Deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) caught up to levels seen during the Trump administration in Fiscal Year 2024, just as the number of illegal immigrants not in ICE detention soared to new highs.

The annual ICE report released Thursday shows that ICE deported 271,484 illegal immigrants to 192 different countries in fiscal year 2024. Of those, 32.7% had criminal histories and 237 were known or suspected terrorists.

It’s a significant increase from more than 142,000 deported in FY 23, and around 72,000 in FY 2022. In FY 2020, the last year of the Trump administration and which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, there were around 185,000 deportations and in FY 2019 there were 267,000 deportations. 

TRUMP'S TRANSITION TEAM EYES EXPANSION OF ANKLE MONITORS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NOT IN CUSTODY

However, those numbers also include removals of those encountered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border, which typically make up the vast majority of ICE deportations. Of removals of those arrested in the interior by ICE itself, just 47,000 illegal immigrants were deported, compared to 44,255 last fiscal year and 28,204 in FY 2022. 

That compared to 62,739 in FY 2020 in the last full year of the Trump administration and 85,958 conducted in FY 2019, nearly double that of FY 2024.

ICE says that its resources were strained by having to shift staff and attention to the southern border to help with the migrant crisis, as well as an increase in those released into the interior.

"In addition, ERO detailed significant numbers of its personnel to support DHS efforts for managing irregular migration at the Southwest Border over the past several fiscal years, further straining ERO’s finite resources," the report says.

Consequently, it says the number of arrests by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) dropped in FY 2024.

"In FY 2024, ERO arrested 113,431 noncitizens — a 33.5% decrease from FY 2023, when ERO conducted a total of 170,590 arrests," the report said. "Although shifts in arrest numbers are driven by multiple complex factors, many of ERO’s resources throughout FY 2024 were concentrated on processing and removing noncitizens at the Southwest Border, limiting interior law enforcement actions. This focus on border cases impacted routine interior enforcement operations."

Both ICE arrests and the number of deportations of those arrested by ICE are expected to increase under the next administration, which has indicated it intends to drop the restrictions put on ICE during the Biden administration and launch a "historic" mass deportation campaign.

‘STANDING BY TO HELP:’ RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP

That promise was a centerpiece of Trump’s 2024 campaign and his team are already making concrete steps towards that goal. It has already drawn resistance from some Democrats, but also some support from others in cities that have been overwhelmed by the massive migrant influx that the country has seen since 2021.

The scope of that challenge is emphasized by the ICE report, which shows that the number of illegal immigrants on ICE's non-detained docket has exploded during the Biden administration to nearly 7.7 million, more than doubling what it was when Trump left office. It was at 3.2 million at the end of FY 2020.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

The non-detained docket is made up of illegal immigrants in deportation proceedings, who are not in ICE custody, but who may be in federal, state or local custody or in forms of monitoring. 

This includes illegal immigrants who were caught and released at the border and are waiting for their court dates, as well as illegal aliens who have already been ordered deported by a DOJ immigration judge after already having their cases heard. 

Fox has previously reported that there are over 1.4 million illegal immigrants in the US with final orders of removal, meaning they have been ordered deported but are still in the U.S. The report revealed that ther were more than 701,000 Venezuelan illegal immigrants on ICE's non-detained docket, but only 1,470 were in ICE detention.

Meanwhile, despite a surge into the U.S. of more than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children into the U.S. during the Biden administration, just 411 were removed in FY 2024, an increase from the 212 in FY 2023. For comparison, more than 4,000 were removed in FY 20202.

When the federal government shuts its doors, Americans get a glimpse at a long-debated question in Washington: How much government is too much? Here's what happens during a partial government shutdown, which typically happens when Congress has failed to pass new bills authorizing spending.

Federal agencies and services deemed "nonessential" can expect to halt their operations, while "essential" services continue to function. Examples of "essential" agencies include national security, Border Patrol, law enforcement, disaster response and more. 

What's more, funding for certain programs, like Social Security, and some agencies such as the Postal Service, operate separately from the yearly appropriations process.

HOUSE GOP LEADERS SCRAMBLE FOR PLAN B AFTER TRUMP, MUSK LEAD CONSERVATIVE FURY AGAINST SPENDING BILL

A shutdown lasting less than two weeks would likely have minimal impact, as federal employees would still receive their paychecks on schedule. Longer shutdowns, meanwhile, are usually accompanied by retroactive pay for government workers and congressional staff. As a result, the actual effects of a shutdown tend to be far less severe than how it's typically described.

Partial government shutdowns can also be seen as an opportunity by some lawmakers to address unsustainable federal spending. The U.S. national debt exceeds $35 trillion, and many argue that allowing the government to function indefinitely without addressing wasteful spending is irresponsible. Shutdowns can thus force Congress to make decisions about funding priorities and eliminate bloated programs.

MATT GAETZ REPORT BY HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE TO BE RELEASED

The federal government’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, requiring Congress to pass a set of appropriations bills by the end of September to fund operations. If Congress fails to act, legal safeguards prevent executive agencies from spending money without legislative approval, effectively limiting government functions.

The annual congressional budget process begins in early February, when the president submits a budget proposal to Congress, offering recommendations for federal spending across all areas of government. 

By mid-April, Congress is expected to adopt a budget resolution that establishes overall spending limits and guidelines. Throughout late spring and summer, House and Senate Appropriations Committees work on drafting 12 bills to allocate funding for specific federal agencies and programs. These bills must be passed by Congress by Sept. 30 to prevent a partial government shutdown.

The deadline to pass a continuing resolution (CR), which is a temporary funding patch, is 11:59:59 pm ET on Friday. Without one, the federal government enters a partial shutdown on Saturday, Dec. 21.

EXCLUSIVE: The Trump transition team is considering a significant expansion of the way ankle-worn GPS monitors are used to track illegal immigrants who are not in federal immigration detention, Fox News Digital has learned.

President-elect Trump has pledged to launch a mass deportation operation once sworn into office, and his transition team has already been engaged in planning to make that happen. 

Multiple sources familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital the priority for the incoming administration is the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants along with preventing them from entering the U.S. in the first place.

However, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention capacity in the tens of thousands, compared to the millions who are not currently in detention, officials are also expected to ramp up the monitoring of those not in detention until they can be removed. 

‘STANDING BY TO HELP:’ RED STATE REVEALS PLAN TO PURCHASE BORDER WALL MATERIALS TO STORE FOR TRUMP

Under the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, newly arrived illegal immigrants going through court proceedings are monitored by either an ankle-worn or wrist-worn device or use a cell phone app under which they are required to check in with ICE. According to ICE data as of November, just 187,747 individuals are being monitored by technology, including about 25,000 on the ankle monitors or wrist-worn devices. Typically, migrants are placed on ATD from their release at the border and earlier on in the lifecycle of their cases.

The Trump administration is looking at ways to increase the number of illegal immigrants being monitored by an ankle or wrist monitor, while also sharply reducing the numbers of those not detained. Officials also want GPS tracking to be available for much longer than it is currently. Sources emphasized that if entries at the southern border are shut down, as the administration plans to make happen, it allows for more people in the interior to be moved to devices and for longer because the devices are no longer needed for new arrivals entering into the U.S.

‘LEGAL AUTHORITY’: SENATE DEMS DEMAND BIDEN EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AHEAD OF TRUMP ADMIN 

Advocates of ATD and ICE have argued that compliance by those enrolled when monitored remains high, and it is cheaper than detention – $8 a day compared to $150 a day. But some immigration activists have slammed the ATD program as creating "digital prisons," while some on the right have argued that the technology needs to be extended so that it can allow illegal immigrants to be tracked down and removed if they are given a final order of deportation.

The increase in the use of GPS monitoring could also be accompanied by additional penalties for a lack of compliance, although it is still not clear what those penalties would be.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Increasing the number of non-detained immigrants on ATD has been a priority for Republicans. The Justice for Jocelyn Act, introduced this year by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, would require the government to enroll all illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket into continuous GPS monitoring. It would also require those enrolled to be home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and would punish any noncompliance with an order that they be removed in absentia.

A significant expansion of ICE capacity has been expected in the upcoming administration, given the promise of a mass deportation campaign. The GEO Group, which is the exclusive contractor for that technology, announced a $70 million investment Monday to increase its capabilities to deliver detention capacity, secure transport and electronic monitoring services to ICE.

Officials in Texas say they are preparing to buy and store border wall materials being auctioned off by the federal government and keep them in place until the Trump administration takes office in January.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reacted to reports of continued auctions of border wall materials that have been left near the border after the sudden stop of border wall construction in 2021. 

"I will bid on all of that wall, and we will buy it in Texas, and we will give it to Donald Trump," Patrick said on "The Ingraham Angle."

"I’ve got a billion dollars in my pocket to do it," he said.

‘LEGAL AUTHORITY’: SENATE DEMS DEMAND BIDEN EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AHEAD OF TRUMP ADMIN 

His comments were supported by Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, who said she is "fully prepared" to help in the effort.

"If you buy it, I have a place to store it — on state land! The [Texas General Land Office] is standing by to help!" she said, calling the auctioning off of border wall materials by the Biden administration "shameful."

The Biden administration abruptly ended border wall construction in January 2021 after 450 miles had been built in the first Trump administration. While border hawks say a wall is a critical tool to stopping illegal immigration, some Democrats have said a wall project is xenophobic and ineffective.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT REPUBLICANS INVESTIGATING BIDEN ADMIN'S SALE OF BORDER WALL PARTS: ‘WASTE AND ABUSE’ 

The auctioning off of border wall parts began in 2023 with parts listed for sale on GovPlanet.com, an online auction marketplace. The Defense Department's logistics agency told media outlets that the excess material had been turned over for disposition by the Army Corps of Engineers and was now for sale.

Those auctions have continued, with officials in Arizona telling Fox News Digital that auctions have been occurring weekly for some time. The practice drew attention last week when The Daily Wire published video showing unused wall parts being transported on flatbed trucks in Arizona, even though the materials could be used in the next Trump administration. 

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to restart border wall construction when he enters office next month. He described the selling off of the wall as "almost a criminal act" on Monday and appealed to the administration to stop the selling of the wall parts.

A defense official told Fox News that the Pentagon has been disposing of excess wall construction in accordance with the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which required the Defense secretary to submit a plan to use, transfer or donate all remaining wall material purchased with Pentagon funds. That plan was submitted in March.

The official said that border states, including Texas, were given preference for materials. Both Texas and California requested and received border materials, they said.

"Through our reutilization, transfer, and donation process, nearly 60% of those materials were transferred to authorized recipients, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the states of Texas and California," the official said. "The remaining 40% was sold to GOVPLANET under a competitive sales contract process beginning in June 2024. The material currently being sold through GOVPLANET online auctions no longer belongs to the U.S. Government, and DoD has no legal authority to recall the material or stop further resale of material it no longer owns."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Texas has already shown it is keen to aid the incoming administration in its efforts to secure the border and engage in a mass deportation campaign.

Fox News Digital first reported last month that Texas has offered 1,400 acres of land to the incoming administration with which to stage its mass deportation operation. Border czar Thomas Homan said he is already planning on how to use the land effectively.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Monday that he will move to advance drone legislation this week that will give local officials more authority to respond to the growing concerns of drone sightings.

Reports of drones flying over New Jersey and New York, particularly near military research facilities and Trump’s Bedminster golf course, have prompted lawmakers to press the Biden administration for more transparency when it comes to who is flying the suspected unmanned aircraft and why the government is not doing anything about them.

Schumer has called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to "quickly deploy" any drone-detecting tools that are available to help New York and New Jersey deal with the mysterious drone sightings that started a few weeks ago.

"This week, I will also come to the floor of the Senate to seek passage of legislation that will give local officials greater authority to swiftly respond to these sightings," Schumer said while speaking on the Senate floor on Monday. "The reports of the past few weeks have ignited immense anxiety and confusion for millions of people living across the Northeast. Thankfully, there is no reason to believe these drone sightings pose a national security threat, but even so they can be disruptive if they fly over restricted airspace particularly near airports or bases."

SCHUMER REQUESTS 360-DEGREE RADAR SYSTEM FOR NY, NJ TO DETECT DRONES

He continued, saying there was no shortage of reports of possible drone activity, yet there are few answers being provided about where some of the drones originated from and who was operating them.

Local officials lack the resources and authority to find the underlying cause of the matter, Schumer added.

NJ DRONE SIGHTINGS COULD BE A ‘CLASSIFIED EXERCISE’: FORMER CIA OFFICER

Along with seeking the Senate’s help in passing the legislation, Schumer also urged the DHS to take all necessary action to deploy as many drone-detecting resources as possible.

One of those technologies is the Robin Radar System, which, according to its website, notes "bird, bat, or drone, our 360° radar systems log thousands of observations, scanning every second to track and classify with precision."

DRONE MYSTERY CONTINUES IN NEW JERSEY AS EXPERTS OFFER NEW THEORIES ABOUT SIGHTINGS

Schumer said systems like Robin would go a long way to help local officials collect real data about where these drones are coming from.

"I want to see a flock of ROBIN-like technology systems deployed across the New York City metro area," he said. "So, we need the Department of Homeland Security to spring into action."

The House Intelligence Committee will receive a classified briefing on the drone activity on Tuesday afternoon, a source familiar with the matter told Punchbowl News. The news agency also said Biden administration officials from the FBI, Department of Defense, CIA, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence will hold the briefing.

Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

As unknown airborne craft traverse the night skies in parts of the United States, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called upon the Department of Homeland Security to deploy 360-degree radar systems capable of detecting drones to the New York and New Jersey region. 

"Our local people who have questions about these drones should not have to shake an eight ball to get an answer," Schumer said, holding up a magic eight ball toy in one hand and an image of a drone in another. 

"They want real answers, and the Robin can supply those answers, and that's why we want them here," Schumer said, likely referencing the Dutch company Robin Radar Systems, which produces such systems.

NJ DRONE SIGHTINGS COULD BE A ‘CLASSIFIED EXERCISE’: FORMER CIA OFFICER

The website of Robin Radar Systems notes, "Bird, bat, or drone, our 360° radar systems log thousands of observations, scanning every second to track and classify with precision."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement on Sunday, "In response to my calls for additional resources, our federal partners are deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York State." 

Fox News Digital reached out to DHS, Hochul's office, and Schumer's office for comment. 

DRONE MYSTERY CONTINUES IN NEW JERSEY AS EXPERTS OFFER NEW THEORIES ABOUT SIGHTINGS

"DHS responds to Congressional inquiries directly via official channels, and the Department will continue to respond appropriately to Congressional oversight," a DHS spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas said during an appearance on ABC's "This Week" that some of the sightings have been drones while "some are manned-aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones."

He said "we know of no foreign involvement" related to "the sightings in the north-east." 

2 MASSACHUSETTS MEN ARRESTED FOR FLYING DRONE ‘DANGEROUSLY CLOSE’ TO BOSTON AIRPORT

"Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so!" President-elect Donald Trump declared last week in a post on Truth Social. "Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!"

FIRST ON FOX: A labor union representing thousands of Border Patrol agents is all in on South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, calling on senators to confirm her nomination "qui​​ckly." 

"On behalf of the men and women of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) who protect our nation's borders, we are excited to provide our support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee, Governor Kristi Noem, to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security," National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez wrote in a letter to Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Rand. Paul, R-Ky., the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, respectively. 

Perez sent the letter, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, to the senators on Thursday, joining a growing chorus of law enforcement groups throwing their support behind Noem. The DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The union, which represents about 18,000 Border Patrol agents, wrote in their letter to Paul and Peters that Noem has showcased her ability to "get things done" both at home in South Dakota, and on the national stage when she aided Texas’ "Operation Lone Star" to battle the immigration crisis. 

'SECURE OUR BORDER': MASSIVE POLICE ORG CALLS FOR SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF NOEM TO DHS

"Governor Noem is a seasoned leader who knows how to get things done – not only as chief executive of her home state but also in Washington, DC, where she served with distinction and integrity in the U.S. House of Representatives," Perez wrote in the letter, which was also sent to Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the incoming Senate majority leader. 

"Governor Noem was the first governor to deploy National Guard personnel to the border in Texas to support Operation Lone Star. This deployment bolstered our resources at a critical time along the border and helped to protect Texans and Americans alike."

TRUMP SELECTS SOUTH DAKOTA GOV KRISTI NOEM TO RUN DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Noem has repeatedly deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the southern border in Texas to help stem illegal border crossings. 

"The border is a war zone, so we’re sending soldiers," Noem said in a press release in February, which marked the fifth deployment of National Guard troops to the border under the Biden administration. "These soldiers’ primary mission will be construction of a wall to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, drug cartels, and human trafficking into the United States of America."

Earlier this month, Washington, D.C., insiders told Fox News Digital that they anticipate Noem will earn endorsements from a long list of law enforcement groups for her federal nomination. 

GOV KRISTI NOEM REFLECTS ON TRUMP WIN, SAYS DEMOCRATS 'TRY TO PUT WOMEN IN A BOX'

Fox News Digital previously reported that the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, the Fraternal Order of Police, sent letters to both President-elect Trump and Paul outlining their staunch support of Noem as secretary of homeland security. 

​​"Governor Noem has been a longtime ally of the FOP during both her tenure in the House of Representatives and as Governor of South Dakota. The South Dakota State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Governor Noem for her re-election campaign in 2022, citing her belief in the rule of law and commitment to public safety," Fraternal Order of Police national president Patrick Yoes wrote in a November letter to Trump, which was obtained by Fox News Digital. 

Perez echoed that sentiment for Border Patrol agents, specifically, calling for Noem’s speedy confirmation to bolster the border and homeland security overall. 

"We are confident that as Secretary, Governor Noem will continue to ensure Border Patrol agents have the resources and manpower that we need to secure our border. We urge you to quickly begin consideration of this critical nomination and confirm Governor Noem as Secretary once President Trump is sworn in," Perez said. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT KRISTI NOEM, THE 'BORDER HAWK' NOMINATED BY TRUMP TO LEAD DHS

Noem has served as governor of the Mount Rushmore State since 2019, and notably gained national attention and praise from conservatives during the pandemic when she bucked lockdown orders and mask mandates common in liberal states such as California and New York. 

Trump, who ran on a pledge to end the immigration crisis at the southern border and crack down on the deadly drug epidemic ravaging communities across the nation, announced his nomination of Noem just days after his decisive win over Vice President Kamala Harris last month. 

EX-TRUMP OFFICIAL PREDICTS ‘ENTIRE MINDSET CHANGE’ AT SOUTHERN BORDER, HAILS ‘FANTASTIC’ PICK TO LEAD DHS 

"Kristi has been very strong on Border Security. She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times. She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries. I have known Kristi for years, and have worked with her on a wide variety of projects – She will be a great part of our mission to Make America Safe Again," he wrote last month in his announcement. 

Noem began meeting with Senate lawmakers last week to rally their support for the confirmation process. 

"We’ve just had great conversations with Sen. Peters, talked about some concerns within the agency, what we can do to solidify our national security interests," Noem told reporters, according to Roll Call. "And I think Republicans and Democrats in this country recognize how important homeland security is, and that we’re working together to make sure that we’re safe."

A New Jersey state Senator is calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency to ground all drones as a way of getting to the bottom of ongoing reports of unmanned craft swarming the Garden State in recent weeks. 

State Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Republican, told "Cavuto Live" on Saturday that he also wants the FAA to join in the state of emergency as the public becomes increasingly frustrated with a lack of answers as to what is going on in the skies. 

Bramnick says he has contacted Murphy about enacting a state of emergency but has not gotten a response.  

DRONE MYSTERY BEFUDDLES NEW JERSEY OFFICIALS, FRUSTRATES RESIDENTS

"I've gotten silence and we met with the state police [who] have no information. Can you imagine? The Department of Defense must have some serious secret if we can't get any information on car-sized drones flying over our military bases."

