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| US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters. Washington DC, United States | Photo: Reuters |
More than 500 undocumented immigrants have been apprehended in a series of raids conducted across various US cities, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed on Thursday.
The White House announced the arrests in a post on X (formerly Twitter), reporting that a total of 538 undocumented individuals were detained. According to ICE, the operation targeted individuals wanted for a range of crimes, underscoring efforts to tighten immigration enforcement.
🚨DAILY IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT REPORTING FROM ICE🚨
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 24, 2025
538 Total Arrests
373 Detainers Lodged
Examples of the criminals arrested below 🔽🔽🔽
“This is just a small example of the work being done under Donald Trump’s administration to secure the US border,” the White House stated in an email following the operation.
The raids spanned multiple cities, including Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, and Miami, and were carried out just two days after the Trump administration granted ICE officers expanded authority to conduct operations in sensitive locations such as churches and schools.
President Trump, who took office earlier this week, has vowed to deport millions of immigrants living in the United States illegally. This raid marks one of the administration's initial actions toward fulfilling that pledge, signaling a firm stance on immigration enforcement.
The move has sparked significant debate, with critics raising concerns over the targeting of vulnerable individuals and the potential impact on immigrant communities nationwide. Advocates for stricter immigration policies, however, see the raids as a necessary step toward border security and law enforcement.