Two Kachin students from Myanmar have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at international airports in Texas and Florida, according to community members in the United States. The students — one male and one female — were taken into custody during the third week of July upon arrival at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and an undisclosed international airport in Florida, sources close to the cases said. Both students had applied for political asylum in the U.S. following Myanmar’s 2021 military coup and were awaiting decisions on their applications. “It appears ICE is targeting Myanmar students who applied for political asylum after the 2021 coup,” said a Kachin resident in the U.S. “The administration’s accelerated deportation efforts now seem to be affecting Myanmar nationals.” Under the new rule, certain asylum applicants may be referred directly to immigration court before their asylum interviews.