Homeland Chief Puts the Brakes on Immigration Raids

The new Homeland Security is putting the brakes on business as usual on Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. That’s a good thing. It was needed. But now let’s see what changes ultimately come about. Hopefully it leads to a smarter policy.

By Spencer S. Hsu

Washington Post Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has delayed a series of proposed immigration raids and other enforcement actions at U.S. workplaces in recent weeks, asking agents in her department to apply more scrutiny to the selection and investigation of targets as well as the timing of raids, federal officials said.

A senior department official said the delays signal a pending change in whom agents at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement choose to prosecute — increasing the focus on businesses and executives instead of ordinary workers.

“ICE is now scrutinizing these cases more thoroughly to ensure that [targets] are being taken down when they should be taken down, and that the employer is being targeted and the surveillance and the investigation is being done how it should be done,” said the official, discussing Napolitano’s views about sensitive law enforcement matters on the condition of anonymity.

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