New enforcement push sees travellers detained at terminals despite pending applications, as authorities widen scope of immigration checks nationwide.

The United States has stepped up its immigration enforcement, with authorities now arresting foreign nationals whose visas have expired at airports across the country.

The move marks a significant escalation in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, extending enforcement beyond previously targeted groups to include a wider pool of travellers.

According to a report by The New York Times, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have recently carried out arrests at check-in counters, boarding gates and arrival terminals in at least 15 airports nationwide.

Those affected include spouses of U.S. citizens, skilled workers awaiting visa renewals, former exchange programme participants and other migrants with pending immigration applications.

Previously, enforcement efforts at airports focused mainly on individuals with existing deportation orders. However, internal documents from the Department of Homeland Security indicate the programme has now been broadened to cover visa overstayers, even if they are still awaiting decisions on applications to remain legally in the country.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals overstay their visas in the United States. Many of them remain in a legal grey area while waiting for decisions on extensions, green cards or asylum claims, often holding valid work permits during that period.

In the past, such individuals were generally not prioritised for arrest or deportation unless they had committed criminal offences. The latest development signals a shift in policy.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended the tougher stance, saying the administration is committed to enforcing immigration laws more strictly.

“This administration is working diligently to ensure that individuals in the country illegally can no longer travel freely within the United States unless it is to depart,” the spokesperson said.

While officials have not formally confirmed an expansion of the airport enforcement programme, reports suggest the White House has been pushing for a sharp increase in immigration arrests nationwide. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is said to have set a daily target of about 2,000 arrests.

Immigration lawyers say the new approach is already affecting people from multiple countries, including those with pending asylum claims, work visa renewals and marriage-based green card applications.

Among the cases cited is that of Chantal Morales Rojas, a 27-year-old Ecuadorian and former au pair, who was detained while boarding a domestic flight after her visa expired, despite having a pending application and work authorisation.

In another instance, a Ugandan woman living with a serious health condition was reportedly detained even though her asylum request was still under review.

Legal experts describe the development as unprecedented. Veteran immigration attorney Charles Kuck said he had never seen such widespread enforcement in nearly four decades of practice.

“In 38 years of practising immigration law, I have never seen anything like this,” he said, noting that similar cases are now being reported across the country.

The policy shift has raised concerns among immigration advocates, who warn that it could affect thousands of individuals navigating the already complex U.S. immigration system.