In an important move, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released updated agency-wide guidelines on September 29, 2023. The guidelines detail how ICE employees must handle cases involving Red Notices and Diffusions.
Published by Estlund Law, P.A., the detailed new protocols affect all ICE officials, regardless of their department or specialty. The guidelines render a comprehensive and coherent approach to dealing with Red Notices and Diffusions—a first in the history of the agency.
These guidelines are no minor change in policy procedure. Red Notices and Diffusions are critical tools used by Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization). Interpol issues Red Notices to request the detention of wanted individuals for extradition, whereas Diffusions can be used to request various forms of international cooperation, including provision of information, surveillance, or arrest for extradition.
In the ever-changing landscape of immigration law, these comprehensive guidelines help standardize the treatment of cases involving particularly complex international instruments. The guidelines aim to increase uniformity, predictability, and fairness in the work of ICE’s officials.
For a detailed view into these guidelines, readers are encouraged to visit the full report by Estlund Law, P.A. on JDSupra. In the meantime, part 3 of our coverage on these guidelines will delve deeper, providing in-depth analysis for legal professionals.