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September 30, 2021policy changeimmigration policycivil libertiesfederal enforcementimmigrationexecutive powercivil rights

Mayorkas restores courthouse protections as sensitive locations for immigration enforcement

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued new enforcement guidelines restoring sensitive location protections for courts, schools, and hospitals. The memo explicitly listed immigration courts as protected locations and instructed ICE officers to avoid arrests in and around them absent extraordinary circumstances. The guidance reinstated the spirit of the Morton Memo and added explicit protection for immigration court venues.