Federal agents from various agencies conducted immigration enforcement operations in several Texas cities, including Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio on Sunday.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, carried out “enhanced targeted operations” in these cities. A similar operation was also reported in the Rio Grande Valley on Sunday morning.
An ICE spokesperson stated that the goal of these operations was to “enforce U.S. immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities.” The spokesperson did not disclose the specific offenses for which the targeted individuals were suspected or if any arrests were made.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area alone, ICE apprehended 84 individuals on Sunday.
Most of those arrested had varying degrees of criminal histories, according to the agency. They also reported making some arrests of other undocumented individuals who were present with those specifically targeted; however, the official could not provide immediate numbers.
ICE noted that the operations took place in cities such as Dallas, Irving, Arlington, Fort Worth, and various locations throughout Collin County.
These operations occurred less than a week after President Donald Trump began his second term and promised widespread deportations nationwide. He issued more than a dozen executive orders related to immigration last week, including a ban on the use of an app allowing migrants to schedule asylum requests and granting immigration officers the authority to conduct raids at sensitive locations like churches, schools, and hospitals.
Additionally, the Trump administration has ordered federal officials to investigate and possibly prosecute local authorities who hinder deportation efforts. Some local officials in Texas have expressed willingness to cooperate with Trump’s policies but have provided limited details on how they plan to do so. Recently, a group of Texas lawmakers requested guidance from state education officials on how school districts should prepare for federal immigration enforcement actions.
Trump’s recent measures have left many migrants stranded at the U.S.-Mexico border and created a climate of fear among others regarding potential deportation. Texas is home to an estimated 1.6 million undocumented individuals.
