Trump Crushes “Open Border” Chaos: ICE Raids Ignite Nation’s Fury

Paul Riverbank, 1/21/2026Trump’s immigration crackdown sparks fierce debate, protests, and questions about justice amid sweeping ICE raids.

Numbers from the Department of Homeland Security — and there are plenty of them — both reinforce the White House’s urgency and fuel debate on the ground. According to Secretary Kristi Noem, Minnesota alone has seen over 10,000 arrests of individuals she labeled as criminal illegal immigrants. Nationwide, ICE claims to have detained more than 7,000 gang-affiliated immigrants in the past year, naming off not-exactly-obscure outfits like MS-13, the Crips, and the Latin Kings. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin quickly followed up that the focus is on the “worst of the worst,” a phrase repeated often these days.

But as is so often the case in policy debates, the view from Washington doesn’t always match the mood on city streets. In Minneapolis, the broad sweep of ICE operations has left visible tension simmering for weeks, reaching a boiling point after an agent shot and killed Renee Good. The incident added another layer of pain to a city long familiar with protest. Local congregations and advocacy coalitions aren’t just holding vigils — they are organizing coordinated actions, including an economic boycott that’s already drawing attention from small business groups and faith leaders alike.

Yet the dragnet has caught more than high-profile fugitives. In New York, the anxiety is palpable, especially after the much-publicized arrest of Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, a City Council staffer. He was detained while attending a routine asylum interview — a detail that shifted the conversation and brought brisk condemnation from elected officials in the city. “You have people following the process to the letter who, at the moment they show up, are suddenly under arrest,” said attorney Craig Relles, whose clients have faced similar situations. The unpredictability, he argued, can’t help but corrode trust in the entire immigration system.

Federal spokespeople point out that many swept up in these enforcement actions are wanted for fraud, deportation orders, or allegedly more serious charges. Immigration attorneys, however, have painted a messier picture. “It’s not just accused criminals. I’m working with people with no record at all who’ve been taken in,” New York lawyer Reuben Kerben told me. “They're trying to follow the system and instead walk into a trap.”

From the administration’s viewpoint, stepped-up arrests are seen as a public safety measure. “Many of these were let in by Joe Biden and should have never been in this country. These vicious criminals murdered, assaulted, robbed, and terrorized innocent Americans for sport,” McLaughlin insisted, underscoring the rhetorical divide.

But statistics emerging from New York muddy the waters. Through mid-October, more than half — 58% — of those arrested by ICE hadn’t been charged with any crime. Another chunk, roughly 16%, had pending charges, not convictions. These numbers have become rallying points for local officials and advocates, who argue families are being torn apart in the hunt for a few.

As the weeks go by, the scene is changing almost daily. The White House maintains that tough enforcement is not only justified but overdue, blaming the prior administration’s “open border” philosophy for the situation. On the other side, city leaders and immigrant groups warn that the crackdown is both overbroad and demoralizing, with innocent lives caught in the crossfire. Neighborhood protests continue, and each new headline about another arrest or confrontation adds kindling to a debate that, for now, shows no sign of cooling.

Caught in between are the families, asylum seekers, and entire neighborhoods trying to decipher what justice and safety look like — when both policy and reality shift from one week to the next.

Sharp words from the White House echoed far beyond the press briefing room this week, as President Donald Trump likened the threat posed by what he calls "criminal illegal immigrants" to something darker than the country's most infamous biker gangs. “They make our Hells Angels look like the sweetest people on Earth,” he declared, setting the tone for a no-nonsense message about a campaign his administration dubs “reverse migration.”Numbers from the Department of Homeland Security — and there are plenty of them — both reinforce the White House’s urgency and fuel debate on the ground. According to Secretary Kristi Noem, Minnesota alone has seen over 10,000 arrests of individuals she labeled as criminal illegal immigrants. Nationwide, ICE claims to have detained more than 7,000 gang-affiliated immigrants in the past year, naming off not-exactly-obscure outfits like MS-13, the Crips, and the Latin Kings. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin quickly followed up that the focus is on the “worst of the worst,” a phrase repeated often these days.But as is so often the case in policy debates, the view from Washington doesn’t always match the mood on city streets. In Minneapolis, the broad sweep of ICE operations has left visible tension simmering for weeks, reaching a boiling point after an agent shot and killed Renee Good. The incident added another layer of pain to a city long familiar with protest. Local congregations and advocacy coalitions aren’t just holding vigils — they are organizing coordinated actions, including an economic boycott that’s already drawing attention from small business groups and faith leaders alike.Yet the dragnet has caught more than high-profile fugitives. In New York, the anxiety is palpable, especially after the much-publicized arrest of Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, a City Council staffer. He was detained while attending a routine asylum interview — a detail that shifted the conversation and brought brisk condemnation from elected officials in the city. “You have people following the process to the letter who, at the moment they show up, are suddenly under arrest,” said attorney Craig Relles, whose clients have faced similar situations. The unpredictability, he argued, can’t help but corrode trust in the entire immigration system.Federal spokespeople point out that many swept up in these enforcement actions are wanted for fraud, deportation orders, or allegedly more serious charges. Immigration attorneys, however, have painted a messier picture. “It’s not just accused criminals. I’m working with people with no record at all who’ve been taken in,” New York lawyer Reuben Kerben told me. “They're trying to follow the system and instead walk into a trap.”From the administration’s viewpoint, stepped-up arrests are seen as a public safety measure. “Many of these were let in by Joe Biden and should have never been in this country. These vicious criminals murdered, assaulted, robbed, and terrorized innocent Americans for sport,” McLaughlin insisted, underscoring the rhetorical divide.But statistics emerging from New York muddy the waters. Through mid-October, more than half — 58% — of those arrested by ICE hadn’t been charged with any crime. Another chunk, roughly 16%, had pending charges, not convictions. These numbers have become rallying points for local officials and advocates, who argue families are being torn apart in the hunt for a few.As the weeks go by, the scene is changing almost daily. The White House maintains that tough enforcement is not only justified but overdue, blaming the prior administration’s “open border” philosophy for the situation. On the other side, city leaders and immigrant groups warn that the crackdown is both overbroad and demoralizing, with innocent lives caught in the crossfire. Neighborhood protests continue, and each new headline about another arrest or confrontation adds kindling to a debate that, for now, shows no sign of cooling.Caught in between are the families, asylum seekers, and entire neighborhoods trying to decipher what justice and safety look like — when both policy and reality shift from one week to the next.