Trump Administration Denies ICE Arrest Policy Shift Amid Confusion
President reaffirms that all undocumented immigrants are subject to arrest and deportation after internal guidance reportedly caused alarm among agents.
The Trump administration on Saturday evening denied reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had instructed agents to limit arrests to illegal immigrants with criminal records. Officials stated that the agency's deportation policy has not changed, and President Donald Trump reiterated that anyone in the country illegally remains "on the table" for arrest.
The clarification followed internal ICE guidance that reportedly caused confusion and alarm among some agents. Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, citing conversations with Trump and nine ICE and Department of Homeland Security sources, reported that verbal guidance had been distributed nationwide instructing field offices to prioritize arrests of the "worst first." Agents described this guidance as shocking and frustrating.
Sources later indicated that the confusion stemmed from internal discussions about prioritizing the most serious offenders and that the directive was a result of a "miscommunication" rather than a formal policy change. Melugin reported on X that "There is no change in immigration enforcement policy."
New guidance was sent to ICE field offices on Saturday evening to reaffirm that the administration's enforcement policy remained unchanged, according to sources. Trump told Fox News that ICE agents will continue to arrest individuals without criminal histories, including