President-elect Donald Trump is set to commence extensive immigration enforcement actions in Chicago starting Tuesday, marking the beginning of his administration’s mass deportation strategy. The operation will deploy between 100 and 200 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers targeting immigrants with criminal records, including minor offenses. Broader detentions are anticipated if other undocumented individuals are encountered during the raids.
Chicago has been selected due to its substantial immigrant population and ongoing tensions with Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson. The administration is also considering more aggressive tactics in other major immigrant centers, including New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and Miami. To encourage cooperation from local jurisdictions, penalties and incentives are being evaluated. In response, immigrant advocacy groups are conducting workshops to inform immigrants of their rights and available resources. Critics warn that such deportations could disrupt the U.S. economy, which heavily relies on immigrant labor. Sanctuary cities are bracing for federal actions aligned with Trump’s stringent immigration policies.
In a separate development, newly released courtroom audio reveals President-elect Trump condemning his conviction in the “hush money” case as an “injustice” and a “witch hunt.” Trump described the trial as an “embarrassment to New York,” asserting his innocence and criticizing the charges for misclassifying a legal expense. Justice Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an “unconditional discharge” following his conviction for concealing the payoff related to a sex scandal.
These events coincide with preparations for Trump’s inauguration, which has been moved indoors to the Rotunda of the Capitol due to an extreme cold wave in Washington, D.C., with temperatures expected to drop to -15°C. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance will take their oaths. The inaugural parade may take place in the Capital One Arena, where citizens can view the inauguration on large screens. Trump announced plans to join the crowd at the Capital One Arena after his oath, with other events, including the Victory Rally and inaugural balls, proceeding as planned. This inauguration is anticipated to be one of the coldest since Ronald Reagan’s in 1985.