A series of unidentified drone sightings near U.S. military installations and over residences have been spotted in New Jersey since mid-November, including President-elect Trump’s Bedminster golf course, which is causing alarm. Apparent drones have also been spotted in New York City, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, among other states, as well as over three US airbases in the UK.

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby has said many of the purported drone sightings are actually lawfully operated manned aircraft and that there is no evidence of a national security or public safety threat.

FORMER GOVERNOR SPOTS MYSTERY DRONES IN MARYLAND, BLASTS FEDS FOR LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday said the government doesn't have the authority to shoot down drones and believes reports of some sightings are cases of mistaken identity.

The apparent lack of transparency about the situation has fueled conspiracy theories and raised national security concerns that a foreign entity may be behind the mysterious sightings. 

The government’s dismissal of witness reports is also irking residents who believe the government's answers are insufficient. Some have threatened to take matters into their own hands and shoot them down.

"Every time someone comes out of the top secret briefing, we get the same answer," Bramnick said. "’Well, we need more information,’ but apparently it's not a threat. Now, I don't know how they're determining that. The Defense Department must be speaking to someone because they're surely not speaking to any of the residents in New Jersey."

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"The Department of Defense has to explain why they don't know what a car-sized drone is doing, where it came from, where it's going. Is it sinister? Is there some sort of threat? Don't you think the Department of Defense should have that information? The technology is there."

Bramnick says that the state does not have the proper equipment or resources to deal with drones. He notes that the Garden State only has two state helicopters, and when one of those choppers was sent up to investigate a drone, its lights turned off and it fled. 

"Now, that's an indication that the drone is not here for a good purpose, otherwise I assume somebody operating the drone would tell the state police what they're doing. That's why we have to ground all drones at this time," Bramnick added. 

Countries in Europe are slamming the brakes on asylum cases filed by Syrian migrants in the wake of the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad, but it is not yet clear whether the U.S. will take similar action.

The U.K. and Norway, along with E.U. countries of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Finland, Ireland and Sweden, have suspended applications from Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime.

While it does not necessarily mean those people will be returned to Syria, it puts those applications in limbo in a continent that saw a massive surge of Syrian migration during the 2015 European migration crisis.

TRUMP'S PLEDGE AGAINST ‘FOREVER WARS’ COULD BE TESTED WITH SYRIA IN HANDS OF JIHADIST FACTIONS 

The European Union has also said that conditions are not currently in place for the safe return of nationals to Syria.

While Europe has seen a considerably more sizeable influx of migrants from Syria than the U.S., it is not clear how those cases in the U.S. will change, if at all, given the changing political dynamics in the Middle Eastern country.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services handle asylum cases, and asylum officers are instructed to consider changes in circumstances when considering those cases. So, if an applicant’s country becomes more stable, then the consideration of that case changes dynamically. Therefore, if Syria stabilizes, it may make it harder for Syrians to receive a positive ruling on their cases.

US GROUP LOOKS FOR KIDNAPPED AMERICANS IN SYRIA AFTER FALL OF ASSAD REGIME: WON'T ‘LEAVE A STONE UNTURNED' 

But so far, there have been no pauses of Syrian asylum cases announced by the Biden administration. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

One factor that could change in the next year is Temporary Protected Status, which grants deportation protection and work permits for nationals of countries deemed unsafe. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended and redesignated Syria for TPS in January, and that lasts until September 2025.

Should the Trump administration choose not to extend or redesignate Syria for TPS, it would require those who are no longer protected from deportation and who do not have another legal status to leave the U.S. or face deportation.

However, the number of Syrians protected under TPS is relatively few, compared to other nationalities and the situation in Europe. DHS estimated that around 8,000 Syrians were eligible for TPS in January.

The Center for Immigration Studies cited statistics showing that the number of Syrians granted asylum between 2011 and 2023 was just over 7,000. Meanwhile, data obtained by Fox News Digital this week shows that there are 741 Syrians with deportation orders on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) non-detained docket. In Europe, around 183,000 Syrians applied for asylum in 2023, according to the Associated Press.

The U.N. refugee agency has called for "patience and vigilance" for Syrian migrants, arguing that much will depend on whether Syria's new government is respectful of law and order.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Biden is facing increasing pressure from Senate Democrats to make a last-minute move to extend protections from deportations for some illegal immigrants, before the incoming Trump administration launches a mass deportation operation next year.

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., held a press conference this week with immigration activists to renew calls to urge Biden to make moves for illegal immigrants currently protected by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

TPS allows nationals who are living in the U.S. and are from countries designated unsafe for them to return to, to obtain work permits and be shielded from deportation. DACA is a 2012 Obama-era executive order that allowed for some illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to remain in the country free from deportation. 

TRUMP CLAIMS GOP ‘VERY OPEN’ TO KEEPING ‘DREAMERS’ IN US, TAKES SHOT AT ‘VERY DIFFICULT’ DEMS

The incoming Trump administration is expected to allow TPS to expire for many countries, as it attempted to do in the first administration. Republicans have been deeply critical of the use of TPS, accusing the Biden administration of abusing the tool. A bill introduced by Sen.-elect Jim Banks in the House would restrict TPS designations by requiring Congress to approve them for 12-month terms, and requiring additional moves by Congress to extend them. 

However, Trump has expressed willingness to make a deal with Democrats to allow DACA recipients to remain in the U.S. 

"I will work with the Democrats on a plan, and if we can come up with a plan, but the Democrats have made it very, very difficult to do anything. Republicans are very open to the Dreamers. The Dreamers, we're talking many years ago. They were brought into this country many years ago, some of them are no longer young people, and in many cases, they become successful," Trump said this week.

DEM SENATOR URGES BIDEN TO EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN: ‘NOBODY IS SAFE’

But Trump’s campaign was defined by a promise to launch a mass deportation campaign, and with that looming, Democrats want Biden to act before it takes effect.

"The president has legal authority to act to give these long-term immigrant communities certainty, and he should use it," Cortez Masto said at the press conference.

"We know the incoming administration is going to try to implement chaotic immigration policies that tear our families apart," she said.

She was also skeptical of Trump’s promise to protect DACA administration, given what she said were his actions in the first Trump administration: "We brought him a bipartisan bill to protect our Dreamers -- he killed it."

"President Biden, you have the chance to cement your legacy on the economy as well as your humanitarian legacy, use this moment to protect long-term immigrants and strengthen our nation’s economy," Padilla said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

The press conference came days after a letter from Democrats led by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., which expressed "deep concern about the threat the incoming administration poses to immigrants in our communities."

"We write now because the window to secure and finalize your administration’s policies is closing rapidly. We urge you to act decisively between now and the inauguration of the President-elect to complete the important work of the past four years and protect immigrant families," they said.

