En esta noticia
Authorities in the United States have strengthened immigration controls at airports with a strategy that expands cooperation between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The goal is to identify foreigners who remain in the country with expired visas and facilitate their detention.
The measure increased concern among thousands of immigrants, since operations are no longer limited only to people with final deportation orders.
ICE has begun detaining people with expired visas at airports
The new strategy stems from an expanded collaboration agreement between TSA and ICE, which allows information to be shared to identify people who may be in an irregular immigration situation.
According to The New York Times, immigration agents can intercept passengers in different areas of airport terminals, such as check-in counters or boarding gates, when they detect possible violations related to immigration status.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the initiative seeks to prevent foreigners who remain illegally in the United States from using commercial flights, except in cases of self-deportation.
Who could be at risk of detention?
The operations are aimed primarily at foreigners who remain in the United States after their visa’s authorized period has expired.
Among the people who could be affected by these controls are:
- Holders of expired visas who continue on U.S. territory.
- People who overstayed the time authorized by immigration authorities.
- Foreigners whose immigration status is under review by ICE.
Specialists remind people that staying longer than authorized can constitute an immigration violation, regardless of whether the visa stamped in the passport remains valid for future entries.
What the DHS recommends to those who have a visa nearing expiration
Immigration authorities remind people that it is essential to respect the authorized period of stay and keep immigration documents up to date.
If you need to extend your stay or change status, the corresponding process must be started within the deadlines set by immigration law to avoid falling out of status and exposing yourself to possible ICE proceedings.