Trump's Immigration Raids In NYC, Homeland Security Chief Wants 'Dirtbags Off The Streets' Day One: 20 Arrests, Only 12 With Criminal Records

New York was among the latest cities where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) conducted raids, which are part of the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies, or as the new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem calls it "getting the dirtbags off the streets."

Noem, wearing a bulletproof vest and surrounded by heavily armed officers, told followers on social media that she was present for at least one televised arrest of a suspected criminal in an apartment building in the Bronx.

As of late Tuesday, Federal law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News that 20 people were taken into custody in New York CIty. Twelve of them had criminal records and the other eight had no crimes connected to them except for entering the country without proper documentation.

“What they’re trying to do is instill fear in our communities and continue to push this narrative that they’re coming for everyone,” said Murad Awawdeh with the New York Immigration Coalition.

Noem was asked if the raids being captured by TV news cameras were by design and if so, why.

“It’s not a spectacle. This is … this is our nation’s law enforcement, judicial process. The scales of justice are equally applied to everybody,” Noem said. “We want transparency on this.”

Read Also: ‘We’ll Go As Far As I’m Allowed’: Trump’s Plan With Immigrants Starts With 1 Million Deportations

Despite New York laws barring police from civil immigration enforcement, the NYPD is part of the Homeland Security Investigations task force. New York police officers participated in the arrest of an undocumented individual suspected of crimes. Mayor Eric Adams said the operation was led by Homeland Security, supported by federal agencies and the NYPD.

"We will not hesitate to partner with federal authorities to bring violent criminals to justice — just as we have done for years,” Adams said in a statement, reported by Fox News. “Our commitment to protecting our city's law-abiding residents, both citizens and immigrants, remains unwavering."

NY Attorney General Responds

Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who won a civil fraud case against Donald Trump in February 2024, issued an apparent warning to state and local law enforcement cooperating with federal authorities. She said in a Tuesday X post that she would be monitoring the situation closely to ensure that New York’s sanctuary policies are not violated.

The raids resonated across the city, home to many immigrants. The NYC operation is expected to continue through Friday.

Other Raids In Democrat-Run Cities

Tuesday's operation was among several other raids across the country where ICE officers targeted suspected undocumented individuals. Trump's new border czar Tom Homan oversaw a series of raids Sunday in Chicago. The DHS released information on Monday that it had removed and returned at least 7,300 undocumented people in the first week. Deportation flights have gone to Mexico, Jordan, Brazil and El Salvador.

Now Read:

• DeSantis ‘Kneecapped’ By GOP Allies In Florida For Veering From Trump’s Immigration Agenda

Photo: Kristi Noem with federal agents in NYC, courtesy of Dept. of Homeland Security