More than 5,000 illegal immigrants arrested since Trump inauguration

More than 5,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested in nationwide raids since President Donald Trump took office last week, according to data from the federal government.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in Tuesday’s daily update that at least 969 illegal immigrants were arrested the previous day, taking the total since Trump’s inauguration to 4,981.

The raids continued on Tuesday, including in New York City, where at least 20 people were detained during an early-morning operation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took part in the operation.

“Our work started at 3 AM in NYC to arrest criminal aliens,” Noem said. “Among the arrests was the ringleader of a vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. We’re getting these criminals off our streets.”

Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s border czar, told Fox News on Tuesday that he was not happy with the pace of arrests so far. “He said the numbers so far were a good start, “We need more deportations,” he said, adding that sanctuary cities were making the job more difficult.

Trump took office on January 20 and has vowed to deport millions of people without a legal status. Some of those arrested so far were convicted or suspected of violent crimes, including murder and child sexual abuse, while others had no criminal history.

Among those arrested in New York on Tuesday, one was a Mexican national who was previously charged with three counts of rape and sexual assault, according to the New York Post. And in upper Manhattan, agents arrested a Dominican national who is wanted for a double murder in his home country.

Just now.

Enforcement operation in NYC. Criminal alien with kidnapping, assault & burglary charges is now in custody – thanks to @ICE.

Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets. pic.twitter.com/fRpJBdmqSl

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 28, 2025