Happy New Year 2025

Tag: illegal

Homan takes victory lap after illegal immigrant crossings plummet during Trump admin: ‘He is delivering’

President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan is touting the administration’s dramatic drop in illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border compared to the Biden administration.

Homan took to X to say that Border Patrol “has encountered a total of 229 aliens across the entire southwest border.”

“That is down from a high of over 11,000 a day under Biden,” he said. “I started as a Border Patrol Agent in 1984, and I don’t remember the numbers ever being that low.”

HOMAN, AOC CLASH OVER WEBINAR TO HELP IMMIGRANTS’ ‘EVADE’ ICE RAIDS: ‘I THOUGHT I EDUCATED HER’

Border czar Tom Homan speaks to reporters at the White House, Feb. 6, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

“President Trump promised a secure border and he is delivering,” he said.

The Trump administration has come in with an agenda to launch a historic mass deportation campaign and to provide additional border security. Trump signed orders on day one restarting border wall construction, limiting the ability to claim asylum, declaring a national emergency and ending Biden-era parole programs.

Army Maj. Gen. Henry S. Dixon, left, talks with Marines near San Ysidro, California, Jan. 28, 2025. U.S. Northern Command is working with Homeland Security to add additional security to curtail illegal border crossings. (Department of Defense )

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

His administration has expanded expedited removal, removed limits on “sensitive places” on ICE agents, and launched raids across the country – while also suing “sanctuary” jurisdictions.

Fox News Digital reported last week that illegal immigrant arrests have soared. According to Department of Homeland Security data, obtained by Fox News Digital, there were 11,791 interior ICE arrests from Jan 20 to Feb 8., compared to 4,969 during the same period in 2024. That’s a 137% increase.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTS SKYROCKET UNDER TRUMP ICE COMPARED TO BIDEN LEVELS LAST YEAR

Arrests of aliens with criminal histories have soared by nearly 100% from 4,526 in the same period in 2024 to 8,993 under Trump this year. Arrests of fugitive aliens at-large, meanwhile, have gone up from 2,164 to 5,538 – a 156% increase. Arrests of criminal aliens in local jails have gone up 59%.

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Fox News also reported that the daily average number of known gotaways – illegal migrants who successfully entered the U.S. without apprehension – at the southern border since the beginning of February has plummeted to just 132 per day, down 93% from the highest numbers when former President Joe Biden was in office.

On “America’s Newsroom,” Homan was asked when he is likely to run out of criminal illegal immigrant targets.

“We got almost 600,000 illegal aliens in the United States with a criminal conviction. So I won’t be happy till we eradicate every one of those,” he said.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

February 17, 2025
Illegal immigrant arrests skyrocket under Trump ICE compared to Biden levels last year: ‘Worst of the worst’

EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests of illegal immigrants have soared under the Trump administration compared to the same period last year under the Biden administration, with some metrics doubling or even tripling.

According to Department of Homeland Security data, obtained by Fox News Digital, there were 11,791 interior ICE arrests from Jan 20 to Feb 8., compared to 4,969 during the same period in 2024. That’s a 137% increase.

Arrests of aliens with criminal histories have soared by nearly 100% from 4,526 in the same period in 2024 to 8,993 under Trump this year.

Arrests of fugitive aliens at-large, meanwhile, have gone up from 2,164 to 5,538 — a 156% increase. Arrests of criminal aliens in local jails have gone up 59%.

TRUMP’S ICE LIMITS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASES AMID MOVES TO SHAKE OFF BIDEN ‘HANGOVER’

ICE and DEA migrant raids NYC (Drug Enforcement Administration New York)

Arrests of suspected gang members, including those belonging to the bloodthirsty Tren de Aragua, went from 210 in that period in 2024 to 430 under Trump, a 105% increase.

The data is the latest sign that the Trump administration’s flat-out push to ramp up arrests and deportations of illegal immigrants, including by loosening the cuffs on ICE agents imposed by the prior administration, is having a significant impact.

The administration has said it is trying to target the “worst of the worst,” focusing on criminal illegal immigrants and gang members, but has also stressed that it is not ruling anyone out of contention.

