Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is ramping up arrests and deportations of criminal aliens in the first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term.

As of Jan. 31, ICE-led operations have resulted in the arrest of more than 8,000 illegal immigrants, based on a collection of the agency’s social media posts since January 23.

ICE officers in Denver arrested an illegal Mexican national on Jan. 30 in Adams County, Colorado who was previously charged with assault and kidnapping. ICE also arrested four criminal aliens each with “convictions or charges related to sexual assault” in Washington state this month.

"Sanctuary Cities" fairly powerless

ICE has also been making arrests of illegal immigrants with criminal records in sanctuary cities and counties, which do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this week that it will be up to Trump whether to take direct action against mayors of sanctuary cities. In the meantime, she said ICE will continue its efforts to remove illegal immigrants with criminal records from U.S. communities.

Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), a division of ICE, apprehended Luis Adolfo Guerra-Perez, a 19-year-old Guatemalan MS-13 gang member who was previously charged with drug and weapons crimes. He was arrested in Boston, a sanctuary city, on Jan. 22.

On the same day, they arrested Juan Alberto Rodezno-Marin in Boston. Rodezno-Marin, 39, was “charged in Massachusetts with indecent assault and battery on person over 14, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, masked armed robbery and assault to rape,” according to the agency.

ICE officers in Boston also arrested Wisteguens Jean Quely Charles, a “member of a violent Haitian street gang,” who is illegally present in the U.S. and has 17 criminal convictions in Massachusetts.

ICE “conducted a worksite enforcement operation" on Jan. 28 at Complete Autowash in Philadelphia "based on allegations employees were being subjected to labor exploitation.” Philadelphia is a self-described sanctuary city.

“ICE encountered, interviewed and arrested seven illegal aliens for immigration violations, who were subsequently detained pending removal,” a news release said.

ERO deported Nestor Flores Encarnacion, who is wanted in Mexico for raping a child, to his home country of Mexico on Jan. 23. Flores, a 58-year-old illegal immigrant, had illegally entered the U.S. four times.

Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s border czar, said ICE arrested convicted illegal immigrants with murders, sex offenses and gang affiliations on their records during enforcement efforts in Chicago on January 26.

Trump pledged during the 2024 campaign to conduct mass deportations of illegal immigrants with criminal records.

The illegal immigrants with criminal records that have been arrested by ICE since Jan. 20 are “pending removal” from the U.S. Official removal statistics for the month of January are not yet available.

"Agents are just thrilled."

Art Del Cueto, vice president of the Border Patrol agents union, said many illegal immigrants are voluntarily self-deporting due to Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration nationwide, even in sanctuary cities. He also said Trump’s decision to end the “catch-and-release” policy at the border is sending a strong message to those seeking to enter the U.S. illegally over the border.

“The agents are just thrilled. You know, I think President Trump is doing it a lot with rhetoric and now with the executive orders trying to get things done, and people are now self deporting,” he told Just the News on Jan. 21. “It started a couple weeks ago. They didn't wait till now. It started a couple weeks ago where they were saying, ‘hey, look, we know the new sheriff is in town. Let's pack up and leave dodge,’ I guess you would say.”

The Associated Press has interviewed some illegal immigrants who said they decided to leave the U.S. during the onset of the second Trump administration.

Homan has encouraged illegal immigrants inside the U.S. to self-deport. 

“While we're out prioritizing the public safety threats and national security threats, If you want to self-deport, you should self-deport because, again, we know who you are, and we're going to come and find you," Homan said recently.