Over 500 Migrants Arrested as Trump Administration Launches Mass Deportation Operation

The sweeping immigration crackdown underscores Trump’s commitment to fulfilling his campaign promises to reform US immigration policies, despite strong opposition from immigrant rights groups and some local officials.

Washington D.C. – US authorities have arrested 538 undocumented migrants and deported hundreds more in what is being described as the largest deportation operation in US history, according to an announcement from President Donald Trump’s administration late Thursday.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, confirmed the arrests in a statement posted on social platform X. “The Trump Administration arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals,” Leavitt wrote, adding that “hundreds” of the detainees were deported via military aircraft. “The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway. Promises made. Promises kept.”

The mass operation marks a significant step in President Trump’s second-term agenda, which heavily prioritizes a crackdown on illegal immigration. Trump has signed multiple executive orders since returning to office, including one declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border. He has also ordered the deployment of additional troops to the region and pledged to expedite the deportation of individuals he referred to as “criminal aliens.”

Meanwhile, the operation has sparked controversy and backlash. Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka criticized the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a statement on Thursday. Baraka alleged that ICE officials “raided a local establishment… detaining undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant.”

The enforcement push comes shortly after Congress, now under Republican control, approved a bill expanding pretrial detention for foreign nationals suspected of criminal activity.

The sweeping immigration crackdown underscores Trump’s commitment to fulfilling his campaign promises to reform US immigration policies, despite strong opposition from immigrant rights groups and some local officials.