Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump administration overturns hospital "sensitive location" status for ICE enforcement — President Trump issued an executive order rescinding the long-standing designation of hospitals, healthcare facilities, and schools as "sensitive locations" where immigration enforcement was restricted. The order has enabled ICE agents to conduct arrests and detentions inside hospitals, disrupting patient care, preventing access to family and attorneys, and violating patient privacy protections. Nurses and healthcare workers report increased ICE presence at facilities across California and other states, with agents blocking medical staff from treating patients and interfering with discharge protocols.

Supporting reports

• Mayor Bowser halts MPD cooperation with ICE immigration enforcement — Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an executive order creating an "emergency operations center" that coordinated with federal law enforcement agencies but explicitly excluded Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a press conference, Bowser stated that immigration enforcement is not the role of the Metropolitan Police Department and would not be in the future. Her administration signaled support for federal agents patrolling the city while maintaining that violent crime had "notably decreased."
• Trump administration's 30-day police takeover of Washington DC expires — A 30-day takeover of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department that Trump ordered on August 11 expired in mid-September. During the takeover, Trump deployed national guard troops and federal agents across DC. An Associated Press analysis found that approximately 40% of the more than 2,300 arrests credited to the takeover were immigration-related. The Trump administration requested Congress extend the emergency, but the Republican-controlled House and Senate declined to vote on the extension.
• Trump threatens national emergency to force DC police cooperation with immigration enforcement — President Trump threatened on Monday to declare a national emergency and federalize Washington DC's police department if the city did not cooperate with immigration enforcement operations. The threat followed the expiration of a 30-day police takeover Trump had ordered in August, citing crime concerns. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an executive order halting MPD cooperation with ICE arrests. Trump's statement on Truth Social warned that without federal control, "CRIME would come roaring back," despite violent crime in DC being at 30-year lows.

Supporting reports

• Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act to render Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador prison — Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to justify rendering undocumented Venezuelan immigrants to CECOT, a notorious terrorist prison in El Salvador. The act, designed for wartime use, was applied to justify extrajudicial deportation to a foreign detention facility without due process. This represents an extreme expansion of executive power using a historical statute to bypass normal immigration procedures and constitutional protections.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announces ICE surge into Boston — The Trump administration announced a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into Boston on September 8. The deployment follows threats to send federalized National Guard troops into Democratic-led cities. Unlike military deployment, ICE agents are part of regular law enforcement systems, but the operation was announced via social media without coordination with state officials, suggesting a political rather than crime-fighting purpose.
• Trump administration announces ICE surge into Chicago — On September 9, the Trump administration announced a surge of ICE agents into Chicago. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker stated the administration made no effort to coordinate with state officials and characterized the operation as laying groundwork to "circumvent our democracy, militarize our cities, and end elections" rather than combat crime. The announcement was made via social media as a "reality television show."

Supporting reports

• DHS announces "Operation Midway Blitz" targeting predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Chicago — The Department of Homeland Security announced enforcement operations in Chicago designated "Operation Midway Blitz," focusing on predominantly Latino neighborhoods surrounding Midway airport. The operation resulted in multiple arrests and was conducted without advance notice to Chicago's municipal government. This follows Trump's rhetoric attacking Chicago's sanctuary policies and his stated plan to deploy the National Guard to the city.
• Trump administration threatens ICE deployment and National Guard mobilization to Chicago — The Trump administration announced "Operation Midway Blitz," a targeted immigration enforcement action in Chicago, following threats to deploy federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to the city. Evanston officials warned residents of likely ICE activity after receiving information from the governor's office. The operation invokes a Nazi-era military term and targets immigrants in a sanctuary jurisdiction. Chicago's mayor stated the city received no notice and opposes militarized enforcement without due process, citing ICE's history of detaining and deporting U.S. citizens.
• DHS announced Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago — The Department of Homeland Security announced it launched "Operation Midway Blitz" in Chicago, stating it aims to "target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets." Governor Pritzker responded that the operation "isn't about fighting crime," but "scaring Illinoisians."

Supporting reports

• Trump posts threat to Chicago referencing "Department of War" and deportations — Trump posted on Truth Social that Chicago was about to discover "why it's called the Department of War," referencing a recent executive order renaming the Department of Defense. The post also stated "I love the smell of deportations in the morning," alluding to the film Apocalypse Now. Governor Pritzker responded by stating the president was "threatening to go to war with an American city" and that "This is not a joke. This is not normal." The rhetoric escalates the administration's framing of immigration enforcement as military action against a domestic city.
• Trump posted AI-generated image threatening military action against Chicago — President Trump's social media account posted an AI-generated image depicting him as a Vietnam War character in front of Chicago's skyline with military helicopters and flames, captioned "Chipocalypse Now" with text reading "I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The post included helicopter emojis associated with Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's extrajudicial killings. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker responded by calling the threat abnormal and warning against intimidation.
• Trump shared "Chipocalypse Now" meme threatening deportations and war on Chicago — On Truth Social, Trump posted a meme depicting himself as an officer from "Apocalypse Now" with the caption "I love the smell of deportations in the morning" and "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of War." Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded by calling Trump a "wannabe dictator" and stating he is "threatening to go to war with an American city," characterizing the rhetoric as abnormal and dangerous.
• Trump posted apocalyptic threat against Chicago on Truth Social — Trump posted on Truth Social depicting himself as the character from Apocalypse Now with the caption "I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The post threatened military action against a major U.S. city. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and California Governor Gavin Newsom responded by characterizing the threat as authoritarian and unconstitutional. Senator Tammy Duckworth called it a declaration of war on an American city.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status for 270,000 Venezuelans — The Trump administration terminated the Temporary Protected Status of nearly 270,000 immigrants from Venezuela who enrolled in a 2021 program under the Biden administration, and encouraged them to self-deport from the US or risk facing deportation proceedings.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deploys federal immigration agents to Chicago amid Mexican Independence Day events — The Trump administration announced plans to deploy 230 federal immigration agents (primarily Customs and Border Protection) to Chicago as part of an intensified immigration enforcement effort. The deployment, combined with Trump's inflammatory rhetoric describing Chicago as "the most dangerous city in the world," prompted organizers to cancel or postpone multiple Mexican Independence Day celebrations, including El Grito Chicago (which drew 24,000 attendees in 2024). Governor JB Pritzker alleged the timing targeted Mexican community events. Thousands protested peacefully on Saturday against the deployment and broader administration policies.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration launches "Patriot 2.0" ICE operation targeting immigrants in Massachusetts — The Department of Homeland Security and ICE announced a new enforcement operation called "Patriot 2.0" in Massachusetts, expected to last several weeks. The operation targets immigrants released from custody despite ICE pickup attempts from local jails. DHS officials blamed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's sanctuary policies, claiming they harbor criminals. The action follows Wu's March congressional testimony defending sanctuary city laws that limit local law enforcement cooperation with ICE.