Immigration officers asked to take part in deportations, although they are supposed to deal with legal migrants

USCIS officials, according to an internal notice received CBS News, have been asked to volunteer to assist with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, another sign that the Trump administration is prioritizing efforts to deport migrants.

Photo: Pedro2009 | Dreamstime.com

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers were asked this week to sign up for 60-day assignments to assist ICE, the agency charged with carrying out President Trump's promise to carry out mass deportations.

The assignments, which could be extended beyond 60 days, are scheduled to begin March 10 and be spread across different states, according to an internal request sent by Kika Scott, the acting USCIS administrator. Two officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees USCIS and ICE, confirmed the email’s authenticity.

On the subject: 11-year-old girl commits suicide after being bullied and threatened with deportation

“Management should make every effort to support participation and approve travel unless the employee’s absence would have a gravely negative impact on mission accomplishment, including support for other critical department priorities,” the letter to USCIS employees said.

The agency administers the U.S. legal immigration system and processes a wide range of applications for citizenship, permanent residence, work authorization, and asylum.

ICE, in turn, is responsible for enforcing U.S. immigration laws within the country—identifying, detaining, and deporting undocumented immigrants.

The letter does not specify how USCIS volunteers will assist with ICE operations. However, a Department of Homeland Security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said USCIS employees could be involved in detainee processing, case management, document review, and data entry.

A letter to 20 USCIS employees said most could apply to work in ICE operations, but the Trump administration is primarily looking to attract people with immigration experience.

“Any position or level of professional may apply, but ICE is particularly seeking individuals with relevant experience to support its operations, including immigration officers, immigration and refugee officers, and operational support personnel,” the letter states.

The request for volunteers is the latest step in the Trump administration's efforts to mobilize federal manpower and resources to carry out the task of arresting and deporting millions of immigrants in the United States illegally.

The Trump administration has already empowered officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Department and other federal agencies to conduct immigration enforcement operations.

She also directed the Department of Defense and the Federal Bureau of Prisons to provide ICE with some of their facilities to house detained migrants awaiting deportation, including the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

Officers from ICE's investigative unit, Homeland Security Investigations, which traditionally focuses on combating child exploitation, human trafficking and other serious crimes, are also tasked with making arrests for immigration violations.

While ICE has been able to expand arrest operations across the country, the agency continues to face the same operational and financial challenges it faced under previous administrations.

As of early this week, the private and county jail networks used by ICE were at 120% capacity, holding more than 46 immigrants awaiting deportation. The system is officially designed to hold 000 detainees.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Trump Wants to Deprive Ukrainians of Legal Status in the US

Why Trump's Promise to Deport a Million Illegals a Year Is Impossible, and It's Already Shown

What to do if immigration agents come to you: advice from lawyers

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.