The Trump team hit the ground running with raids to crack down on illegal immigration. That’s just the beginning.
Because ICE has sent President Trump a report on raids that has legitimately shocked him.
ICE Report On Illegal Immigrant Raids Shows Promise, Trump Team Hoping To Expand
As the Trump administration continues its aggressive stance on immigration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is on pace to arrest approximately one million illegal immigrants by the end of President Donald Trump’s tenure. While this figure is significant, it falls short of the president’s more ambitious target, which aims for far higher numbers. Nonetheless, with Republicans in both the House and Senate seeking to expand border security and deportation efforts through an upcoming spending package, ICE’s operations are poised to grow substantially.
The Trump administration has made clear its goal of mass deportations. However, a key agency responsible for carrying out these actions, ICE, has recently stopped posting its daily arrest and detainer figures. This shift comes as the administration intensifies its crackdown on illegal immigration. For much of January, ICE posted its daily nationwide figures of arrests and detainers, offering a snapshot of the agency’s activities. But as of February 1, the agency has focused more on highlighting the capture of high-priority criminal figures.
The most recent enforcement update, dated January 31, reported 864 arrests and 621 detainers. The first report of the year, posted on January 23, listed 538 arrests. January 27 saw a notable spike, with 1,179 arrests. Although daily updates have ceased, Border Czar Tom Homan emphasized that ICE’s efforts are ongoing and arrests remain on track. According to Homan, the agency has made over 11,000 arrests since the start of the administration’s deportation campaign.
“If you look at the numbers, it’s well over 11,000 arrests since day one,” Homan stated in a recent interview. “Arrests are right around over 11,000 so far.”
Should this pace continue, Trump’s goal of making one million arrests by the end of his term appears attainable. As of January 20, the average number of arrests per day was approximately 650. At this rate, ICE would surpass the one million threshold, although Trump has set his sights on a much larger number—20 million deportations.
One factor contributing to ICE’s increased efficiency is a decline in border arrests due to fewer immigrant arrivals. As Homan pointed out, there was a dramatic drop in arrests at the southern border: “Yesterday, at 24 hours, it was less than 50 border arrests. It wasn’t too long ago we had 11,000 arrests a day under the Biden administration. Now, we got less than 500.”
While ICE’s mission to deport illegal immigrants is moving forward, it is not without its complications. One major issue is leaks that undermine operations and put officers at risk. In particular, Homan confirmed that a planned raid on apartment buildings in Aurora, Colorado, was leaked to the public. ICE agents arrived at the location only to find empty apartments and protesters, a setback to the planned operation.
Homan vowed to address the leak, stating, “We’ve already identified how this operation got leaked. I’ll deal with that today. To have this type of interference puts the officers at great risk.” He also acknowledged that the agency may have to limit media access to its operations to prevent future leaks. “The less people that know about these operations, the safer it is for our agents,” Homan said.
This issue is reminiscent of similar leaks during the Trump administration’s first term, particularly under former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. The situation highlights the internal challenges ICE faces as it works to secure the country’s borders and remove undocumented immigrants.
Expanding Capacity: Guantanamo Bay and Foreign Detention
The Trump administration has been working to expand its capacity to detain and deport illegal immigrants. One significant step is the use of Guantanamo Bay to house illegal immigrants. Homan confirmed that the U.S. plans to increase its migrant processing capacity at the notorious detention facility in Cuba, which already houses a number of prisoners.
“Look, we’ve had a migrant processing center at Gitmo for decades, so we’re increasing our footprint there. It makes sense,” Homan explained. “We’re looking at up to 30,000 beds.”
This expansion would nearly double ICE’s detention capacity, as ICE’s budget for the 2024 fiscal year allocated space for 41,500 detainees. The Trump administration has also been in talks to send prisoners to a facility in El Salvador, operated by President Nayib Bukele’s government. Known for its tough stance on crime, Bukele’s government could provide a suitable setting for detaining illegal immigrants, though the legality of such arrangements is still uncertain.
The Trump administration’s efforts to expand deportations will need additional support from Congress, particularly in terms of funding and legal cover. House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican Conference have been working to secure provisions for border security and deportations in an upcoming spending package. This legislation would likely reinforce Trump’s immigration executive orders and allocate additional funds to ICE.
While the House plans to pass such legislation, the Senate is already moving ahead. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) recently announced plans to introduce a $300 billion resolution focused on deportations and border security. He promised that the bill would be “the most transformational border security bill in the history of our country.”
In addition to ICE, other agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), are expected to back the administration’s deportation efforts. On the first day of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s tenure, the DOJ halted funding for sanctuary cities, further complicating the ability of these jurisdictions to hinder federal immigration enforcement. The DOJ also recently filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois, alleging that their laws interfere with federal immigration laws.
The Trump administration’s policies have also garnered significant public support. A recent Economist/YouGov survey revealed that 50% of U.S. adults hold a positive view of ICE, with the number rising to 71% among Republicans. The National Border Patrol Council, which represents border enforcement agents, has voiced strong support for Trump’s efforts. “We’re just thrilled. People are now self-deporting,” said Art del Cueto, Vice President of the Council.
Breaking news and reports from the Trump administration on illegal immigration will be right here on The Federalist Wire.
