By Robert Laurie ——Bio and Archives--February 21, 2017
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Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly officially ordered federal agents this week to begin arresting and deporting more illegal immigrants, releasing them from the handcuffs the Obama administration had imposed, and making headway on one of President Trump’s chief campaign promises. While young adult illegal immigrant “Dreamers” are still exempted, agents were told there are no longer any other special classes of people that should be considered off limits for deportation. Those caught at the border are to be swiftly shipped back, Mr. Kelly said, and he freed agents to target a broader universe of illegal immigrants for deportation from within the interior of the U.S. The secretary said agents are still to give priority to those with criminal rap sheets, but are free to use discretion — taken away from them in the Obama years — to detain anyone they believe to be in the country illegally.
Secretary Kelly also said local police who want to help enforce immigration laws will be welcomed, rather than rebuffed, as they were under the Obama administration.Kelly's memos were signed Monday, and they also include calls for 5,000 additional border agents, twice as many additional ICE agents, 500 additional customs agents, and the infamous border wall. These jobs will require congressional funding approval but, by making the need known, at least we can see that the grown-ups are back in charge. This is a good start.
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