President-elect Donald Trump plans to reassign U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Under this plan, officers who have been working desk jobs under the Biden administration would be able to get back into the field, according to the New York Post.
Federal employees working at a West Coast and East Coast field office told the New York Post a majority of their officers are currently assigned to desk jobs, rather than making arrests of undocumented migrants who crossed borders illegally.
On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to implement mass deportations of undocumented migrants as U.S. Customs and Border Protection numbers show agents encountered nearly 11 million migrants in the last four years. However, critics believe the number is much higher.
Earlier this week, Straight Arrow News reported leaders of “sanctuary cities” said they wouldn’t cooperate with the incoming Trump administration’s orders.
“LAPD will protect our immigrant community,” Los Angeles’ newly sworn-in Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. “LAPD officers will not take action to determine a person’s immigration status, and will not arrest someone for their status, and LAPD will not assist with mass deportations.”
“We’re gonna defend the people of this city,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said during a news conference. “Because look, his attack, let’s be very clear. The president-elect, former President Trump, his threat is not just toward new arrivals and undocumented families. His threats are also against Black families.”
Trump’s new “border czar,” Tom Homan, is promising to flood sanctuary cities with ICE agents.
“I’ve seen some of these Democratic governors who say they’re going to stand in the way, they’re gonna make it hard for us,” Homan said while appearing on “Fox and Friends” earlier this week. “Well, a suggestion: If you’re not going to help us, get the hell out of the way because we’re gonna do it. If we can’t get assistance from New York City, we may have to double the number of agents we send to New York City because we’re gonna do the job!”
According to ICE’s budget overview, there are just over 21,000 ICE employees. However, dozens of open positions at each ICE office need funding in order to fill them.
Homan says his first week in the position will involve visiting the U.S. northern and southern borders. While there, he plans to meet with border agents to determine what they need to get their job done.
