ICE arrests 11,000 illegal immigrants in the first 18 days of the Trump administration

According to the The New York Post, within the first 18 days of President Donald Trump’s administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 11,000 illegal immigrants. This marks the beginning of what is being called the largest mass deportation operation in the country’s history. Many of those arrested by ICE agents have been identified as gang members, drug cartel affiliates, and individuals with criminal records in the United States.

The newspaper reported that a Department of Homeland Security official, who requested anonymity, stated that the number of arrests by the agency is on track to significantly surpass the total made during former President Joe Biden’s administration throughout 2024. In that year, ICE arrested 33,000 individuals over the course of 12 months.

The official also noted that while the agency has the capacity to hold 41,500 detainees, ICE’s arrest numbers so far this year are testing its ability to manage such a volume. If this capacity is exceeded, the official explained, the U.S. government would be responsible for covering "hundreds of millions of dollars."

ICE arrests gulf cartel and Tren de members

Among the 11,000 illegal immigrants arrested by the U.S. agency was Fernando Vazquez-Mendoza, a hitman hired by the Gulf Cartel. The Post reported that ICE agents apprehended him in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Additionally, the newspaper revealed that a document obtained by the agency showed the Mexican citizen had been previously deported.

Among the 11,000 illegal immigrants arrested, federal agents also apprehended José Concepción Manrique, a member of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua. The Venezuelan citizen had illegally entered the U.S. in December 2024 through El Paso, Texas.