Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted recent enforcement actions targeting individuals with criminal backgrounds while simultaneously expanding its monitoring programs for asylum seekers and other immigrants in removal proceedings.

According to Department of Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis, ICE arrested five individuals who had been convicted of serious crimes including manslaughter, child sexual assault, and carjacking. The arrests were part of ongoing immigration enforcement operations targeting individuals with criminal histories.

Separately, immigration advocates report that ICE has significantly increased its use of ankle monitoring devices for immigrants, including those with legal status such as asylum seekers. Legal Aid DC supervising attorney Deepa Bijpuria cited the case of an asylum-seeking woman who had attended routine check-ins with immigration authorities for five years without incident, but was unexpectedly required to wear an ankle monitor at her October appointment.

The woman, described as a single mother who fled domestic violence in her home country while pregnant, represents what advocates characterize as a broader pattern of expanded monitoring. Immigration attorneys argue that the devices, which they describe as uncomfortable and potentially interfering with employment, may be used as a pressure tactic to encourage voluntary departure from the country.

The dual enforcement approaches reflect ongoing immigration policy implementation across different categories of cases, from those involving criminal convictions to individuals seeking asylum protection through legal channels.