WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to escalate immigration enforcement operations nationwide shortly after his inauguration on Monday, according to a source familiar with the plans.
“We will be conducting operations throughout the country,” the source informed Reuters on Friday. “There will be arrests in New York. There will be arrests in Miami.”
The information was prompted by a report in the Wall Street Journal indicating that the administration intends to initiate a significant immigration crackdown in Chicago starting on Tuesday.
Based on insights from four individuals involved in the planning, the article detailed that the operation in Chicago is slated to span the entire week. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is reportedly deploying between 100 and 200 officers to execute the operation.
Contrary to the report, the source who spoke to Reuters explicitly refuted any suggestion of a deliberate effort to reallocate personnel specifically to Chicago.
The transition team for President-elect Trump did not promptly respond to a request from Reuters seeking comment.
Immigration prominently featured in Trump’s campaign leading up to the November 5th presidential election.
“In the moments following my inauguration, we will initiate the largest deportation campaign within the United States in its history,” Trump declared in January 2024.
Reports from Reuters have indicated that Trump is anticipated to coordinate various agencies across the federal government to facilitate the expulsion of unprecedented numbers of immigrants. This strategy builds upon initiatives from his initial term, aiming to leverage all feasible resources and exert pressure on so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions to collaborate.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward and Ted Hesson; Editing by William Mallard)
