Thousands of military personnel have been deployed at the border and military aircraft have been authorized to conduct deportation flights. Additionally, agents from the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service have been designated to reinforce the ranks of ICE, the agency responsible for arresting and deporting immigrants living in the country without permission.
According to a person familiar with the discussions, ICE has set a goal of at least 1,000 arrests per day. However, some operations have been leaked in advance, attracting public scrutiny and hindering efforts. Internally, officials have expressed frustration over the proportion of criminal detainees, which has been lower than expected.
Last week, the two top deportation officials at ICE were removed from their positions, confirmed the Department of Homeland Security, amid internal tensions as the administration ramped up its offensive against immigration. According to an unidentified official, it was expressed: 'I am not happy with the numbers, because we have many criminals to find.'
During the last year of the Biden administration, only about 7 percent of those detained by ICE had not been convicted or charged with crimes. Although arrests have increased, around 10,400 people were released from immigration prisons, which represents a daily average of 740 releases, a number similar to the Biden administration.
The administration has broadened law enforcement beyond traditional immigration agents, increasing teams and focus, according to Tom Homan, border czar, in an interview with CNN. Additionally, the number of arrests has tripled compared to the last year of the Joe Biden administration.
The wave of arrests is part of President Donald Trump's plan to carry out the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history. The administration is prioritizing the expulsion of individuals with criminal backgrounds, although around 14 percent of those detained had no criminal records, beyond immigration violations.