ICE has been conducting operations throughout the country, including “sanctuary” cities that do not cooperate with federal enforcement. Fox reported last week that the administration is using federal prisons to house illegal immigrants as it looks to provide additional bedspace.

TRUMP DOJ SLAPS ILLINOIS, CHICAGO WITH LAWSUIT OVER SANCTUARY LAWS

The administration is using Guantánamo Bay to house up to 30,000 detainees, with multiple flights leaving last week. Meanwhile, the DOJ has announced legal action against New York and Chicago over sanctuary laws in place there.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Those moves came after a slew of moves in the first days of the administration. President Donald Trump signed orders declaring a national emergency at the border, restarting border wall construction and terminating Biden-era parole policies. The Department of Homeland Security has since removed limits on “sensitive places” placed upon agents by the Biden administration, and has ended Temporary Protected Status for some Venezuelan nationals.

“We have thousands of beds in detention facilities that are open today,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on “Fox News Sunday. “We’ll continue to do ops in the different communities to get these dangerous criminals off of our streets and to get them home.”

Thomas Homan speaks at the National Conservative Conference in Washington D.C., Monday, July 8, 2024. (DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

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Other numbers have suggested policies are having an impact on the border as well. Fox News reported this week that the daily average number of known gotaways — illegal migrants who successfully entered the U.S. without apprehension — at the southern border since the beginning of February has plummeted to just 132 per day, down 93% from the highest numbers when former President Joe Biden was in office.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

February 14, 2025
California taxpayers paying billions for illegal immigrants’ healthcare

A California budget official revealed this week that taxpayers in the Democrat-run state are paying billions of dollars more on healthcare for illegal immigrants than previously known.

Guadalupe Manriquez, the California Department of Finance program budget manager, told the state Assembly Budget Committee Monday the state is “spending $9.5 billion total funds” to “cover undocumented individuals in Medi-Cal” in the current year.

Manriquez explained that this is a “revised number based on the governor’s budget-updated estimates,” adding the earlier figure was from the earlier “budget act.”

CALIFORNIA FAMILIES CELEBRATE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PROBE INTO STATE’S REFUSAL TO FOLLOW TRANS ATHLETE ORDER

The California State Capitol July 17, 2022, in Sacramento. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

“Of the $9.5 billion, $8.4 billion is general fund,” she said.

Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio noted that the cost of healthcare for illegal immigrants could be enough to help solve some of the state’s budget woes and “avoid going into the rainy day fund,” The Center Square reported. He said the number originally floated was roughly $6 billion.

A new state law enacted at the start of 2024 ensures that “immigration status doesn’t matter” for those looking to apply for taxpayer-backed insurance, according to the state’s health department website.

ICE ARRESTS HOMELESS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO ASKED TO BE DETAINED OR ELSE HE WOULD ‘GO OUT AND COMMIT CRIMES’

California Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (CQ/Getty)

California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher told Fox News Digital in a statement that gutting the insurance availability for illegal immigrants would make a significant dent in the state’s deficit.

“California’s budget is $30 billion in the red, but instead of tightening its belt, Sacramento is doubling down on reckless spending,” the Republican said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“The state is shelling out $9.5 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants while emergency rooms overflow, hospitals teeter on the brink and working Californians struggle to see a doctor,” he continued. “Rather than making responsible choices, leaders are raiding the rainy-day fund to keep the spending spree going. This isn’t just a budget crisis — it’s a complete failure of leadership.”

Democratic Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo said during the hearing that healthcare costs are a major target of the new administration, which leads to uncertainty for the state.

California state law allows illegal immigrants to apply for taxpayer-backed health insurance. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

“We know that today unelected Elon Musk and DOGE have taken their sights to Medicare and Medicaid, which is Medi-Cal here in California. And that is, you know, well over half of our budget,” the lawmaker said.

The spending discussion comes at a time when the federal government is conducting a major crackdown on illegal immigration, including raids done by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and much stricter policies at the border itself.

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Steve Hilton, founder of Golden Together and a Fox News contributor, said it’s “yet another example of California Democrats’ totally wrong priorities.”

“Here’s yet another example of California Democrats’ totally wrong priorities. They have nearly doubled the state budget in the last ten years, yet over a third of Californians cannot meet their basic needs,” Hilton said.

