The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has initiated a nationwide crackdown on immigrants who have overstayed their visas. The move follows the revelation that the suspect in a June 1 firebombing at a pro-Israel event in Colorado was a visa overstay.
On June 4, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem directed Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediately act against visa overstay cases. “There is no place in America for terrorists and their sympathizers,” she said. “We will track them down, deport them, and prosecute them to the fullest extent allowed by law.”
DHS estimates more than 800,000 individuals are currently living in the U.S. beyond their authorized visa period.
Record One-Day ICE Arrests and Use of Glendale Facility
On June 2, ICE arrested over 2,200 undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records, marking the highest number of arrests in a single day since the agency ramped up enforcement. ICE noted that these individuals had received final deportation orders but failed to comply.
Many of those arrested were part of the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, which requires participants to wear ankle monitors or report their locations via electronic tracking. As of late May, more than 20,000 immigrants were under ankle monitoring.
To accommodate the surge in detainees, ICE has begun using a facility operated by the City of Glendale, sparking local concerns. Community members say this cooperation may contradict Glendale’s sanctuary city stance. According to the Los Angeles Times on June 5, the city has maintained an 18-year contract with ICE to temporarily detain non-criminal immigration violators.
ICE spokesperson Richard Beam stated, “The increased enforcement has led to a significant number of foreign nationals requiring detention. We are actively seeking all available options to secure space.”
BY YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
