Donald Trump's immigration force arrested more than 1,300 illegal migrants in the early days of his presidency as part of the largest mass deportation in American history, new border czar Tom Homan said.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on
Homan told NewsNation Thursday evening that of the 1,300 migrants arrested so far, “more than 1,000 of them were criminals.”
“I don't care if you're Republican or Democrat, Independent, why don't you let law enforcement go to a county jail, a taxpayer-owned county jail, and arrest the man you so clearly locked in a jail cell, the threat to public safety that will solve a lot of this problem. And I hope the sanctuary cities come,” Homan said.
Homan spoke out on the same day that two American hikers were attacked by suspected Mexican cartel members in San Diego County, California, with one of the men struck by a bullet in the leg when the attackers opened fire.
Footage shared by a U.S. Border Patrol agent to
“Cartels think they can bring their war here. Think again!' border agent Gregory Bovino added.
Officials said the two men were confronted by several suspected cartel members several thousand feet from the border in California's Jacumba Wilderness, and a source told Fox News that the men tried to run after being approached.
The source said the gunshot victim is expected to recover, and the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) subsequently cleared the area.
The updated ICE statistics come after federal authorities said Tuesday that a series of sanctuary cities led to the arrests of more than 300 illegal migrants in Trump's first full day in office.
Donald Trump's deportation force announced Thursday that it arrested more than 500 illegal migrants in the early days of his presidency, as his immigration crackdown began this week.
The updated ICE statistics come after federal authorities said Tuesday that a series of sanctuary cities led to the arrests of more than 300 illegal migrants on Trump's first full day in office. Pictured is an ICE raid in Denver, Colorado this week
ICE revealed the updated statistics on the same day that two American hikers were attacked by suspected Mexican cartel members in San Diego County, California, with one of the men struck in the leg when the attackers opened fire
Thursday morning also marked the start of Trump's move to send the US military to the southern border, with 1,500 active-duty troops arriving early in the day.
The Pentagon confirmed that the 1,000 Army soldiers and 500 Marines deployed in the South include those from military police units, as well as combat engineers and intelligence specialists to help track and monitor illegal border jumpers.
The additional active-duty troops, which will be in addition to the approximately 2,500 troops already stationed along the border, will also help build barriers along the border and provide air power for deportations.
More than 5,400 migrants currently held in the US will be flown out of the country by the military in a show of force ahead of Trump's first days in the White House.
As part of the effort, four C-17 and C-130 military aircraft were moved this week to El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California, an official told Task & Purpose.
Trump plans to send a total of 10,000 active-duty troops to the border.
President Trump's tough border czar, Tom Homan, warned that local governments seeking to protect illegal migrants from deportation forces could now face criminal charges
It comes as another 1,500 active-duty troops arrived at the southern border on Thursday
Four C-17 and C-130 military aircraft were moved this week to El Paso, Texas and San Diego, California for deportation flights
Arrests and deportations already began on Tuesday, with Trump's border czar Tom Homan confirming that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 308 illegal migrants on the first full day of the new administration.
Homan warned that local governments seeking to protect illegal migrants from deportation forces could now face criminal charges.
Citing a directive from President Trump to investigate state and city officials who oppose his immigration enforcement efforts, he said the first steps show that now that Joe Biden is no longer in office, “Ice is doing their job .'
Homan also vowed to resume immigration raids, including in so-called sanctuary cities. Examples of these cities include San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, and many other cities governed by Democratic leaders unwilling to comply with the crackdown on federal immigration law.
Fulfilling his 2024 campaign promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, Trump issued 10 executive orders related to the southern border and the illegal immigration crisis on the first day of his second term on Monday.
At the border, migrants discovered the CBP One app was not working, and officials said the total number of apprehensions at the southern border fell to 766 on Tuesday.
This compared to the thousands per day crossing the border under Biden's leadership is a drastic change overnight.
Migrants were deported or sent straight back to Mexico on Tuesday as they tried to enter the US at the Tijuana-California border.
ICE, which has seen a suspected illegal migrant arrested in Boston, said it has filed another 373 deportation detainees — requests for local police to hold arrested individuals until ICE can pick them up — since Trump took back power on Monday
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove (pictured representing Trump at his criminal trial in New York earlier this year) released a memo warning of possible criminal charges against those who try to block ICE's deportations
The Justice Department is now warning that any officials who resist or obstruct federal immigration enforcement could now be charged with defrauding the U.S. or even harboring illegal aliens.
If their investigation reveals that local officials have violated this directive, but the prosecutor chooses not to pursue criminal charges, they must notify the Department of Justice of such decision.
A Justice Department memo this week, written by Trump appointee and acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, stated: “Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting or obstructing lawful immigration-related orders or otherwise fail to do so. requests.'
Bove's memo notes that this is one more way to enforce the flurry of executive orders Trump has already signed on illegal immigration.
He also cited threats from international gangs and drug cartels, writing, “It is the responsibility of the Department of Justice to defend the Constitution and, accordingly, lawfully implement the policies the American people have chosen through President Trump.”
