The Trump Administration is reconsidering immigration raids on Chicago and New York after details were leaked in news reports.
This comes after it was reported that Donald Trump’s incoming administration plans to immediately order a series of deportation raids targeting illegal immigrants after his inauguration.
Now, Homan, former acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told the Washington Post that the new administration ‘hasn’t made a decision yet.’
‘We’re looking at this leak and will make a decision based on this leak,’ Homan said. ‘It’s unfortunate because anyone leaking law enforcement operations puts officers at great risk.’
ICE had its sights on Chicago and NYC as its first targets for mass deportations, with a raid expected on Tuesday morning less than 24 hours after Trump’s second inauguration.
It was reported that the operation would be carried out for an entire week with 100-200 officers to handle the job.
News of the raids leaked after Chicago City Council rejected an effort to allow police to cooperate with immigration enforcement.
‘We intend to stand by and protect Chicago’s immigrant communities against threats from ICE,’ Mayor Brandon Johnson said after the vote.
Homan then appeared on Fox News where he was asked by host Jesse Watters if he was ‘blowing your cover’ by asking about the ‘big raid’ in Chicago.
‘Or do you want people to know? Maybe they can self-deport,’ Watters said.
‘There’s going to be a big raid all across the country. Chicago is just one of many places,’ Homan said. ‘ICE is finally going to do its job. We’re going to take the handcuffs off of ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens. That’s what’s going to happen.’
Homan told the Post he didn’t know why Chicago ‘became a focus of attention’ and said the incoming administration’s enforcement goals are much broader than one city.
‘ICE will start arresting public safety threats and national security threats on day one. We’ll be arresting people across the country, uninhibited by any prior administration guidelines. Why Chicago was specifically mentioned, I don’t know,’ he said.
‘This is a nationwide thing. We’re not sweeping neighbourhoods. We have a targeted enforcement plan.’
According to a person with knowledge of the plans, multi-day raids are expected from coast to coast.
‘We’re going to be doing operations all across the country,’ the person told Reuters on Friday. ‘You’re going to see arrests in New York. You’re going to see arrests in Miami.’