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens to deploy National Guard to Chicago and Baltimore, claims Chicago is "world's most dangerous city" — Donald Trump announced plans to deploy National Guard units to Chicago and Baltimore to address violent crime, calling Chicago "the most dangerous city in the world" and citing 20 killings over 2.5 weeks and 75 shootings. He also discussed sending troops to New Orleans. The claims are contradicted by FBI crime data showing Chicago ranks 14th among cities over 100,000 residents in homicide rate (17.5 per 100,000), while the four highest-murder-rate cities—Jackson, Birmingham, St. Louis, and Memphis—are all in Republican-led states with rates ranging from 40.6 to 78.7 per 100,000.
• Texas National Guard preparation to deploy to Chicago reported — According to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, the Texas National Guard is preparing to deploy to Chicago. Texas Governor Greg Abbott denied the claim. The deployment threat occurs despite Chicago experiencing declining violent crime, with 2025 showing fewer shootings than any year since the mid-1960s according to crime data expert Jeff Asher. Five major Texas cities—Houston, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Dallas, and San Antonio—had higher violent crime rates per 100,000 people than Chicago in 2024.
• Trump pledges military deployment to Chicago and Baltimore amid false crime claims — President Trump pledged on Truth Social to deploy the military to Chicago and Baltimore, characterizing both cities as exceptionally dangerous. Trump called Chicago "the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far" and a "killing field," and described Baltimore as "so far gone," a "hellhole," and a "horrible deathbed." However, FBI data shows Chicago ranked 55th in violent crime among major U.S. cities in 2024 (540 per 100,000), with multiple red-state cities including Memphis, Kansas City, Tulsa, and Louisville recording significantly higher rates. Baltimore is experiencing a historic crime decline, with August 2025 recording the lowest homicide count for that month on record and 91 homicides through September 1—the fewest in over 50 years for that period.
• Trump threatens national guard deployment to Chicago; advance ICE team training underway — President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to deploying federal troops to Chicago to address crime and homelessness, calling the city a "hellhole" and stating deployment would proceed regardless of local leadership consent. An advance team of at least 30 agents is undergoing crowd control and flash grenade training at Naval Station Great Lakes; 230 Customs and Border Protection agents are being transferred from Los Angeles. Chicago would become the second city to receive national guard troops after Washington DC (August) and Los Angeles (June). Local officials and community groups are organizing resistance, including legal preparation and "know your rights" campaigns.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon plans National Guard deployment to Chicago — The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon has spent weeks planning to send thousands of National Guard troops to Chicago as soon as next month, with active-duty troop deployment also discussed but considered less likely. The move represents a significant escalation of federal military presence in domestic law enforcement operations.
• Trump administration plans federal takeover of Chicago for immigration enforcement — The Trump administration is preparing a federally led immigration crackdown targeting Chicago, a Democratic "sanctuary city," including a request for a military base on the city's outskirts to assist operations. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called on citizens to "stand up" against the plan, stating that deploying troops without coordination with local officials would constitute an invasion. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order directing city police to refuse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and to protect residents' constitutional rights during the anticipated crackdown.

