President Trump unleashes unprecedented deportation operation targeting millions of illegal immigrants in Democratic strongholds, as ICE faces potential budget crisis amid escalating enforcement efforts.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump has ordered ICE to implement the “largest Mass Deportation Program in History,” specifically targeting Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York where millions of illegal immigrants reside.
- ICE is reportedly $1 billion over budget as enforcement operations intensify, prompting Trump to consider redirecting other government funds if his proposed funding bill fails in Congress.
- Trump has strategically paused worksite immigration enforcement in industries heavily reliant on immigrant labor such as farms, restaurants, and hotels, while increasing operations in urban “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
- Democratic leaders in targeted cities are actively opposing the crackdown, with California Governor Gavin Newsom calling the actions “illegal” and community groups organizing patrols to warn about ICE operations.
- The three targeted cities collectively house approximately 2 million illegal immigrants, with New York City alone spending billions on asylum seekers while facing severe housing and resource challenges.
Trump Orders Unprecedented Immigration Crackdown in Democratic Cities
President Trump has dramatically escalated immigration enforcement, specifically directing ICE to target the Democratic strongholds of Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. This decisive action follows nationwide protests against his administration, with Trump explicitly ordering ICE officials to “achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.” The targeted operation focuses on cities Trump describes as “the core of the Democrat Power Center,” where he claims illegal immigrants are used to “expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State.”
“We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,” said President Donald Trump.
Trump told reporters that he wants Immigration and Customs Enforcement to target major cities, singling out New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. https://t.co/nXNfBQYr7x
— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) June 16, 2025
ICE Faces Budget Crisis As Enforcement Intensifies
As operations ramp up, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reportedly facing a significant financial shortfall, running approximately $1 billion over budget. This funding crisis threatens to undermine the expanded enforcement efforts, but President Trump has already proposed solutions. If his funding bill fails to pass through Congress, the President has indicated he would redirect money from other government departments to ensure the immigration operation continues uninterrupted. This determination demonstrates Trump’s unwavering commitment to addressing illegal immigration despite potential financial obstacles.
“These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good-paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens,” said President Donald Trump.
The administration’s strategic approach balances economic considerations with enforcement priorities. While maintaining intense pressure on sanctuary cities, Trump has shown pragmatism by temporarily pausing immigration arrests in specific economic sectors heavily dependent on immigrant labor. “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,” Trump acknowledged, reflecting a nuanced approach to enforcement that protects critical American industries while still addressing the broader illegal immigration crisis.
Democratic Opposition and Community Response
Predictably, Democratic leaders in the targeted cities have voiced fierce opposition to the enforcement actions. California Governor Gavin Newsom accused the President of attempting to “incite violence and chaos in blue states, have an excuse to militarize our cities, demonize his opponents, keep breaking the law, and consolidate power. It’s illegal and we will not let it stand.” This rhetoric underscores the political divide over immigration enforcement, with Democratic leaders actively obstructing federal immigration authorities despite their clear constitutional mandate to enforce our nation’s borders.
“Incite violence and chaos in blue states, have an excuse to militarize our cities, demonize his opponents, keep breaking the law, and consolidate power. It’s illegal and we will not let it stand,” claimed California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In Los Angeles, which harbors an estimated one million illegal immigrants, community activist groups have begun organizing patrols to warn about ICE operations. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass complained that Trump “doesn’t understand that we have entire sectors of our economy that cannot function without immigrant labor” – conveniently blurring the critical distinction between legal and illegal immigration. Meanwhile, New York City struggles under the weight of over 560,000 illegal immigrants and has spent billions on asylum seekers while facing severe housing shortages. Chicago, with approximately 450,000 illegal immigrants, has experienced population decline as legal residents flee economic and social challenges exacerbated by unchecked illegal immigration.
Strategic Enforcement Approach
President Trump’s enforcement strategy demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of both the immigration challenge and economic realities. By temporarily pausing workplace raids in certain industries while intensifying operations in sanctuary jurisdictions, the administration balances enforcement priorities with practical economic considerations. This approach ensures that critical American industries can continue functioning while still addressing the overwhelming burden that illegal immigration places on our cities, taxpayers, and social services. The enforcement focus on sanctuary cities also directly challenges the jurisdictions that have most aggressively undermined federal immigration law.
Despite the political noise from Democratic leaders, many American citizens in the targeted cities support the President’s enforcement actions. Years of unchecked illegal immigration have strained local resources, depressed wages for legal workers, and created significant public safety concerns. The enforcement operations address these legitimate concerns while respecting the rule of law and America’s sovereignty. As the administration works to secure additional funding for ICE, the message is clear: sanctuary cities can no longer expect to flout federal immigration law without consequences.
