In an unexpected twist, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now detaining foreign partners of Americans with expired visas and even current applications to remain in the country at airports.

An investigation carried out by The New York Times, which includes a review of official documents and the testimony of immigration lawyers, reveals that, in its desire to increase deportations of foreigners lacking legal status, the federal government has even begun to require the detention at airports of foreigners whose US visas have expired, regardless of whether they are spouses of native citizens.

Dressed in civilian clothes and in a surprising manner, immigration agents approach the check-in counters and arrival gates of at least 15 airports in the country to detain certain people who they consider are violating the immigration policy established by Donald Trump.

The investigation points to the alleged existence of a collaboration agreement between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and ICE.

Based on a document obtained by The New York Times, through the Freedom of Information Act from the government transparency group American Oversight, since last year, the airport security agency has shared information with the immigration agency.

The population sector that the immigration authorities are targeting could mean hundreds of thousands of arrests and subsequent deportations previously not contemplated, since each year, the number of foreigners who choose to stay in the United States with expired visas and even work permits has increased, since many of them intend to obtain permanent residence.

Since Markwayne Mullin became secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the goal of making 2,000 immigrant arrests a day has been set, and that may be one of the reasons why foreigners who resort to flights are now being considered among the priorities, as indicated by a DHS spokesperson in a statement.

“This administration is working diligently to ensure that undocumented aliens can no longer fly unless it is to voluntarily deport themselves,” he said.

Among the people affected by the turn that immigration policy has taken in the United States are foreign couples recently married to United States citizens.

It is noteworthy that airlines allow foreigners with expired visas to purchase tickets to any destination, which generates confidence.

However, testimonies collected by The New York Times agree that in several cases, when your boarding pass is scanned at the airports, an alarm sounds and, in moments, ICE agents appear to detain the foreigners.

For this reason, the lawyers of those who represent foreigners in the process of changing their immigration status are recommending that they avoid traveling, otherwise they risk being deported.

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