Topline
The Trump administration is aiming to arrest 1,200 to 1,500 people per day for immigration violations, more than double recent levels, the Washington Post reported Sunday, as President Donald Trump vows to conduct the “largest deportation operation” in U.S. history—but Trump is facing some early pushback, hitting Colombia with tariffs after the country rejected deportation flights.
The White House said the “largest deportation operation” in U.S. history was underway.
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The White House said deportation flights began Friday, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement made 538 arrests and lodged 373 detainees on Thursday, in addition to hundreds of “illegal immigrant criminals” who were flown out of the U.S. on military aircraft—compared to 308 arrests on Tuesday, and 282 arrests per day in September before Trump took over.
The administration says arrests could pick up quickly: The Washington Post reports ICE officials have been told to aim for 1,200 to 1,500 daily arrests, including at least 75 arrests by each of the agency’s roughly two dozen field offices.
Meanwhile, ICE and Border Patrol agents have been ordered to deport people who cross the border without authorization immediately and conduct “expedited removals” for people found within the interior of the United States, CBS reports, while major raids are expected in various cities—with ICE announcing activity in Chicago on Sunday.
Trump on Monday signed a string of executive orders targeting immigration: The military was ordered to the border, migrants can no longer make advance appointments with border officials, parole programs were suspended and migrants must wait in Mexico while their asylum cases play out.
While Trump has said the deportations would begin “very quickly,” the operations will likely require Congress to approve additional funding, as ICE already faces a budget shortfall to maintain existing deportation levels in the current spending plan that expires on March 14, according to NBC.
There are also logistical hurdles like a limited number of beds to hold people in pre-deportation and planes to use for deportation flights, though Trump ordered the military to assist with aircraft and detention space—and removals are only possible if countries are willing to accept deportees, posing a challenge as some countries push back.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Sunday in a post on X the country would reject deportation flights operated by the military, after reports that two U.S. military flights en route to Colombia were turned away, writing that “the US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals.”
Petro’s announcement comes after Mexico blocked a flight last week, a matter an unnamed White House official attributed to “an administrative issue” in a text message to NBC News.
Trump responded to Colombia on Sunday by announcing 25% tariffs on all imports that would increase to 50% within a week, along with financial sanctions and travel and visa restrictions for government officials, their families and allies.
When Did The Mass Arrests And Deportations Start?
Deportation flights began Friday as the “largest deportation operation” in U.S. history was underway, according to the White House. It remains to be seen whether the number of deportations surpass the number under Biden—which was greater than the number under the first Trump administration.
Where Will The Deportations Happen?
The Trump administration is reportedly aiming to make examples of sanctuary cities—which have policies not to cooperate with the federal government on immigration enforcement—by conducting mass arrests there first, according to the Wall Street Journal. NBC lists Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Denver and D.C. as possible early targets, citing unnamed sources. Cities with large immigration shelter systems, including Los Angeles, Denver and Miami, are also targets, the Journal reported. ICE said it carried out a “targeted enforcement operation” in the sanctuary city of Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday, though it’s not immediately clear whether the operation was linked to the agency’s larger deportation efforts. A mass arrest operation was expected to begin in Chicago Tuesday, the day after Trump was inaugurated, the Journal reported last week, citing unnamed sources familiar with the planning who said ICE would send 100 to 200 officers there to make the arrests. The operation does not appear to have come to fruition yet, though ICE says an operation is planned in Chicago for Sunday—and while recent ICE arrests have drawn publicity, it’s unclear if they are related to Trump’s plans.
Who Is Being Targeted?
Trump has repeatedly emphasized that migrants accused of crimes will be the initial targets for deportation, but he’s also said all migrants in the U.S. illegally could be subject to deportations. Homan has said ICE could arrest undocumented immigrants who aren’t suspected of crimes but were found near people who were ICE targets—known as “collateral arrests.” His administration expanded a policy that allows federal officials to expedite deportations for migrants who can not prove they have applied for asylum and have been in the U.S. for less than two years. Previously, officials were only allowed to process migrants for expedited removal who were apprehended within 100 miles of the border and could prove they had been in the U.S. for at least two weeks, but the expanded policy applies to the entire U.S. The American Civil Liberties Union has challenged the expanded expedited removal rule in court.
How Are Local Officials Preparing?
Leaders in sanctuary cities are taking a mixed approach. Some, including in New York City and Philadelphia, have softened their rhetoric against Trump’s hardline immigration policies, apparently aware that criticizing the initiatives could make them targets for raids. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and District Attorney Larry Krasner did not answer directly when asked by NBC in recent days whether the city was a sanctuary city, for example. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has continued to own the label, but he has criticized the Biden administration as the city has dealt with an influx of migrants over the past year. Other local leaders in sanctuary cities, including in Chicago and Denver, have doubled down on their vows to protect migrants in the wake of Trump’s election. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston suggested that citizens and local police could team together to physically prevent ICE arrests, he told the Denverite last month.
Have Citizens Been Caught Up In Raids?
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said Thursday that ICE agents raided a “local establishment” without a warrant and detained “undocumented residents” as well as some U.S. citizens. Among the detainees was a U.S. military veteran, who Baras said “suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned.” ICE reportedly said the agency may encounter U.S. citizens while conducting operations and may request identification to “establish an individual’s identity,” citing the Newark raid.
Do Churches Provide Cover For Mass Deportations?
No. The Trump administration announced Tuesday it was cancelling a policy preventing ICE from making arrests in schools, churches and hospitals. The administration has also indicated it could conduct raids at workplaces, a tactic the Biden administration typically avoided.
How Does The Laken Riley Act Impact Deportations?
It subjects more people to immediate deportations by instructing federal officials to detain and deport undocumented migrants accused of minor crimes, such as shoplifting, before they’re actually convicted. It’s unclear how quickly ICE can begin implementing the law, which passed Congress on Wednesday, as the agency has said it needs an additional $27 billion in funding to carry out the new measures.
What Special Powers Has Trump Given Law Enforcement To Deport People?
In addition to empowering ICE to raid previously protected venues, Trump ordered the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals and the Bureau of Prisons to scan their databases for information on the possible whereabouts and identities of undocumented migrants in the U.S. The president also instructed federal officials to investigate local authorities that interfere with the new anti-immigration measures, according to a Justice Department memo sent Tuesday and obtained by NBC News.
How Is Mexico Preparing For Mass Deportations?
Border towns have begun to erect tents where migrants who travel to the border and realize they can not cross under the new Trump-era restrictions can take refuge, The Associated Press reported. The Mexican government is building shelters in nine border cities to receive deportees and will bus some people to their home cities, according to the AP. Mexico also refused to take a deportation flight last week, though administration officials say it was later cleared up, according to multiple reports.
How Much Will Mass Deportations Cost?
The pro-immigration American Immigration Council estimates a one-time push to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants would cost $315 billion, while deporting one million people a year would cost $88 million annually. The operation could also have economic impacts, the group notes, including lost tax revenue, less consumer spending and labor shortages—especially in industries like agriculture and construction. Trump has defended the costs, saying there is “no price tag” for his mass deportation plans and “we have no choice.”
Further Reading
House Passes Laken Riley Act—Likely First Bill Trump Signs Into Law (Forbes)
Can Trump End Birthright Citizenship? What To Know After Judge Blocks Executive Order (Forbes)
Trump’s Executive Orders: Here Are All His Big Day-One Actions On Immigration, Energy, TikTok And More (Forbes)
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