U.S. domestic airports now a hunting ground for immigration violators

Results-wise, the strategy seems to be working. In fact, it is both brilliant and wily, in equal measure.

Whoever conceived of this foxy enforcement tactic deserves a pat on the back. Or perhaps a kick in the rump, if you ask the pro-immigration bunch.

Recently, there’s been buzz within immigration lawyers’ circles about a novel strategy being employed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with special help from the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), to round up illegal immigrants in domestic air terminals across the country.

Based on anecdotal evidence, most of those arrested had no valid immigration status, and the majority had a final order of removal. However, there were also reports of people being detained despite having a pending application to legalize their status.

Among those caught in the airport dragnets were spouses of US citizens in the process of applying for a green card, asylum applicants with valid work permits, as well as people whose previous nonimmigrant status had expired.

Reports remain sketchy as to how ICE agents were able to pinpoint the specific targets for apprehension. While inter-agency cooperation between ICE and TSA has been going on for decades, it mostly involved limited assistance in apprehending wanted criminals and national security threats, including terrorism suspects and individuals on no-fly lists.

For civil immigration matters, however, the TSA had never been ICE’s law enforcement buddy, despite the fact that both are under the bureaucratic umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security

What changed, then?

According to experts, this latest strategy is another push by ICE to comply with the White House-mandated 2,000-a-day minimum quota for removing illegal immigrants from the country.

Since very few people view domestic air travel as risky enough to expose one’s immigration status, many undocumented immigrants fly domestically across the country with a general air of nonchalance.

Unfortunately for them, the TSA has finally realized the political expediency of joining a brother agency in hunting down immigration violators in its own backyard, presumably by providing copies of passenger manifests to ICE from which the latter could cross-check the names of people with outstanding deportation orders or those with pending immigration applications or expired status.

In fact, a memorandum of agreement was recently signed between the two agencies mandating a data exchange “to enhance national security, transportation security, law enforcement, and immigration and border management.”

Based on news reports, apprehensions usually occur at TSA checkpoints and during check-ins, with some cases occurring at boarding gates and on disembarkation.

Just who are these people in danger of becoming hunted prey at domestic airports across the country?

Number one are the undocumented and nonimmigrant overstays, people who are clearly without valid immigration status.

Following closely behind are those with pending immigration applications who are currently straddling a “gray” area. These people possess a semblance of status but are not totally immune from arrest or detention, such as adjustment of status applicants with prior violations or asylum applicants with valid work permits, among others.

Last are the nonimmigrants with criminal or multiple DUI convictions. Their visas can be revoked at any time for being a threat to public order and national security.