The Trump administration is gearing up to conduct large-scale arrests of illegal aliens within 24 hours of Trump’s inauguration on Monday, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Plans call for a major raid in Chicago as early as Tuesday, with immigration officials initially targeting individuals who have criminal records or existing deportation orders. This move is part of a broader effort to “take the handcuffs off” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The Journal cites four sources that are familiar with the plans, noting that the Chicago operation is expected to last through the first week of the Trump administration. Up to 200 ICE officers are reportedly slated to carry out these arrests. A separate source seemed to confirm the report in a statement to Reuters. “We’re going to be doing operations all across the country,” the unnamed individual told the outlet when asked about the Wall Street Journal report. However, the separate source pushed back on the report that special emphasis would be placed on an immigration raid in Chicago. “You’re going to see arrests in New York. You’re going to see arrests in Miami,” they said.
Border czar Tom Homan, who is set to lead mass deportation and border security initiatives in the new administration, was asked about the likelihood of a “big raid” in Chicago on Tuesday during a Fox News appearance. “There’s going to be a big raid across the country. Chicago is just one of many places. We’ve got 24 field offices across the country. On Tuesday, ICE is finally going to go out and do their job. We’re going to take the handcuffs off ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens, that’s what’s going to happen,” the incoming border czar said. “What we’re telling ICE, you’re going to enforce the immigration law without apology. You’re going to concentrate on the worst first, public safety threats first, but no one is off the table. If they’re in the country illegally, they got a problem,” he added.
President-elect Trump has promised to initiate mass deportation operations immediately upon taking office, starting with violent criminals and individuals with outstanding deportation orders. Currently, there are over 7 million individuals on ICE’s non-detained docket. “The administration has been clear that we’re going to start arresting people on day one, and Chicago’s probably not going to be the only place that arrests are going to be made,” a separate source told Fox News.
