Former President Donald Trump announced his intention to sign an executive order directing the Pentagon to prepare Guantanamo Bay for the potential housing of 30,000 undocumented immigrants. This announcement coincides with a recent arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Houston, Texas. ICE agents apprehended Jorge Carvajal Castrejon, 36, on January 28th during a joint operation with the FBI and other agencies. Castrejon is accused of illegally entering the United States six times and has a prior conviction for driving while impaired in Harris County.

This arrest occurred amidst heightened ICE enforcement operations in cities like Chicago and New York, as well as ongoing routine operations nationwide. Other operations were conducted in Baltimore and Houston. The ICE Houston Field Office emphasized its commitment to collaborating with law enforcement partners to apprehend and remove individuals like Carvajal, who they believe pose a threat to public safety, national security, and border security. ICE stated that these operations target individuals who have entered the country illegally and lack legal grounds to remain in the U.S. These efforts involve a collaborative approach with federal law enforcement partners, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, CBP, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

This intensified focus on immigration enforcement under the Trump administration comes on the heels of other policy shifts aimed at reversing previous immigration policies.