DHS shifting immigration enforcement priorities over negative polling: report

The Department of Homeland Security is amending its immigration enforcement operations by moving away from raids targeting all illegal immigrants in the U.S. and focusing more on the ones who have committed serious offenses, according to a report.

Teams under U.S. Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino will shift their focus to specific targets, including illegal immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes, NewsNation reported.

The change means federal agents will put a smaller emphasis on carrying out large raids that have happened at Home Depot stores and other locations, according to the outlet.

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Illegal immigrants have been targeted based on characteristics such as ethnicity, accent, language or location, such as being at a Home Depot or a car wash.

Agents will still conduct traffic stop enforcement, but Border Patrol is unlikely to continue grabbing people off the streets, the outlet reported.

The reported change in immigration enforcement comes as support for President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies has tanked in the polls.

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A Public Religion Research Institute survey released earlier this week found that approval of Trump’s handling of immigration dipped from 42% in March to 33%.

A YouGov poll last month found that a majority of Americans oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations tied to Trump’s immigration crackdown.

In a survey last month by the health policy research group KFF and The New York Times, about half of the immigrants polled said they – and their family members – “feel less safe” with Trump as president.

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Border Patrol has carried out migrant raids this year in various cities, including in Los Angeles, Chicago and Charlotte. The raids have prompted several protests and lawsuits, as the operations have been scrutinized for going too far.

A new operation in New Orleans, dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” will continue despite the updated tactics. Agents have already arrested more than 250 people, and DHS said it aims to reach 5,000, according to NewsNation.