Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• ICE arrests and violent enforcement actions in Chicago — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have arrested approximately 800 people as of October 1, 2025, in Chicago using violent tactics including body-slamming and deploying teargas in residential areas. Faith leaders have organized resistance through Friday gatherings at the Broadview processing facility, attempted non-violent blockades of ICE vans, and filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for preventing clergy access to detained immigrants and violating First Amendment rights. The Trump administration has also overturned previous policy to permit ICE arrests in churches.

Supporting reports

• Trump made unsubstantiated claims about Somali gangs in Minnesota — Trump claimed that "hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State of MN" and that "Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for 'prey.'" When a reporter asked what Somalians have to do with an Afghan suspect, Trump acknowledged "nothing" but continued making claims about Somali crime without evidence. Conservative Cato Institute analyst David Bier stated that Afghans have been coming to the U.S. for decades with no terrorism-related killings and that immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes than native-born Americans.

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• Federal appeals court blocks Trump administration's expanded rapid deportation policy — A federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration cannot expand a border-specific rapid deportation policy to immigrants believed to have lived anywhere in the US for less than two years. The court agreed with a lower-court judge that the expansion would violate due process rights of immigrants. The ruling limits the government's ability to conduct expedited removals beyond the traditional border zone.

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• USCIS director orders full re-examination of green cards from countries of concern — USCIS Director Joseph Edlow announced a "full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern" at Trump's request. Countries of concern were identified by reference to Trump's executive order restricting entry to nationals of 19 countries. The directive applies retroactively to previously approved green card holders.
• USCIS announced reexamination of all Green Cards from countries of concern — USCIS Director Joseph Edlow announced that, at Trump's direction, the agency will launch a "full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card" for holders from 19 countries listed in Trump's June travel ban proclamation, including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Venezuela. The policy subjects lawful permanent residents to renewed scrutiny without clear legal standards or due process protections.

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• USCIS halts processing of all immigration requests from Afghan nationals — US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an immediate indefinite halt to processing all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals, pending review of security and vetting protocols. The action followed the shooting and Trump's directive to re-examine every Afghan national admitted under the Biden administration.
• DHS indefinitely suspends Afghan immigration processing following shooting — Following the November 28 shooting near the White House by an Afghan national, US Citizenship and Immigration Services indefinitely suspended processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals. The DHS subsequently expanded the review to include all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who served in Afghanistan's CIA-backed Zero Unit, entered the US in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome.
• Department of Homeland Security expands review to all Biden-era asylum cases — The Department of Homeland Security announced an expansion of security reviews to include all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, though it did not clarify whether the review applies only to Afghan cases or to asylum cases from other countries as well. The action was prompted by Trump's directive following the shooting.

Supporting reports

• Department of Homeland Security expands review to all Biden-era asylum cases — The Department of Homeland Security announced an expansion of security reviews to include all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, though it did not clarify whether the review applies only to Afghan cases or to asylum cases from other countries as well. The action was prompted by Trump's directive following the shooting.

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• ICE arrests mother of White House press secretary's nephew — Multiple news outlets reported that the mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's 11-year-old nephew was arrested by ICE agents earlier in November and is in custody at an immigration detention facility in Louisiana. DHS claimed she had a "previous arrest for battery" (though no such charges were found in Massachusetts court records) and has been in the US since her tourist visa expired in 1999. A Trump administration official said Leavitt had no involvement in the matter.

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• Trump posted offensive social media message threatening citizenship stripping on Thanksgiving — On Thanksgiving at midnight, President Trump posted on his social media account threatening to strip citizenship from naturalized immigrants, used an offensive slur to describe Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and ended with a message excluding those who "hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for." The post raised concerns among officials and medical experts about the president's mental acuity and fitness for office.
• Trump posts social media screeds blaming immigrants for National Guard shooting — Following the November 26 shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members stationed in Washington, D.C., by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, Trump's social media account posted screeds against immigrants using the incident as justification. Lakanwal, who worked for the CIA in Afghanistan, came to the U.S. in 2021 as part of the post-withdrawal evacuation and was granted asylum earlier in 2025. Trump blamed "Joe Biden and his Thugs" for the evacuation, falsely claiming "hundreds of thousands of people poured into our Country totally unvetted and unchecked," disregarding Trump's own role in the 2020 Doha Agreement and his administration's vetting of Lakanwal.
• Trump posted Thanksgiving message attacking Minnesota and Congresswoman Omar — Trump posted a Thanksgiving message at 11:27 PM that attacked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as "seriously retarded," claimed Somali refugees are "completely taking over" Minnesota, and attacked Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with racist and Islamophobic language, including references to her hijab and false claims about her immigration status and family relationships.
• Trump made racist claims about Somali refugees in Minnesota — On Truth Social, Trump claimed "hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia" are "completely taking over" Minnesota, used a racial slur to describe Governor Tim Walz, and falsely claimed Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar "probably came into the U.S.A. illegally." The posts contained no factual basis and were part of a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric targeting immigrant communities.

