder for lawyers and family to find detainees, in line with stringent Trump policyUS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stopped publicly revealing where it is holding thousands of detainees who are subject to final deportation orders, an unannounced move that has made it far more difficult for lawyers and relatives to find them, according to current and former officials familiar with the practice.ICE removed those detainees from its online detainee locator system on 15 September, according to three current and former ICE officials who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the change. Several lawyers contacted by the AP confirmed their clients vanished from the system this week, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association warned its members about the situation on Friday. Continue reading...