FIREBRAND GOP LAWMAKERS DEMANDS MAYORKAS PRESERVE BORDER CRISIS RECORDS FOR TRUMP ADMIN: ‘UNDO THE DAMAGE DONE' 

So far, there have been no indications that Biden is planning any such action on DACA. TPS extensions and redesignations are typically announced by the Department of Homeland Security. The White House did not respond to requests for comments from Fox News Digital.

The Trump administration pushed unsuccessfully to end DACA, being blocked by the Supreme Court. The matter remains in court, with a lawsuit challenging the legality of the policy under review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

In 2019, Trump proposed an additional three years of protection for DACA recipients and others in exchange for money to build a wall along the southern border. Democrats rejected that deal as "hostage taking."

Immigration activists in New York City on Thursday slammed Mayor Eric Adams' meeting with incoming Trump border czar Tom Homan, accusing him of "collaborating" with the new administration.

"It’s despicable that Mayor Adams continues to shirk his responsibilities to uphold New York City’s existing policies and values as a sanctuary city by collaborating with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan," Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement.

Adams will meet with Homan on Thursday afternoon. Adams had said that he wants to sit down with Homan and talk about cooperation on deporting violent criminals specifically. Homan has repeatedly said that public safety threats will be the priority for the expected mass deportation campaign.

TRUMP BORDER CZAR MEETING WITH NYC MAYOR ADAMS DESPITE SANCTUARY CITY STATUS

"I’m not going to be warring with this administration, I'm going to be working with this administration," Adams said last week. "President Trump is the president-elect. And whomever he chooses to run his agencies. I'm looking forward to sitting down and see how do we better New York."

"I would like to speak with our border czar and find out what his plans are. Where our common grounds are, we can work together. And I strongly believe, my history is sitting down with those across the aisle with different ways of thinking and sit down and share my ideas," he said. "I believe I have some ideas that could deal with this issue, and we can reach what the American people have been saying to us: Secure our borders, address the people who are committing violent acts in our country and make sure that… our citizens are going to be safe."

But he also clarified that otherwise law-abiding immigrants "should not be rounded up in the middle of the night."

Adams also had a message for critics from the left, telling them to "cancel me."

'WE’VE TURNED THE CORNER': BLUE CITY ANNOUNCES SHUTTERING OF MIGRANT SHELTERS AS NUMBERS DROP

"Well, cancel me, because I'm going to protect the people of this city, and if you come into this country, in this city, and think you're going to harm innocent New Yorkers and innocent migrants and asylum seekers, this is not the mayor you want to be in a city under," he said.

But that has not stopped the criticism from activist groups over the meeting.

"New Yorkers know that under Homan ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] will be used to divide us, cruelly targeting and demonizing immigrants, while making every New Yorker even more unsafe," Awawdeh said. "Too many of us remember the gunfire and street brawl that took place as a result of ICE’s actions in a residential Brooklyn neighborhood, in 2020, which resulted in an immigrant New Yorker being shot in the face."

"Targeting immigrants for arrests and deportation is destructive and diverts resources away from initiatives that actually promote safety and well-being," he continued. "Mayor Adams has an obligation to every New York family to maintain our public safety by refusing to participate in ICE’s cruel, politicized immigration agenda."

"Study after study shows that cities with large immigrant populations are safer than those with fewer immigrants, and places with sanctuary policies have lower crime rates. Adams is clearly prioritizing his own political self-interest over the needs and the public safety of all New Yorkers," Awawdeh added.

Michael Blake, a former Democratic National Committee vice chair and candidate for New York City mayor, called the upcoming meeting between Homan and Adams "wrong" and "unjust," adding that "everyone has a seat at the table" if he is elected mayor.

Homan, meanwhile, said last week that he was open to a meeting with Adams.

"I'm willing to meet with him, and I'm willing to meet with anybody to help make their communities safer," Homan said on "America's Newsroom" after being contacted by the Adams administration. 

"Prioritization out of the gate is public safety threats; work with us on that. It makes your community safer. It keeps my officers safe. It keeps the community safe. Let's work together and get this done." 

Adams has taken a tougher approach to illegal immigration than many of his Democratic counterparts, including by suggesting that sanctuary policies be rolled back to allow for the deportation of criminals. Other Democrats have promised to either resist or not assist in deportation operations. 

EXCLUSIVE: Nearly 40,000 Chinese nationals are among more than 1.4 million noncitizens who have deportation orders but who are not currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, according to new figures obtained by Fox News.

The numbers show that there are currently 1,445,549 foreign nationals who are on ICE’s non-detained docket and have final orders of removal as of Nov. 24, 2024.

The non-detained docket includes noncitizens who have final orders of removal or are going through removal proceedings but are not in ICE custody. There are currently more than 7 million people on that docket, which includes those who are incarcerated by federal, state or local law enforcement but not by ICE. Those in ICE custody are on the detained docket.

NUMBERS OF AFGHANS, CHINESE COMING THROUGH KEY MIGRANT CROSSING SURGED SINCE 2021: REPORT

The top countries of nationals on the list include Mexico (252,044), Guatemala (253,413), Honduras (261,651) and El Salvador (203,822.)

But other countries include China, which has 37,908 nationals on the docket with final orders of removal. Other countries include Haiti (32,363), Iran (2,618), Pakistan (7,76), Uzbekistan, (975) and Venezuela (22,749.)

China is a geopolitical foe of the U.S., and Republicans have expressed concern about the potential for espionage or cyberattacks from Chinese Communist Party members who infiltrate the U.S. Last week, the Justice Department alleged that an illegal immigrant from China shipped weapons to North Korea from California.

Lawmakers have asked for a breakdown of nationalities as well as categories of reasons that make it difficult to deport them.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM CHINA SHIPPED WEAPONS TO NORTH KOREA FROM CALIFORNIA: DOJ

The number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has soared from 3.7 million in fiscal 2021 to nearly 4.8 million in fiscal 2022 to more than 7 million in fiscal 2023. While many of the non-detained dockets are recent arrivals, others may have been in the country for decades.

In an accompanying note, ICE said it is unable to provide case-specific reasons, but there are several reasons why ICE may not be able to remove those with final orders of removal. They include appeals and those who have been given another form of deportation protection. It also includes those on Alternatives to Detention programs.

"Noncitizens may pursue a form of relief or protection from removal, which may include asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. If a noncitizen is granted any form of relief from removal, ICE is unable to effectuate the removal," the note said.

According to the agency, around 55% of those final orders are executable due to the above factors. That is also a fluid number, because factors in a case can change.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

It also noted that a number of countries will not accept flights of nationals being returned. Currently, it labels 15 countries as "uncooperative": Bhutan, Burma, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Laos, Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, Russia, Somalia and Venezuela.

