Immigration and Customs Enforcement makes significant changes to its assistance programs amid mounting fiscal pressures and effectiveness concerns.
According to Fox News, ICE has discontinued two major programs that provided social services to illegal immigrants released into the U.S. interior, citing substantial costs and minimal improvements in program outcomes.
The agency made this decision in response to inquiries from Representative Byron Donalds and 15 other members of Congress. The terminated programs include the Wraparound Stabilization Service (WSS) and the Young Adult Case Management (YACMP) program.
The WSS, which began in February 2020, worked with NGOs to provide psychosocial and behavioral health support for vulnerable participants and their families. The YACMP, launched in 2023, offered legal services and human trafficking screenings to 18- and 19-year-old migrants across 16 cities.
ICE currently manages a non-detained docket of nearly 7.7 million people while maintaining only 40,000 detention beds. This significant disparity has led to increased scrutiny of program effectiveness and resource allocation. The agency's Alternatives to Detention program currently monitors just over 181,000 individuals through app check-ins or GPS monitoring devices.
The WSS program's termination came after ICE's assessment revealed minimal improvement in compliance rates. According to ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the program showed only a 2% higher compliance rate among participants compared to non-participants.
ICE ERO explained their decision to end the WSS program. As stated in their response:
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations notes the challenge with the WSS was its immense cost with little improvement. As a result, ERO determined WSS was not cost effective enough to continue paying for these services when they did not benefit ICE or help the agency further its mission.
The Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) has shown some success in ensuring court appearances. Statistics indicate that 98.6% of participants attended their court hearings overall, with 90.4% appearing for final hearings. Currently, 13.2% of participants are tracked using GPS ankle or wrist devices.
Criminal activity among program participants has been documented during fiscal 2024. The agency reported 3,913 charges and 688 convictions for enrolled individuals. These convictions included serious offenses such as homicide, kidnapping, sex offenses, and assault.
Conservative voices have responded strongly to the program terminations. Heritage Foundation's Border Security and Immigration Center director Lora Ries offered her perspective:
ICE is a law enforcement agency, not a charity. The billions of dollars DHS has wasted to bring millions of illegal aliens into the country and provide them excessive amenities should be redirected to getting every illegal alien safely back to their home country.
The incoming Trump administration has indicated plans for significant changes in immigration enforcement strategies. These plans include increasing deportations and expanding the use of ankle monitors for non-detained individuals. This approach represents a departure from current policies.
The average duration of program participation stands at 511.9 days, raising questions about long-term resource allocation and program sustainability. The agency continues to evaluate the effectiveness of its monitoring methods and service provisions.
ICE's decision to terminate these social service programs marks a significant shift in immigration enforcement strategy. The agency discontinued the Wraparound Stabilization Service and Young Adult Case Management program due to high costs and limited effectiveness in achieving program objectives. These changes come as the agency grapples with managing a non-detained population of 7.7 million people while operating with a limited detention capacity of 40,000 beds.
