The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a memo indicating a significant policy shift to prioritize immigration enforcement and expand the use of criminal statutes to address illegal immigration. The DOJ will support the Department of Homeland Security’s initiatives by using all available criminal statutes. This is a departure from previous policy. Employers can be charged with criminal offenses for employing undocumented employees or knowingly allowing contractors or staffing agencies to engage in such practices.
Key Points:
- U.S. Attorney’s Offices will prioritize and pursue criminal immigration-related violations, tracking monthly statistics on arrests, removals, and convictions.
- Enforcement will focus on:
- Registration and fingerprinting requirements for migrants
- Penalties for harboring, unlawful employment, document fraud, and improper entry/reentry
- Prohibitions on interfering with information exchange between government officials and immigration agencies
- Restrictions on firearm possession for unauthorized individuals
- The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces will coordinate with DHS on immigration-related initiatives.
- The DOJ will investigate and potentially prosecute state or local actors who resist or obstruct enforcement initiatives.
Information will be gathered through raids, ICE issued Notice of Inspection, and/or I-9 audits.
