Biden Admin Quietly Loosening Immigration Rules Ahead Of Trump: Report
The Biden administration is reportedly working quickly and discreetly to implement new policies that could ease restrictions on migrants who entered the U.S. illegally, aiming to counter President-elect Donald Trump’s planned immigration crackdowns and mass deportations, sources revealed to the New York Post.
New York City is expected to be at the center of these developments, according to the outlet.
Among the measures being introduced is a new ICE Portal app, set to launch in early December, specifically in New York City. This app will allow migrants to complete check-ins with ICE remotely, eliminating the need for in-person visits to ICE offices.
However, Homeland Security sources expressed concerns to the Post about the app, suggesting it may inadvertently help migrants evade authorities. They cited the app’s history of technical issues, noting that glitches have hindered its effectiveness.
“Even when it’s working correctly, the new app doesn’t check for past arrests or outstanding warrants — something the current system tied to in-person appointments does,” the outlet reported, citing its sources. The app is expected to enroll up to 100,000 migrants during its initial rollout phase.
This app is just one of several initiatives the outgoing administration is expediting before inauguration day. Another includes a policy that permits migrants to challenge government orders requiring electronic monitoring while awaiting their immigration hearings.
Experts caution that undoing these changes may not be as simple as President-elect Trump issuing an executive order. According to the Post, these new policies could encounter procedural hurdles and potential legal challenges, complicating efforts to reverse them.
“A lot of lawsuits get filed, maybe frivolously, but it just kind of stalls what the administration wants to do,” a DHS source told the outlet.
Former acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan criticized the Biden administration’s actions, calling them “the opposite of a peaceful transition of power.” He told the Post: “This is an obstructionist transition.”
“What they’re trying to do in the last final days is put up as many roadblocks and obstacles and throw as many grenades as they can on their way out,” he added.
Morgan also suggested that court challenges could delay Trump’s efforts to undo the new policies, just as legal battles complicated his own immigration agenda during his first term, according to the Post.
In New York City, where the app is set to launch, ICE is already struggling to handle the influx of undocumented migrants. An official document reviewed by the Post revealed that appointments to process migrants released into the U.S. were fully booked through October 2032 as of early last year.
Despite significant issues during pilot testing in several cities, the Biden administration is pushing forward with the app’s rollout, the outlet reported.
Sources told the Post that the app failed to function on Android phones and, when used on a laptop, failed to collect the participant’s GPS location. This means users could technically check in from anywhere.
When the app does work on a phone, it only tracks a participant’s location for seven days.
This marks a stark difference from the current system, where migrants must provide proof of their current address. Additionally, the existing system continuously scans for arrest records nationwide — even in sanctuary cities like New York — and flags ICE officers if issues arise.
Under the current system, ICE can proactively track migrants who have been arrested. But, as sources disclosed, the new app doesn’t integrate with the existing migrant tracking database. This limits ICE’s ability to monitor migrants with criminal records effectively, the Post reported.
“We need that information that if these people don’t go to court, they have absconded, they have a final order of removal. We need that data … to go start looking for people,” a source told the outlet.