U.S. Immigration agents could significantly increase their presence in cities governed by Democrats.
President Donald Trump ordered federal immigration services this Sunday to accelerate the deportation of undocumented individuals in metropolitan areas administered by Democrats.
This directive comes amid growing protests against his immigration policy across the country, according to information from the Associated Press.
The president has instructed ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents to fully engage in what he describes as “the largest collective deportation campaign ever conducted.” He emphasized the urgency to “expand arrest operations and deportation of undocumented immigrants in major American cities, particularly Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where millions reside without legal authorization.”
This measure aligns with a trend toward stricter immigration policies.
According to AP, Stephen Miller, White House Chief of Staff assistant and chief architect of Trump’s immigration strategy, has established a target of 3,000 daily arrests by ICE, a substantial increase from the 650 daily arrests recorded at the beginning of the second presidential term.
Recent ICE actions have sparked a series of demonstrations in various cities. On Saturday, “no kings” rallies were organized to protest ongoing deportations. Over 4 million people demonstrated across all American states during this event. These protests coincided with a military parade in Washington celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
Despite the largely peaceful nature of the demonstrations, law enforcement in Los Angeles deployed tear gas and other dispersal devices after the event concluded. Similar incidents occurred in Portland, Oregon, where protesters gathered outside an ICE building until nightfall, requiring police intervention using projectiles to disperse the protesters.
The president has also acknowledged that his immigration policy is creating challenges in certain essential economic sectors.
On his Truth Social platform, he mentioned receiving concerning feedback from the hospitality, agricultural, and leisure sectors, which fear losing their skilled workforce. He committed to making necessary adjustments.
On the same day, Tatum King, head of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division, issued a directive to regional directors, requesting them to suspend investigations concerning farms, restaurants, and hotel establishments.
However, no explanation was provided regarding whether this new directive applies to businesses in targeted sectors located in sanctuary cities. The federal government also hasn’t clarified whether immigrants working in these sectors will be exempt from the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy.
Source: Associated Press (AP)
