The Trump administration initiated a widespread immigration enforcement operation on Sunday, resulting in the arrest of nearly 1,000 individuals across the United States. This coordinated effort involved multiple federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with the aim of bolstering immigration enforcement measures.
ICE reported that a total of 956 people were arrested during the raids, with 554 detainers lodged. The operation commenced in Chicago, where White House border czar Tom Homan described it as a 'gamechanger,' emphasizing its focus on targeting criminal activities such as sexual offenses and gang-related behavior.
One of the arrests took place in the Atlanta suburb of Lilburn, where Walter Valladares, a 53-year-old undocumented immigrant from Honduras, was apprehended. Despite having no criminal record aside from a driving violation, Valladares was taken into custody. In another incident in Tucker, an undocumented individual attending church was also arrested by ICE agents.
Meanwhile, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted targeted operations in Los Angeles and Austin, assisting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal law enforcement partners in immigration enforcement efforts. In Colorado, nearly 50 undocumented individuals were detained during a raid focused on combating drug trafficking and Venezuelan gang activities. The operation, led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, targeted a building in the Santurce barrio suspected of housing undocumented migrants.
