DOJ closes loophole letting undocumented migrants evade removal orders
The Justice Department issued a ruling that eliminates a legal gap allowing illegal immigrants to avoid deportation by claiming they never received notice.
A new DOJ decision targets a long-standing loophole that let undocumented migrants sidestep removal orders by asserting they were not notified. Under immigration law, migrants must provide an address to the Department of Homeland Security, and failure to do so is a criminal violation. The loophole permitted those who broke the address rule to claim lack of notice and escape enforcement. DHS General Counsel James Percival announced the fix on X, calling the previous practice "insanity" that had persisted for years.
Why it matters
Closing the loophole strengthens immigration enforcement and limits ways undocumented migrants can avoid deportation.
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