What You Missed in Immigration: Warrantless Raids, 5-Year-Olds in Custody, and the EB-1A Escape Hatch

Milow LeBlanc
4 days ago
5 min read

"Operation Catch of the Day": ICE Turns Maine Into Latest Enforcement Battleground

The Trump administration launched a new immigration enforcement operation in Maine, aptly named "Operation Catch of the Day." The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids began this week amid escalating tensions between President Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills. Local officials in Portland warned that the operation has left immigrant communities fearful, particularly Somali Americans, and urged ICE to avoid the aggressive tactics recently deployed in Minneapolis.

The PERM Takeaway: Branded enforcement operations like "Catch of the Day" signal that ICE raids are becoming systematized nationwide, creating a climate of fear that directly impacts your workforce. Employees may avoid traveling to work or consider leaving the U.S. entirely. Proactive communication is essential: remind sponsored employees of their rights, ensure they carry work authorization documents, and provide guidance on ICE encounters. Your foreign national employees are watching how you respond, supportive employers who provide resources and legal guidance will retain talent, while those who stay silent risk losing their workforce to fear.

5-Year-Old in Spider-Man Backpack: When School Pickup Becomes an ICE Operation

Federal immigration agents detained a 5-year-old boy and his father in a suburban Minneapolis school district this week, sparking public outrage after a photo showed the child in custody wearing a Spider-Man backpack. School officials said the pair, asylum seekers from Ecuador, were taken after arriving home and are now being held at a detention center in Texas. Attorneys confirmed both entered legally and have active asylum claims. Federal authorities dispute the school district's account of events.

The PERM Takeaway: The detention of a 5-year-old demonstrates that ICE enforcement has no boundaries, not schools, not families with pending legal cases, not basic decency. Even individuals with active asylum claims and lawful entry can be detained. This is why accelerating PERM to permanent residency is critical. Green card holders cannot be detained and deported for immigration violations like nonimmigrants can. If you have employees on H-1B, TPS, asylum pending, or other temporary status, evaluate PERM eligibility immediately. The difference between temporary status and a green card isn't just paperwork, it's the difference between stability and detention.

Nationwide Protests Erupt on Trump's Second-Term Anniversary

Thousands of workers and students marched across U.S. cities and campuses to protest President Trump's immigration policies on the first anniversary of his second term. Demonstrations erupted in Washington, Cleveland, Santa Fe, and Asheville, with protesters chanting condemnations of ICE tactics. The protests follow public outrage over recent enforcement actions, including a fatal shooting in Minneapolis and reported deaths in detention facilities, as opposition to aggressive deportation efforts continues to grow.

The PERM Takeaway: Widespread protests signal immigration has become a flashpoint for social unrest, creating reputational risks for employers. Companies seen as indifferent to enforcement may face employee activism and recruitment challenges, while those supporting immigrant workers strengthen loyalty and employer branding. This volatile environment reinforces the need to move employees from temporary, vulnerable statuses into permanent residency quickly. Employees with green cards are far less likely to be caught in enforcement actions. Don't wait for employees to ask, proactively offer PERM sponsorship and demonstrate commitment to their long-term security.

EB-1A Filings Triple as Skilled Workers Flee H-1B Chaos

Filings for the EB-1A extraordinary-ability green card have tripled in four years, topping 7,500 per quarter, as skilled workers seek to bypass the H-1B lottery and decades-long employer-sponsored backlogs. The surge in applications reflects growing frustration with capped H-1B visas, slow adjudications, and multi-decade waits for Indian and Chinese professionals stuck in EB-2 and EB-3 queues.

The PERM Takeaway: The EB-1A surge reveals deep dissatisfaction with H-1B and PERM backlogs. For employers, this has mixed implications. If your employees qualify for EB-1A (extraordinary ability), encouraging pursuit can accelerate their green card without requiring PERM. However, the boom also signals talent loss risk, employees who get independent green cards may leave for better opportunities. The strategic response? Support EB-1A exploration where appropriate, but simultaneously accelerate your PERM processes. For employees who don't meet EB-1A's high bar, PERM remains the most viable option and starting early is the only way to mitigate brutal priority date backlogs.

ICE Memo Authorizes Warrantless Home Entries: Civil Liberties Nightmare Becomes Policy

A May 2025 internal memo shows ICE instructed officers they can forcibly enter homes using administrative warrants without judicial authorization, when someone has a final order of removal. The memo, attributed to acting ICE director Todd Lyons and shared with Senator Richard Blumenthal by whistleblowers, represents a shift from past practice. ICE argues federal law does not prohibit home arrests based solely on administrative warrants, a position raising significant legal and civil liberties concerns.

The PERM Takeaway: Warrantless home entries fundamentally alter the enforcement landscape and create risks for all foreign nationals. While the policy targets individuals with final removal orders, eroding Fourth Amendment protections signals broader disregard for due process. Employees with past immigration violations overstays, missed hearings, old removal orders face dramatically increased risk and should consult counsel immediately. Even employees with clean records may face collateral impacts if they live with family members who have immigration issues. Counsel all sponsored employees to understand their rights and immediately contact legal counsel if ICE attempts entry.

Federal Judge Backs DHS Rule Limiting Congressional ICE Inspections

A federal judge temporarily allowed the Trump administration to block members of Congress from inspecting immigration detention facilities without advance notice. The ruling permits DHS to require seven days' notice for inspections. The decision follows clashes in Minnesota, where Democratic lawmakers said they were unlawfully denied access to an ICE facility.

The PERM Takeaway: When judges greenlight restrictions on congressional oversight of detention facilities, it signals broader erosion of accountability in immigration enforcement. A system without oversight is prone to abuse, errors, and unpredictability. This underscores the importance of working with experienced immigration counsel and converting temporary workers to permanent residents through PERM. Green card holders are far less vulnerable to detention and enforcement overreach. In a system with diminishing oversight and expanding enforcement powers, permanent residency isn't just a career benefit, it's a basic safety measure.

Bottom Line: Last week's immigration news reveals a system spiraling toward authoritarianism: warrantless home raids, children detained at schools, congressional oversight blocked, and enforcement operations branded like marketing campaigns.

For PERM-dependent employers, the message is stark, temporary immigration statuses offer virtually no protection in this environment. The only rational response is aggressive PERM sponsorship converting temporary workers to permanent residents before they're swept up in enforcement actions or flee to countries with functional immigration systems. Companies that act decisively will preserve their talent. Those that hesitate will lose their workforce to fear, detention, or deportation.