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Emigration and immigration

Congresswoman Gwen Moore Calls for Reinstatement of Trump-Era Immigration Directive

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Congresswoman Gwen Moore, along with U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, has issued a letter to the heads of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) calling for the reinstatement of a Trump-era directive that protected crime victims seeking T or U visas from immigration enforcement. The directive, ICE Directive 11005.3, provided humanitarian protections for immigrant crime victims and allowed people in ICE custody with pending T or U visa applications to be released within 60 days. Moore and Jayapal argue that these protections are essential for building trust between victims of crime and law enforcement, and that without them, undocumented victims and witnesses may be too scared to come forward and report crimes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants who lack permanent legal status has targeted crime victims who hold or are applying for T or U visas.
  • ICE Directive 11005.3, which offered protections for immigrant crime victims, was issued during the Trump administration.
  • The directive instructed ICE officers to refrain from taking civil immigration enforcement action against known beneficiaries of victim-based immigration benefits and those known to have a pending application for such benefits.
  • Homeland Security Sec. Noem falsely accused a Milwaukee man, Ramone Morales Reyes, of writing a threatening letter to President Donald Trump, which was later found to be a forgery.
  • Morales Reyes was arrested, detained, and released on bond, but DHS continued to refer to him as a "criminal illegal alien" and a threat to national security.
  • A Milwaukee teacher's aid, Yessenia Ruano, a victim of human trafficking, was also targeted by ICE and ultimately self-deported to El Salvador with her two daughters.

Statistics:

  • 11005.3 ICE Directive was issued during the Trump administration (exact date not provided).
  • 60 days: The timeframe in which people with pending T or U visa applications were allowed to be released from ICE custody.
  • 1 Milwaukee man, Ramone Morales Reyes, was falsely accused of writing a threatening letter to President Donald Trump and was arrested, detained, and released on bond.
  • 1 Milwaukee teacher's aid, Yessenia Ruano, a victim of human trafficking, was targeted by ICE and self-deported to El Salvador with her two daughters.

Sources:

  • (https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/policy/11005.3_UsingVictimCenteredApproachNoncitizenVictims.pdf)
  • https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/05/31/ice-arrests-unsettle-milwaukee/
  • https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/06/10/ramon-morales-reyes-framed-for-writing-assassination-letter-is-released-on-bond/
  • https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/milwaukee-teachers-aide-yessenia-ruano-self-deports-to-el-salvador/

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