Trump Declares War on ‘Sanctuary Cities’ with Sweeping Deportation Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump has directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to intensify deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities, calling for the "single largest Mass Deportation Program in History" in a social media post Sunday.

The president issued the directive on Truth Social while en route to Canada for the G7 summit, instructing ICE officers to "do all in their power" to achieve mass deportations, particularly in major urban centers.

"ICE Officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History," Trump wrote.

The order comes amid reports that ICE has been struggling to meet the White House’s aggressive arrest quotas, with officials privately acknowledging difficulties in hitting the administration’s target of 3,000 immigration-related arrests per day. Multiple sources familiar with internal discussions say the agency has faced criticism for falling short of these goals despite public boasts of strict enforcement.

In his post, Trump singled out cities with large immigrant populations, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, labeling them as "Democrat Power Centers" and alleging without evidence that his political opponents are using undocumented immigrants to "cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State."

"We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside," Trump declared.

The announcement follows recent admissions from the president that his hardline immigration policies have strained industries reliant on migrant labor, including agriculture and hospitality. Critics argue that mass deportations could further disrupt these sectors while raising humanitarian and legal concerns.

Immigration advocates and Democratic leaders swiftly condemned the move, accusing Trump of using enforcement actions as a political weapon ahead of the 2026 midterms.

"Once again, the president is targeting cities that welcome immigrants to stoke fear and division," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). "This isn’t about security—it’s about cruelty and scoring political points."

The White House has not yet provided details on how ICE will implement the expanded operations, but past raids have sparked protests and legal challenges. As the administration pushes forward, the battle over immigration enforcement is set to intensify in the coming weeks.

This is a developing story. Updates to follow.