US immigration authorities, under the incoming Trump administration, are preparing for large-scale arrests of undocumented immigrants beginning Tuesday, according to Tom Homan, a key figure in the administration’s immigration policy.
Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during Trump’s first term, confirmed the raids would take place across the country, with Chicago being one of the primary targets.
The operation is part of Trump’s ongoing commitment to fulfill his campaign pledge of deporting millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States.
In an interview with Fox News, Homan revealed that ICE would be empowered to carry out arrests without restrictions, prioritizing individuals deemed public safety threats but including all undocumented immigrants.
“On Tuesday, ICE is finally going to go out and do their job. We’re going to take the handcuffs off ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens,” Homan stated.
He also emphasized that immigration laws would be enforced unapologetically, and anyone in the country illegally would face consequences.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Chicago raids, which are expected to last the entire week, would involve 100 to 200 ICE officers.
Local Chicago police have stated they will not interfere with federal operations but also clarified that they do not document or share information on immigration status.
Chicago, along with other Democratic-led cities, has declared itself a sanctuary for immigrants, vowing not to arrest individuals solely for their immigration status.
This has raised concerns among migrants, especially those with scheduled asylum appointments, about potential arrests during the ongoing immigration crackdowns.
A representative from Trump’s administration did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
