This week in immigration news – December 5, 2019

Here’s some of what we’re following this week:

News reports this week showed that the global consulting firm McKinsey was originally brought on by the Obama administration to consult on “organizational transformation” within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. When the Trump administration directed ICE to ramp up their operations, McKinsey assisted with recommendations.

McKinsey’s recommendations have now come to light thanks to an investigation by ProPublica. The recommendations included cutting funds for food and medical care for migrants, in addition to accelerating the deportation process.

DACA currently provides temporary deportation relief to more than 600,000 youth. The Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments on President Trump’s September 2017 decision to “wind down” DACA on November 12. The court is expected to issue a decision by June 2020—but maybe as early as next month.

The uncertainty surrounding the program has thrust DACA recipients’ lives into limbo and has taken a toll on the mental health of their children.

In North Carolina, ICE paid less than $27 to the Executive Office of the State of North Carolina to gain access to driver’s license data in the state from 2017 to 2018.

Driver’s license data has been a common way for ICE to find migrants to detain. However, despite the low-cost of accessing the information, critics charge that carrying out the Trump administration’s immigration policies have been damaging, not effective.

For example, seven North Carolina mayors recently came together to demand an end to ICE raids in the state that have destabilized many local communities.