In a significant policy change, federal immigration officers can now carry out arrests near places like churches and schools. This move marks a departure from long-standing guidelines that aimed to avoid enforcement in such sensitive locations.

According to officials, the new directive gives Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents more freedom to decide where and when to act. The goal, they say, is to allow law enforcement to use "common sense" rather than being restricted by previous rules.

The Trump administration emphasized its stance that criminals shouldn’t be able to use these locations as shields. “We trust our brave law enforcement to make the right calls,” a statement reads.

This shift has sparked concern among immigrant advocates, who worry it could create fear in communities. They argue that people might avoid schools, hospitals, or places of worship out of fear of being targeted.

Additionally, the Trump administration is phasing out certain parole programs that allowed migrants to live and work temporarily in the U.S. Critics of the Biden administration had accused it of overusing these programs, and the new plan aims to handle such cases individually rather than broadly.

This policy change is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape immigration enforcement, contrasting sharply with the previous administration’s approach.