President Donald Trump uses Truth Social to order a mass deportation of migrants. Photo: Jonathan Raa / NurPhoto via AFP
By Samantha Waldenberg, of CNN
President Donald Trump has ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to "to do all in their power" to achieve "the single largest Mass Deportation Programme in History".
"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 Programme in History," the president posted on Truth Social on Sunday, as he travelled on Air Force One to Canada for the G7 summit.
The president also ordered ICE to "expand efforts" in "the Democrat Power Centre" while claiming without evidence that his political opponents are using "Illegal Aliens" to "cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State".
"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 said.
Some context: The president's post comes as CNN has reported that ICE has been racing to meet White House arrest quotas and amid protests against the administration's deportation efforts.
Since Trump took office, ICE, which had previously been operating with a set of guidelines focused on public safety and national security threats, has had to pivot as the key agency at the core of the president's campaign promise to carry out mass deportations.
While the administration has touted its immigration crackdown publicly, privately officials have come under fire for failing to meet White House arrest quotas, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
As ICE races to fulfill Trump's goal to increase deportations, the president appeared to acknowledge on Thursday that his immigration policies are straining farmers and businesses.
"Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace," Trump said on Truth Social.
"We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!"
Additional reporting by Priscilla Alvarez.
- CNN
