The Trump administration has established a daily target of arresting 3,000 immigrants, aiming to apprehend over one million individuals annually as part of its intensified immigration enforcement strategy.
This directive was outlined during a high-level meeting on May 21 involving officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including leaders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The new goal represents a threefold increase compared to last year’s figures.
While ERO is responsible for immigration enforcement, including arrests, detentions, and removals, HSI focuses on investigating crimes such as drug trafficking, human smuggling, and child exploitation. The recent measures empower federal law enforcement officers, including those outside ICE, to assist in arrests and logistical support. Notably, arrests may now occur at locations previously considered sensitive, such as courthouses.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security, stated, "Under Secretary Noem, we are delivering on President Trump’s and the American people’s mandate to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens and make America safe." In contrast, advocates for immigrant rights have criticized the administration’s approach. Nayna Gupta, Policy Director at the American Immigration Council, remarked, "This administration came into office with the illusion that they had been given a broad mandate to effectuate an aggressive immigration enforcement agenda, and they are doubling down now on that agenda."
Additionally, federal agencies traditionally focused on other law enforcement priorities—including the FBI, DEA, and ATF—are now being redirected toward immigration enforcement efforts. Concurrently, ICE is undergoing significant leadership restructuring. Kenneth Genalo, the outgoing Acting Director of ERO, is retiring but will remain involved as a special government employee. Robert Hammer, the Acting Head of HSI, will assume a new senior role at ICE headquarters.
The administration has also declared a "national emergency" on migration, underscoring the aggressive stance on tightening immigration controls.
