The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is reevaluating plans for immigration enforcement operations in Chicago and other cities after details of the raids were leaked, according to Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar” and former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Homan discussed the matter in an interview with The Washington Post on Saturday.
“The new administration hasn’t made a decision yet,” Homan stated. “We’re looking at this leak and will make a decision based on it.”
ICE has not commented on the leaked plans or confirmed whether the raids will proceed. Immigration rights advocates and local officials had anticipated large-scale enforcement actions in several U.S. cities, with Chicago seen as a key target.
Dulce Ortiz, president of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said reports suggested that as many as 200 ICE agents were expected to begin raids in the Chicago area early Monday morning, aiming to intercept individuals on their way to work or beginning their day. The operation was rumored to span several days.
Similar actions were reportedly planned for New York and Miami, with Chicago expected to see the most extensive efforts, potentially lasting a week and involving hundreds of agents.
Throughout his campaign, Trump vowed to prioritize deportations, emphasizing the removal of individuals with criminal records. In an interview with NBC News on Saturday, he reiterated his commitment to swift action, stating, “It will begin very quickly. We have to get the criminals out of our country.”
Homan echoed this stance in a Fox News interview, describing the planned operations as “targeted enforcement actions” aimed at individuals who are in the U.S. illegally and have outstanding deportation orders. According to Homan, ICE has identified approximately 700,000 such individuals nationwide.
The leaked details have heightened tensions among immigrant communities and advocacy groups, who fear the impending raids will disrupt families and workplaces. Ortiz criticized the plans as an attack on immigrants contributing to their communities, urging Chicago residents to remain vigilant.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the timing and scope of the operations, Trump’s transition team and ICE have remained tight-lipped about specific details, leaving many to speculate about the administration’s next steps.
The controversy underscores the challenges the Trump administration faces as it seeks to implement its hardline immigration policies while navigating public scrutiny and resistance from advocacy groups.
