In a show of force, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem led heavily armed federal agents in pre-dawn immigration raids across New York City Tuesday, nabbing approximately 30 accused illegal immigrant criminals in the first major enforcement action of President Donald Trump’s new administration.
“7 AM in NYC. Getting the dirt bags off the streets,” Noem posted on X. She also shared footage of herself in protective gear riding in an armored SWAT vehicle between raid locations.
And in Texas, the U.S. Border Patrol debuted a new holding system for suspected illegal migrants.
Take a look —
7 AM in NYC. Getting the dirt bags off the streets. pic.twitter.com/AlDD819K89
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 28, 2025
On the U.S.-Mexico border, ICE agents employed a new strategy for holding illegal immigrants caught at the border.
Instead of forcing agents to shuffle those suspected of crossing illegally to and from holding facilities that are hours away, ICE units used buses as temporary holding areas to keep more agents on the border for longer.
Take a look —
Buses are strategically placed just a few hundred feet from the border wall to serve as temporary holding cells for individuals entering the country illegally outside of official ports of entry. This setup allows agents to avoid a lengthy two-hour round trip to distant detention… pic.twitter.com/3eoFQad6TD
— Anthony Aguero Live 🇺🇸 (@AgueroForTexas) January 28, 2025
The operations, which began in The Bronx, captured a suspected Tren de Aragua gang leader and a Dominican Republic national wanted by Interpol for double homicide. Federal sources said the DEA alone arrested five “career criminals.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat under pressure by voters, backed the federal action in a break with other Democratic leaders.
“Our city will not hesitate to partner with federal authorities to bring violent criminals to justice — just as we have done for years,” Adams said in a statement, noting he had directed NYPD to coordinate with federal agencies “as allowed by law.”
The tone contrasted sharply with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who declared Tuesday: “I’m standing with the full force of government today to demonstrate that Chicago is a welcoming city regardless of who’s in the White House.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, supported removing the violent offenders.
“My understanding is that they had specific names of people who committed crimes, serious offenders, and those are exactly the people that we want removed from the state of New York,” she told reporters.
The raids sparked immediate legal challenges. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced she and five other blue-state attorneys general will sue the Trump administration over the raids, as well as its temporary pause on federal funding.
“Just like the Jan. 6 pardons, this decision is lawless, dangerous, destructive, cruel; it’s illegal, it’s unconstitutional,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
ICE reported over 2,000 arrests in the past 48 hours nationwide as Trump reverses President Joe Biden’s restrictions. Border czar Tom Homan warned on ABC News that anyone in the country illegally is now “on the table” for deportation.
The NYPD issued internal guidance obtained by The New York Post reminding officers they can assist ICE with criminal investigations but not civil deportations under the city’s sanctuary status.
A DHS official called Tuesday’s operation “very successful” and said Noem’s presence “sent a strong message,” though some critics, including retired Admiral James Stavridis, dismissed her participation as “theater” that “just bogs down agents doing the work.”
The Trump raids mark an aggressive expansion of illegal immigration enforcement under his second term, with similar operations reported in Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and beyond.