Supporting reports

• US Attorney General Bondi issues threats to 30 Democratic-led cities and states over sanctuary policies — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued letters to 30 Democratic-led cities and states, including governors of California, Illinois, and Minnesota, and mayors of New York, Denver, and Boston, demanding they drop sanctuary policies. Bondi stated their jurisdictions engage in "sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement" and declared "This ends now." The letters represent escalating federal pressure on local governments to abandon policies limiting cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Supporting reports

• Trump visits DC police station and touts federal takeover of Metropolitan Police Department — President Trump visited the Anacostia park police station in Washington DC on August 21, 2025, to tout his administration's takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department as a crime-fighting success. Flanked by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Interior Secretary Doug Bergum, Trump declared the takeover successful despite restaurants reporting drops in reservations. He also announced plans to re-grass DC parks to resemble his golf courses and referenced his recent legal victory in the New York civil fraud case.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi orders DC police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order compelling the DC Metropolitan Police Department to cooperate with federal officials focused on immigration and homeless enforcement. This directive tied the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda to its crime-reduction efforts in DC, with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents deployed on local patrols to detain immigrants in traffic stops. The surge in federal law enforcement has resulted in higher daily arrest numbers.

Supporting reports

• Bondi issues revised directive on MPD services and immigration enforcement — Attorney General Bondi issued a revised two-page order designating Terry Cole as her "designee" for directing DC to provide Metropolitan Police Department services deemed "necessary and appropriate." The order explicitly included assisting federal immigration enforcement, contradicting DC's sanctuary city policies that restrict local police involvement in immigration matters. The directive also authorized use of MPD officers for federal purposes in emergencies.
• White House and DC agree to scale back police takeover — Following judicial pressure, the Trump administration and DC officials reached an agreement Friday evening to scale back the federal takeover. Under the revised arrangement, Chief Pamela Smith would retain control of the Metropolitan Police Department, with Terry Cole designated as Attorney General Bondi's "designee" for directing specific services. The agreement still permitted the administration to use MPD officers for federal immigration enforcement purposes and in emergencies, contrary to DC's sanctuary city policies.

Supporting reports

• US Attorney General Bondi issues order to impose federal control over DC Metropolitan Police Department — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order late Thursday placing Terry Cole, the DEA's top administrator, as "emergency police commissioner" over Washington DC's Metropolitan Police Department, superseding Chief Pamela Smith. The order required all MPD personnel to receive Cole's approval before issuing orders and aimed to override the city's sanctuary policies on immigration enforcement. DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb immediately filed a lawsuit challenging the order as exceeding federal authority under the Home Rule Act.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi appointed DEA administrator as emergency police commissioner — Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order formalizing the appointment of the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Terry Cole, as "emergency police commissioner" of the DC Metropolitan Police Department, stripping decision-making powers away from Chief Smith and requiring approval from Cole before issuing any new directives for the force. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser responded that "There is no statute that conveys the District's personnel authority to a federal official."
• US Attorney General Bondi issues order to impose federal control over DC Metropolitan Police Department — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order late Thursday placing Terry Cole, the DEA's top administrator, as "emergency police commissioner" over Washington DC's Metropolitan Police Department, superseding Chief Pamela Smith. The order required all MPD personnel to receive Cole's approval before issuing orders and aimed to override the city's sanctuary policies on immigration enforcement. DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb immediately filed a lawsuit challenging the order as exceeding federal authority under the Home Rule Act.

Supporting reports

• Trump directs Commerce Department to conduct new census excluding undocumented immigrants — President Trump posted on social media instructing the Department of Commerce to begin work on a new census based on 2024 election data and explicitly excluding undocumented immigrants from the count. Trump lacks constitutional authority to change the decennial census timing or to exclude any persons from enumeration; the Constitution mandates a census every ten years and requires apportionment based on "the whole number of persons in each State." The announcement signals administration awareness that their policies are unpopular and that they anticipate losing House control in 2026 without systemic manipulation.
• Trump instructed Department of Commerce to conduct new census excluding undocumented immigrants — President Trump issued an instruction to the Department of Commerce to begin work on a new census based on 2024 election data and excluding people in the country illegally from the count. The action would affect federal funding allocation, House apportionment, and electoral vote distribution among states. Constitutional and legal experts note that the Constitution requires the census to count "whole persons," courts previously blocked Trump's citizenship question in his first term, and mid-decade census authority is limited by statute to funding purposes only in years ending in 5. The feasibility and legality of Trump's directive remain uncertain.

