President Donald Trump announced a new phase of his immigration enforcement strategy, directing ICE to ramp up deportation efforts in major Democratic-run cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Speaking at the G7 Summit on Monday, Trump said these sanctuary cities have been “overrun by criminals” and are the “core of the Democrat Power Center.”
On Truth Social, Trump declared that the new crackdown will focus on urban centers where illegal immigration has surged. “I want them to focus on the cities,” he said. “That’s where the people are… I look at how that city [Chicago] has been overrun by criminals.” Trump also criticized Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, calling them ineffective and blaming them for rising crime.
Trump blamed the Biden administration for allowing over 21 million illegal immigrants into the U.S., accusing them of releasing “murderous killers” and gang members from foreign jails into Democrat-run cities. He warned that these areas are being used to gain political advantage through illegal voting, a claim that continues to be challenged by election officials.
The Trump administration has intensified pressure on sanctuary cities over the past several weeks. Former ICE Director Tom Homan said officials obstructing federal law enforcement could face consequences, particularly after ICE raids triggered protests in Los Angeles.
In May, the Department of Homeland Security published a list of jurisdictions allegedly refusing to cooperate with ICE. The list was briefly removed after backlash from city leaders, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the “naming and shaming” policy will be reinstated soon.
“These Radical Left Democrats… actually want to destroy our Inner Cities,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “That is why I want ICE, Border Patrol, and our Great and Patriotic Law Enforcement Officers to FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities.”
