Trump unleashes sweeping immigration crackdown

President Donald Trump could soon deploy thousands of additional troops to the southern border, following through his campaign promise of a sweeping immigration crackdown. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have reportedly been directed to investigate officials who resist immigration enforcement efforts and eliminate restrictions on arrests at schools, churches and hospitals.

Trump is reportedly planning to send up to 10,000 troops to the southern border. An initial deployment of 1,500 troops will join 2,500 who are already there, representing a 60% increase in active-duty ground forces since he took office on Monday.

“This is just the beginning,” acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses said on Wednesday, as per the Washington Post. The official added that military personnel will assist in building barriers and enhancing surveillance efforts along the border.

The military buildup echoes Trump’s first administration, when active-duty forces spent days stringing razor wire along hundreds of miles of the border. The number of U.S. military personnel then reached about 8,000 in 2018 before eventually declining.

The administration has dramatically broadened its deportation capabilities through several key changes:

The Justice Department has directed prosecutors to investigate officials who resist immigration enforcement efforts. A memo from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, according to Reuters, requires state and local authorities to cooperate with the immigration crackdown or face potential prosecution.

About 44% of the country’s 11 million undocumented and temporary-status immigrants were reportedly living in states with sanctuary policies as of 2022. Beyond these statewide protections, additional immigrants reside in sanctuary cities and counties located in states without such laws.

White House border czar Tom Homan took a confrontational stance toward sanctuary cities, telling Fox News: “Sanctuary cities are going to get exactly what they don’t want. More agents in the neighborhood and more collateral arrests.”

Undocumented Chinese migrants, who have been reported to make record crossings in the southern border, could be among the administration’s first targets for mass deportation. Asian American civil rights organizations, including the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC), have expressed alarm over Trump’s immigration policy.

“NAKASEC stands firmly against the executive order declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and the plans for increased deportations. These actions use taxpayer dollars and executive powers to advance harmful policies that disproportionately target immigrant communities. We cannot ignore the deep and lasting harm these measures will cause: they threaten to tear families apart, disrupt livelihoods and destabilize communities, affecting citizens and non-citizens alike,” the group said in a statement to The Rebel Yellow.

“We believe in immigration policies that reflect compassion, fairness, and respect for every person’s rights and dignity,” NAKASEC added. “A better future for all means creating solutions that uplift, rather than divide, our communities. We call on local, state and federal leaders to actively stand with immigrant communities and use their power to build policies that protect and strengthen our nation.”

Democratic-led cities are poised to resist the new directives. In Chicago, for one, the teachers’ union has been preparing “sanctuary teams” to protect students, while the city’s police department has stated it “does not assist federal immigration authorities with enforcement action solely based on immigration status,” WLS reported.

The administration also faces significant logistical and financial hurdles in implementing its plans. ICE, as NBC reported, is already facing a $230 million shortfall for current operations, and Trump will likely need substantial additional funding from Congress to fulfill his inaugural promise to deport “millions and millions of criminal aliens.”

Americans remain sharply divided on Trump’s immigration policies. A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey showed 39% agreed that “illegal immigrants should be arrested and put in detention camps while awaiting deportation hearings,” while 42% disagreed. The poll found 58% of respondents agreed that the U.S. should “dramatically reduce the number of migrants allowed to claim asylum at the border,” while 22% disagreed.

Trump’s moves signal the beginning of what could become the most aggressive immigration enforcement effort in recent U.S. history. While previous administrations have implemented tough border measures, none has attempted such a comprehensive approach combining military deployment, expanded detention facilities, prosecution of local officials and fundamental changes to citizenship rights.

The coming months will likely test not only the limits of executive power but also the nation’s complex relationship with its immigrant communities.