U.S. authorities have arrested 538 undocumented migrants and deported hundreds of them in a large-scale operation conducted just days into President Donald Trump’s second term. This was confirmed by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement late Thursday.
“The Trump Administration arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals,” Leavitt posted on social media platform X, adding that “hundreds” of deportations were carried out using military aircraft. She described it as “the largest massive deportation operation in history,” emphasizing Trump’s commitment to fulfilling his campaign promises.
President Trump, who has long vowed to crack down on illegal immigration, began his second term with a series of executive actions targeting border security and immigration enforcement. These include declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border, deploying additional troops to the area, and pledging to expel “criminal aliens.”
Earlier on Thursday, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for conducting a raid on a local establishment. He alleged that ICE agents detained undocumented residents and citizens without presenting a warrant.
In a related development, the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress approved a bill earlier this week to expand pretrial detention for foreign criminal suspects, further bolstering the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
President Trump’s actions signal a continuation of his hardline stance on immigration as he seeks to overhaul U.S. entry and border policies.