Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• ICE collected DNA from nearly 920,000 immigrants in 2025, most never convicted of crime — According to data from Georgetown Law's Center on Privacy and Technology, ICE collected DNA samples from approximately 920,000 immigrants in ICE custody during 2025, including samples from young children. These samples have become the largest single source of new genetic profiles added to the FBI's criminal database, despite the vast majority of people in ICE custody never having been convicted of a crime.

Supporting reports

• DHS posts Japanese artist's work without consent to promote deportation messaging — The US Department of Homeland Security posted an image by Japanese graphic designer Hiroshi Nagai on X on New Year's Eve without permission, featuring a pristine beach with the caption "America after 100 million deportations" and "The peace of a nation no longer besieged by the third world." Nagai objected publicly, asking what he should do about the unauthorized use. A DHS spokesperson stated the department would continue using "every tool at its disposal" to inform the public. This is part of a pattern in which DHS has used artists' works without consent to promote immigration enforcement.

Supporting reports

• Fort Hunter Liggett police coordinate with ICE on traffic stops targeting undocumented immigrants — Fort Hunter Liggett Army base police conducted traffic stops along Jolon Road in California starting December 30, 2025, citing minor violations (broken lights, open gas caps). Officers requested social security numbers; when drivers could not provide them, ICE agents arrived within minutes to arrest them. At least 14–15 men were arrested and detained on base before transfer to immigration facilities. Two California members of Congress wrote to DHS and the Army Secretary questioning whether the coordination violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

Supporting reports

• Right-wing media figure with Russian propaganda history allowed back into U.S. — A disgraced right-wing media figure previously expelled for running an illegal Russian propaganda operation was quietly allowed back into the United States with assistance from Trump administration officials. This occurred amid Trump's sweeping immigration crackdowns on other individuals, creating a stark contrast in enforcement.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration ends legal protections for Somalis in Minnesota and escalates rhetoric against Somali Americans and Representative Ilhan Omar — The Trump administration ended legal protections for Somalis in Minnesota and publicly characterized the state as "a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity." Trump made inflammatory statements describing Somali Americans as coming "from hell," contributing "nothing," and should "go back to where they came from." Trump also called Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar "garbage" and said "her friends are garbage." These statements occur in the context of FBI investigations and immigration enforcement actions targeting Minnesota's Somali community, including ICE agents questioning constituents and Omar's own son.

Supporting reports

• FBI deploys additional resources to Minnesota; Kash Patel announces $250m Covid fraud dismantling and targets Somali population — FBI director Kash Patel announced on social media that the FBI has deployed additional personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to "dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs." Patel cited a $250m federal food aid fraud scheme uncovered during the Covid pandemic that resulted in 78 indictments and 57 convictions. Patel stated the FBI believes this is "just the tip of a very large iceberg" and said some defendants are being referred to immigration officials for possible denaturalization and deportation. The deployment occurs amid the Trump administration's public attacks on Minnesota's Somali population and Democratic governor Tim Walz.
• FBI director Patel announces referrals of fraud defendants to immigration officials for denaturalization and deportation proceedings — FBI director Kash Patel announced that individuals involved in the alleged $250m Covid fraud scheme are being "referred to immigrations officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible." This represents a coordinated effort to use immigration enforcement as a secondary punishment mechanism for individuals involved in fraud schemes, with explicit targeting of those eligible for denaturalization based on their immigrant status.

Supporting reports

• ICE enforcement actions target Somali constituents in Minnesota, including questioning of Representative Omar's son — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have conducted enforcement actions in Minnesota targeting Somali constituents, including questioning Representative Ilhan Omar's son. Omar has reported that ICE agents are "pulling her constituents off the streets" and that she herself is being pressured to address questions about her own immigration status. Omar characterized the Trump administration's immigration policy as "cruel" during the first term and now "outright dangerous and severely inhumane" and "geared towards this sort of white supremacist view of what America should be."

Supporting reports

• ICE enforcement operations targeting undocumented healthcare workers, including arrests at workplaces and immigration check-in appointments — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted arrests of undocumented immigrants, including healthcare workers, at workplaces and immigration check-in appointments. Filipino healthcare workers—who comprise approximately 4% of registered nurses in the US—report heightened anxiety and fear of deportation. The enforcement has created a chilling effect on essential healthcare provision, with workers limiting their mobility and patients losing access to care. Approximately 2% of undocumented immigrants in the US are from the Philippines, many of whom work in healthcare roles critical to filling labor gaps in the US healthcare system.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge dismisses indictment against TikTok streamer shot by ICE agents — US District Judge Fernando Olguin dismissed an indictment against Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a Los Angeles TikTok creator, who was shot by an immigration agent during an October enforcement operation. The judge cited constitutional violations, including ICE's obstruction of Parias's access to his defense team at the Adelanto detention center and the government's failure to timely disclose body-worn camera footage of the shooting. The indictment was dismissed with prejudice, barring prosecutors from refiling assault charges.

Supporting reports

• Trump reposted racist propaganda about replacing Americans with Mexicans — Trump reposted vile propaganda claiming Democrats want to replace Americans "with uneducated Mexicans who would be easier to enslave." The text was accompanied by imagery of nuclear annihilation. The post was part of Trump's broader social media activity on the day.

Supporting reports

• Immigration detention of Joel separates family with infant child during holiday season — Joel, a Honduran immigrant living in San Francisco with his partner Roxana and their 10-month-old daughter Briana, was detained by federal immigration agents in June 2025 outside their apartment. He remains in a Texas detention center six months later, communicating with his family only through nightly video calls. Roxana suspects the detention relates to a prior DUI arrest. The family cannot afford legal representation and expects deportation. Roxana, her children, and her sister now pool earnings from housecleaning to pay rent while organizing with community groups for immigrant protections.

Supporting reports

• DHS watchdog system gutted; experts warn of immigration abuse with impunity — Experts have warned that the federal watchdog system at the Department of Homeland Security that oversees complaints about civil rights violations in immigration detention has been severely dismantled. The gutting of oversight mechanisms is characterized as laying groundwork for the Trump administration to "abuse people with impunity" at a time when record numbers of people are being detained by ICE nationally.

Supporting reports

• DHS posts AI video linking Christmas to mass deportations — On December 24, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security posted social media content stating "This Christmas, our hearts grow as our illegal population shrinks," accompanied by a video depicting mass deportations. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shared an AI-generated video showing Santa Claus putting on a bulletproof vest, handcuffing an immigrant, processing the person, and loading them onto an ICE plane for deportation. The posts linked Christian holiday messaging to immigration enforcement and deportation operations.

Supporting reports

• ICE documents revealed plans to detain up to 80,000 immigrants in warehouse facilities — Newly reported ICE documents describe plans to detain up to 80,000 immigrants in warehouse-like facilities. The agency's acting director compared the system to Amazon Prime, characterizing the detention infrastructure as a logistics operation. The article frames this as raising humanitarian concerns about the treatment of detained immigrants.

Supporting reports

• White House posted migrant "self-deportation" meme on Christmas Eve — The official White House social media account posted a meme urging migrants to "self-deport before Christmas," characterizing the message as mocking human suffering. ICE amplified similar messaging on the same day. The posts were part of a broader pattern the article describes as demonstrating that "cruelty is the point" in the Trump administration's immigration approach.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Ahmed v. Rubio et al. (S.D.N.Y.) — On December 24, 2025, Imran Ahmed, a British national and U.S. permanent resident who founded the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), filed a complaint in the Southern District of New York challenging the State Department's December 23 determination that his presence in the United States would have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences" and would subject him to removal under INA § 237(a)(4)(C). Ahmed alleges the determination was retaliatory action taken in response to his research and advocacy highlighting hate speech on social media platforms, and specifically in retaliation for the EU's €120 million fine against X Corp. in early December 2025. Ahmed names Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons, and Acting ICE New York Field Office Director Judith Almodovar as defendants. Ahmed alleges violations of his First Amendment and Fifth Amendment due process rights, arbitrary and capricious action under the Administrative Procedure Act, abuse of discretion, and violation of the non-delegation doctrine. He seeks vacation of the State Department's determination, an injunction blocking enforcement action, and an order requiring notice and opportunity to challenge any movement or residency restrictions.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announced $170 billion immigration enforcement expansion — The Trump administration announced plans to expand immigration enforcement in 2026 with $170 billion in funding, including workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. Implementation is scheduled to begin in January 2026 despite opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates. The announcement was released during the holiday period.
• Trump Administration Announces $170 Billion Immigration Enforcement Expansion — The Trump administration announced a $170 billion plan to expand immigration enforcement starting in January 2026. The plan includes workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. This move has faced opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates, who argue it represents a long-term shift in immigration policy.

Supporting reports

• Senator Tommy Tuberville calls for mass deportation of Muslim Americans — On December 22, 2025, the Alabama Reflector reported that Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) escalated attacks on Muslim Americans by demanding their mass deportation. Tuberville, who is running for governor of Alabama, has made clear that he "works for a very white, very Christian and very wealthy sliver of the population of Alabama" and "considers large numbers of people who live here aliens or threats to public safety." When criticized, Tuberville dismissed concerns as "pearl-clutching" and performative outrage.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocks ICE re-detention of immigrant through Christmas — A federal judge ruled that ICE is prohibited from re-detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia through the Christmas holiday. During the hearing, the judge pressed government lawyers about whether they plan to pursue removal proceedings and questioned whether Trump administration officials would follow court orders, calling the situation "extremely irregular and extraordinary."

Supporting reports

• Judge Boasberg orders return of Venezuelan deportees or court challenge — Judge James Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to either help facilitate the return of 137 Venezuelan men who were deported to El Salvador's megaprison in March before being sent back to their home country or allow them to challenge their removals in US courts. Boasberg ruled that their deportations under the Alien Enemies Act were illegal and violated due process rights.

