A growing number of visa and green card holders are being detained or deported by U.S. immigration authorities despite their legal status, according to Intelligencer. What’s driving the crackdown?
It starts with ICE’s aggressive interpretation of immigration laws, intensified during the Trump era and still shaping enforcement today. Under these policies, even long-time residents with minor legal infractions are vulnerable.
The “Criminal Alien” Label Is Broadening
Visa and green-card holders can now be flagged for detention if they’ve had any past contact with the criminal justice system — including misdemeanors, dropped charges, or old arrests that didn’t lead to conviction. ICE often argues these cases still qualify under immigration law’s “deportable offenses.”
The result? Legal residents are being arrested at home, at work, even during routine check-ins. Many don’t get access to lawyers right away and face long detentions in facilities typically reserved for undocumented immigrants.
Who’s Being Targeted?
- A 64-year-old green-card holder, in the U.S. since the 80s, detained for a dismissed shoplifting charge from 2001.
- A Nigerian doctor, living legally on a work visa, arrested after a 911 call during a domestic dispute — he wasn’t charged, but ICE still detained him.
- Dozens of legal immigrants deported for minor drug or traffic offenses from decades ago.
Critics say these cases show immigration enforcement is no longer just about legality — it’s about discretion, profiling, and politics.
Why This Matters Now
With immigration still a top issue in 2025 politics, ICE enforcement tactics are under scrutiny. Advocates argue the system punishes people who’ve built lives in the U.S., contributed to the economy, and followed the rules — but are now caught in a gray zone of “legal, but deportable.”
“People think having a visa or green card means you’re safe,” said one immigration attorney. “But under current policy, no status guarantees protection.”
Even lawful immigrants aren’t immune from deportation — especially if they’ve ever had a run-in with the law. Until reform happens, legal status is no longer the shield it used to be.
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