Donald Trump's incoming border czar Tom Homan said the administration will kick off the president-elect's campaign promise of mass deportations beginning with a series of large-scale raids the day after the inauguration.
On Tuesday, "you can expect ICE is finally going to go out and do their job. We're going to take the handcuffs off ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens. That's what's going to happen," Homan said in an interview Friday on Fox News, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He said there will be "big raids across the country," including in Chicago, where the Wall Street Journal reported he'd start, which he says is "just one of many places." ICE will deploy between 100 and 200 officers to carry out the operation in the Windy City, per WSJ.
Immigrants in the country illegally with criminal backgrounds will be targeted, including those with driving violations that the Biden administration decided were too minor to pursue, the report said.
During the arrests, anyone else in the country illegally will be rounded up, too, the report said.
Trump's transition team had been mulling which cities to focus on for the mass deportation operations to make an example of the so-called sanctuary cities and decided on Chicago because they believe a large number of migrants could be possible targets there.
The incoming president has also been feuding with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, over immigration.
The Wall Street Journal also said Trump officials have employed right-wing media sites to help amplify their efforts.
Homan faulted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for taking a hands-off approach to illegal immigrants and said that position will change in the Trump administration.
"We're telling ICE you're going to enforce immigration law without apology. .... But no one's off the table if they're in the country," Homan said.
Homan spelled out the administration's intentions in a speech last month in Chicago.
"We're going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois," Homan said at a holiday party. "And if the Chicago mayor doesn't want to help, he can step aside. But if he impedes us, if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien, I will prosecute him."
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, responding to Homan's comments, said he will ensure the administration follows the law.
"I'm concerned that the Trump administration and his lackeys aren't going to follow the law," the Democrat said.
The Chicago Police Department referred questions about the enforcement effort to the federal government.
But in a statement the police noted Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance, which states that the department "does not document immigration status"—or share information with federal immigration authorities.
"We will not intervene or interfere with any other government agencies performing their duties," it said.
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