Donald Trump shows no signs of backing down — despite massive protests sweeping the nation.
Now, the former president has escalated his rhetoric, labeling his critics as “radical Democrat politicians” while insisting he’s focused on carrying out “the single largest mass deportation program in history.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Trump issued a chilling warning to three of America’s biggest cities — making it clear this is just the beginning.
A huge jump from 650 arrests a day
Protests have erupted nationwide over the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, sparking outrage and fear in communities. Yet, President Donald Trump has openly praised ICE’s tough actions, vowing to ramp up efforts even further.
Despite growing public backlash, Trump remains laser-focused on pushing through what he calls the toughest crackdown on immigration in U.S. history — a move that’s fueling fierce debate and widespread protests coast to coast.
Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff and the key architect behind Trump’s immigration policies, revealed that ICE officers plan to increase their daily arrests to at least 3,000— a huge jump from the roughly 650 arrests made each day during the first five months of Trump’s second term.
In a recent social media post on Truth Social, Donald Trump addressed the fierce backlash ICE has faced over its recent actions — but made it clear he fully supports the agency’s mission.
He praised ICE officers for their “incredible strength, determination, and courage” while carrying out what he called “the largest Mass Deportation Operation of Illegal Aliens in History.” Trump acknowledged the dangers they face daily, saying, “Every day, the Brave Men and Women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians, but nothing will stop us from executing our mission, and fulfilling our Mandate to the American People.”
Issued a direct order
Trump didn’t stop there. He issued a direct order: “ICE Officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”
He also delivered a chilling warning aimed at three major cities — Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago — where millions of undocumented immigrants reside.
“In order to achieve this, we must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,” Trump stated.
He then went on to attack his critics, accusing them of using undocumented immigrants to “expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens.”
How many have been deported?
“These Radical Left Democrats are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities — And they are doing a good job of it! There is something wrong with them,” Trump added.
He tied this belief to broader cultural issues, saying, “That is why they believe in Open Borders, Transgender for Everybody, and Men playing in Women’s Sports — And that is why I want ICE, Border Patrol, and our Great and Patriotic Law Enforcement Officers, to FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities, and those places where Sanctuary Cities play such a big role. You don’t hear about Sanctuary Cities in our Heartland!”
Closing his statement, Trump emphasized that his administration is dedicating “every resource possible” to this effort.
He said that ICE, along with the FBI, DEA, ATF, and several other government agencies, have his full support and “must now get the job done.”
Last year, Trump told TIME he aimed to deport up to 15 million people, even suggesting he might use the military to achieve this — despite legal limits imposed by the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement on U.S. soil. Meanwhile, in a campaign interview with ABC News last August, J.D. Vance proposed a more modest goal, saying, “Let’s start with 1 million.”
The Trump administration has stated that approximately 140,000 people had been deported by April 2025, although some estimates suggest the actual number may be closer to half that figure.