Immigration

‘Worst first': Miami ICE official clarifies Trump administration's guidance on deportations

NBC6 spoke to Garrett Ripa, the acting assistant director of ICE Field Operations in Miami

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Garrett Ripa, the acting assistant director of ICE Field Operations in Miami, told NBC6 on Tuesday that the administrative guidance is a “worst first” ideology – people with non-violent crimes are not the target, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be detained.

As federal agents ramp up immigration enforcement, some undocumented immigrants in South Florida fear they may be the target of the next raid.

Garrett Ripa, the acting assistant director of ICE Field Operations in Miami, told NBC6 on Tuesday that the administrative guidance is a “worst first” ideology – people with non-violent crimes are not the target, but that doesn't mean they won't be detained.

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"Every individual in the United States that is either removable or inadmissible from the United States, regardless of whether they have a crime or not, is potentially an individual that we could take an enforcement action against," Ripa said. "Now does that necessarily mean that we're going to take that person into immigration custody? Not necessarily, there are other avenues we can explore."

According to Ripa, if detained, the immigrants will get due process. In some cases, they will have hearings, in others, they may be deported.

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Watch the full interview in the video player above.

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