Trump Administration Denies ICE Arrest Policy Change

The Trump administration denied reports Saturday evening that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had temporarily restricted arrests to illegal immigrants with criminal records. The denial clarifies that the agency's enforcement mandate remains unchanged, a position that officials emphasize as central to President Donald Trump's agenda for aggressive immigration crackdowns and expanded deportations.

Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported the initial confusion after speaking with Trump and nine sources within ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. Melugin stated that verbal guidance instructing field offices to prioritize the "worst first" was distributed nationwide earlier in the week. This communication alarmed some ICE agents, who described the instructions as shocking and frustrating, Melugin wrote on X. The sources later indicated that the incident stemmed from internal discussions about prioritizing serious offenders, characterizing the directive as a "miscommunication" rather than a formal policy shift.

In response to the alarm, new guidance was sent to ICE field offices on Saturday evening to reaffirm that the administration's enforcement policy had not changed. Melugin confirmed on X that there is no change in immigration enforcement policy. President Trump told Fox News directly that ICE retains the authority to arrest and deport anyone present in the country illegally. This includes continuing arrests of illegal immigrants without additional criminal histories, as well as "collaterals," or individuals encountered during operations targeting someone else. The sources maintained that the broader immigration enforcement agenda remains fully in place.