Supporting reports

• Bari Weiss pulled 60 Minutes story on migrant renditions to CECOT prison hours before air — Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, pulled a 60 Minutes story about the Trump administration's renditions of 252 migrants to CECOT, a notorious terrorist prison in El Salvador, just hours before it was scheduled to air. The story had undergone standard vetting, fact-checking, and legal review. Weiss stated in an email that she pulled the story because it did not present the administration's justification for the renditions, despite the story focusing on documented torture of prisoners.

Supporting reports

• Homeland Security announces tripled self-deportation bonus for undocumented immigrants — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Fox that the Trump administration would triple the "bonus" offered to undocumented immigrants to "self-deport" using the CBP Home App, raising it to $3,000 through the end of the year. The program incentivizes voluntary departure without legal process.
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announces "home for the holidays" program offering cash to undocumented immigrants for self-deportation — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a "home for the holidays" program offering cash payments to undocumented immigrants who self-deport, paired with threats of permanent exclusion if they do not comply. The program combines financial incentive with coercive threat.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announced $170 billion immigration enforcement expansion — The Trump administration announced plans to expand immigration enforcement in 2026 with $170 billion in funding, including workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. Implementation is scheduled to begin in January 2026 despite opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates. The announcement was released during the holiday period.
• Trump Administration Announces $170 Billion Immigration Enforcement Expansion — The Trump administration announced a $170 billion plan to expand immigration enforcement starting in January 2026. The plan includes workplace raids, expanded detention facilities, and deportation processing infrastructure. This move has faced opposition from business groups, faith organizations, and civil rights advocates, who argue it represents a long-term shift in immigration policy.
• Administration announced $170 billion immigration enforcement expansion — The administration announced a $170 billion expansion of immigration enforcement infrastructure beginning in January, described as permanent rather than temporary. The expansion includes new detention facilities, expanded workplace raid capacity, and deportation processing at unprecedented scales.

Supporting reports

• DHS statement defending detention conditions and denying hygiene access claims — The Department of Homeland Security, through assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin, issued a statement to Nola.com defending the arrest and detention of Vilma Palacios and disputing claims about inadequate conditions at the Basile processing center. DHS asserted that Palacios "freely admitted to being in the US illegally" and stated she would receive "full due process," while claiming the facility provides "the best healthcare that many aliens have received in their entire lives."

Supporting reports

• CBS News editor Bari Weiss pulls 60 Minutes segment on immigrant detention — CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment investigating the Trump administration's practice of sending immigrants to El Salvador's megaprison CECOT, where Human Rights Watch documented inhumane conditions, torture, and sexual violence without due process. The segment's suppression prevented public disclosure of alleged human rights violations.
• 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi stated story was pulled for political reasons — 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi wrote in an email to colleagues that the pulled story had been screened five times and cleared by CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices, and was factually correct. Alfonsi stated that pulling the story after all rigorous internal checks had been met was "not an editorial decision, it is a political one." She noted that journalists had repeatedly requested interviews with administration officials who did not respond, and that allowing government refusal to participate to become a reason to spike stories would effectively give the administration a "kill switch" for inconvenient reporting.
• 60 Minutes segment on CECOT renditions leaked and circulated in United States — The 60 Minutes segment on migrant renditions to CECOT, which had been pulled from broadcast, had already been distributed in Canada and copies appeared in the United States on the afternoon of December 22. Legal analyst Asha Rangappa noted that the segment "debunks the fundamental claim used by [the] Trump admin[istration] that the detainees it sent there are 'terrorists' and corroborates torture using clips from El Salvadorean influencers Bukele uses internally." The leaked segment subsequently went viral.
• Bari Weiss pulled 60 Minutes story on migrant renditions to CECOT prison hours before air — Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, pulled a 60 Minutes story about the Trump administration's renditions of 252 migrants to CECOT, a notorious terrorist prison in El Salvador, just hours before it was scheduled to air. The story had undergone standard vetting, fact-checking, and legal review. Weiss stated in an email that she pulled the story because it did not present the administration's justification for the renditions, despite the story focusing on documented torture of prisoners.
• CBS pulled 60 Minutes segment on Trump-era deportations to CECOT hours before air — CBS postponed a completed 60 Minutes investigation into Trump administration deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison, citing need for "additional reporting." Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi publicly objected, characterizing the decision as political rather than editorial, despite the segment having cleared legal and standards review. The episode subsequently aired via Canadian broadcaster distribution and circulated online. The segment included interviews with former detainees, Human Rights Watch leadership, and UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center; DHS declined to participate.
• CBS Pulls 60 Minutes Segment on Trump-Era Deportations — CBS postponed a scheduled 60 Minutes segment investigating the Trump administration's deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison, citing the need for "additional reporting." The segment, which included allegations of abuse and interviews with former detainees and human rights experts, was reportedly pulled for political reasons, according to correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. Despite the postponement, the segment aired in Canada and circulated online. The delay has been criticized as a form of "soft censorship," potentially diminishing the segment's impact on public accountability.
• CBS pulled 60 Minutes investigation hours before broadcast — CBS pulled a completed 60 Minutes investigation examining Trump-era deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison hours before broadcast. The segment had cleared legal and standards review. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi stated the decision was political, not editorial. CBS cited a need for "additional reporting." The segment later aired through a Canadian broadcaster and circulated online.