The Trump administration is turning up the heat on immigration enforcement, and it’s not subtle.
The Independent reported that on May 21, 2025, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at their Washington, D.C., headquarters, demanding a jaw-dropping 3,000 arrests per day.
This aggressive push underscores the administration’s commitment to what they call the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
The meeting wasn’t exactly a pep rally. Miller, known for his sharp tongue, reportedly took a harsh tone, leaving some ICE agents worried their jobs might be on the line if they don’t hit the new target. Noem, by contrast, played the good cop, keeping her approach milder but still firm.
ICE agents are already stretched thin, with nearly 49,000 people in custody as of early May 2025. The demand for 3,000 daily arrests is roughly triple what agents were managing at the start of Trump’s term. Talk about a tall order.
Miller’s not new to this game—he’s been known to chew out senior officials when arrest numbers don’t meet his expectations.
His latest outburst at ICE headquarters had agents feeling the pressure, and not in a motivational way. It’s governance by intimidation, and it’s raising eyebrows.
Meanwhile, Noem’s softer touch didn’t dilute the message: the administration wants results, and they want them now. The April 2025 numbers show they’re not joking—17,000 deportations, a 29% jump from the same month last year. Actions, as they say, have consequences.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association is sounding alarms, claiming immigration courts are being turned into deportation factories.
“Immigration courts are being weaponized,” they said, arguing judges are working with ICE to fast-track cases through expedited removal. It’s a pipeline, not a process, they insist.
Their critique doesn’t stop there. “These are not fugitives,” the association added, emphasizing that many of those targeted are seeking protection from persecution, not running from the law. Sounds like a plea for compassion, but it’s falling on deaf ears in the White House.
Still, the administration’s defenders argue this is about law and order. “Keeping President Trump’s promise to deport illegal aliens is something the administration takes seriously,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told The Independent. She framed it as a matter of public safety, not politics.
ICE and federal agents have been busy, making arrests everywhere from Washington state courthouses to Virginia’s legal hubs in recent days.
The 3,000-arrests-per-day target would supercharge these efforts, pushing an already aggressive operation into overdrive. It’s a bold move, but is it sustainable?
Interestingly, fewer people are trying to cross the U.S. border since Trump took office. The administration touts this as proof that their policies are working, deterring unauthorized migration before it even starts. Critics, though, say it’s less about deterrence and more about fearmongering.
Jackson’s statement doubles down on the administration’s resolve. “We are committed to aggressively and efficiently removing illegal aliens,” she said, stressing that ICE agents will get the resources they need. But when “resources” means tripling workloads, one wonders if morale is part of the package.
The Trump team’s deportation push is undeniably ambitious, but it’s not without risks. Overloading ICE agents with sky-high targets could lead to burnout or worse—mistakes that undermine the very rule of law they claim to uphold. A balanced approach might serve better than Miller’s sledgehammer style.