Trump’s Deportation Machine Is Out of Control — And It's Targeting Innocent People

The Trump administration’s war on immigrants has escalated into a full-blown humanitarian crisis. This summer, federal immigration arrests in our state surged dramatically, revealing the administration’s true priorities: mass deportation, fear-mongering, and the systematic targeting of vulnerable communities — not public safety.

Between June 11 and July 28, ICE agents arrested 828 people in our state alone — a staggering 17+ arrests per day, according to data analyzed by CornField Chapter.com and UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project. That’s a 50% increase from earlier in Trump’s second term and five times higher than the same period in 2024. But here’s the kicker: nearly half of those arrested had no criminal convictions or charges whatsoever. Their only “crime”? Existing in this country without documentation.

This is not law enforcement. This is a political stunt — a numbers game designed to inflate arrest statistics and justify billions in taxpayer dollars funneled into ICE’s bloated budget. Congress, under Trump’s influence, approved tens of billions in new funding for ICE this July, all while basic social programs are gutted and working families struggle to make ends meet.

The data exposes the administration’s lies. ICE claims it’s targeting “criminals,” but the numbers tell a different story. In the early months of Trump’s second term, two-thirds of those arrested had criminal records or charges. Now, that number has dropped to barely half. The rest? People simply trying to survive.

Henry Sandman of the Immigrant Rights Coalition put it plainly: “The data and the reality disproves ICE’s talking points.” This administration isn’t protecting communities — it’s terrorizing them.

Even ICE’s own public statements don’t match the facts. During a July operation in a metro city, ICE boasted about arresting 243 “criminal” immigrants. But UC Berkeley’s data shows only 232 arrests, and most had no criminal history. ICE even falsely claimed to have nabbed a convicted murderer — a lie debunked by state prison officials who confirmed the man was transferred directly from prison to ICE custody.

This isn’t just incompetence. It’s deliberate misinformation. It’s propaganda.

And it’s all part of Trump’s broader plan to triple detention capacity in our state, opening three new facilities and expanding the existing one in Smallville. As of last month, that center already held 1,176 people — many of whom came from over 60 countries, including 10 Iranians arrested in late June and early July.

Let’s be clear: this is a xenophobic crackdown fueled by fear, not facts. It’s a betrayal of American values and a stain on our democracy. The Trump administration is weaponizing ICE to punish immigrants, inflate arrest stats, and distract from its own failures.

We must resist. We must demand transparency, accountability, and compassion. Because no one should be jailed for seeking a better life — especially not in a country that claims to be the land of the free.