ICE memo expands warrantless arrest authority based on "likelihood of escape"

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons issued a memo on January 28, 2026 expanding warrantless arrest authority. The new policy lowered the threshold from traditional exigent circumstances requirements to a new standard based on likelihood of escape. The memo applied to all ICE field offices nationwide.

The new likelihood of escape standard allowed agents to make arrests without warrants in situations where they believed suspects might flee. This represented a significant expansion of ICE authority compared to previous practices that required clear exigent circumstances like imminent danger or evidence destruction.

Constitutional law experts immediately challenged the memo legality under the Fourth Amendment. Scholars from Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and the ACLU argued that the new standard effectively eliminated warrant requirements for most immigration arrests, violating constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The ACLU prepared legal challenges on February 1, 2026, arguing the new standard was unconstitutional. The organization filed administrative complaints and prepared lawsuits challenging the memo in multiple jurisdictions. They argued the policy would lead to increased unconstitutional arrests.

Senate Democrats called for oversight hearings on the expanded authority and implementation. Senators APAlex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and others demanded that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem testify about the legal justification and implementation of the new policy.

The memo was issued without consultation with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, according to multiple sources. This raised questions about inter-agency coordination and whether the policy had proper approval from DHS leadership. Noem reportedly learned about the memo after it was issued to field offices.

Immigration advocacy groups warned that the expanded authority would lead to increased arrests of undocumented immigrants without proper judicial oversight. They argued the policy would particularly affect communities with large immigrant populations and could lead to family separations.

The policy came amid broader Trump administration efforts to increase immigration enforcement. The administration had already expanded detention capacity, increased deportation flights, and implemented stricter asylum policies. The memo represented another step in expanding enforcement authority.