US airports detain foreign nationals with expired visas amid expanded enforcement

The United States has implemented a new policy of detaining foreign nationals at airports during domestic flights if their visas have expired. This practice now includes spouses of U.S. citizens and immigrants holding valid work permits, according to a report by The New York Times, citing ANTARA news agency.

Documents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and interviews with immigration lawyers reveal that over two dozen individuals detained come from various countries and fall into a legal 'gray zone.' These detainees had reportedly applied for visa extensions or obtained green cards and were officially permitted to work in the U.S. Previously, migrants awaiting immigration processing who had not committed any crimes were seldom detained at U.S. airports.

The report attributes these detentions to an intensified partnership between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Under this collaboration, airlines now automatically match passenger information against U.S. immigration databases, leading to the identification and detention of individuals with expired visas, even if they are in the process of extending their status or have other valid permits.