In which cities are ICE immigration raids being conducted?

The Trump Administration has stepped up immigration enforcement measures across the United States, leading to widespread raids in some major cities and increased fear among undocumented communities. Since President Donald Trump’s return to power, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stepped up its operations, detaining thousands of people in what federal officials describe as a crackdown on crime. However, these raids have also netted non-violent undocumented immigrants and led to widespread misinformation.

Major cities affected

In one of the largest operations conducted in a single day under the Trump Administration, ICE detained 956 individuals on January 26, with another 1,179 arrests reported the following day. The major cities targeted are:

• New York City: ICE agents, along with the DEA and other federal agencies, conducted raids that included the arrest of an alleged MS-13 gang member, a Jamaican national with a prior conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor, and a Honduran national with a DUI conviction. Mayor Eric Adams reiterated that the city would not cooperate with broad federal immigration enforcement measures, but would cooperate in the prosecution of violent criminals
• Chicago: The city, known for its sanctuary status, saw aggressive ICE activity, with officials confirming arrests of individuals with criminal records, including charges of murder and aggravated sexual assault. Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed that local police did not participate in the federal operations
• Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Denver, Miami, Atlanta and several Texas cities also reported large-scale raids, with ICE officials stating that they were focusing on people with criminal records
• San Juan, Puerto Rico: Mayor Miguel Romero confirmed that, although federal authorities were acting in the island’s capital, a U.S. territory, municipal entities were not supporting their efforts

Misinformation and panic

As ICE has expanded its operations, misinformation has spread rapidly, spreading panic in immigrant communities. False reports of ICE raids in schools, hospitals and workplaces have caused fear and confusion, as in the following cases:

• In Chicago, a rumor about ICE agents showing up at an elementary school even reached the governor before it was denied
• In Philadelphia, the school district had to publicly deny claims that immigration agents had entered schools
• In San Francisco, a high school student’s claim that he had encountered an ICE agent on a city bus sparked alarm among parents
• In Boston, fake news stories about an ICE raid on the city’s Children’s Hospital circulated widely on social media before authorities debunked them

Advocacy groups warn that misinformation may lead people to avoid attending work, school and essential services out of fear.

For their part, state and local leaders have opposed federal enforcement actions, citing constitutional concerns and potential violation of sanctuary city policies.

• New York Attorney General Letitia James criticized the Trump Administration’s policies, calling them “constitutional violations.”
• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker supported the deportation of violent criminals, but opposed sweeping raids targeting law-abiding immigrants.
• Sanctuary city leaders in Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco reaffirmed their commitment to protecting immigrant communities.

The Trump Administration is expected to continue and expand these raids, with ICE field offices being instructed to increase daily arrests. While the government insists that the operations are targeting criminals, the lack of transparency and the inclusion of non-violent undocumented immigrants in these raids continue to fuel anxiety. Immigrant rights groups urge communities to seek verified information, know their legal rights, and be prepared for possible encounters with ICE.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition