Donald Trump shows no signs of backing down despite massive protests sweeping the nation.
Now, the former president has escalated his rhetoric, labeling his critics as “radical Democrat politicians” while insisting he’s focused on carrying out “the single largest mass deportation program in history.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Trump issued a chilling warning to three of America’s biggest cities making it clear this is just the beginning.
A massive surge from just 650 daily arrests
Protests have erupted across the country in response to recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, igniting fear and anger in many communities. Still, President Donald Trump has publicly praised ICE’s aggressive tactics and pledged to intensify the crackdown even further.
Despite mounting criticism, Trump remains determined to carry out what he calls the toughest immigration enforcement campaign in U.S. history a stance that continues to spark fierce nationwide protests.
According to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the main strategist behind Trump’s immigration agenda, ICE plans to ramp up daily arrests to at least 3,000 a dramatic increase from the 650 daily arrests recorded during the first five months of Trump’s second term.
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Donald Trump responded to the growing backlash against ICE, making it clear that he stands firmly behind the agency and its recent actions.
Trump applauded ICE agents for their “incredible strength, determination, and courage,” describing the current operation as “the largest Mass Deportation of Illegal Aliens in History.” He acknowledged the daily risks ICE officers face, stating, “Every day, the brave men and women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians but nothing will stop us from carrying out our mission and fulfilling our mandate to the American people.”
A Direct Order from Trump
Trump took it a step further, issuing a clear directive: “ICE Officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in history.”
He specifically called out Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York cities with large undocumented populations urging ICE to intensify operations there:
“To make this happen, we must target Illegal Aliens in America’s biggest cities, where millions upon millions reside.”
Escalating Attacks on Critics
Trump also launched a harsh attack on his political opponents, accusing Democrats of using undocumented immigrants to “expand their voter base, cheat in elections, and grow the welfare state stealing jobs and benefits from hardworking Americans.”
“These Radical Left Democrats are mentally unwell, they hate our country, and they’re actively destroying our inner cities,” Trump claimed. He tied their immigration stance to broader social issues, saying, “That’s why they push open borders, transgender ideology for everyone, and let men compete in women’s sports.”
In closing, Trump reaffirmed his commitment:
“My administration is dedicating every possible resource to this mission focusing on crime-ridden cities and the failed policies of sanctuary jurisdictions. You don’t hear about Sanctuary Cities in our Heartland!”
Trump reaffirmed that ICE, along with the FBI, DEA, ATF, and other federal agencies, has his full backing declaring they “must now get the job done.”
In a bold pledge last year, Trump told TIME he intended to deport up to 15 million undocumented immigrants, even floating the possibility of deploying the military to carry it out despite legal barriers under the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits the use of armed forces on U.S. soil.
By contrast, in an August campaign interview with ABC News, Republican Senator J.D. Vance proposed a more scaled-back approach, saying, “Let’s start with 1 million.”
As of April 2025, the Trump administration claims roughly 140,000 deportations have taken place though independent estimates suggest the true number may be significantly lower.
