Trump's First Mass Deportation Planned for Tuesday, Intended to Show Sanctuary Cities 47's Resolve: Report
President-elect Donald Trump plans to launch a significant immigration raid in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, marking the first step in his administration's broader efforts to enforce mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the large-scale operation is expected to involve between 100 and 200 United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The operation will commence one day after Trump is sworn in for his second term and will continue throughout the week.
The initiative primarily targets undocumented immigrants with criminal records. However, individuals present during arrests who are also in the country illegally may also be detained, the report noted.
Sources familiar with the plans revealed that Trump’s transition team chose Chicago as a starting point due to its sanctuary city policies. The city is intended to serve as a model for the administration's approach to immigration enforcement nationwide.
Tom Homan, who is set to serve as border czar in Trump’s second administration, previewed the strategy during a holiday event last month.
“We’re going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois,” Homan declared, emphasizing the administration’s focus on enforcing immigration laws.
“If the Chicago mayor doesn’t want to help, he can step aside,” Homan continued. “But if he impedes us, if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien, I will prosecute him.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, both Democrats, have strongly opposed the planned raids. Johnson has barred the Chicago Police Department from cooperating with ICE on deportation efforts, according to a report from WGN-TV.
A statement from the police department confirmed its stance, saying it “does not document immigration status” or share information with federal immigration authorities. However, the department clarified, “we will not intervene or interfere with any other government agencies performing their duties.”
Other city agencies, including Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Chicago Park District, and the city’s community colleges, have been directed to deny ICE access to their facilities.
Governor Pritzker also expressed his concerns about the operation, stating, “I’m going to make sure to follow the law. I’m concerned that the Trump administration and his lackeys aren’t going to follow the law,” according to the Journal.
This raid highlights the sharp tensions between federal immigration policies and sanctuary city practices as the Trump administration prepares to implement its aggressive enforcement agenda.