Mass Deportations Begin in the US, Hundreds of Illegal Immigrants Arrested

Washington DC -U.S. authorities arrested hundreds of illegal immigrants and deported hundreds more in a mass operation conducted just days after President Donald Trump began his second term. The White House called it the largest mass deportation in U.S. history.

In its statement, as reported by AFP on Friday (January 24, 2025), the White House announced that 538 illegal immigrants had been arrested by the Trump administration, while hundreds of other illegal immigrants were flown out of the US by military aircraft in a mass deportation operation.

“The Trump administration arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement via social media X.

The largest mass deportation operation in history is underway. Promises have been made. Promises were kept,” said Leavitt.

Trump promised a crackdown on illegal immigration during last year’s presidential campaign. He began his second term this week with a series of executive actions aimed at overhauling entry permissions into the U.S.

On his first day in office, Trump signed an order declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border and announced the deployment of more troops to the border area, as well as promising to deport “criminal aliens.”

It is estimated that there are 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US at this time.

Trump’s policy has raised concerns, with Newark Mayor Ras J Baraka stating in a Thursday (January 23) statement that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents “raided a local business… detaining residents and undocumented individuals without showing a warrant.”

Baraka said that one of those detained was a US military veteran. He called the operation a “heinous act” that clearly violated the US Constitution.

ICE announced the mass arrests in a statement via social media X. “Law enforcement update … 538 arrests, 373 detainees overnight,” ICE stated in its announcement.

New Jersey Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim from the Democratic Party expressed their “deep concern” about the immigration raids in Newark.

“Actions like this instill fear throughout our communities — and our broken immigration system requires solutions, not fear tactics,” they criticized in a joint statement.

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