ICE Enforcement Operations

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said ICE has removed more than 670,000 people in the past year, and the department has publicly highlighted a holiday‑time surge of arrests — including named noncitizens with violent and sexual convictions across operations in Minnesota, Ohio, California and New Orleans — framing the actions as “ICE’s Christmas gift to Americans” and asserting more than 2.5 million people have left the U.S. since President Trump returned to office. The enforcement push, which DHS says includes roughly 70% of arrestees with U.S. criminal convictions, has prompted protests and criticism from sanctuary officials and lawmakers (including Maine Gov. Janet Mills, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey) and sparked disputes over deaths in custody and the scope of federal operations.