Federal agents from multiple agencies carried out immigration enforcement operations in Austin and San Antonio on Sunday, according to federal officials. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) all participated in the coordinated operation.
A similar operation was also carried out in the Rio Grande Valley on Sunday morning, as reported by a local station.
Purpose of the Operation
The operation aimed to “enforce U.S. immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities,” according to an ICE spokesperson. However, the spokesperson did not provide details on the specific offenses the individuals targeted were suspected of or whether any arrests were made.
DEA Mobilizes for the Operation
The DEA’s Houston division confirmed its involvement in the operation, with spokesperson Sally Sparks stating that the division mobilized “every agent in our jurisdiction,” which covers areas from Brownsville to Waco. Sparks mentioned that the decision to mobilize was based on new information that prompted immediate action.
Photos posted on X (formerly Twitter) by a Houston DEA office showed law enforcement officers escorting a man in handcuffs from a residential area.
Limited Information on Operation Scope
Neither ICE nor the DEA provided further details on the scope or scale of the operations. The Travis and Bexar counties’ sheriff’s offices confirmed they had not been notified of the operations, and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) said he did not receive prior notice from ICE regarding the operation in Austin.
Timing and Context of the Raids
The operation took place less than a week after President Donald Trump began his second term and promised mass deportations across the country. As part of his immigration agenda, Trump signed over a dozen executive orders last week, including measures to halt the use of an app that allows migrants to schedule asylum appointments and allowing immigration officers to raid sensitive locations like schools, churches, and hospitals.
Additionally, Trump’s administration has directed federal officials to investigate and potentially prosecute local officials who obstruct deportation efforts. Some Texas officials have expressed their willingness to support the president’s immigration policies, although specifics on cooperation have not been disclosed.
A group of Texas lawmakers recently requested guidance from state education officials on how school districts should handle federal immigration enforcement activities.
Raids in Other Cities and Increased ICE Arrests
The federal operation was not limited to Texas. ICE officials also conducted raids in Chicago on the same day, and the agency has been instructed to increase the number of arrests made each day. According to The Washington Post, ICE aims to make at least 1,200 to 1,500 arrests per day, up from a few hundred.
On Sunday, ICE made 956 arrests and sent 554 requests to take custody of individuals currently held in jails or other detention facilities.
Fear and Uncertainty Among Migrants
The Trump administration’s recent actions have left many migrants, particularly those along the U.S.-Mexico border, in a state of uncertainty and fear of deportation. Texas, which is home to approximately 1.6 million undocumented immigrants, according to a Pew Research Center report, has seen heightened anxiety among its migrant population as a result of the escalating immigration enforcement efforts.
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