“We have the highest poverty rate in America. We pay the highest taxes and get the worst results. People are asking, “Where did all our money go?” And here’s the answer: ideological obsessions like this — free healthcare for people who are here illegally. People have had enough of all this. There’s going to be change in California sooner than people think.”

Cameron Arcand is a politics writer at Fox News Digital in Washington D.C. Story tips can be sent to Cameron.Arcand@Fox.com and on Twitter: @cameron_arcand

February 13, 2025
‘Serious consequences’: Ted Cruz delivers strong warning to illegal immigrants fleeing Border Patrol

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is launching a new push to target illegal immigrants who flee from law enforcement — named after a Border Patrol agent killed pursuing illegal aliens.

Cruz is reintroducing the Senate version of the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act.

The bill is named after Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, who was killed in a vehicle crash in Texas in 2022 while pursuing illegal immigrants. The bill would make failure to yield to a Border Patrol agent a felony punishable by up to two years in prison.

GOP REVIVES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DETENTION BILL NAMED AFTER 12-YEAR-OLD MURDER VICTIM

Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

If a Border Patrol agent sustains injuries during a vehicle pursuit of an illegal migrant, the offender may receive a sentence ranging from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 20 years in prison. In cases where an agent loses their life during the pursuit, the bill prescribes a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, extending to a potential life sentence. Each of these offenses also may carry a fine of up to $250,000.

It further requires that the Department of Justice report to Congress about how often they are prosecuting illegal aliens for endangering Border Patrol agents.

“This legislation honors the sacrifice of Agent Raul Gonzalez, Jr., who lost his life pursuing individuals evading capture,” Cruz said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

TRUMP ADMIN MAKES AGGRESSIVE MOVE TO EXPAND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DETENTION: ‘OUTSIDE THE BOX’

A U.S. Border Patrol agent stands on a cliff looking for migrants that crossed the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico near the city of Sasabe, Arizona, Sunday, January 23, 2022. (Salwan Georges/Washington Post via Getty Images)

“It sends a clear message that if you endanger American lives, you will face serious consequences,” he said. “This bill is a critical step toward protecting our communities and ensuring criminals can no longer exploit past failures.”

The bill has been reintroduced in the House by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz.

It’s one of a slew of bills being introduced or re-introduced in Congress now that there is GOP control of both chambers and a new mood in Washington that appears to be more receptive of stiffer consequences for illegal immigration, with the Trump administration launching a massive border security and anti-illegal immigration crackdown.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Congress passed the Laken Riley Act in January, which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants accused of theft-related offenses. President Donald Trump would sign the bill later in January.

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Cruz, meanwhile, reintroduced the “Justice for Jocelyn” Act, which would require that every ICE detention bed be filled before any releases of illegal immigrants into the interior. It is named after Jocelyn Nungaray, who was allegedly murdered by two illegal immigrants.

Fox News’ Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

February 11, 2025
NY Dems call Trump’s plan to shut down the DOE “illegal” and “unconstitutional.”

While the nation anticipates an executive order from President Donald Trump to dismantle the Department of Education, New York Democrats sparked a debate about its legality. The White House says cutting wasteful government funding is “not a crime in a court of law.”

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., held a press conference at a Manhattan public school this week, calling Trump’s plans for the Education Department “illegal” and “unconstitutional.” The White House said the Democrats are “gaslighting” Americans.

“Earlier this week, we learned that the Trump administration is drafting an executive order to shut down the Department of Education,” Gillibrand said on Sunday. “This would jeopardize thousands of New York jobs, and billions of dollars in federal funding for New York’s kids, teachers, families and schools. We’re here to show them that we are ready to fight for our kids, fight for our communities and fight for our schools.”

As Trump is expected to take steps this month to defund the Department of Education, Democrats began another week of Trump’s second term protesting the Department of Government Efficiency. The Trump administration dismissed the protests as an attempt “to recover from their embarrassing loss” in November.

