It has been seven decades since a sitting U.S. president has attempted mass deportations on the scale promised by President Donald Trump. Within a single day, his directive empowering numerous federal agencies to apprehend illegal immigrants has resulted in the removal of hundreds of violent offenders from the streets.
An update from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) indicates that a comprehensive strategy aimed at sanctuary cities is proving effective. Earlier this week, President Trump enhanced the capabilities of the immigration bureau by authorizing officials from various agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, and U.S. Marshals, to detain and arrest individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
These initiatives have collectively led to the apprehension of over 500 violent offenders, as reported by ICE on Thursday. A recent enforcement update shared on X by the agency disclosed that on January 23rd, 538 individuals were arrested, with an additional 373 detainers issued for suspects already in custody with local law enforcement.
By Friday morning, the social media post had attracted more than 7.7 million views and 21,000 shares.
Just prior to the release of the final figures, White House border czar Tom Homan stated in an interview with Fox News that the Trump administration would persist in its efforts to rectify the issues created by the Biden-Harris administration.
“Joe Biden intentionally opened these borders. This was not a case of mismanagement or incompetence; he was fully aware of his actions. He made specific promises during his presidential campaign,” Homan asserted on Thursday. “President Trump is committed to securing the border at an unprecedented level.”
“If you believed our border was secure before, prepare to witness what is to come. It will be the most secure border in the history of this country.”
In a separate announcement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that “deportation flights have commenced.”
“President Trump is delivering a strong and unequivocal message to the world: if you enter the United States illegally…”
An image provided by Leavitt depicted illegal immigrants being escorted onto a military aircraft stationed at Biggs Army Airfield in Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. According to sources cited by Fox News, the aircraft was carrying approximately 80 individuals and took off for Guatemala around 5 p.m. local time.
In a separate executive action, President Trump ordered the deployment of 1,500 U.S. military personnel to the southern border, where they commenced the installation of razor wire along the fence at the Ysleta Port of Entry in El Paso, as reported by Customs and Border officials.
On Wednesday, Fox reporters accompanying ICE officials in Boston observed raids that resulted in the capture of convicted murderers and gang members. Among the 538 individuals apprehended on Thursday, ICE confirmed that child rapists were included.
The last U.S. president to undertake such a comprehensive deportation initiative was Dwight Eisenhower in 1954, during “Operation Wetback,” a campaign that employed military-style strategies to remove as many as 1.3 million undocumented Mexicans from the country. From 1942 to 1964, the Bracero Program facilitated the entry of approximately 4.6 million Mexican laborers to work in states such as California and Texas. The federal government largely overlooked the issue until 1953, when a surge of farms seeking illegal labor became impossible to ignore.
