The White House has announced the commencement of a sweeping immigration operation across the United States. One of Donald Trump’s key election promises, mass deportations, became a reality on Thursday with the arrest of 538 undocumented immigrant offenders and the deportation of hundreds using military aircraft.
White House Statement: “Largest Operation in History”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the operation via social media platform X on Thursday night, stating, “The Trump administration has detained 538 illegal immigrant offenders, including a suspected terrorist, four members of the Tren de Aragua gang, and several individuals convicted of sexual crimes against minors.” Tren de Aragua is a criminal organization originating in Venezuela and reportedly expanding into the U.S.
Leavitt emphasized the scale of the operation, revealing that hundreds of individuals were deported using military aircraft, calling it “the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history.”
Operation Details: 373 Criminal Records Identified
According to documents provided by a senior administration official, 373 of the 538 individuals arrested had criminal records. Additionally, 1,041 people were deported or returned to their home countries. Operations led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) identified offenders convicted of severe crimes such as rape and sexual assault, including:
- A convicted rapist from Ecuador detained in Buffalo.
- A Dominican Republic national in San Francisco convicted of persistent sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 14.
Deportation Flights: Hundreds Returned Home
As part of the operation, three deportation flights to Guatemala were conducted using military aircraft. These flights, departing from El Paso and Tucson, returned a total of 265 individuals to their home country. A Guatemalan immigration official confirmed the details, noting that women and children were among those deported.
Trump Backs the Operation: “Removing the Worst Offenders”
President Donald Trump commended the operation’s success, stating, “These are some of the worst offenders you’ll ever see. Our priority is to remove them from the country.” While further details on deported individuals were not provided, plans for a second phase of the operation are reportedly underway.
Democrats Respond: “No Search Warrants Shown”
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka criticized ICE teams for raiding a local business without presenting search warrants, detaining undocumented immigrants as well as U.S. citizens. Baraka pointed out that one of the detained individuals was a retired U.S. Army veteran and expressed strong opposition to the operation’s methods.
Why Trump’s Immigration Policies Are in the Spotlight
The United States is estimated to house approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants. Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump frequently pledged to tackle illegal immigration. The administration aims to expedite immigration reforms and bolster military presence along the border.
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