U.S. Immigration Policy Shift: ICE Cancels Detention Centers, New Green Card Rules Raise Family‑Separation Concerns

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the cancellation of contracts for seven new migrant detention centers after a multi‑million‑dollar investment. The decision follows internal audits and pressure from human‑rights groups over substandard conditions and high logistical costs, affecting thousands of Latin‑American migrants seeking entry.

At the same time, the administration introduced a new policy restricting adjustment‑of‑status applications, forcing many would‑be residents to complete green‑card processing abroad. Experts warn the change could separate families for years, citing the case of Virginia Carrillo, who spent a decade apart from her U.S. citizen husband and children after being required to leave the United States for a consular interview. The policy reversal and the detention‑center cancellations together signal a major shift in U.S. immigration enforcement and family‑reunification practices.