MAXINE WATERS, HOUSE DEMS RIPPED FOR ‘UNHINGED’ CLASH WITH SECURITY GUARD AT EDUCATION DEPT

Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks about gun violence during the Clinton Global Initiative on Sept. 23, 2024, in New York City. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

“The Democrats have no plan on how to recover from their embarrassing loss, and it shows. Instead of working to become a party that focuses on the will of the people, they are hell-bent on keeping their heads in the sand and gaslighting on the widely supported mission of DOGE. Slashing waste, fraud, and abuse, and becoming better stewards of the American taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars might be a crime to Democrats, but it’s not a crime in a court of law,” White House principal deputy press secretary, Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital in a statement.

DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER SAYS KIDS WILL BE IN TEACHERLESS CLASSROOMS, WON’T HAVE LUNCH IF DOGE, TRUMP GET THEIR WAY

Gillibrand on Sunday reminded New Yorkers that dismantling the Department of Education would require congressional approval.

“What he’s doing is illegal. It’s unconstitutional. It’s unconstitutional and illegal. It’s unconstitutional because Congress is the only body that is allowed to decide how the taxpayer dollars that New Yorkers send to Washington is spent.”

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand and Gov. Kathy Hochul called Trump’s plans for the Education Department “illegal” and “unconstitutional.” (Getty/iStock)

Hochul warned New Yorkers that they will pick up the tab if Trump shuts down the Department of Education.

“The largest part of your local property tax bill is your school taxes,” Hochul said. “If that money evaporates from the federal government, where are they going to go? This is going to hit homeowners and businesses, and I want them to be aware of this consequence.”

Students board a school bus in Manhattan’s East Village in New York City. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Hochul said defunding the Department of Education could deny students Pell Grants, a federally funded program that helps low-income students pay for college, and New York City’s public school nutrition programs, which provide free breakfast, lunch and after-school meals for students. Hochul urged New York Republicans to speak up in Washington for New York’s public school students.

“This is an outrage,” Gillibrand added. “The Trump administration is stealing money from our kids, from our teachers and from our schools. These are New York tax dollars.”

House Democrats were blocked from entering the Department of Education building in Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2025. (Fox News)

The New York Democrats said shutting down the Department of Education could cost New York’s 2.6 million students almost $1 billion annually.

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Hochul and Gillibrand join a growing coalition of Democrats speaking out against Trump’s education plans. Democrats protested outside the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., on Friday, demanding an audience with acting Education Secretary Denise Carter. Carter is keeping Linda McMahon’s seat warm during her Senate confirmation process.

Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

February 11, 2025
House, Senate lawmakers move to slap limits on NGOs aiding illegal immigrants amid Trump funding crackdown

FIRST ON FOX: Two lawmakers in the House and Senate are introducing separate bills to slap limits on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) they believe are undermining U.S. immigration law – coming amid broader questions about funding of NGOs and a funding crackdown by the Trump administration.

Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas is reintroducing the “Protecting Federal Funds from Human Trafficking and Smuggling Act,” while Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., is introducing the Fixing Exemptions for Networks Choosing to Enable Illegal Migration (Fence) Act.

Hagerty’s bill would end tax-exempt status for organizations that help illegal immigrants, requiring that exempt organizations do not engage in a pattern of providing assistance, benefits, services or other support to those who they know “to be unlawfully present in the United States.”

TRUMP’S ICE LIMITS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASES AMID MOVES TO SHAKE OFF BIDEN ‘HANGOVER’

“Tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right, and these organizations will be able to preserve their tax-exempt status simply by ceasing these activities,” his office said in a release.

Army soldiers patrol the U.S.-Mexico border at Eagle Pass, Texas, on Jan. 24, 2025. President Donald Trump ordered 1,500 more military personnel to the border with Mexico as part of a flurry of steps to tackle immigration, his spokeswoman said on Jan. 22. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

Gooden’s bill would prevent federal contracts and grants being awarded to NGOs unless they certified to the Office of Management and Budget that they are not involved in human trafficking or smuggling. It also would yank tax-exempt status from organizations who knowingly violate federal law.

The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a written strategy and best practices guide for non-profits to ensure they are in compliance with the law.

It also requires NGOs to go through a verification process to ensure illegal immigrants are not receiving benefits.

