US President Donald Trump on Monday highlighted the early outcomes of his intensified immigration enforcement, despite mounting concerns over due process rights. Photos of alleged criminal offenders were displayed on the White House lawn as the administration prepared to increase pressure on cities and states that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Trump is expected to sign an executive order directing top officials to identify, within a month, jurisdictions that do not fully comply with federal immigration laws.
Since taking office, Trump has launched a forceful campaign to bolster border security, deploying additional troops to the southern border and pledging to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Immigration was a major theme during his 2024 election campaign, and he has repeatedly stated that decisive action was necessary following what he described as years of high illegal immigration under former President Joe Biden.
At a press briefing, administration officials pointed to a sharp decline in illegal border crossings during Trump’s first three months in office. However, this crackdown has raised serious concerns over the protection of due process for immigrants and even US citizens affected by enforcement actions.
In March, US Border Patrol reported 7,200 migrant arrests for illegal crossings — the lowest monthly figure since 2000 and a dramatic drop from the 250,000 recorded in December 2023.
“We now have the most secure border in our nation’s history, and the numbers prove it,” said Trump’s border security adviser Tom Homan during the briefing.
Democratic leaders and civil rights groups have criticized the administration’s aggressive tactics, citing cases where US citizen children were deported alongside their undocumented parents. In one instance, a child suffering from a rare cancer was deported, drawing condemnation from advocacy groups.
Homan defended the administration’s stance, blaming parents for risking their children’s futures by remaining in the country illegally. “If you choose to have a US-citizen child while living illegally in the United States, you accept that risk,” he said.
During Trump’s first hundred days, his administration has moved to revoke legal status from hundreds of thousands of immigrants, expanding the number of individuals eligible for deportation. Although arrests of undocumented immigrants have surged, deportations have actually declined compared to last year under Biden — falling from 195,000 to 130,000 during the same three-month period.
Homan insisted it was unfair to compare the current figures to those under the previous administration, noting that fewer recent border crossers are available for immediate deportation.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities are currently over capacity, with around 48,000 detainees in custody, exceeding the authorized limit of 41,500. Plans are underway to use Fort Bliss, a Texas military base, to house additional detainees. The administration has also utilized facilities at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Images displayed at the White House featured 100 individuals charged or convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape, and fentanyl distribution. However, multiple studies have shown that immigrants are no more likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans.
Trump has also taken aim at “sanctuary” jurisdictions — cities and states that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities — blaming them for releasing criminal offenders rather than turning them over to ICE.
Recently, a federal judge blocked the administration’s efforts to withhold federal funding from more than a dozen sanctuary jurisdictions. In response, Trump plans to issue an executive order aimed at increasing pressure on these areas to collaborate more closely with immigration enforcement.
Additionally, authorities arrested a Wisconsin judge last week, accusing her of briefly helping an individual evade immigration authorities. The arrest sparked outrage among Democrats and immigration advocates, who warned that such actions could deter immigrant victims from seeking protection in courthouses.
Homan defended the arrest, asserting that the law would be enforced regardless of a person’s position. “You will be prosecuted, judge or not,” he emphasized.
Trump is scheduled to sign the latest executive orders at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Public opinion remains divided over Trump’s immigration policies, but a recent poll found that he holds a 45 percent approval rating on immigration — higher than on other major issues.
