The Trump administration has reaffirmed that US immigration enforcement policy has not changed, following confusion over guidance reportedly telling ICE agents to prioritise people with serious criminal records. The clarification matters because the apparent shift alarmed some agents and raised questions about whether the administration was reducing its broader deportation campaign.

The guidance was described as verbal advice to pursue the “worst first”, but officials later attributed the confusion to internal discussions and a miscommunication rather than a formal policy change. ICE agents may still arrest and deport people unlawfully in the country, including individuals without additional criminal convictions and “collaterals” encountered during operations targeting someone else.