In a bold move during the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term, federal law enforcement agencies have ramped up efforts to arrest and detain criminal illegal immigrants who had become entrenched in American communities under the Biden-Harris administration.
According to Fox News, within the first days of Trump’s presidency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested more than 460 individuals, including those with criminal histories involving violent offenses such as sexual assault, domestic violence, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses.
From midnight on January 21 through 9 a.m. on January 22, a 33-hour period, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) carried out these arrests.
The operation targeted individuals with criminal backgrounds, including those involved in robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and more.
In a 33-hour period, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations arrested over 460 aliens with criminal histories of sexual assault, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, drugs/weapons offenses, resisting arrest and domestic violence. https://t.co/NYVlflowMR
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) January 23, 2025
Arrested individuals came from several countries, including Afghanistan, Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Senegal, and Venezuela.
These arrests reflect the Trump administration’s commitment to targeting individuals who pose a threat to American communities, many of whom had been allowed to remain in the U.S. during the previous administration.
Earlier today, NBC crews filmed multiple federal agents rounding people up from apartments in Boston (sanctuary city).
Expect a lot more of this ahead. pic.twitter.com/EeMmJNWHgA
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 23, 2025
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ICE’s swift action is part of a broader strategy to restore law and order by removing dangerous criminals from the country.
“That is a gamechanger.”
JUST IN: ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan reports there are now *ZERO* CBP-One App releases and total apprehensions at the southern border have DROPPED to 766.
This is compared to 10,000 to 12,000 per day under Biden.
What a difference a president makes. pic.twitter.com/BRSNbNDVGY
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) January 22, 2025
In addition to ICE, other federal agencies are being empowered to assist in deportation efforts.
#BREAKING: To assist with deportations President Donald Trump is empowering agents from the ATF, DEA, and U.S. Marshals Service with the authority to arrest undocumented immigrants.
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 23, 2025
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According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration is expanding deportation powers across several law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller: “The initial immigration raids have already arrested and removed some of the most vicious criminals in this country.”
“In the coming days, you’re going to see a massive scale up in enforcement activities.” pic.twitter.com/lePk0IVcDc
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 23, 2025
This decision comes via an internal memo from Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman, which grants these agencies the authority to carry out immigration enforcement activities.
The memo, which was made public by The Wall Street Journal, signifies a broader push by the Trump administration to amass a larger force of law enforcement officers with the authority to arrest and deport illegal immigrants.
By empowering agencies that traditionally focus on criminal investigations, the Trump administration is further strengthening its efforts to enforce immigration laws.
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These moves come as part of a larger set of actions intended to fulfill Trump’s campaign promise of addressing illegal immigration and securing U.S. borders.
While the expansion of deportation powers to various agencies is seen as a critical step, the larger-scale raids and operations that many expect have not yet materialized.
However, sources close to the situation have indicated that these large-scale operations are in the planning stages and could be implemented in the coming days and weeks.
In the meantime, these actions have already triggered a predictable response from liberal media outlets and left-wing politicians.
As Trump’s administration moves forward with its aggressive stance on immigration, it is likely that critics will attempt to paint these efforts as extreme or inhumane, despite the fact that they target individuals with criminal backgrounds who have committed violent offenses.
The Trump administration’s swift actions to address illegal immigration and prioritize public safety come at a time when many Americans are calling for stronger enforcement of immigration laws.
With continued support for these efforts, the president appears committed to using the full power of the federal government to tackle illegal immigration and protect American communities from dangerous criminals.
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