Supporting reports

• Trump blamed Biden for DC shooting despite Afghan vetting under Trump administration — Trump blamed President Joe Biden for the shooting in Washington, D.C., claiming the Afghan suspect was not vetted before entering the U.S. in 2021. When challenged by a reporter with evidence that the DOJ Inspector General reported thorough vetting of Afghans brought to the U.S., Trump responded with hostility, calling the reporter "stupid" multiple times. Fox correspondent Jennifer Griffin later reported that the suspect was vetted by the NCTC and CIA before working with the agency in Afghanistan, and that his asylum was approved under the Trump administration in April 2025.
• Trump made false claims about Afghan suspect's asylum status — Trump claimed the Afghan suspect in the D.C. shooting was "flown in under the Biden admin" and stated "when it comes to asylum, when they're flown in, it's very hard to get them out." However, Fox correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported that the suspect applied for asylum during the Biden administration but his asylum was approved under the Trump administration in April 2025, and that he had been vetted by the CIA and NCTC before working with the agency in Afghanistan.
• Trump posts social media screeds blaming immigrants for National Guard shooting — Following the November 26 shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members stationed in Washington, D.C., by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, Trump's social media account posted screeds against immigrants using the incident as justification. Lakanwal, who worked for the CIA in Afghanistan, came to the U.S. in 2021 as part of the post-withdrawal evacuation and was granted asylum earlier in 2025. Trump blamed "Joe Biden and his Thugs" for the evacuation, falsely claiming "hundreds of thousands of people poured into our Country totally unvetted and unchecked," disregarding Trump's own role in the 2020 Doha Agreement and his administration's vetting of Lakanwal.

Supporting reports

• Trump vows to strip citizenship from naturalized immigrants and pause migration from "third-world countries" — Over Thanksgiving, President Trump announced plans to strip US citizenship from naturalized immigrants "who undermine domestic tranquility," permanently pause migration from all "third-world countries," and deport any foreign national deemed "non-compatible with Western Civilization." These statements represent a sweeping attack on naturalized citizenship rights and blanket restrictions on immigration based on national origin and cultural criteria.
• Trump announces plan to denaturalize naturalized citizens and permanently pause migration from "Third World Countries" — In a Thanksgiving social media post, Trump announced a dramatic purge of immigrants, stating he would "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries," "terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions," "remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States," "end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens," "denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility," and "deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization." The denaturalization proposal targets the nation's 24.5 million naturalized citizens. From 1990 to 2017, only about 11 people per year lost citizenship, typically for hidden criminal activity or human rights violations.
• Trump announced permanent pause on migration from "Third World Countries" and denaturalization policy — On Truth Social, Trump announced his administration will "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries" and stated the US will "remove anyone who is not a net asset," denaturalize migrants deemed to undermine "domestic tranquility," and deport foreign nationals classified as public charges, security risks, or "non-compatible with Western Civilization." The announcement provided no implementation details but signaled a sweeping expansion of immigration restrictions beyond existing policy.
• Trump threatened to de-naturalize immigrant citizens — President Trump threatened to revoke citizenship from immigrants who have already become American citizens, claiming they are "non-compatible with Western civilization." This threat targets naturalized citizens based on national origin.
• Trump posted offensive social media message threatening citizenship stripping on Thanksgiving — On Thanksgiving at midnight, President Trump posted on his social media account threatening to strip citizenship from naturalized immigrants, used an offensive slur to describe Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and ended with a message excluding those who "hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for." The post raised concerns among officials and medical experts about the president's mental acuity and fitness for office.

Supporting reports

• Federal courts continued blocking Trump administration's mandatory detention policy for immigrants — In ongoing litigation challenging the Trump administration's move to treat large categories of detained immigrants as ineligible for bond hearings, federal courts have repeatedly ordered the government to provide an opportunity to seek release on bond. On November 25, a federal judge issued a nationwide ruling blocking mandatory detention without the chance for a bond hearing. Legal analyst Steve Vladeck documented the scale of emergency litigation following the administration's July policy shift, finding that challengers prevailed in 350 of 362 decisions he reviewed across hundreds of cases.
• Federal judge blocks DHS bond hearing elimination policy — A federal judge blocked a DHS policy implemented in July that eliminated bond hearings for immigrants who entered the US without inspection while they go through deportation proceedings. The ruling could allow the release of thousands of migrants.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge rules on Colorado immigration arrest warrant requirements — A federal judge ruled that immigration officers in Colorado can no longer arrest people without a warrant unless they have cause to believe the individual is in the country illegally and is likely to flee before an arrest warrant is obtained. The ruling also requires immigration officers to document their reasons for arresting someone.

