Credit: Homeland Security A memo dated February 18, 2026, from US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow and Acting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons signals an expansion of ICE’s ability to detain refugees who have not yet adjusted to lawful permanent resident status (ie. obtained a Green Card) after a year. The directive was submitted by government lawyers in a federal court filing on Wednesday. Under prior policy, failure to obtain a green card after one year was not grounds for detention or removal. Refugees in this situation were typically released within 48 hours if arrested, or DHS had to initiate full removal proceedings. The new guidance rescinds that approach. Immigration officers can now arrest and detain refugees who have “failed…
Click here to read the full article at The Gateway Pundit.
