Washington, D.C. — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to launch a nationwide immigration crackdown targeting sanctuary cities and major metropolitan areas. Sources familiar with the plans have revealed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will execute large-scale operations to arrest unauthorized immigrants shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
The operation is expected to focus on jurisdictions with significant immigrant populations, particularly those that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials, often referred to as “sanctuary cities.” According to one source, cities like Chicago, which have large immigrant communities, are among the primary targets.
During an interview on Fox News, the incoming White House “border czar,” Tom Homan, confirmed the broad scope of the planned actions. “There’s gonna be a big raid all across the country,” Homan said, emphasizing the new administration’s intent to take immediate and aggressive action on immigration enforcement.
President-elect Trump has pledged to oversee what he describes as the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. This crackdown will represent a stark departure from the policies of the Biden administration, which had established guidelines that prioritized the arrest and deportation of serious criminals, recent border-crossers, and national security threats. Under Biden’s policies, long-standing undocumented immigrants without criminal histories were largely shielded from deportation.
The Trump administration plans to revoke these guidelines, removing protections and making nearly all unauthorized immigrants subject to detention and deportation. Homan, a key architect of the incoming immigration strategy, has emphasized that no individual residing in the country unlawfully will be exempt from enforcement. “Anyone here illegally could face arrest,” Homan stated while noting that operations will still prioritize individuals with criminal records. However, ICE agents conducting raids will also make collateral arrests, detaining unauthorized immigrants they encounter who are not the initial targets of the operation.
Sanctuary jurisdictions, which have policies limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, are expected to bear the brunt of the upcoming actions. These areas often prohibit local law enforcement from sharing information with ICE or detaining individuals based solely on their immigration status. In addition to sweeping arrests, Homan has announced plans to reinstate large-scale worksite raids aimed at employers who hire unauthorized workers. This practice was largely discontinued under the Biden administration but will resume as part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on illegal immigration.
The announcement has sparked significant concern among immigrant rights advocates and legal experts, who argue that indiscriminate arrests and enforcement actions may disrupt families and communities. Critics have also raised questions about the logistics of carrying out such an expansive operation and its potential to overwhelm an already strained immigration court system. Supporters of the incoming administration’s policies argue that the crackdown is a necessary step to enforce the rule of law and restore public confidence in the country’s immigration system.
Sources indicate that ICE operations could begin as early as next week, immediately following Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. While the exact scope and timing of the raids remain undisclosed, the scale of the operation and its focus on sanctuary cities signal a significant shift in federal immigration policy. As the nation awaits further details, the planned actions mark a defining moment for the Trump administration as it prepares to deliver on its promise to overhaul the U.S. immigration system.
