A group of Quaker congregations has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over a policy change by Donald Trump designed to make it easier for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to locate and remove illegal immigrants.
The new U.S. president changed the law to allow ICE agents to conduct operations in "sensitive locations," including houses of worship, playgrounds, schools and hospitals, without prior approval from their supervisors, which was previously required.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration is seeking to crack down on illegal immigration. The president made immigration a central theme of his successful campaign for office, and Americans largely support his mass deportation plans.
A New York Times/Ipsos poll, carried out from January 2 to 10, found 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported such plans. Eighty-eight percent supported "deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records." Large majorities of Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.