President-elect Donald Trump is set to launch a sweeping deportation operation targeting sanctuary cities the day after his inauguration, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The large-scale effort will begin in Chicago on Tuesday morning, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) planning to deploy 100 to 200 agents over the course of the week.
The deportation initiative is part of Trump’s promise to prioritize immigration enforcement, particularly against individuals with criminal records and outstanding orders of removal.
Incoming border czar Tom Homan, who served as ICE director during Trump’s first term, said the focus will be on the “worst first,” including gang members, public safety threats, and national security risks.
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“We’re going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois,” Homan said at a holiday party on Chicago’s North Side, according to WaPo. “And if the Chicago mayor doesn’t want to help, he can step aside. But if he impedes us, if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien, I will prosecute him.”
Chicago, where the operation will commence, has been a vocal opponent of Trump’s immigration policies. The city recently rejected a proposal by moderate aldermen Raymond Lopez and Silvana Tabares to amend the Welcoming City ordinance to allow cooperation with ICE in cases involving illegal migrants arrested for certain criminal activities.
Proponents argued that such a policy would enable ICE to focus on criminals rather than conducting broader enforcement actions, but the City Council swiftly shot down the proposal.
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Other sanctuary cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, and San Diego, have doubled down on their policies in response to Trump’s re-election. Despite this resistance, Homan indicated that city officials who obstruct ICE operations may face prosecution.
“We will not be deterred by sanctuary city policies,” Homan said, adding that those who knowingly harbor illegal migrants from law enforcement could face legal consequences.
The deportation operation is just one element of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda. The president-elect has also pledged to:
- End Birthright Citizenship: Trump has vowed to eliminate birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to illegal migrants.
- Resume Border Wall Construction: The administration plans to restart construction on the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
- Reinstate the Remain in Mexico Policy: This program requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed in U.S. courts.
- Expand Other Enforcement Policies: Trump has promised a return to stricter immigration measures that were hallmarks of his first term.
While the operation begins in Chicago, other sanctuary cities are expected to face similar enforcement actions in the coming weeks. Trump’s immigration policies have reignited fierce debate nationwide, with supporters praising the administration’s focus on law and order and critics warning of the potential humanitarian impact on immigrant communities.
As the Trump administration prepares to take office, the launch of this large-scale deportation effort signals a return to aggressive immigration enforcement policies that defined his first presidency. Whether these efforts will face significant legal or logistical challenges remains to be seen.
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