This bill significantly tightens immigration enforcement policies for aliens awaiting immigration proceedings or removal. It establishes that aliens may only be released into an Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program if all available detention beds are filled and all reasonable efforts to detain the alien have been exhausted, thereby making ATD a measure of last resort. For all aliens currently on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's nondetained docket, the bill mandates their enrollment in an ATD program. These individuals would be subject to continuous GPS monitoring throughout their immigration proceedings or until removal, and must observe a nightly curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. at their approved residence. A critical provision of the bill introduces a new ground for removal: if an alien fails to comply with a condition of their release order, an immigration officer's affidavit can lead to an order of removal in absentia .
This bill significantly tightens immigration enforcement policies for aliens awaiting immigration proceedings or removal. It establishes that aliens may only be released into an Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program if all available detention beds are filled and all reasonable efforts to detain the alien have been exhausted, thereby making ATD a measure of last resort. For all aliens currently on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's nondetained docket, the bill mandates their enrollment in an ATD program. These individuals would be subject to continuous GPS monitoring throughout their immigration proceedings or until removal, and must observe a nightly curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. at their approved residence. A critical provision of the bill introduces a new ground for removal: if an alien fails to comply with a condition of their release order, an immigration officer's affidavit can lead to an order of removal in absentia .