WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been granted expanded law enforcement authorities, allowing newly classified USCIS 1811 special agents to investigate, arrest, and present for prosecution individuals who violate U.S. immigration laws. The changes were announced in a final rule published today, according to a press release from the agency.
Under the new rule, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has authorized USCIS officers to carry firearms, make arrests, execute search and arrest warrants, and exercise other powers standard for federal law enforcement. The update follows Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s delegation of certain law enforcement authorities to USCIS.
“This historic moment will better address immigration crimes, hold those that perpetrate immigration fraud accountable, and act as a force multiplier for DHS and our federal law enforcement partners, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force,” said USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow. “USCIS has always been an enforcement agency. By upholding the integrity of our immigration system, we enforce the laws of this nation.”
The rule grants the USCIS director authority to order expedited removals and investigate both civil and criminal violations of immigration laws within the agency’s jurisdiction.
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Previously, USCIS referred certain cases to Homeland Security Investigations within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). With these expanded powers, USCIS will now be able to handle investigations from start to finish, allowing ICE’s HSI and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) divisions to focus on disrupting transnational crime and deporting individuals unlawfully present in the U.S.
USCIS stated that the change will help the agency prosecute immigration fraud, reduce backlogs, and remove individuals who attempt to exploit the system. The agency also plans to recruit and train new special agents to exercise these authorities.
The rule takes effect 30 days from its publication in the Federal Register.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services press release.