A demonstrator holding flowers walks past police officers as protesters clash with law enforcement in the streets surrounding the federal building during a protest following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles, California, on June 8, 2025. (Photo: CFP)
The Trump administration resumed more aggressive workplace immigration enforcement earlier this week, after briefly pausing arrests at farms, hotels, and restaurants last week.
"The message is clear now that we're going to continue doing worksite enforcement operations, even on farms and hotels, but based on a prioritized basis," U.S. President Trump's "border czar," Tom Homan, said on June 19, adding, "Criminals come first."
The return of Donald Trump to the White House has marked a sharp escalation in deportations, raids, and visa revocations targeting immigrants.
Since the start of Trump’s second term, over 200,000 undocumented immigrants have been deported, and about 51,000 undocumented migrants were in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention as of early June—the highest number recorded since September 2019.
The scale and speed of the deportation drive have stirred unrest. Between 4 million and 6 million people—approximately 1.2–1.8% of the U.S. population—participated in “No Kings” protests on June 14 to oppose Trump, particularly his immigration policies.
No one is safe
Trump’s immigration enforcement has been significantly more aggressive than previous administrations. ICE is now under instruction to arrest 3,000 people each day—ten times the daily target under former U.S. President Biden.
Critics say this surge has disproportionately affected individuals with no criminal record. While only 7% of ICE detainees had no criminal background before Trump’s second term, that figure has now risen to nearly 50%. Many others were held for minor infractions, such as traffic violations.
Notably, immigration enforcement has extended beyond undocumented residents, ensnaring legal immigrants, students, and even tourists.
As of April, more than 1,000 student visas had been revoked. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified the move by labeling some of the students “lunatics” who disrupted campus life due to their pro-Palestinian activism. If faculty, staff, and researchers are included, the number will be even higher.
In January, Welsh tourist Becky Burke was detained for 19 days at an ICE processing center after being denied entry to the U.S. She described appalling conditions and met others who had been detained for years.
Burke said she was held in a dormitory with 110 people at the "maxed out" immigration center in Tacoma, Washington State, had to wear the same jumper for a week, and lacked basic necessities such as blankets and extra clothing.
Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney was detained for two weeks during a work visit in March. She reported being subjected to repeated unexplained searches, confined to a room with constant bright lighting, and forced to use aluminum foil for warmth, which she described as “looking like dead bodies.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Cubans and Venezuelans who previously held Temporary Protected Status (TPS) have recently had their protections revoked, placing them at risk of deportation. “Dreamers” under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program—undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children—also remain in legal limbo, as no resolution has been reached on their status.
Clashes between the legal system and federal immigration agents are mounting. In one Miami case, 28-year-old Colombian national Juan Serrano—who had no criminal record—was granted release by a judge but was immediately detained again by ICE agents outside the courtroom.
Similar shocking incidents have occurred in dozens of states. A federal judge ruled that immigrants from multiple countries were not given reasonable or sufficient opportunities to defend themselves before deportation.
These developments have triggered alarm even among immigrants with legal status, as legal protections appear increasingly fragile in the face of expanded federal enforcement.
Detained, denied, dehumanized
ICE’s long-standing reputation for heavy-handed tactics has intensified under the current administration.
In Los Angeles, immigration officers reportedly used rifles, flashbang grenades, and pepper spray to disperse crowds. Protesters near a detention center were later fired upon with non-lethal ammunition.
In Omaha, Nebraska, workers at a meatpacking plant were filmed trying to stop ICE vehicles from removing detained employees—vehicles that attempted to drive through without slowing down.
Conditions in ICE detention facilities have also come under fire. During raids in Los Angeles, families with young children were reportedly held in hot, poorly ventilated basements for days, with limited food and water.
Recent mass arrests have led to overcrowded facilities, where authorities confiscate detainees’ personal belongings, fail to provide sufficient food, prohibit families from delivering essentials, and even deny medical care in some cases.
Three Democratic U.S. lawmakers—Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr., Judy Chu, and Derek Tran—have reported being denied entry to detention centers to investigate conditions.
ICE has long refused to disclose its use-of-force policies or the results of internal misconduct investigations.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the ICE raids a source of “disruption and fear,” noting their “devastating effect” on the city’s communities.
“Left in the wake of ICE's reckless raids are young children who are terrified of ICE agents barging into their homes. They fear attending school or church because they may never see their parents again, and they live with the threat of being permanently separated from their families,” said Joanne Lin, legislative counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union.
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Reporter | Liu Xiaodi, Chen Sihan (intern)
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
