Why is it that hard working people who care about their families are getting deported or detained by ICE? This is a question that many people have asked or wondered ever since President Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term in office.
Since January 20th of 2025, when Trump was inaugurated, deportations have risen significantly. Including more than 1.6 million people who have self-deported, according to Scott Neuman of NPR. Neuman also reports that as of September of this year, ICE has detained or deported over 400,000 people. Neuman’s reporting of those who have been detained or deported shows how large Trump’s immigration crackdown is, and the sheer number of people who have self-deported is surprising. These individuals understood that because they are undocumented. Individuals may face the harsh circumstances enacted by the administration and so choose to take action themselves.
The often harsh actions by ICE have brought significant attention to immigrant rights. According to a Know Your Rights article from Oasis Legal Services, “ICE can only arrest people if they have probable cause (which is a reasonable belief given specific facts, witness statements, personal observations, etc.) to believe that a person is not a United States citizen and is eligible for detention or deportation under U.S. immigration laws.” This means that ICE cannot deport or detain individuals without proper legal cause.
Immigrants need to understand this information to properly manage their status. In their article “Who Are Hispanic Immigrants,” Shannon Schumacher and others report that “About four in ten (43%) Hispanic immigrants are naturalized U.S. citizens, about three in ten (31%) say they have a valid visa or green card, and one in four (25%) are likely undocumented.” Immigrants who have valid legal status, such as green cards, visas, or any other official documentation. Have significant protections under the U.S. laws and can work and live in the United States legally.
The impact of harsh immigration policies can be felt by many. According to the article The Day ICE Came from The Center for Law and Social Policy, “the majority of whom are U.S. citizens, are forced to suffer the long-term harmful consequences of harsh immigration policy decisions.” Most immigrants suffer a lot due to being punished, criticized, or even disciplined. This happens because of who they are or what they are doing.
ICE is continuing to deport people in large numbers due to an expansion of its work, which has continued in other U.S. cities. The expansion cities include Charlotte, New Orleans, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta.
