US Administration Intensifies Immigration Crackdown, Over 10,000 Arrested in Five Days

Washington DC. As the administration led by US President Donald Trump continues to intensify its crackdown on illegal immigrants, more than 10,000 immigrants have been arrested in the last five days. International media have reported that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has significantly increased the arrest rate.

According to the details received, the ICE leadership recently directed its senior officials to prioritize the arrest of immigrants targeted for deportation. Following this, officials have begun apprehending individuals ranging from those who regularly report to the immigration office to immigrants encountered during street checks, public space checks, and vehicle inspections.

Previously, in the initial months of 2026, only about one thousand people were being arrested daily. However, in the last few days, the number of arrests has nearly doubled, reaching around two thousand per day. Sources have stated that the White House has informed ICE officials that it wants to significantly increase the number of arrests. According to one official, arresting two thousand people daily has now been implemented as a new performance standard.

Unlike last year's large-scale security operations in major cities, this time the arrest campaign has been conducted in a relatively quiet manner. The previous campaign targeted cities including Chicago and Los Angeles. Subsequently, the campaign faced widespread criticism after two American citizens died during a month-long operation in Minnesota.

The latest campaign is analyzed as showing the Trump administration's firm commitment to its electoral promise of deporting a large number of illegal immigrants. Trump has made US immigration policy one of the top priorities of his administration. However, human rights organizations, immigrant rights activists, and opposition political parties have been criticizing the administration's strict strategy.

Recently, the US Supreme Court's decision to expand the President's authority in determining federal immigration policy has signaled further aggressive steps by the Trump administration. However, the court has not fully accepted the administration's attempt to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and those who came to the US temporarily. 'Our message is clear. If you have entered the US illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and deport you,' said a statement issued by US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bass.

Meanwhile, the immigrant community is experiencing further fear after the Supreme Court paved the way for the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted to citizens of countries affected by war and natural disasters. According to activists, with the intensification of arrest campaigns, many immigrants are afraid to go to public places, attend work, or even take their children to school.

According to internal data, ICE arrested more than 2,400 people last Saturday alone, which is the highest daily number in recent years. Similarly, the number of people held in ICE detention centers has increased by about 4,000 in a few days, reaching over 63,000.

ICE's Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, Marcos Charles, praised the latest campaign in an email to his staff. He stated that significant success has been achieved due to the dedication, professionalism, and continuous efforts of the staff. He also mentioned that senior officials have been instructed to remain active seven days a week and to deploy 80 percent of available personnel for arrest operations.

Last year, Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller, had set a target of arresting three thousand people daily, which was not met at that time. Since then, ICE has hired thousands of new employees and received billions of dollars in additional budget for immigration enforcement. Immigration lawyers across the country have also reported a significant increase in arrests. In South Texas, Nigerian nun Sister Letty Ugboja, who was on her way to church, was arrested on Sunday morning. She was working as a nurse at a local hospital and also serving at the church. Following the incident, she was released the same day with the intervention of local leaders and lawmakers. According to her colleague Sister Norma Pimentel, she was extremely emotional after her release and cried for a long time, unable to speak.

In Florida, immigration lawyer Cindy Blanndon reported that one of her Nicaraguan clients was arrested on Monday during a regular immigration check-in. The individual's hearing in immigration court was scheduled for 2027.

Similarly, immigration lawyer Isabel Lonazko in Utah has also confirmed the increase in the arrest rate. According to her, a person who had overstayed their visa was arrested while driving. In her words, 'This is creating more fear in the community. People are afraid to go out of their homes, to shop, or even to drive.'

Arturo, a 48-year-old Mexican citizen living in Salt Lake City, Utah, was arrested on Sunday while going to watch a football game. According to his wife Veronica, the incident has caused severe mental trauma to the family. After his arrest, Arturo called his family via phone, warning them to be very careful as arrests were happening everywhere. His 13-year-old son is also said to be suffering from significant mental stress following his father's arrest.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Arturo is being held in ICE custody because he illegally re-entered the US after being previously deported. However, his wife stated that the family has not been involved in any criminal activity, has paid taxes regularly, and never imagined they would become targets of such arrest campaigns.