Immigration officers will reportedly focus on undocumented immigrants with criminal records during the week-long operation.
According to the Wall Street Journal, President-elect Trump’s planned deportation initiative will commence with a large-scale operation in Chicago the day after his inauguration. This raid, involving hundreds of immigration officers, is scheduled to begin Tuesday morning and continue throughout the week. The newspaper, citing four anonymous sources, anticipates the deployment of 100 to 200 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The primary targets will be undocumented immigrants with criminal histories; however, any undocumented individuals present during arrests will also be detained.
Trump’s campaign promise included leading “the largest deportation operation in American history.” He previously stated on MSNBC that deportations would begin with undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes in the US, followed by others.
Estimates of the number of undocumented immigrants residing in the US range from 11 million to 35 million.
Former ICE Director Tom Homan, now Trump’s appointee as “border czar,” will oversee these deportations. Homan stated at a Republican gathering in Chicago, “We’re going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois,” adding that if the Chicago mayor obstructs the operation, he will face prosecution.
Chicago’s selection as the initial target is attributed to its significant undocumented immigrant population and Trump’s strained relationship with Mayor Brandon Johnson. Chicago’s designation as a sanctuary city, prohibiting city officials from inquiring about immigration status or cooperating with federal agencies like ICE, influenced this decision.
Mayor Johnson has affirmed his commitment to these sanctuary city policies. The Chicago City Council reinforced this stance, voting 39-11 against a measure that would have enabled city police collaboration with ICE on immigration matters.
In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Police Department clarified that while its officers won’t participate in the raid, they “will not intervene or interfere with any other government agencies performing their duties.”
Further raids are anticipated, with major immigrant population centers such as New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and Miami considered high-priority targets.