Meanwhile, it considers an additional 11 countries to be at risk of non-compliance: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Gabon, Gambia, Iraq, Jamaica, Nicaragua, South Sudan, St. Lucia and Vietnam.  

House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green on Wednesday accused the Biden administration of having "hamstrung" ICE's ability to detain and remove illegal immigrants.

"These devastating numbers are yet more incontrovertible proof of this reality, and should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers. It is absolutely critical that Congress fully support the incoming Trump administration’s efforts to undo this damage and once again enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders," he said in a statement to Fox.

The numbers offer a glimpse into the variety of challenges that the incoming Trump administration faces as it seeks to establish a historic mass deportation operation after it takes office in January. Border czar Tom Homan told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that public safety threats will be the priority, but officials have also said that no illegal immigrant is off the table when it comes to deportation.

The administration also faces challenges in international diplomacy and dealing with countries refusing to take back their illegal immigrants. The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it has conducted another removal flight to China, marking the fourth flight in less than six months to the communist nation.

Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

The San Diego County sheriff says her office will not change its practices with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the county’s board of supervisors moved to further restrict that cooperation ahead of the Trump administration taking office next year.

"The sheriff's office will not change its practices based on the board resolution and policy that was passed at today's meeting," Sheriff Kelly Martinez’s office said in a statement. "The board of supervisors does not set policy for the sheriff's office. The sheriff, as an independently elected official, sets the policy for the sheriff's office."

The statement came after a 3-1 vote by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on a resolution to restrict ICE cooperation with local law enforcement.

CALIFORNIA COUNTY VOTES TO RAMP UP SANCTUARY POLICIES AHEAD OF TRUMP DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘RADICAL POLICY’ 

The resolution says the county will not provide assistance or cooperation to ICE, "including by giving ICE agents access to individuals or allowing them to use County facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes, expending County time or resources responding to ICE inquiries or communicating with ICE regarding individuals’ incarceration status or release dates, or otherwise participating in any civil immigration enforcement activities."

When ICE is aware of suspected illegal immigrants in local or state custody, it will file a detainer with law enforcement, typically requesting that the agency is notified ahead of the suspected illegal immigrants' release and, in some cases, that they be held until ICE can take custody of them.

ICE says this helps detain illegal immigrants without having to go into communities and gets illegal immigrant offenders off the streets. Sanctuary proponents say that such policies chill cooperation between law enforcement and otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants.

BLUE STATE COUNTY TEES UP VOTE ON ‘KNEE-JERK’ RESOLUTION TO PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATION

"When federal immigration authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol coerce local law enforcement to carry out deportations, family members are separated and community trust in law enforcement and local government is destroyed," an overview of the resolution claims. 

"Witnesses and victims who are undocumented or who have loved ones who are undocumented are afraid to come to the County for help, which includes calling local law enforcement. This puts the public safety of all San Diegans at risk."

Proponents of the resolution say California’s sanctuary law has too many loopholes and still allows agencies to notify ICE of release dates and transfer some individuals into their custody.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

It was a claim with which Martinez disagreed.

"As the sheriff of San Diego County, my No. 1 priority is protecting the safety and well-being of all residents of our diverse region. While protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants is crucial, it is equally important to ensure that victims of crimes are not overlooked or neglected in the process," she said.

The San Diego County Sheriff is a nonpartisan office, but Martinez has identified as a Democrat personally.

"Victims include undocumented individuals. These vulnerable individuals express to me that their legal status is used as a weapon against them when offenders from their community victimize them," she said. "We must protect the well-being of individuals, including those who are undocumented, which requires a careful approach that upholds the principles of justice, fairness and compassion for all individuals involved."

It comes ahead of what is expected to be a historic mass deportation campaign by the incoming Trump administration. Incoming border czar Tom Homan has said no one is off the table when it comes to deportations, although public safety threats will be the priority.

FIRST ON FOX: Incoming border czar Tom Homan is not backing down from his plans to lead President-elect Trump’s mass deportation operation in Chicago after a Democratic congresswoman told him to "be ready to meet the resistance."

"Message received. Please review 18 USC 111 and also see 8 USC 1324 (iii)," Homan told Fox News Digital in an interview on Wednesday. "Game on."

He was referring to two laws, one prohibiting impeding a federal law enforcement officer and the other prohibiting the harboring or concealing of illegal immigrants from immigration officers. 

"So, message received, please review this statute and that statute and game on," he said.

TRUMP'S INCOMING BORDER CZAR REVEALS HE'S ALREADY MAKING PLANS FOR 1,400 ACRES OF LAND OFFERED BY TEXAS

Homan had spoken in Chicago this week and told local Republicans he wanted Illinois Democrats to "come to the table," but if not to "get the hell out of the way."

That comment sparked a fiery response from Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill.

"Tom Homan, the next time you come to #IL03 — a district made stronger and more powerful by immigrants — you better be ready to meet the resistance," she warned.

"You may think Chicago needs to get out of the way of Trump's plans for mass deportation, but we plan to get ALL UP IN YOUR WAY."

CALIFORNIA COUNTY VOTES TO RAMP UP SANCTUARY POLICIES AHEAD OF TRUMP DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘RADICAL POLICY'

Ramirez’s remarks are the latest in a slew of comments by Democratic lawmakers and officials across the country who have promised either not to co-operate with the incoming Trump administration's plans for mass deportations or to resist them entirely. 

Last month, the mayor of Denver said he was willing to go to jail over the opposition to the deportations. Homan had responded to the statement by the mayor by saying he was willing to jail him, noting the same statutes he pointed to when speaking to Fox Digital.

On Wednesday, he described Ramirez’s opposition as opposition that would stop the arrests of public safety threats.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

"President Trump and I have been clear on every interview I do, that right out of the gate, we're going to be prioritizing public safety threats," Homan said. "Any elected official who wants to prevent the removal of public safety threats from their communities, especially if they're illegal aliens, is not doing their job. Because their job, their number one responsibility to their communities is protection of that community, the safety of that community."

"No one should be arguing against removing public safety threats, and I find it just incredible that she supports more criminals, especially in Chicago, for God's sake," he said.

Homan said that the administration will also be prioritizing the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which has spread across the country and has established a presence in Chicago, along with other gangs. 

"I would not say every criminal in Chicago is an illegal alien, but some are, many are. So let's not only take them out of the community. Let's take them out of the country," he said.

"So, game on."

Incoming border czar Tom Homan says he is already making plans to use more than 1,400 acres of land being offered to the next Trump administration to stage its mass deportation operation.

Fox News Digital first reported last month that Texas has offered the administration land in Starr County, which the state purchased from a ranch owner in October. The 1,402 acres are in the Rio Grande Valley sector near the border.

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said her office was "fully prepared" to enter into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to "allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation’s history."