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• Detained immigrants file motion to sanction DHS and Noem — A class of immigrants detained in a holding facility in Manhattan filed a motion to sanction the Department of Homeland Security and hold Secretary Kristi Noem in civil contempt for failing to improve conditions. The motion noted that conditions "appeared to worsen" after a judge's August order and that DHS "appear never to have implemented many of the required procedures, particularly those regarding attorney access, hygiene, and the provision of the Notice of Rights."

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• DOJ discloses Kristi Noem directed Venezuelan deportations — In a court filing, Justice Department lawyers disclosed for the first time that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem directed the deportations of 100 Venezuelan men to El Salvador's mega-prison in March, despite Judge James Boasberg's court order for them to remain in US custody. The disclosure reveals potential violation of a judicial order.

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• Congressional hearing on ICE raids and civil rights abuses in Los Angeles — Democrats organized a congressional oversight hearing in Los Angeles on Monday, November 25, 2025, to document the impacts of Trump's mass deportation campaign and alleged civil rights abuses by federal immigration agents. Testimony included accounts of US citizens arrested without cause, unlawful detention, and racial profiling. The White House reported over 150,000 undocumented immigrants arrested and nearly 140,000 deported since Trump took office. Congressman Garcia announced creation of an oversight dashboard to track verified misconduct incidents during immigration enforcement operations.
• Garcia announces oversight dashboard for immigration enforcement misconduct — Congressman Robert Garcia announced creation of a new oversight dashboard on November 26, 2025, designed to document and track "verified incidents of possible misconduct and abuse" during federal immigration enforcement operations in southern California. The dashboard aims to provide transparency and accountability for alleged civil rights violations and unlawful detentions by federal agents.

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• Trump administration terminates Temporary Protected Status for Myanmar nationals — The Trump administration announced it would terminate Temporary Protected Status for nearly 4,000 immigrants from Myanmar, making them deportable in 60 days to a country currently involved in a bloody civil war and ruled by a brutal military dictatorship.

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• Church employee charged with impersonating ICE agent to extort woman in Houston — Donald Doolittle, 58, a safety director at Gateway Community church in Webster, Texas, was arrested and charged with impersonating a public servant after allegedly posing as an ICE agent to extort $500 from a woman who provided him a massage. Police say Doolittle displayed a fake ICE ID, threatened deportation and family separation, and demanded payment via Zelle. The victim complied; Doolittle later instructed her to delete their messages. Surveillance video corroborated the victim's account after she reported the incident to police.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon launches investigation into Senator Mark Kelly — The Pentagon launched an investigation into Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) for "serious allegations of misconduct" in response to a viral video in which Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers urged military members to refuse illegal orders. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the video "despicable, reckless and false." Kelly responded that intimidation would not silence him.
• FBI Counterterrorism Division opened investigation into six lawmakers — By November 25, 2025, the FBI's Counterterrorism Division notified Congress it was opening an inquiry into the six veteran lawmakers and requested interviews with all six members. The investigation was triggered by their one-minute video reminding service members of their legal obligation to refuse illegal orders—a principle codified in U.S. military law since 1950 and rooted in post-World War II Nuremberg principles. Legal experts confirmed the lawmakers were simply restating existing law and that their statement does not constitute sedition.
• Pentagon announced investigation of Senator Kelly and signaled possible recall to active duty — The Pentagon announced it is investigating Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, and signaled it could recall him to active duty for possible court-martial over his participation in the video reminding troops of their legal obligation to refuse illegal orders. The threatened recall and court-martial of a sitting U.S. senator for restating military law represents an extraordinary use of military authority against a member of Congress.
• FBI contacts House and Senate regarding Democratic lawmakers' anti-Trump military video — The FBI contacted the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms requesting interviews with several Democratic members of Congress—Reps. Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, and Chrissy Houlahan, plus Sen. Elissa Slotkin—after they filmed a video urging military troops not to follow illegal orders. The lawmakers characterized the FBI outreach as intimidation and harassment, with Sen. Slotkin stating that the President is "weaponizing the federal government against his perceived enemies."
• FBI counterterrorism division investigates Democratic lawmakers — The FBI's counterterrorism division launched an investigation into six Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a viral video calling on military members to refuse illegal orders. Four House members stated that the FBI contacted the House and Senate sergeant at arms to set up interviews. They accused Trump of "using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress."
• Far-right figures call for investigation and deportation of Arab-Americans — In the days following the November 18 rally, far-right figures including Tommy Robinson, Wall Street Apes, and Sidney Powell used the Dearborn incident to call on the Department of Justice to investigate and deport Arab-Americans. These calls amplified the rally's narrative of victimhood and framed an entire ethnic group as a threat requiring federal action.
• FBI contacts Capitol Police to schedule interviews with six Democratic senators — Fox News reported that the FBI contacted US Capitol Police to schedule interviews with the six Democratic senators who released the video advising military personnel to refuse illegal orders. The interviews appear to be part of the broader investigation into the lawmakers' statements.
• Pentagon launches investigation into Senator Mark Kelly for video advising troops to refuse illegal orders — The Pentagon announced an investigation into Senator Mark Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers after they released a video advising military service members that they can refuse illegal orders and warning of "threats to our constitution" from within the administration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the video "despicable, reckless, and false." Trump characterized the senators' statement as "seditious behaviour" punishable by death. The Pentagon warned it could recall Kelly to active duty for court-martial under a federal law prohibiting military retirees from interfering with military discipline.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration orders review of Biden-era refugees — The Trump administration ordered a review of all refugees who entered the US during the Biden administration, affecting roughly 233,000 people. The order could result in termination of refugee status if individuals are determined not to have met refugee criteria. The order also suspended all processing of applications for permanent residence for those refugees.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents raided South Korean battery factory in Georgia, arrested Korean workers — ICE agents conducted a raid on a South Korean battery factory in Georgia, arresting multiple Korean workers and holding them in poor conditions. The incident created a diplomatic crisis, threatening U.S. technology investment and alliances with South Korea. Trump subsequently criticized the raid publicly multiple times, and the White House issued an official apology to South Korea. Immigration attorneys reported that ICE agents conducted the raid to meet Stephen Miller's quota of 3,000 daily immigrant arrests.