“For years, non-governmental organizations have exploited taxpayer dollars to facilitate illegal immigration under the guise of ‘humanitarian aid,’” Gooden said in a statement. “The exploitation of the American taxpayer will end under the Trump Administration. This bill ensures that not a single cent of hard-earned American tax dollars will fund organizations complicit in human trafficking and illegal border crossings.”

TRUMP DOJ SLAPS ILLINOIS, CHICAGO WITH LAWSUIT OVER SANCTUARY LAWS

Migrants seeking asylum in the United States who previously requested an appointment on the CBP One Mobile application, are silhouetted as they queue at El Chaparral border crossing toward the U.S. to attend their appointment, in Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 18, 2025. (REUTERS/Jorge Duenes)

It comes amid longstanding concern about the role of NGOs in assisting the government during the 2021-2024 migration crisis at the southern border, where millions of dollars went to NGOs that would receive migrants, assist them and potentially give them shelter and travel to their final destination. The funding is provided via contracts and grants from DHS, Health and Human Services and the State Department.

Gooden has introduced a number of pieces of legislation on the matter, and has been working for years to bring attention to the issue.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced Wednesday that it has stopped funding nonprofits, saying they have been facilitating illegal immigration. It is part of a broad effort by the administration to ramp up border security and crack down on illegal immigration.

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“Many of these NGOs actually have infrastructure and operations set up in Mexico, on that side of the border, and are telling those illegal immigrants to come to them, and they will get them across the border,” Noem said on Fox News Channel’s “Will Cain Show.” “So they’re not just operating in the United States, they’re operating outside the United States to help make it easier for those who want to break our laws.”

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Until an evaluation is completed, Noem said the department is “not spending another dime to help the destruction of this country.”

Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding a review of all federal funding going to NGOs. These two pieces of legislation would enshrine limits beyond this administration. Meanwhile, the administration has also frozen USAID as the agency’s funding is being reviewed over concerns about how the funding is being used.

Fox News’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

February 10, 2025
Trump admin makes aggressive move to expand illegal immigrant detention: ‘Outside the box’

The Trump administration is using federal prisons to house illegal immigrants as part of an expansive deportation operation, Fox News Digital confirmed on Friday.

In a statement, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) said it is helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “by housing detainees and will continue to support our law enforcement partners to fulfill the administration’s policy objectives.”

The bureau said that for privacy, safety and security reasons, it does not comment on the legal status of any individual, “nor do we specify the legal status of individuals assigned to any particular facility, including numbers and locations.”

TRUMP’S ICE LIMITS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASES AMID MOVES TO SHAKE OFF BIDEN ‘HANGOVER’

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, along with other federal law enforcement agencies, attend a pre-enforcement meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Associated Press reported that facilities in Los Angeles, Miami and Atlanta are being used for detention.

The move comes as ICE has been over capacity as it has quickly ramped up the number of illegal immigrants being arrested in raids in sanctuary cities and elsewhere across the country.

ICE currently has just under 42,000 beds available to it, and it has been exceeding capacity under the current administration. The administration has been pushing hard to get more beds and detention space, but sources tell Fox that it typically takes around 30 days for contractors to deliver, given the time it takes to identify buildings, hire people, conduct background checks and comply with related requirements. That help is expected soon.

Fox News Digital reported on Thursday that ICE has requested an apportionment of around $575 million from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as an advance of its funding for the year in order to be able to work more quickly and get another step closer to a reported target of 100,000 beds and one million removals per year.

TRUMP DOJ SLAPS ILLINOIS, CHICAGO WITH LAWSUIT OVER SANCTUARY LAWS

Immigration authorities detain an individual in New York City on Jan. 28. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Fox also reported that ICE is working with the BOP to identify space to house illegal immigrants, as well as Customs and Border Protection (CBP), where there may be unused space in soft-sided facilities. Fox News Digital was also told that, as of this week, officials are being instructed that any release of an illegal immigrant in ICE custody must be personally signed off on by acting ICE director Caleb Vitello.

Meanwhile, the administration is using Guantánamo Bay to house up to 30,000 detainees, with the second flight of migrants leaving for the facility on Thursday.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“We are looking well outside the box,” a senior ICE official told Fox News Digital.

