The Trump administration has unveiled a drastic new escalation in its immigration enforcement campaign: a demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrest a staggering 3,000 people per day—more than triple the arrest levels from earlier this year. This directive, delivered in a high-pressure Washington meeting between ICE leadership and senior Trump officials Stephen Miller and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, aims to achieve over one million arrests annually, a number that exceeds even the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
At Saluja Law, we are gravely concerned about the humanitarian, legal, and constitutional implications of this latest enforcement surge. Behind the rhetoric of “making America safe” lies a troubling reality: mass arrests, indiscriminate detentions, racial profiling, and the dismantling of basic due process protections. These new arrest quotas are not only unrealistic—they are a deliberate attempt to overwhelm the system, sideline justice, and expand a shadow enforcement regime that operates outside the bounds of the law.
The Mechanics of a Mass Arrest Machine
ICE is now being pressured to deputize state and local law enforcement at unprecedented levels under programs like 287(g), pushing police into immigration enforcement roles historically reserved for federal agents. Federal officers from non-immigration agencies—including the DEA, FBI, and ATF—are also being pulled from their core missions to assist with arrest sweeps, leaving public safety priorities like drug interdiction and violent crime investigations on the back burner.
The result? A growing dragnet that is sweeping up longtime residents, workers, and even U.S. citizens. Arrests are now occurring in locations that were once considered off-limits, including courthouses, community clinics, and even remote tourist islands like Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. These tactics have already drawn widespread criticism from courts, immigration advocates, and civil liberties groups.
As Jesse Franzblau of the National Immigrant Justice Center noted, "The sweeping ICE raids and arrests are hitting families, longtime residents, children and communities in a way never seen before."
Legal Norms Disregarded
Under the guise of efficiency, immigration judges have been instructed to deny asylum cases outright—without hearings—contravening basic legal norms and international asylum obligations. Internal ICE memos confirm that agents have been directed to arrest immigrants immediately after court proceedings, even in cases where criminal charges have been dropped.
These maneuvers not only undermine judicial independence and the right to due process—they also threaten to collapse the very foundation of our legal system.
As Shayna Kessler of the Vera Institute of Justice said, “This isn't about streamlining the courts. It's about slamming the courthouse door shut on people seeking refuge and protection under U.S. law.”
Overcrowding, Overspending, and Overreach
As of mid-May, the number of immigrants held in ICE detention reached nearly 49,000—an increase of more than 10,000 since Trump took office. Detention centers are once again overcrowded, and ICE is relying on private prison contracts that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions while benefiting politically connected contractors.
Meanwhile, Congress is being asked to backfill this reckless spending spree through a House bill that increases enforcement budgets while cutting essential public services. As noted by Franzblau, this “superfunding” of ICE enables continued violations of constitutional rights and accelerates the expansion of a system that many legal experts view as fundamentally broken.
What This Means for Our Communities
We are witnessing a dangerous pivot in federal policy—one that treats immigrants as statistics and communities as battlegrounds. Public trust in law enforcement is eroding. Families are living in fear. Schools, hospitals, and places of worship are becoming surveillance zones. Local economies are suffering as workers disappear and small businesses struggle.
The administration's claim that this effort is about targeting “criminal illegal aliens” is a smokescreen. What we are seeing is a wholesale attempt to create chaos, fear, and division—all in pursuit of a political agenda that increasingly disregards legal norms and American values.
Final Thoughts from Saluja Law
At Saluja Law, we stand with immigrants, families, and communities across the United States who are being targeted in this unprecedented campaign. We call on elected officials, legal professionals, and citizens alike to resist these authoritarian tactics and fight for an immigration system rooted in dignity, fairness, and the rule of law.
If you or someone you know is impacted by ICE enforcement or needs guidance regarding immigration proceedings, contact Saluja Law today. We are here to defend your rights and stand up for justice.