Deportations in Arizona underway; border czar says focus is on criminals
PHOENIX - A week into the second Trump administration and the crackdown on the border and illegal immigration is underway.
What we know:
In one week, the Department of Homeland Security arrested and deported over 7,000 people that were in the U.S. illegally, and some of them were in Arizona.
The DEA Phoenix Division continues to announce arrests of violent criminals on X. One of the deportees included an individual wanted for a homicide in Mexico.
"This week, I’m also taking swift action to stop the invasion at our southern border. They allowed people to come in at levels that nobody has ever seen before. It was ridiculous," President Trump remarked on Jan. 24. "That action, as you’ve probably seen, has already started very strongly. I have deployed active-duty U.S. military and National Guard troops to the border to assist in repelling the invasion. It was really an invasion. We will not allow our territory to be violated."
ICE announced more than a thousand arrests across the country on Monday.
On Sunday night in Phoenix, hundreds of people blocked off the area of 75th Avenue near McDowell Road protesting the new administration's deportation efforts.
Protestors lit fireworks, did doughnuts and burnouts, marched and blocked traffic until police arrived.
What they're saying:
"We just all want our families to be here," a protester said. "We’re so hard-working. Why, why would they do this to us?"
Another said, "It’s not just my family, but everybody’s family. It’s not fair at the end of the day."
The other side:
The Trump administration's border czar, Thomas Homan, says the priority is violent criminals.
"I don’t think we’ve arrested any families. We’ve arrested for public safety, threats and national security threats. Bottom line," Homan said.
Local perspective:
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs says she will not use state resources to help deportation efforts.
"Task Force SAFE is intercepting drugs at our ports of entry. Those are the kind of efforts we should be spending our limited resources on, and I want to protect Arizonans and make sure that they’re not subject to raids in churches and hospitals and schools," the governor said.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen has introduced a new bill SB 1164 that would require local law enforcement to assist in federal immigration efforts.