In a recent directive, President Donald Trump instructed federal immigration authorities to target deportations predominantly in Democratic-led cities. His decision follows significant demonstrations across American cities like Los Angeles, where protests were ignited in response to the administration’s stance on immigration. Through a social media announcement, Trump urged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to maximize their efforts towards what he described as launching the most extensive mass deportation initiative in U.S. history.
Trump emphasized that to achieve this goal, authorities should concentrate on detaining and deporting undocumented individuals residing in major urban centers such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. These cities reportedly host millions of such individuals. This announcement follows weeks of heightened enforcement activities. Stephen Miller, serving as the White House deputy chief of staff and a significant figure behind Trump’s immigration strategies, outlined a daily target of 3,000 arrests by ICE, a marked increase from an average of 650 daily during the first half of Trump’s subsequent term.
Concurrently, the administration has advised immigration officials to temporarily cease operations in sectors like agriculture, hospitality, and dining, as Trump voiced concerns over the negative effects rigid immigration enforcement may have on these critical industries. A U.S. official, who remained anonymous, shed light on this strategic pause.
Nationwide demonstrations opposing Trump’s immigration measures have been gaining traction. Participants in the “no kings” movement gathered on Saturday, coinciding with a grand military parade arranged by Trump in Washington to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. These protests were largely peaceful, although in Los Angeles, law enforcement resorted to deploying tear gas and other measures to disperse demonstrators after scheduled activities concluded. In Portland, Oregon, authorities similarly used tear gas and projectiles on protestors gathered near an ICE facility.
The President made this announcement via social media while en route to the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada. Prior to his departure, Trump conveyed to reporters that deploying National Guard troops in Los Angeles played a crucial role in maintaining peace during the protests, suggesting that without these measures, the city might have descended into chaos.
This shift in enforcement priorities also reflects Trump’s struggle with how his mass deportation efforts might negatively impact key sectors that rely on undocumented labor. On his Truth Social platform, Trump shared concerns expressed by those in the hospitality, agricultural, and leisure sectors regarding how these policies are stripping them of long-time employees. As a result, Trump assured stakeholders that adjustments would be forthcoming. Moreover, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit, led by official Tatum King, has reportedly directed field leaders to suspend inquiries into the agricultural sector and hospitality businesses, based on the U.S. official’s information.