Hundreds arrested as Trump begins crackdown; police raid businesses, detain migrants, ‘citizens’
Federal immigration agents conducted the first large-scale arrest operation under the Trump administration, resulting in nearly 500 arrests.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency reported more than 460 arrests in a time period spanning Tuesday to Wednesday in a nationwide effort that included Illinois, Utah, California, Minnesota, New York, Florida, and Maryland.
Those arrested had criminal histories, including sexual assault, robbery, drug and weapons charges, and domestic violence, the agency said.
ICE also issued 420 detainer requests, which request that jails notify ICE when undocumented individuals are released from custody.
“Right out of the gate it’s public safety threats, those who are in the country illegally that have been convicted, arrested for serious crime,” Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said to Fox News. “But let me be clear. There’s not only public safety threats that will be arrested, because in sanctuary cities, we’re not allowed to get that public safety threat in the jail, which means we got to go to the neighborhood and find him.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday that about 2,000 migrants could be deported from the Chicago area. But at a small business grant announcement on Chicago’s west side on Thursday, the governor said he knows of no specific plans.
“The federal government has not communicated with the State of Illinois,” he said. “That is an indication to all of you that its all about chaos and confusion. It is not about accomplishing something.”
Pritzker has publicly vowed to fight back against Trump’s sweeping immigration initiative. However, the governor stressed: “If there are violent criminals who have been convicted of crimes who are undocumented, they are supposed to be deported. I don’t want them in my state.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said city ordinance and state law will help protect from federal overreach.
“We’re going to protect the residents and the people of the City of Chicago,” he said. “As a welcoming city, as a sanctuary state, our Welcoming City ordinance alongside of the complementary law of the Illinois TRUST Act is full demonstration of our commitment to protect the residents of this city.”
The TRUST Act was passed in 2017. It says that local law enforcement in Illinois does not detain people based on immigration status nor inquire about it, with the goal of prioritizing public safety and trust.
The Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials who stand in the way of the enforcement of immigration laws.
In an effort to education Chicagoans of their rights, Johnson and Chicago Transit Authority leadership announced a digital campaign that will appear at more than 400 CTA locations around the city. The information shared provides resources that can help if someone is stopped and detained by federal immigration agents. (Text, excluding headline: WGN TV, Chicago)
