Biden Orders ICE to Halt Worksite Raids

The Biden Administration has ordered the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to halt large-scale worksite arrest operations.

In a memo issued by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the Administration is developing a new enforcement strategy which will be focused on targeting “exploitative employers” that provide substandard wages, working conditions and labor practices.

Mayorkas has ordered a review of enforcement policies, giving ICE officials 60 days to devise proposals to provide better protection from deportation for workers who report their employers for immigration breaches and exploiting vulnerable and undocumented workers.

The memo sets out expectations that the shift in focus towards tougher employer penalties and increased protections for workers will reduce the demand for illegal labor and cases of exploitation.

ICE raids are commonly used in sectors that employ large numbers of immigrant workers, such as food processing plants.

The memo also specifically directs DHS to recommend ways to strengthen and prevent abuse of the E-Verify system to check workers’ legal status.

This article does not constitute direct legal advice and is for informational purposes only.