ICE raids underway as Trump administration launches historic DEPORTATION operation

• The second Trump administration has launched Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the U.S., targeting individuals deemed public safety threats, such as those with criminal records. However, no undocumented immigrant is considered “off the table” for arrest.
• The raids are part of a broader strategy to enforce immigration laws in sanctuary cities, where local policies limit cooperation with federal authorities. This often forces ICE agents to conduct neighborhood operations, leading to “collateral arrests” of non-targeted individuals.
• A planned major operation in Chicago was temporarily reevaluated after details were leaked, raising safety concerns. These issues have since been resolved, and ICE teams are now active in the area.
• New Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memos have revoked a 2021 policy that designated schools, healthcare facilities, and other sensitive locations as “protected areas” where ICE enforcement was prohibited. The new guidance encourages officers to use “common sense” instead, raising concerns about enforcement in essential service locations.
• Critics argue that the raids and policy changes could instill fear in immigrant communities, deter access to essential services and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. The administration defends the actions as necessary for public safety and immigration enforcement.

President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the United States, targeting individuals deemed public safety threats, according to Tom Homan, the president’s border czar.

The operation marks a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to address illegal immigration and fulfill campaign promises to crack down on undocumented immigrants. Homan confirmed the raids during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Jan. 21, emphasizing that ICE teams are prioritizing individuals with criminal records but warned that no one in the country illegally is “off the table.”

Homan clarified that the primary targets are individuals who pose public safety risks, such as those convicted of serious crimes or arrested for violent offenses. However, he also indicated that ICE officers have been instructed to arrest any undocumented immigrants they encounter during their operations, regardless of criminal history.

“Right out of the gate, it’s public safety threats, those who are in the country illegally that have been convicted or arrested for serious crimes,” Homan said. “But let me be clear. There are not only public safety threats that will be arrested because in sanctuary cities, but we’re also not allowed to get that public safety threat in jail, which means we have to go to the neighborhood and find him. And when we find him, he may be with others. And unlike the last administration, we’re not going to tell ICE officers not to arrest an illegal alien.”

Chicago operation revisited after leak

The planned operation in Chicago drew significant attention after details were leaked to the media, prompting ICE to reassess its approach. Homan acknowledged that the leak raised concerns about officer safety and operational security but insisted that those issues have been resolved.

Chicago, a self-declared sanctuary city, has been a focal point in the national debate over immigration enforcement. The city’s policies limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, making it more difficult for ICE to apprehend individuals within local jails. As a result, ICE agents are often forced to conduct operations in neighborhoods, which can lead to what Homan described as “collateral arrests” of undocumented immigrants who are not the primary targets. (Related: Incoming “border czar” Tom Homan: Trump’s mass deportation operation to start in Chicago.)

“Sanctuary cities will get exactly what they don’t want: more agents in their neighborhoods and more collateral arrests,” Homan said.

The raids coincide with the release of new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memos that rescind a 2021 policy under then-Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. That policy designated certain locations as “protected areas” where ICE enforcement actions were prohibited, including schools, healthcare facilities, places of worship and disaster relief centers. The goal was to ensure that immigration enforcement did not interfere with access to essential services or activities.

The memo issued Monday, Jan. 20, eliminates these rules and instead encourages ICE officers to use “common sense” when deciding where to conduct enforcement actions.

Critics warn that this change could lead to increased enforcement in sensitive locations, potentially deterring undocumented immigrants from seeking medical care, education or other essential services.

Head over to InvasionUSA.news for related stories.

Watch the video below where Homan announces mass deportations on “day one.”

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Self-deportations surge as Trump takes office.

House passes bill targeting DEPORTATION of illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes against women and children.

Trump’s bold plan: Military deployment and mass deportations to secure the border.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

FoxNews.com

Brighteon.com