One Week After Trump's Inauguration... 1,000 Illegal Immigrants Caught in a Single Day

U.S. President Donald Trump expanded crackdowns on illegal immigrants nationwide just one week after his inauguration, accelerating the efforts. On the 26th (local time), it was reported that nearly 1,000 illegal immigrants were arrested in a single day.

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by Yonhap News

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On that day, foreign media including CNN reported that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 956 people nationwide, of whom 554 were detained. The raids took place simultaneously across the country in places such as Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta; Colorado; Los Angeles; and Austin, Texas. Immigrant arrests also occurred beyond the U.S. mainland, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Not only ICE but also multiple federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) were involved in coordination.

In Colorado, nearly 50 undocumented immigrants were detained through surprise raids focusing on Venezuelan violent organizations and drug smuggling. Drugs, weapons, and cash were also seized at a temporary nightclub near Denver. Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s “border czar,” who observed the raid in Chicago, told CNN, “All law enforcement agencies were mobilized to respond to threats to public safety and national security,” adding, “Today’s operation will be a game changer.”

U.S. authorities maintain that the “targeted raids” focus strictly on illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, but families of immigrants claim that some were arrested despite having no criminal record other than minor fines.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post (WP) reported that “ICE officials received directives from the administration to increase daily arrests from the current several hundred to at least 1,200 to 1,500,” citing that “President Trump has been disappointed with the results so far.” In response, ICE reportedly sent a “quota” to each field office to arrest 75 people per day. WP pointed out that this puts pressure on field agents to meet quotas, increasing the risk of indiscriminate raids and human rights violations. WP also reported that the Trump administration demanded ICE cancel agents’ leave to maintain a 24-hour enforcement system.

Amid this situation, some immigrants in the Chicago area are not sending their children to school or going to work. Civic groups supporting immigrants have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration. They argue that the U.S. government’s targeting of Chicago violates the First and Fourth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, which protect freedom of expression and prohibit unreasonable arrests and searches.

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