Supporting reports

• Internal DHS memo outlines expanded military deployment for domestic immigration enforcement — An internal Department of Homeland Security memo circulated among top officials outlines plans to involve the Department of Defense more deeply in domestic law enforcement operations targeting immigration. The memo suggests DHS anticipates many more uses of the military in urban centers, noting that "LA-style operations may be needed 'for years to come.'" It likens transnational gangs and cartels to "Al Qaeda or ISIS cells and fighters operating freely inside America," hinting at a ramped-up militarized posture in the interior. The memo was authored by Philip Hegseth, a senior adviser to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and DHS liaison officer to DOD. Experts warned that normalizing routine military support to law enforcement could create a domestic "Forever War" and undermine the rule of law.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration directs ICE to increase daily arrests to 3,000, a tenfold increase from Biden administration levels — The Trump administration, through Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, has directed ICE to achieve at least 3,000 daily arrests—a tenfold increase from the approximately 300 daily arrests during Biden's final year in office. This directive is driving the documented pattern of courthouse arrests, the targeting of migrants with ongoing cases, and the apprehension of individuals who do not meet legal criteria for expedited removal. The increased arrest targets are being met through the systematic use of immigration courthouses as enforcement sites.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration targets sanctuary cities with escalated ICE enforcement operations — Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, announced plans to "flood the zone" with ICE agents in sanctuary cities, specifically targeting New York following a shooting incident involving an off-duty CBP officer allegedly shot by an undocumented person. Homan vowed to deploy more agents in communities and worksites, stating that if arrests cannot be made in county jails, they will occur in public spaces. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blamed sanctuary city policies for the incident, claiming they endanger public safety, though evidence does not support this claim.
• Tom Homan announces plan to flood sanctuary cities with ICE agents — Deportation Czar Tom Homan announced on MSNBC that ICE will "flood the zone of sanctuary cities" with additional agents and officers, and will "flood the neighborhoods with officers" and "flood worksite enforcements" now that Congress has tripled ICE's budget, making it the largest law enforcement organization in America. Homan blamed Democrats for the controversial policy of ICE officers wearing masks.

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet claiming six-month record of policy achievements — The White House published a fact sheet asserting accomplishments across economic, border, military, and diplomatic domains during the first six months of the Trump administration. The document claims the largest tax cut in history, record-low border encounters, 671,000 net job additions, egg price declines, tariff revenue collection, military recruitment goals met, and diplomatic agreements including ceasefires and NATO defense spending increases. The fact sheet attributes these outcomes to executive orders, legislation, and administration policy direction.
• White House issues promotional fact sheet claiming fulfillment of campaign promises — The White House published a fact sheet titled "President Trump Has Kept His Promises — and Then Some," asserting that the administration has delivered on 20 core campaign commitments within six months. The document claims achievements across border security, deportations, inflation reduction, energy production, manufacturing, tax cuts, constitutional protections, military modernization, and election integrity. It attributes specific policy actions (executive orders, regulatory changes, enforcement operations) to each claimed promise and frames them as accomplished outcomes.

Supporting reports

• ICE acting director issues memo restricting bond hearings for detainees — Todd Lyons, ICE's acting director, issued a memo this week changing ICE policy to argue that detainees are not entitled to bond hearings before their deportation case is heard in court. Immigration advocates expect to challenge the move in court. The policy change affects detainees like Guevara, whose family was prevented from paying a $7,500 bond after the immigration judge granted it, because government attorneys appealed the bond order.
• Trump administration makes undocumented immigrants ineligible for bond hearings — The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration implemented a policy making undocumented immigrants no longer eligible for bond hearings while they challenge their deportation proceedings in court. Under the new policy, only DHS officials can release detainees on parole, rather than judges, affecting millions of immigrants.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi rescinds 30-year-old federal benefits exemption for undocumented immigrants — Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced the rescission of a 1996 order that had exempted certain federal benefit programs from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (PRWORA) restrictions on benefits to non-citizens. The order, originally issued by Attorney General Janet Reno, had created broad exceptions to PRWORA's limitation of public benefits to citizens and "qualified aliens." Bondi's action, conforming to a Trump Executive Order, expressly declines to exempt any programs from PRWORA, effective immediately.
• White House issues release on restricting benefits access for undocumented immigrants — The White House issued a release stating that at President Trump's direction, the administration is restricting undocumented immigrants' access to taxpayer-funded benefits across multiple federal agencies. The release claims the action preserves approximately $40 billion in benefits for U.S. citizens and states that the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Labor, and Justice are implementing restrictions on programs including Head Start, post-secondary education tuition, food assistance, workforce development, and other services. The release frames this as reversing "decades of bureaucratic defiance."

Supporting reports

• Trump takes control of California National Guard and deploys it against protesters — President Trump took control of California's National Guard and deployed it to suppress mostly peaceful protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles, acting despite opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state officials. This action represents a federal override of state authority over the National Guard.