Because of the Covid-9 epidemic, Immigration and Customs Enforcement decided Wednesday to restrict removal operations to those convicted of crimes, the Washington Post reported.
The federal agency alerted Congress of the action and said the agency's "highest priorities are to promote lifesaving and public safety activities.” The Post said the agency is seeking alternatives to detention and to delay enforcement actions.
“During the COVID-19 crisis, ICE will not carry out enforcement operations at or near health care facilities, such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, accredited health clinics, and emergency or urgent care facilities, except in the most extraordinary of circumstances,” the Post quoted the ICE notification as saying. “Individuals should not avoid seeking medical care because they fear civil immigration enforcement.”
There have been no reported cases of the disease in federal detention centers, but the agency has suspended visits to detainees.
An advocacy group for local immigrants celebrated the ICE announcement.
“This is very welcome news," Eva A. Milona, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said in a statement. "Right now, we cannot afford to have fear of immigration enforcement keep anyone from seeking medical care—and before this announcement, it was a major concern for us and our member organizations.
"It is reassuring to know that ICE is committed to not carrying out enforcement operations ‘at or near’ health care facilities, and we take agency leaders at their word that exceptions will only be made ‘in the most extraordinary of circumstances," she added.
Milona also offered a bit of skepticism about the move.
“What is unclear at this point is how much overall enforcement will be scaled down; we have long heard that agents target mainly immigrants who have committed crimes, but often those targeted have been charged but not convicted, or they have committed minor offenses, including driving without a license," Milona said. "Further clarification would be very helpful in easing the fears of vulnerable immigrants."
