Federal authorities descended on the Big Apple early Tuesday morning to carry out their first major deportation raids in the city as part of President Trumps crackdown on illegal immigration.
The Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed early Tuesday that it was working with the Justice Department and “other federal law enforcement partners are assisting DHS with their immigration enforcement efforts” — sharing pics of some of the initial raids. 4 (L-R) Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Fitzgerald, Border Czar Thomas Homan and DEA Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons during an operational pre-briefing in Chicago on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. DEA Chicago
The feds have been rounding up hundreds of criminal migrants daily in sanctuary cities nationwide since Trump assumed office under the watchful eye of border czar Thomas Homan.
Agents have hit Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles and New Orleans as part of its effort to ship lawbreakers out of the country.
Homan warned on ABC News last Sunday anyone in the country illegally is on the table for deportation. 4 US Customs and Border Protection security agents guide detained migrants to board a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for a removal flight at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Jan. 23, 2025. via REUTERS 4 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers use a chain to more comfortably restrain a detained person using handcuffs positioned in front, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. AP
Youre going to see the numbers steadily increase, the number of arrests nationwide, as we open up the aperture, he said. Right now, its concentrating on public safety threats [and] national security threats. Thats a smaller population.
“So were going to do this on a priority [basis], thats President Trumps promise. But as that aperture opens, therell be more arrests nationwide.
Trump loosened restrictions on how immigration officers can approach deportation raids, tossing out bans on searching churches, courthouses and other sensitive sites that illegal migrants have historically holed up in to avoid landing on the feds radar. 4 US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents knock on the door of a residence during a multi-agency targeted enforcement operation in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. Bloomberg via Getty Images
Mayor Eric Adams said last week ahead of the crackdown that city officials would coordinate with ICE on handling migrant criminals, but was still analyzing Trumps new rule allowing raids in sensitive areas.
Adams has tried to assuage worries of immigrant New Yorkers that are afraid of getting caught up in indiscriminate raids.
The NYPD sent out an internal memo obtained by The Post reminding cops they can partner with ICE on criminal investigation, but not federal deportations, which are civil matters under the citys sanctuary status.
ICE said it made 1,179 arrests and lodged 853 detainers on Monday after it carried out 956 arrests and issued 554 detainers on Sunday leading up to Tuesdays Big Apple action.