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An Immigration Raid Looms

Fisayo Okare

Jan 20, 2025

ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers knock on door in NYC. Photo: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

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Officials and immigrant rights’ advocates are anticipating sweeps of immigration enforcement in multiple cities this week, following President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration today. 

Multiple sources who are familiar with the plans told the Wall Street Journal and Reuters that Chicago, New York, and Miami are slated for immigration enforcement action in Trump’s immediate plans. 

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan hasn’t been happy that these plans have leaked. He told The Washington Post on Saturday that the administration was now reconsidering its plans. 

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Still, advocates and immigrants are remaining vigilant. Dulce Ortiz, president of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, told Reuters that advocates anticipated up to 200 ICE agents would begin raids in Chicago today at 5 a.m. The plan aims to focus on people that are heading to work, with expectations that the raids would last several days or up to a week.

On Saturday, during an interview with NBC News, Trump weighed in on his week 1 priorities. He emphasized that mass deportations of undocumented immigrants would be a top goal, but withheld details on specific cities or timing. “It will begin very quickly,” he said. “I can’t say which cities because things are evolving. And I don’t think we want to say what city. You’ll see it firsthand.”

Homan, while trying to be discreet about the exact plans for the raids, confirmed that there will be ICE raids across several cities, and says the agency will focus on 700,000 undocumented immigrants in the U.S. “Every target for this operation is well planned, and the whole team will be out there for officers’ safety reasons,” he said

In New York, the New York Immigration Coalition held a statewide day of action and community across three cities including New York City, Buffalo, and Syracuse, in collaboration with directly impacted community members and several groups including African Communities Together, Asian American Federation, Haitian Bridge Alliance, The Interfaith Center of New York, and others. 

“What we’re bracing for as well is the houses of worship, which are supposed to be protected as well as schools and other vulnerable sites,” said activist Power Malu, executive director of the organization Artists, Athletes, Activists, who was present at the unity walk on Saturday. 

Organizations including Win — which runs 16 shelters and other transitional housing and supportive housing units for families in the city — have been training their employees on what to do if ICE arrives at any of their locations.

This summary was featured in Documented’s Early Arrival newsletter. You can subscribe to receive it in your inbox three times per week here.

Fisayo Okare

Fisayo writes Documented’s "Early Arrival" newsletter and "Our City" column. She is an award-winning multimedia journalist, and earned an MSc. in journalism from Columbia University and a BSc. in Mass Communication from Pan-Atlantic University.

@fisvyo

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