U.S. immigration authorities are reportedly preparing to launch a “big f–king” deportation operation in major sanctuary cities right after President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
The operation, code-named “Operation Safeguard,” will begin on Tuesday in Chicago, according to The Wall Street Journal, and continue for roughly one full week.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will send between 100 and 200 officers to carry out the operation,” the Journal notes.
#OperationSafeguard to start on Tuesday 21 January 2025 in blue #ChicagoUSA. Immediate post-#inauguration #immigration raids in #Chicago will be an opening step in #Trump’s plan for the largest @ICEgov #deportation raid in US history.#BlowsToBlue ahead.https://t.co/249S2EPlGQ pic.twitter.com/MRI6KRm2Sx
— John R Dallas Jr (@JohnRDallasJr) January 18, 2025
While ICE will specifically be targeting illegal aliens with criminal backgrounds, any other illegals present during an arrest will also be taken for deportation as well.
ICE has begun preparing for the operation by easing up on arrests so that there’s enough room in its detention facilities for all the illegals that will be rounded up next week.
“We aren’t arresting anyone and bringing them into custody, making room for what may happen next week,” a source told the New York Post.
Also, although the operation will begin in Chicago, it’s expected to eventually reach all across the country, including New York and Miami.
ICE agents are reportedly looking forward to all this.
The former director of ICE’s Denver office, John Fabbricatore, told the Post that these sorts of sweeps ended when outgoing President Joe Biden assumed office in 2021, adding that “the men and women of ICE are looking forward to being able to do their job” again.
As for the Democrat mayors of cities such as Chicago, incoming border czar Tom Homan has threatened them with prosecution if they get in the way of next week’s raids.
“We’re going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois, and if the Chicago mayor doesn’t want to help, he can step aside,” Homan recently said. “But if he impedes us, if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien, I will prosecute him.”
Incoming Border Czar Tom Homan
sets sanctuary cities straight:“The Mayor of Chicago says Tom Homan isn’t welcome in Chicago. Well guess where Tom Homan is going to be Day 1? Chicago Illinois. You don’t want me there, come get me.”
Drop a ♥️ if you love our new border czar! pic.twitter.com/sJpFlB91D1
— Farm Girl Carrie (@FarmGirlCarrie) January 16, 2025
The Chicago Police meanwhile have vowed to not “intervene or interfere with any other government agencies performing their duties” but have also said that they don’t “document immigration status” and “will not share information with federal immigration authorities.”
Homan is aware of the intransigence he’ll face but is not fazed by it.
“New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, the major cities in this country are still sanctuary cities,” he said in November. “If they’re not going to help us, then we’ll just double the manpower in those cities.”
Homan is also opposed in his efforts by teachers’ unions, surprise, surprise. Take the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), for example.
“We know Homeland Security Agents will be sent here to strike fear in the hearts of our students and our families and we are not standing for it,” CTU vice president Jackson Potter told local station WLS.
CTU is especially angry because a couple of common-sense aldermen have offered to help Trump’s team with their deportation plans:
Have you heard that Alders Ray Lopez and Silvana Tabares tried to help Trump with his deportation plans? We know that sanctuary protections are vital for our students to feel safe in school. CEO Pedro Martinez, put it in writing, settle our contract now —and tell your supporters… pic.twitter.com/kqfCZT70nZ
— Chicago Teachers Union (@CTULocal1) January 17, 2025
Local food vendors are also frustrated, with many claiming the deportations will somehow negatively affect the economy.
“The economy is going to go down, because there’s not a lot of people that are going to be coming out to buy our products, and as well, we’re not going to come out because of the fear of the raids,” one illegal alien food vendor told the station.
Another food cart vendor, Jerry, said he’s not worried about himself because he has paperwork, but he is worried about his friends and family.
“I think a lot of food vendors are gonna get affected, like, because, like, a lot of people that are food vendors are undocumented,” he said. “Like, I have papers, but my family doesn’t, is undocumented.”
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