Trump Unleashes Massive Federal Assault on Illegal Immigration

Paul Riverbank, 2/22/2025In a sweeping transformation of federal power, the Trump administration has dramatically expanded immigration enforcement beyond traditional bounds, deputizing multiple agencies - from State Department to Defense - into immigration control roles. This whole-of-government approach marks an unprecedented shift in federal immigration enforcement strategy.

The scope of this transformation became clear this week as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem deputized up to 600 State Department Diplomatic Security Service agents to assist in immigration enforcement. These agents will now have the power to "investigate, apprehend and determine the location of illegal immigrants" — a move that exemplifies the administration's whole-of-government strategy.

"Under President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security will use every tool and resource available to secure our border and get criminal illegal aliens out of our country," Noem declared in a statement that underscores the administration's aggressive stance.

The military's role has also expanded significantly. The Defense Department, traditionally limited in its domestic law enforcement capacity, has taken unusual steps by deploying Air Force planes for deportation flights. In a notable departure from standard practice, officials have directed 13 deportation flights to Guantanamo Bay, targeting what they describe as "the worst of the worst" — though details about these individuals remain sparse.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's first official trip to the border signaled the Pentagon's heightened involvement. "All department assets are on the table," Hegseth stated, hinting at even broader military engagement in immigration enforcement.

The Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has launched a legal offensive against so-called sanctuary cities. In a high-profile announcement alongside Tammy Nobles — whose daughter was killed by an undocumented immigrant — Bondi declared, "This is a new DOJ," while announcing lawsuits against New York and Chicago over their immigration policies.

Even agencies traditionally removed from immigration matters have been drawn into enforcement efforts. The IRS has been tasked with targeting employers who hire unauthorized workers, while the Department of Health and Human Services has suspended legal services for unaccompanied migrant children.

Migration Policy Institute analyst Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh notes the extraordinary scope of these changes: "The breadth of what is happening in these first couple of weeks is much wider than we saw during the first Trump administration."

This whole-of-government approach has raised concerns among experts. Tom Warrick, a former DHS counterterrorism official now at the Atlantic Council, warns about potential public pushback, particularly regarding military involvement. "There's a very clear line that exists in the mind of the American people who do not want to see uniformed military people arresting migrants, especially in their homes and schools and houses of worship," he observed.

The administration's latest executive order targeting federal benefits for undocumented immigrants suggests further expansion of this approach. While people in the country illegally are already largely excluded from federal benefits — except for emergency medical care and K-12 education — the order directs all agencies to review their benefit programs for compliance with immigration law.

As these changes unfold, the transformation of the federal government into what critics call an "immigration enforcement machine" continues to reshape American governance — with implications that extend far beyond traditional immigration control.

In an unprecedented expansion of federal immigration enforcement, the Trump administration has transformed virtually every major government department into an arm of immigration control — marking a dramatic shift in how the federal government approaches immigration enforcement.The scope of this transformation became clear this week as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem deputized up to 600 State Department Diplomatic Security Service agents to assist in immigration enforcement. These agents will now have the power to "investigate, apprehend and determine the location of illegal immigrants" — a move that exemplifies the administration's whole-of-government strategy."Under President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security will use every tool and resource available to secure our border and get criminal illegal aliens out of our country," Noem declared in a statement that underscores the administration's aggressive stance.The military's role has also expanded significantly. The Defense Department, traditionally limited in its domestic law enforcement capacity, has taken unusual steps by deploying Air Force planes for deportation flights. In a notable departure from standard practice, officials have directed 13 deportation flights to Guantanamo Bay, targeting what they describe as "the worst of the worst" — though details about these individuals remain sparse.Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's first official trip to the border signaled the Pentagon's heightened involvement. "All department assets are on the table," Hegseth stated, hinting at even broader military engagement in immigration enforcement.The Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has launched a legal offensive against so-called sanctuary cities. In a high-profile announcement alongside Tammy Nobles — whose daughter was killed by an undocumented immigrant — Bondi declared, "This is a new DOJ," while announcing lawsuits against New York and Chicago over their immigration policies.Even agencies traditionally removed from immigration matters have been drawn into enforcement efforts. The IRS has been tasked with targeting employers who hire unauthorized workers, while the Department of Health and Human Services has suspended legal services for unaccompanied migrant children.Migration Policy Institute analyst Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh notes the extraordinary scope of these changes: "The breadth of what is happening in these first couple of weeks is much wider than we saw during the first Trump administration."This whole-of-government approach has raised concerns among experts. Tom Warrick, a former DHS counterterrorism official now at the Atlantic Council, warns about potential public pushback, particularly regarding military involvement. "There's a very clear line that exists in the mind of the American people who do not want to see uniformed military people arresting migrants, especially in their homes and schools and houses of worship," he observed.The administration's latest executive order targeting federal benefits for undocumented immigrants suggests further expansion of this approach. While people in the country illegally are already largely excluded from federal benefits — except for emergency medical care and K-12 education — the order directs all agencies to review their benefit programs for compliance with immigration law.As these changes unfold, the transformation of the federal government into what critics call an "immigration enforcement machine" continues to reshape American governance — with implications that extend far beyond traditional immigration control.