In remarks on "Dr. Phil Primetime," Homan accepted the offer and said he was already making plans for the land.

‘100% ON BOARD:' BORDER STATE OFFERS TRUMP MASSIVE PLOT OF LAND TO AID MASS DEPORTATION OPERATION

"I’m writing the plan as we speak, I was working on it last night as a matter of fact," he said.

He praised Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration for his efforts to secure the border. The state has built its own border wall, including starting construction in the area in Starr County.

Homan said migrants would be moving in and out of the area before they can be put on deportation flights.

‘SHUT IT DOWN’: RED STATE MAKES MASSIVE LAND BUY TO RAMP UP BORDER WALL EFFORTS AMID MIGRANT SURGE

"This 1,400 acres of land, that saves us from acquiring the land. The government never buys things fast and when we do, we overpay for it, so having this from the state of Texas is great," he said,.

In a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, Buckingham said she was looking forward to taking the next steps with the land.

"For far too long, Texans and Americans have suffered from Biden’s broken border policies. I am looking forward to working with the newly appointed Border Czar, Tom Homan, in ridding our communities of violent, illegal criminals who are hurting our sons and daughters and anticipate discussing the next steps on January 21, 2025," she said.

"As Texas Land Commissioner, it has been my promise to all Texans to do everything in my purview to gain complete operational control of our southern border. It’s my hope that the leasing of this land will be able to aid the incoming Trump Administration in keeping our American families safe," she said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

The Texas General Land Office purchased the land in October to facilitate the construction of additional border wall, a project that the Biden administration stopped. The area, which was a ranch before Texas bought it, had seen drug smuggling and human trafficking, officials said.

President-elect Trump made a mass deportation campaign a key plank of his 2024 campaign and quickly announced Homan as the man to lead the operation.

While some states, including Texas, have been supportive of the operation, others have not.

Officials in some states, including Arizona, Illinois and California, have all said they would not assist the federal government in their efforts to deport more illegal immigrants.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Tuesday that the incoming Republican Senate will make a "transformational" border security bill a "top priority" in 2025 – as immigration is set to remain a top political issue in 2025.

"In January 2025, the Republican Senate will make its top priority a transformational border security bill that will be taken up and passed by the budget committee," Graham, who has been involved in a number of bipartisan efforts on immigration, said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Graham made clear that the priorities for the GOP-controlled chamber will be related to the increased border security and deportation aims outlined already by the Trump transition team.

TRUMP CLAIMS GOP ‘VERY OPEN’ TO KEEPING ‘DREAMERS’ IN US, TAKES SHOT AT ‘VERY DIFFICULT’ DEMS

"Increasing the number of bed spaces available to detain people instead of releasing them," Graham said. "Increasing the number of ICE agents to deal with people who should be deported. Finish the wall and put technology on the border so we'll have operation control of the border."

"That's going to be our top priority," he said, saying it would "go first" through reconciliation.

FIREBRAND GOP LAWMAKERS DEMANDS MAYORKAS PRESERVE BORDER CRISIS RECORDS FOR TRUMP ADMIN: ‘UNDO THE DAMAGE DONE' 

Immigration and border security were two of the top issues among voters during the 2024 campaign, and President-elect Trump won the contest in part by promising a mass deportation campaign and ramped-up border security.

Republicans in the House and Senate have expressed their support for such efforts, and many lawmakers made that clear in their election campaigns. While much of the deportation operation can be carried out via executive action, Congress can assist by providing additional resources and also changes to immigration law.

Republicans passed a sweeping border security and asylum reform bill in the House – H.R. 2 – in 2023, but it has not been taken up in the Senate, which is currently controlled by Democrats. Democrats had pushed a separate bipartisan border security bill this year, which included increased funding for border agencies. However, Republicans largely objected to the bill due to the inclusions that they said would codify high levels of illegal immigration.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Graham’s comments took place at a hearing focusing on the potential impacts of a mass deportation operation. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., pointed to what he said would be the impact on prices if illegal immigrants were deported in significant numbers.

"Prices will rise and rise and rise. So, hello America, get ready for a more expensive food bill when you're preparing next year's Thanksgiving dinner or next year's Christmas dinner. And if you've been saving up for years and years to try to buy your first home, get ready to wait even longer because construction will slow and prices will go up," he said.

San Diego County will soon vote on a resolution to block all county cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including letting them know about the release of criminal illegal immigrants -- coming just weeks before the Trump administration is expected to launch a historic deportation campaign.

The resolution would go further than the state’s sanctuary law, which generally limits law enforcement's cooperation with ICE, and represents a hardline stance against all cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. 

The new resolution, which will see a vote on December 10 as part of the county’s "commitment to social justice and inclusion," will say that the county will not provide assistance or cooperation to ICE "including by giving ICE agents access to individuals or allowing them to use County facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes, expending County time or resources responding to ICE inquiries or communicating with ICE regarding individuals’ incarceration status or release dates, or otherwise participating in any civil immigration enforcement activities."

ANOTHER MAJOR BLUE CITY DOUBLES DOWN ON VOW TO OBSTRUCT TRUMP'S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN

"When federal immigration authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Border Patrol, coerce local law enforcement to carry out deportations, family members are separated and community trust in law enforcement and local government is destroyed," an overview of the resolution claims. "Witnesses and victims who are undocumented or who have loved ones who are undocumented are afraid to come to the County for help, which includes calling local law enforcement. This puts the public safety of all San Diegans at risk."

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas said that California’s current sanctuary laws restricting ICE deportations don’t go far enough.

"While the California Values Act significantly expanded protection from deportation to California residents, it fell short of protecting all residents, because it allowed agencies to still notify ICE of release dates and transfers individuals to ICE without a warrant in some circumstances," she said.

TOP CONSERVATIVE GROUP REVEALS ROADMAP TO REBUILD NEW US IMMIGRATION SYSTEM 'FROM THE ASHES'

She argues that the "loophole" has resulted in some illegal immigrants being transferred to ICE custody or ICE being notified of their release. The resolution is similar to a 2019 policy adopted in Santa Clara County.

"By avoiding active cooperation with ICE, including through specific notification to ICE of the release dates of immigrants, the County avoids treating a group of individuals differently solely on the basis of their immigration status," she says.

Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, who opposes the resolution, says he believes the resolution will pass, given the Democratic makeup of the board of supervisors. He said he believed the move was in line with a broader effort by the state to "Trump-proof" the state, and called it a "knee-jerk" reaction. 

"This is going to really impede different agencies and working together to make sure that everyone's safe, even the immigrants that are here now that have come across the border. This is going to hurt their communities even worse," he told Fox News Digital in an interview.

"I think this is going to allow more criminals who are here illegally to stay in San Diego County, and to get away with these kinds of crimes to where law enforcement can't work with immigration or with ICE on a much broader group of crimes. So, it's going to allow more rampant crime here and make our cities and our communities less safe."