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• Trans woman deported in violation of court order sued Trump administration — A trans woman from Mexico sued the Trump administration after she was deported to her home country last week in a move that violated a court order by an immigration judge who found that she would likely face torture there. A Justice Department lawyer acknowledged that her deportation was "inadvertent" and the Trump administration is working to return her back to the US while it looks for another country to deport her to.

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• ICE detained US citizen teenager during school lunch break in Oregon — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stopped and detained Christian Jimenez, a 17-year-old US citizen and McMinnville High School senior, during his lunch break on Friday around 12:30 p.m. Despite Jimenez asserting his citizenship, an officer broke the driver's side window and detained him. He was held at an ICE facility in south Portland until shortly before 7 p.m., when he was released after being identified as a US citizen. Authorities subsequently attempted to charge him with obstruction of investigation. An immigrant advocacy group reported ICE detained at least four US citizens near Portland that week.

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• DOJ dismisses felony assault charges against veteran protester Dana Briggs — The US Department of Justice moved to dismiss all felony assault charges against Dana Briggs, a 70-year-old Air Force veteran arrested during an anti-ICE protest at a Broadview, Illinois facility. Briggs had been charged with assaulting a federal officer after video evidence showed masked agents advancing on and knocking over the elderly protester. US Magistrate Judge Gabriel A Fuentes agreed to dismiss the case after reviewing body-worn camera footage. Briggs is now considering a civil lawsuit over his arrest and injuries, including cuts, bruises, and zip-tie marks sustained during the incident.

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• Deportation of college student to Honduras within 48 hours of detention — Any Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College student, was detained on November 20 at Boston airport while traveling to visit family in Austin, Texas for Thanksgiving. She was deported to Honduras within 48 hours, despite an emergency court order issued the day after her detention barring her removal for at least 72 hours pending case review. López Belloza had lived in the United States since age seven and had no record of a valid deportation order, according to her lawyer.
• ICE arrests Amy Lucia López Belloza at Boston Logan Airport and deports her to Honduras within 48 hours — On 20 November 2025, federal ICE agents arrested 19-year-old Amy Lucia López Belloza, a Babson College freshman on a business scholarship, at Logan Airport in Boston just before she boarded a flight to Texas. She was deported to Honduras within 48 hours, despite having fled that country at age seven seeking asylum. López Belloza had been living in the US and was pursuing education when arrested during what she described as a surprise trip home for Thanksgiving.

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• Department of Justice files complaint challenging California in-state tuition and scholarship laws for undocumented immigrants — The Department of Justice announced a civil complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California challenging state laws that provide in-state tuition rates, scholarships, and subsidized loans to undocumented immigrants. The complaint names California, Governor Newsom, the state attorney general, and university system boards as defendants. The DOJ alleges the laws unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens and create incentives for illegal immigration, and seeks an injunction to prevent enforcement. Attorney General Pamela Bondi characterized the action as the third lawsuit against California in one week.
• DOJ sues California over in-state tuition for undocumented students — The Trump administration's Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit in US District Court for the Eastern District of California challenging the state's policy allowing undocumented college students to pay in-state tuition at public universities. The complaint alleges the policy violates federal law and discriminates against US citizens and out-of-state residents. The lawsuit also challenges California's extension of scholarship and subsidized loan eligibility to undocumented students. Defendants include the state, California officials, and the University of California and California State University systems. The suit marks the third Trump administration lawsuit against California filed within one week.