WESLACO – Changes to U.S. Border Patrol’s expedited removal policy was included under the immigration priorities released Monday.

Expedited removal is the process in which any immigrant who lacks proper documentation and has committed fraud or willfully misrepresented facts can be removed immediately without hearing or review.

The rules changed with the most recent changes from the new administration. Now, the policy could be applied to the removal of any immigrant in the country illegally.

People could be stopped by U.S. Border Patrol within 100 air miles of the border within 14 days of entry.

However, there are three exclusions to the rule:

• Unaccompanied minors

• Any immigrant who claims they left their country for a political reason or asylum or feel an imminent threat of prosecution or torture in their own country

• Any immigrant who was in the country with legal documents

The exception groups will remain the same for now. But other key elements have changed with the issuance of an executive order and new mandates the Department of Homeland Security issued Monday.

According to the documents, the 100 mile barrier no longer exists.

Expedited removals can happen to immigrants anywhere in the country. In addition, the 14-day period since entry was expanded to two years of simultaneous residency.

A person must be able to prove they’ve lived in the U.S. for two years and have not left the country for any reason during that time period to be exempted if you are not under any of the exemption groups.