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“The Biden administration cut down so many of our beds, and they canceled so many contracts. And the problem with that is you can’t just immediately turn those back on. It’s not a switch, it’s a dial,” they said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

February 7, 2025
Over a dozen Venezuelan criminal illegal migrants sent to Guantánamo Bay

More than a dozen Venezuelan criminal illegal migrants are on their way to the U.S.’ most secure prison — the Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp (GITMO) in Cuba — some of whom are members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources.

TdA is an international criminal group that has been terrorizing U.S. communities from New York to Colorado. As one of his first actions, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20 instructing the State Department and other government agencies to move to designate TdA as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

Fox News learned that along with TdA gang members, the 13 Venezuelans being flown to GITMO include a murder suspect and a man who claims to have escaped from a Venezuelan prison.

The men are expected to be held at the detention center that is being expanded to house tens of thousands of criminal immigrants.

FIRST 10 ‘HIGH THREAT’ ILLEGALS TO ARRIVE TO GUANTANAMO BAY AREA ALL TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBERS

A control tower is seen through the razor wire inside a detention facility at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The DHS said the immigrants on the plane on Thursday are “highly dangerous” people who were in the U.S. illegally.

Along with a murder suspect and a prison escapee, the others in the group being taken to GITMO include those accused of robbery, intent to commit homicide, weapons trafficking, robbery and assault.

MEXICAN TROOPS BEGIN ARRIVING AT US-MEXICO BORDER FOLLOWING DEAL MADE TO PAUSE TRUMP-APPROVED TARIFFS

Criminal migrants board a military flight to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. (Department of Homeland Security)

Earlier on Thursday, 10 high-threat migrants arrived at Guantánamo Bay, the Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed.

The DOD said migrant criminals are being housed in vacant detention facilities. The DOD said that is only a temporary arrangement being made to “ensure the safe and secure detention of these individuals until they can be transported to their country of origin or other appropriate destination.”

TRUMP HAS BECOME ‘GAME-CHANGER’ IN CONFRONTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRISIS: TOM HOMAN

A migrant prepares to board a flight to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Department of Homeland Security)

The DHS has clarified that the Guantánamo Bay prison will only be used to house “the worst of the worst” criminals.”

Late last month, Trump announced that he instructed the DOD to prepare Guantánamo Bay to house 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens.”

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He said there are 30,000 beds at Guantánamo Bay to house the detainees who pose a threat to the American public, adding that putting them there will ensure they do not come back to the U.S.

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

February 6, 2025
Trump’s ICE limits illegal immigrant releases amid moves to shake off Biden ‘hangover’

EXCLUSIVE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is taking dramatic steps to limit the number of illegal immigrants released from custody, as it moves at speed to shake off what one official described as the “hangover” from the Biden administration.

Fox News Digital is told that, as of this week, officials are being instructed that any release of an illegal immigrant in ICE custody must be personally signed off on by acting ICE director Caleb Vitello.

The administration has racked up thousands of arrests in the first week as it launched a mass deportation operation in cities and states across the U.S., with agents quickly hitting over 1,000 arrests a day as the agency drops Biden-era restrictions and takes a more aggressive stance towards illegal immigration.

TRUMP DOJ SLAPS ILLINOIS, CHICAGO WITH LAWSUIT OVER SANCTUARY LAWS

ICE agents arrested seven illegal immigrants during a workforce operation raid. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

“We are fending off the hangover and some of the bad habits,” a senior ICE official told Fox News Digital, comparing the task to turning around the Titanic. “We are fixing four years of really bad habits.”

ICE currently has just under 42,000 beds available to it, and has been exceeding capacity under the current administration. The administration has been pushing hard to get more beds and detention space, but sources tell Fox it typically takes around 30 days for contractors to deliver given the time taken to identify buildings, hire people, conduct background checks and related requirements. That help is expected soon, but it is still in the process of coming online.

The White House confirmed on Wednesday that around 460 illegal immigrants have been released from custody of the more than 8,000 arrested. While that’s a small percentage, it’s expected to get even smaller with the additional restrictions.

“I expect the number of releases to fall off a cliff,” the ICE official told Fox News Digital, stressing that the new sign-off requirement sends a message to agents about a new posture by the agents.

