Tom Homan – the White House's “border czar” – said in an interview with CNN that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been “in the field” since Tuesday and have begun “targeted operations” against immigrants who pose a “public threat.” . At the same time, he noted that there will certainly be more arrests, because agents are not only looking for people with criminal convictions. The new White House administration announced that arrests could take place in schools and churches. Reuters writes that the first planes with deportees are scheduled for this week.
An official appointed to oversee the implementation of the main point of a presidential campaign Donald Trumpwho promised to get rid of thousands of immigrants from the country, told CNN that “ICE is on the ground today, enforcing the law and of course (…) focusing on threats to public safety, which is our priority.”
Homan said that while he wouldn't use the word “raids” but rather “targeted operations,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents “got back to doing their job, which they haven't been able to do for four years.”
He added that although the operations are mainly aimed at people convicted of crimes, other immigrants residing in the country will also be arrested USA illegally who will be nearby. – The law (…) doesn't say anything about you having to be convicted of a serious crime to be expelled from the country, so there will be more secondary arrests, he said.
According to Fox News, on the first day of the new administration's term of office, regulations prohibiting services from making arrests in “sensitive places” such as churches or schools were abolished. Reuters confirmed this information on Tuesday, citing a statement from the new administration in Washington.
Homan did not disclose the specific locations of ICE operations, saying only that they take place throughout the country. Initially, Trump's chosen “border czar” announced the start of operations in Chicago, but according to CNN, these plans were changed after information about it was leaked to the media.
Cuban immigrant Wilfredo Cabrera Del Sol (second from the right), who called the services to expel him from the country (photo from January 21, 2025, Miramar, Florida) Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press/East News
The official said that despite the highest number of immigrant deportations in 10 years – more than 220,000 – last year, the previous administration did not do its job, and most deportations were the work of the Border Patrol and affected people just after crossing the border.
Homan also ruled out changing the regulations issued by Donald Trump to completely suspend the admission of new refugees. According to CNN, this will affect, among others: former collaborators of the US forces in Afghanistanand even the families of American soldiers from there.
On Monday, Trump also signed a number of other executive orders related to immigration, including declaring a state of emergency at the border with Mexico and declaring illegal immigration an “invasion” requiring the deployment of additional military forces. As a result, the right to apply for asylum was completely suspended and migrants crossing the border outside border crossings began to be automatically returned.
Main photo source: Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press/East News