Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been ordered by President Donald Trump to increase arrests of illegal immigrants in Democratic-majority cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The directive was announced Monday through the Truth Social platform, highlighting that this phase will represent the largest mass deportation in recorded history.
The Republican politician stated that immigration officers are victims of constant attacks in their work and offered them his full support. “Every day, the brave men and women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from radical Democratic politicians, but nothing will stop us from executing our mission and fulfilling our mandate for the American people,” the president warned.
Trump defended his focus on cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, claiming that millions of illegal immigrants live there and accusing them of serving as bastions of influence for the Democratic Party. "These, and other similar cities, are the core of the Democratic power center, where they use illegal aliens to expand their voter base, cheat in elections, and expand the welfare state, stealing good-paying jobs and benefits from hard-working Americans," said Trump, who turned 79 this Saturday.
The New York magnate's message has been considered radical even by more moderate sectors, who maintain that Democrats want to destroy the country and its major cities. "That's why they believe in open borders, transgender people for all, and men competing in women's sports," Trump continued, also instructing ICE and other law enforcement agencies to focus on urban areas with high crime rates and places where sanctuary cities have a significant impact.
This action comes after several days of protests against the president's immigration policy, particularly during the "No Kings Day" commemoration in Los Angeles and this past weekend in Miami, where thousands of people mobilized to support immigrant rights.
Last Tuesday, a curfew was imposed on downtown Los Angeles by Mayor Karen Bass, due to rising tensions between protesters and police. At the same time, the city's governor, Gavin Newson, maintains a stance against Trump's decision to militarize the streets with National Guard troops, which has even triggered legal action.
Before announcing the arrest of undocumented immigrants in these Democratic-controlled cities, Trump had announced a halt to arrests in key sectors of the US economy, such as agriculture, hospitality, and restaurant services, which were being affected by the raids.
"We can't just take all our farmers and send them back... You go to a farm and look: people have been there for 20, 25 years. You kick them out, and they end up hiring killers from prison or whatever," the president admitted during a press conference, adding that his policies significantly affect the country's economy.
Large-scale operations are already showing clear consequences in areas like Homestead, South Florida, where agricultural production has declined and fear has left many workers idle.
In areas such as construction, agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing, immigrants represent 50% of the workforce, contributing more than $80 million annually in taxes alone. The owners of affected companies maintain that the vacant positions are very difficult to fill.
“To ICE, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, the Pentagon Patriots, and the State Department, I give my unconditional support. Now go do the job!” the president concluded in his message to the federal agencies that have been carrying out each of his immigration directives.
