TRUMP ADMINISTRATION EXPANDS FAST-TRACK DEPORTATION AUTHORITY ACROSS THE US

The Trump Administration has announced it will vastly extend the authority of immigration officers to deport immigrants without allowing them to appear before judges. Fast-track deportation applies to anyone who cannot prove that they have been in the country for two years or more. Prior to expanding fast-track deportation, anyone detained near the border and had been in the U.S. for less than two weeks were the ones who would face expedited removal. 

Under the new policy, Immigration officers serve as both prosecutor and judge — charging someone as deportable and making a final decision to deport him or her, often all within a day.  Such a course of action does not take into consideration important factors such as whether the detained individual is eligible to apply for any other form of relief. Additionally, those detained do not have an opportunity to speak to a lawyer about their options. Critics of the new measure said many in the U.S. for longer than two years may be unable to prove they have been in the country for so long.  The American Civil Liberties Union and American Immigration Council said they would sue to block the policy.