ICE Not Consistent in Application of Deportation Guidelines

"In a statement, ICE said the new deportation guidelines "remain in full force and effect" and that the federal judge's order clearly stated that the injunction didn't affect them.  The agency said it has conducted a series of mandatory training for all ICE personnel as well as "repeatedly" discussed the injunction's scope with all its field office directors.  But Chen said when the agency has instituted revised deportation guidelines in the past the implementation has been "inconsistent at best" because "unless clear guidance is given to officers they are very unlikely to grant discretion because there's an institutional predisposition against that."  There's been a flood of calls in the past few weeks from worried lawyers and advocates, said Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, an advocacy group based in Los Angeles.  "Some (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) offices are known to be historically problematic and with others it's probably just confusion," she said. "The administration needs to hone in on these offices."  In the meantime some immigrants are falling through the cracks." - Lomi Kriel, Houston Chronicle, Mar. 8, 2015.