While Trump intensifies immigration raids, some immigrants go underground

Fear of fear and uncomfortable extends through American immigrant societies, as the Trump administration intensifies the arrests of immigrants, not documented, tuberculosis criminals and those who do not have both criminal history.

Federal officers have arrested thousands of illegal immigrants since Donald Trump took office on January 20, which increased raids in cities throughout the country, including Chicago, New York, Denver and Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Caroline Levitte said that despite the arrests of criminals, no one in the country illegally “is outside the table.”

In some societies, the arrests prompted some migrants to overcome work or keep their children at home from school.

More than 3,500 immigrants have been arrested since Trump's return to the White House, including slightly over 1000 on Tuesday, 969 on Monday and 1179 on Sunday, according to daily statistics published by immigration and customs (ICE).

In comparison, 310 were conducted on average during the fiscal year 2024, when Joe Biden was in office, according to the agency.

Immigration officials described these raids as “targeted enforcement operations” that resulted in the arrest of the members of the violent gangs and the dangerous suspects, and they moved the agents of other federal law enforcement agencies to help increase detention.

“I have seen anything like this from a distance, and it is only the first few days of the presidency,” said Gina Amato Log, the director of the immigrant project, which is a group of invitation to immigration. “Nothing of this size.”

“The announced intention is to create shock and dread.”

“He works,” she said. “It also creates terror in society.”

The White House and the ice have published some of these arrests, as they showed pictures of the suspects and provided details of their countries of origin and crimes, which included sexual crimes, attacks and drug infiltration crimes.

But the White House has made it clear that any immigrant is unreliable in these raids – whether or not criminals – are subject to detention and deportation, although just being in the United States illegally is civil.

Earlier this week, White House press secretary Caroline Levit claimed that they were “all” criminals.

“They broke the laws of our nation illegally, and therefore, they are the criminals as much as this administration goes,” she told reporters on Tuesday.

The arrests have already had a chilling effect on many migrant societies throughout the United States.

Ms. Loew said, for example, that uncomfortable customers have expressed their fear of going to any government agency – even to obtain a driver’s license – or seek medical attention in hospitals.

“We hear that people are terrified, and we get left and right calls,” said Michael Lukins, Executive Director of the Amika Center for Immigrant Rights, an organization that provides free legal representation for immigrants that are not documented by the authorities.

“People are afraid of going to work, or sending their children to school,” he said, adding that the Trump administration has prevented his organization's efforts to enter detention facilities to meet the detainees.

“This is exactly what the White House wants – implanting fear in people and making them leave,” he said. “This is not something we have seen at all.”

Among those who expressed their fear is Gabriella, the Bolivian immigrant who entered the United States more than 20 years ago, and who hid under a pile of corn legs in the smuggling case shoes on the trip.

Now a housekeeper in Maryland, Gabriella Initially was not interested in Trump's electoral victoryBelieving that it will not only target criminals and that many immigrants will benefit from a good economy.

But after nine days of administration, she says she grew afraid, along with many of her neighbors, after she saw that ICE has performed operations in nearby societies.

“Many people have stopped sending their children to school. No one goes to the church now,” she told the BBC. “We are controlling the Mass online.”

Gabriella said that she started mobilizing her property in the hope that her knowledge and deportation would be able to charge her to Bolivia.

Another undocumented immigrant, a Mexican citizen named Carlos, who lives in New York City, said that the BBC's concerns about possible arrests have pushed some underground.

“We heard that the ice came to a building that is not far from me,” said Carlos, who was born in New York.

Like Gabriella, Carlos was initially optimistic with caution about Trump's electoral victory and believed that he would indirectly benefit from Trump's promises to strengthen the economy and low inflation.

“It is scary. I was avoiding going out on the street more than I needed,” he added. “I have no problem with criminals who are arrested. But we continue to hear that others – workers – are also removed.”

Gabriella and Carlos requested that they be recognized only by their first names, for fear of revenge or attention from the authorities.

The number of those who have a criminal history is not clear, and how it was the first administration that the Trump administration described the “side”.

NBC reported that on January 26, only 52 % of detainees in reservations were considered “criminal arrests”, citing management officials.

BBC called the White House to comment on the numbers.

When I was asked about the number at a press conference on Tuesday, Mrs. Levitt only said that anyone “broke the laws of our nation” is a criminal.

Ice raids are part of greater efforts by the Trump administration to inhibit undocumented immigration in the United States, which also included declaring a state of emergency on the southern border and expanded operations that allow rapid expulsion.

On Thursday, Trump signed the so -called Laken Riley Law in the law, and requires non -documented immigrants who were arrested on charges of theft or violent crimes in prison awaiting trial.

The draft law, called Laken Riley – a nursing student in Georgia last year by the Venezuelan man, was adopted by Congress last week, an early legislative victory for management.

In the signing, Trump said the government will move to establish a facility of 30,000 people for illegal detainees, which increases the capacity of the holding government and taking the United States “one step forward to eliminate the scourge of migrant crime.”