Trump's Shift in Immigration Enforcement Policies Revealed

The Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts slowed down significantly in the months following the high-profile police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to government data and interviews with current and former officials.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests dropped sharply in the aftermath of the nationwide protests sparked by Floyd's death, as the White House grew wary of further inflaming tensions, the sources said. The pullback in enforcement underscores how the president's political calculations can directly impact the work of federal agencies, even on issues like immigration that are central to his agenda.

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In the three months after Floyd's killing in late May 2020, ICE made about 30% fewer arrests nationwide compared to the same period the prior year, according to an analysis of the agency's data. The decline was even steeper in Minneapolis, where ICE made roughly half as many arrests in that time frame.

Former Trump administration officials said the White House directed ICE to ease up on enforcement to avoid further unrest, as the protests over police brutality against Black Americans had already led to a national reckoning on racial injustice.

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