DHS Denies Halt to ICE Arrests: All Undocumented Immigrants Exposed to Arrests
Posted on 09/28/26 at 08:35
- ICE Continues Arrests
- DHS Denies Change in Immigration Policy
- Arrests Without Criminal Records Continue
The government of Donald Trump denied that ICE had received an order to stop arresting undocumented immigrants without criminal records.
The clarification came after reports suggested a temporary instruction to focus resources on individuals with convictions or pending charges.
The key point is important: prioritizing certain cases does not mean that other immigrants are protected from potential arrests.
Trump confirmed to Fox News that ICE can continue arresting and deporting people who are in the United States illegally.
- Why it matters: There is no new exemption.
- The fact: ICE continues arrests.
- The process: They prioritize more serious cases.
- What they can do: Check official information.
ICE Continues Arrests of Immigrants Without Criminal Records
The Department of Homeland Security denied on Sunday that ICE had ordered its agents to suspend arrests of undocumented immigrants who do not have criminal records. https://t.co/ywBdf2LweW
— N+ UNIVISION (@nmasunivision) September 27, 2026
The controversy began after reports circulated about a supposed modification of instructions sent to immigration agents in different regions.
Those reports indicated that ICE would temporarily focus its arrests on immigrants with criminal records or pending criminal cases.
The supposed directive would also have limited so-called «collateral» arrests, when agents encounter other immigrants during an operation targeting another person.
However, DHS rejected the idea that there was a formal change and maintained that the national immigration enforcement strategy remains in effect.
A Verbal Guideline Caused Confusion Within ICE
🇺🇸‼️ | The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) labeled as false the report from The Daily Wire about the suspension of arrests of illegal immigrants without criminal records. The agency ratified that “any person in an illegal situation will be arrested and deported”, announcing a… pic.twitter.com/7I4VVuNktx
— UHN Plus (@UHN_Plus) September 27, 2026
Journalist Bill Melugin reported that he spoke directly with Trump and with nine sources linked to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
According to those sources, a verbal guideline did circulate asking offices to prioritize cases considered more serious first.
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Some agents initially interpreted that instruction as a significant modification of operations, causing surprise and frustration within the agency, according to Fox News.
Later, the sources described what happened as a «lack of communication» related to prioritization, not as an official modification of immigration policy.
Trump Confirms Continued Collateral Arrests
🚨 BREAKING OVERNIGHT: President Trump and DHS confirm reports that ICE is stopping arrests of «non-criminal» illegal aliens are FALSE
There was ANOTHER guidance dispatched to ICE confirming that non-criminals and collateral arrests will continue, per @BillMelugin_
Good, mass… pic.twitter.com/vMLze5e8MC
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 27, 2026
New guidance was sent to ICE offices to reiterate that the general immigration enforcement rules remained unchanged, according to the report.
Trump also confirmed that agents can continue detaining immigrants without additional criminal records when they are found during immigration operations.
This includes so-called collateral arrests, where a person can be detained even if they were not the initial target of the ICE operation.
For immigrant families, the practical conclusion is that prioritizing individuals with records does not equate to suspending actions against other individuals subject to deportation.
What Does the DHS Clarification Mean for Immigrants?
The difference between an operational priority and an immigration exemption is fundamental to understanding the controversy surrounding the internal instructions.
ICE can initially focus resources on certain profiles without necessarily preventing the detention of other individuals encountered during their operations.
Therefore, immigrants should not interpret the initial reports as a general suspension of arrests for those without criminal records.
Each immigration situation is different; when in doubt about a specific case, it is advisable to consult official information or seek guidance from an accredited immigration attorney.
Sources: Univision, Fox News.