Official statements from city governments or news coverage

Trump to Begin Mass Deportations Tuesday, Targeting Sanctuary Cities Starting with Chicago

Jan 18, 2025, 10:19 AM

President-elect Donald Trump plans to execute a series of executive orders on immigration immediately after his inauguration on January 20, initiating what is expected to be the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Trump's team, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and incoming border czar Tom Homan, is finalizing aggressive immigration policies slated to begin as early as Tuesday, January 21. The operation, described as a "shock and awe" campaign, aims to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, particularly those with criminal records, starting in Chicago and expanding to other major sanctuary cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and Miami. Up to 200 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers will be deployed in Chicago alone. The first deportation flights are expected to take place within the first week of Trump's presidency. The planned actions have raised concerns among immigrant communities and city officials in sanctuary cities across the country.