The official stressed that any releases do not include public safety or national security threats. Anyone released is only done so with monitoring like ankle bracelets. Cases where illegal immigrants could be released could include someone who is pregnant or who is ill with cancer.

“That’s someone we are likely going to release…not only for the human side of it, but ICE and the government incur all of those medical costs the minute we take somebody into custody and so now we’re passing that on to the taxpayer as well,” they said.

While there are now additional limits on releases, ICE is also moving quickly to ramp up detention space. ICE has requested an apportionment of around $575 million from Congress as an advance of its funding for the year in order to be able to work quicker and get another step closer to a reported target of 100,000 beds and one million removals a year.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, along with other federal law enforcement agencies, attend a pre-enforcement meeting in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

It’s also working with the Bureau of Prisons to identify space to house illegal immigrants as well as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — where there may be plenty of open space in soft-sided facilities due to a dramatic plunge in encounters at the border. This week, the administration began flying illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay, where there are expected to be around 30,000 spaces.

“We are looking well outside the box,” the official said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Family detention is one of the biggest challenges facing the agency. The Biden administration ended family detention in 2021, choosing instead to release families on Alternatives to Detention. The Trump administration is turning that back on.

“The Biden administration cut down so many of our beds and they canceled so many contracts. And the problem with that is you can’t just immediately turn those back on. It’s not a switch, it’s a dial,” they said.

ICE has been talking with other agencies, including the State Department to expedite travel documents for deportable illegal immigrants. That’s in addition to a slew of new agreements by the Trump administration with other countries. Venezuela and Colombia have both announced they will accept back illegal immigrants.

That cooperation was on display on Wednesday when Guatemala has said it will accept migrants from other countries in what is known as a safe third country agreement.

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That announcement came shortly after both Mexico and Canada had announced new restrictions at their borders with the U.S. in response to the threat of U.S. tariffs.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

February 6, 2025
Border state’s crucial crackdown on illegal immigrants could get new federal protections: ‘Finish the job’

FIRST ON FOX: A Texas lawmaker is relaunching efforts to make sure his state can build a border buoy barrier without interference from the federal government after the state tackled a lawsuit by the Biden administration.

Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, is reintroducing the Prevent Aliens Through Rivers of Lands (PATROL) Act that would bar the Department of Justice (DOJ) from using the Rivers and Harbor Act to sue states.

Texas set up buoys on the Rio Grande in 2023 due to the surging migrant crisis at the southern border at the time.

Texas claimed the barrier would protect sovereignty and save lives by preventing people from entering the water. Humanitarian groups and the DOJ argued the barriers were a safety risk and sued.

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Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference after a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the U.S. Capitol Sept. 27, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The DOJ lawsuit argued the buoy barrier violates the Rivers and Harbors Act, which protects navigable waters from obstructions and outlines authorities for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The buoys were allowed to stay by an appeals court as the case moved forward, and it is not expected to be pursued by the Trump administration.

The bill would remove the ability to sue under that act, meaning the barrier and similar barriers could go ahead unimpeded both during this administration and future administrations.

“For the last four years, the White House had refused to secure our border and instead fought against the states that were stepping up to do it themselves,” Cloud said in a statement. “The PATROL Act makes it clear: Texas doesn’t need permission from the federal government to defend its communities. The DOJ should never again be used as a weapon against border security.

Migrants try to cross the border between Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass in Piedras Negras, Mexico, Aug. 4, 2023. (David Peinado Romero/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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“Now that we have an administration under President Trump who cares about law and order and protecting our communities, it’s time to remove the last roadblocks and allow Texas to finish the job.”

The bill has the backing of conservative groups, including NumbersUSA and Heritage Action, which said Congress should “build on [Trump’s] momentum to strengthen our immigration system and enforce the rule of law.”

“States should have the right to secure the border and protect American citizens when the federal government fails to do so,” the group said.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced last month his state has installed more buoys along the river.

“The Biden Administration tried — and FAILED — to prevent Texas from deploying these effective buoy barriers,” he said on X.

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“Glad to finally have a President who will work with Texas to secure the border.”

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

February 6, 2025