Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have reportedly been instructed to stop arresting illegal immigrants who do not have criminal charges or convictions, according to anonymous agency sources who spoke with The Daily Wire. The Department of Homeland Security, however, denies that any such restriction has been imposed.

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If the reported directive is accurate, it would represent a significant shift in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. Even illegal immigrants with final deportation orders would reportedly not be arrested if they lack criminal charges or convictions, while so-called “collateral arrests” would also cease.

From The Daily Wire:

Federal immigration agents may only arrest illegal immigrants with criminal convictions or charges for the time being, said the sources, who spoke with The Daily Wire on the condition of anonymity. Those who have final deportation orders but lack criminal convictions or charges will not be arrested, they said.

The change also reportedly ends so-called “collateral arrests,” sources said, meaning officers who find a criminal target alongside others in the country illegally may detain only the target.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security dismissed the claims as “false” and said that “no one is off the table.”

DHS insisted that immigration enforcement remains broad, telling The Daily Wire, “Anyone in our country illegally will be arrested and deported.” The department said ICE is conducting a nationwide public-safety surge in sanctuary cities focused on illegal immigrants with criminal records, including violent offenders and gang members. That official statement directly conflicts with the account provided by the anonymous ICE sources, making the scope of any actual policy change unclear.

Some ICE officers nevertheless told The Daily Wire that they had received the new instructions and expressed frustration with them. One speculated that the change could be related to the approaching midterm elections, while another predicted that arrest numbers would decline. No evidence establishing a political motive was presented in the article, and DHS did not confirm that such a policy had been adopted.

The reported directive comes amid other scrutiny of ICE operations. Following the shooting of a Venezuelan migrant by an ICE officer in Austin, officers nationwide reportedly received a reminder that body cameras must be worn during arrests. The article also notes that DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin recently faced another leadership challenge after the White House withdrew the nomination of his choice to lead ICE. The Daily Wire compares the latest controversy with a brief July pause on ICE traffic stops that President Trump subsequently reversed.

The conflicting accounts make this an important situation to watch. Immigration officers need clear direction about how federal law should be enforced, while Americans deserve transparency about any significant changes to the administration’s immigration policies. Let’s pray for truth to emerge about what ICE officers have actually been instructed to do, for wisdom and integrity among DHS and ICE leadership, and for President Trump and his administration as they oversee enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws.

Share your prayers and scriptures for our nation’s immigration officials and leaders in the comments.

(Excerpt from The Daily Wire. Photo Credit: Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Flickr)