The Biden administration is moving swiftly and discreetly to implement new policies aimed at easing restrictions on migrants who entered the U.S. illegally in a last-minute effort to counter President-elect Donald Trump’s planned immigration crackdowns and mass deportations, sources told the New York Post.
And New York City is set to be the focal point of these changes, the outlet added.
The outgoing administration plans to introduce an ICE Portal app in early December, specifically in New York City. The app will enable migrants to complete check-ins with ICE remotely, eliminating the need for in-person visits to local ICE offices.
Homeland Security sources told The Post that the app could make it easier for migrants to evade authorities, citing concerns over its reliability and noting that glitches have plagued the software, the outlet further noted.
“Even when it’s working correctly, the new app doesn’t check for past arrests or outstanding warrants — something the current system tied to in-person appointments does,” The Post reported, citing its sources. “Up to 100,000 migrants will be enrolled in the first wave of the program, sources said.”
This is just one of several initiatives being expedited before inauguration day, including a policy allowing migrants to challenge government orders requiring electronic monitoring while awaiting immigration hearings.
Experts warn that reversing these changes may not be as straightforward as President-elect Trump issuing an executive order. The Post noted that the new policies could face procedural obstacles and potential legal challenges, complicating efforts to roll them back.
“A lot of lawsuits get filed, maybe frivolously, but it just kind of stalls what the administration wants to do,” one DHS source told the outlet.
Former acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan ripped the Biden-Harris administration’s last-minute moves as “the opposite of a peaceful transition of power.” He told The Post: “This is an obstructionist transition.”
“What they’re trying to do in the last final day, they’re going to try to put up as many roadblocks and obstacles and throw as many grenades as they can on their way out,” he said.
