The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has confirmed the arrest of 956 individuals during a nationwide immigration crackdown conducted on Sunday.
This represents the largest single-day operation since Donald Trump resumed office, where mass deportations of undocumented immigrants remain a central policy focus.
The enforcement raids, coordinated across multiple cities, including Chicago, Newark, and Miami, involved several federal agencies newly empowered with expanded detention capabilities under the Trump administration.
ICE reported that Sunday’s arrests followed a series of similar operations over the weekend, with 286 people detained on Saturday, 593 on Friday, and 538 on Thursday.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, oversaw the operation in Chicago, emphasizing that the administration intends to ramp up enforcement actions targeting undocumented individuals.
Homan, in an interview with ABC News, said the administration was prioritizing “public safety threats” and “national security threats” but warned that undocumented migrants swept up in raids on criminals would also face deportation.
In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed the ICE activity but reassured residents that local police were not involved, urging them to remain informed about their legal rights.
In Miami, federal law enforcement detained multiple undocumented individuals, with some families expressing outrage.
One man, speaking to CBS News, shared how his wife, who was in the process of obtaining citizenship, was taken during the raids. “They just came and snatched her,” he said.
In Newark, Mayor Ras Baraka criticized ICE for allegedly detaining residents, including a military veteran, without warrants. Baraka vowed that the city would not tolerate what he termed “unlawful terrorization.”
Since returning to office, Trump has signed 21 executive orders aimed at overhauling the U.S. immigration system.
His predecessor, Joe Biden, carried out an average of 311 deportations daily, according to ICE data. However, Trump’s renewed crackdown is on track to surpass those figures significantly.
Immigration advocates have voiced concerns over the collateral impact of these raids, warning that U.S. citizens and lawful residents are sometimes caught in the crossfire.
Critics, including Democratic leaders in affected cities, have condemned the operations as overreach, calling for more humane immigration policies.
However, Trump administration officials maintain that the enforcement actions are necessary to safeguard public safety and national security.
Homan expressed confidence that arrest and deportation numbers would “steadily increase” in the coming weeks.
