Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has signed sweeping new guidelines that empower federal authorities to more aggressively detain and deport immigrants at the border and those who are living in the U.S. illegally, The Washington Post newspaper reported.

Kelly detailed plans in a pair of memos to hire thousands of new enforcement agents, widen the classification of immigrants who should be prioritized for removal, speed up deportation hearings and use local law enforcement to make arrests.

Kelly's memos, which have not been released publicly, are intended as an implementation blueprint for DHS to pursue US President Donald Trump's goal.

His memos are copied to officials at Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

Kelly also said the new rules replace almost all previous rules issued under previous administrations on how deportations should be conducted.

Source: MENA