Ever since President Trump’s inauguration, he has made a vow to get rid of as many “illegal aliens” as possible. Pushing for the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in the US, his vow was partially fulfilled when he ordered the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to lead a nationwide immigration crackdown, resulting in the arrests of 956 people in several major cities including Chicago, Newark, and Miami. During his speech at a New York City rally, Trump reiterated that he would “launch the largest deportation program in American history” the day he became president.
“I consider it an invasion of our country,” said Trump in a TIME interview. “We’ll get [the] National Guard, and we’ll go as far as I’m allowed to go, according to the laws of our country.”
ICE, the main agency leading the current immigration crackdown, was established in 2003 as part of a government effort to strengthen national security following the September 11 attacks. With acting director Caleb Vitello leading the agency, more than 20,000 people currently work for ICE with the agency’s annual budget being around $9 billion, according to the fiscal year 2024 annual report.
Trump’s recent immigration crackdown sparked widespread public controversy and faced strong opposition from Democratic leaders. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged the presence of ICE surrounding his city, stating that Chicago police were not to be involved in the deportation process and citizens being detained would be frequently reminded of their rights.
According to ICE, under former President Joe Biden, an average of 311 immigration deportations were carried out daily, mostly targeting individuals with criminal records. This is much lower than the Trump administration, which, as of February 12, has been arresting 826 people a day since Trump’s second inauguration on January 20. If ICE continues at this pace, the Trump administration is expected to arrest nearly 25,000 migrants in the first 30 days — more than in any month in the past 11 years.
Trump, a member of the Republican Party, is also known for publicly expressing his disapproval of undocumented migrants coming into the US. During Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, he referred to migrants without proper documentation as people “bringing drugs, and bringing crime” while also describing them as “rapists.” Through his controversial remarks, Trump continues to emphasize his concerns for the nation’s safety with the rising number of migrants crossing the US border.
In response to the enforcement by ICE, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka stated undocumented Newark residents and citizens, including one military veteran, were unlawfully detained without a warrant in a raid enforced by ICE.
“Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized,” said Baraka.
As the nation continues to struggle with the complexities of immigration policy, the actions of ICE and the debates surrounding undocumented immigrants will continue to shape the perspective on how security and justice are seen in the United States.