The Trump administration will dramatically expand the ability of immigration authorities to rapidly deport certain immigrants, according to a federal notice posted Monday.
The administration announced on the federal register that it plans to expand expedited removal — quick deportations — to those who cannot prove they have been in the country continuously for two years.
The new measure will apply to the entire country. BuzzFeed News first reportedthat the administration was considering these changes last month.
The process will allow immigration officers to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants without a hearing in front of an immigration judge.
The current policy allows officials to use expedited removal within 100 miles of the border and toward individuals who have been in the country up to two weeks.
In practical terms, it gives Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers more power to determine who could be deported quickly.
Presently, officers typically arrest individuals and place them into deportation proceedings. These include a hearing before an immigration judge — a process that can take years.
*story by Buzzfeed News