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR ON IMMIGRATION AND BORDER SECURITY IN 2025

Multiple officials at state and local level across the U.S. have said they will not cooperate with the upcoming deportation campaign by the new Trump administration. In Boston this week, the city council unanimously voted for a resolution to protect illegal immigrants from "unjust enforcement actions" and restricting Boston police from cooperating with ICE. 

However, some Republican states have said they will help the administration in its plans, with Texas going a step further and offering land on which to stage the deportation operation.

FIRST ON FOX: A top law enforcement official in Tennessee is warning that the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is operating in the state and conducting human trafficking -- the latest indicator of a growing footprint by the bloodthirsty gang.

"We've seen, in the past few months, a resurgence of intelligence information that tells us they are operating in our state. They are operating in the human trafficking space," Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said.

Rausch made the comments on the "Unmuted with Marsha" podcast with Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., video of which was shared with Fox News Digital. Blackburn noted the recent arrest of a Tren de Aragua fugitive from Venezuela with a history of violent crimes in Tennessee. 

EX-ICE OFFICIAL WARNS TREN DE ARAGUA HAS GROWN FASTER INSIDE US THAN MURDEROUS RIVAL GANG: ‘PUT THEM OUT NOW’

Tren de Aragua is believed to have started in the Tocoron prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua and has since expanded into Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and the U.S. 

They are believed to have grown exponentially with the surge of Venezuelan migrants into the U.S. Numerous crimes in the last year have been linked to TdA, in states including Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Colorado and New York.

Rausch said that in 2022, his agents first came across the gang in Tennessee and made arrests in 2023, and over time they encountered victims who provided additional intelligence about the gang’s operations in Tennessee and elsewhere throughout the U.S. He told Blackburn that they appeared to briefly leave the state, but have since returned.

"What they're doing is, they bring in these females, Venezuelan females, and they're bringing them into the country. They're smuggling them in, bringing them into the country. Some of them, they're bringing in, exploiting our system, where they'll come in and claim that they are fleeing the dictatorship and the challenges that exist in Venezuela," he said.

NEW REPORT WARNS BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG'S FOOTPRINT WILL REMAIN IN US ‘FOR DECADES’ 

Rausch said that his agency has conducted two major operations where it had located TdA members in the Nashville area. However, he did caution about the extent of their presence and said that it wasn’t as intense as it is in other states like Colorado.

"Most recently, when we were expressing that we knew they were in Tennessee, and they're operating in our major cities, that caused a lot of challenge, a lot of people got upset about that. They immediately went to thinking, 'This is TDA that is taking over apartment complexes, as we've seen in other cities.' We're not there yet, but we don't want to get there," he said.

Rausch warned that the gang typically starts with human trafficking and moves to other crimes like organized retail crime and theft, before getting into the drug trade and becoming increasingly violent against other cartels. 

"We certainly don't want to see it anywhere in the country, but my responsibility primarily is here in Tennessee, and so we don't want that happening. And so I raised the alarm that we know they're here operating human trafficking. We want to stop them at this point, where we can right now," he said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Blackburn asked about solutions to the crisis, and mentioned her own legislation that would encourage local law enforcement co-operation with the federal government when they encounter a criminal illegal immigrant. 

"When someone is committing crimes in your country, and they're in the country illegally, of course, you need to deport them," Blackburn said.

Rausch noted also that returning migrants to their countries of origin can be difficult when they don’t accept them. 

"What do we do with these individuals? Do we hold them here in the U.S. prison until that situation in whatever country it is they came from that we can't send them back to, that we figure that out? What is the answer to that?" he asked.

The conversation comes ahead of what is expected to be a historic deportation operation by the incoming Trump administration. Trump this week announced additional picks for his border security team, including former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott as his choice to lead Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

During the presidential election campaign, Trump said he intends to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to target and dismantle "every illegal migrant criminal network operating on American soil." 

FIRST ON FOX: A firebrand Republican lawmaker in Congress is demanding that DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas preserve all information related to the border crisis that took place over the last four years as part of an ongoing records request.

"During your tenure as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, we have seen recordbreaking illegal alien encounters at our borders, millions of aliens released into the interior, scores of criminals and other bad actors infiltrating our communities, endangering Americans and aliens alike, and much more. It is imperative DHS preserve any and all information related to the border crisis and mass influx of aliens into the interior so the incoming Trump administration can deliver on its mandate to undo the damage done," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said in a letter to Mayorkas, obtained first by Fox News Digital.

Republicans have consistently complained that DHS has not been responsive to requests for information, a claim that DHS has denied – pointing to a slew of briefings, responses and hearing appearances that officials have given.

DEM SENATOR URGES BIDEN TO EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN: ‘NOBODY IS SAFE’

Roy says his office and others have received "at best – delayed and insufficient responses or – at worst – no response from your office at all."

"As such, I request that you take all reasonable steps to prevent the destruction of all documents, communications, and other information, including electronic information, that are or may be responsive to this congressional inquiry, including memoranda, numerical data, reports, letters, and subpoenas received by Congress surrounding border security and immigration policies of the Biden-Harris Administration from January 20, 2021, to the present," he writes.

In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said that DHS "has and will continue to respond to congressional correspondence directly via official channels, and the Department will continue to respond to congressional oversight." 

"DHS follows the law with respect to retaining federal records and remains committed to doing so," the spokesperson said.
 

The letter comes as a political sea change on how to handle border security and illegal immigration is about to hit Washington, D.C. While the Biden administration has taken a number of hawkish moves at the border in recent months, including a presidential proclamation in June that drastically limited asylum, the incoming Trump administration and Republican Congress are eyeing significant overhauls to how immigration and border security are handled.

Given the historic crisis at the border, which started in early 2021 and continued deep into 2024, Republicans have hammered the administration on the border crisis, with Roy being a key member in the impeachment of Mayorkas earlier this year – although that impeachment was not taken up by the Senate.

While the Trump administration will likely bring in sweeping changes at the border, Roy’s letter indicates there will be continued interest in how the Biden administration handled the crisis.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Roy’s letter requests that DHS preserves information, including the number of migrants released with court dates, their countries of origins, last known whereabouts, and similar information for those released into the U.S. under humanitarian parole and those allowed to stay under programs like Temporary Protected Status.

It also seeks information on how the controversial CBP One app – which allows for migrants to schedule appointments to be paroled into the U.S. – was being used. Information requested also includes those who are no longer able to be contacted, those released with criminal charges or convictions, those with gang affiliations, and those given protection under Temporary Protected Status.

Roy also wanted to see the number of visa overstays, those admitted with visas who are suspected of fraud, and the number of countries that are "recalcitrant" and who are not taking back illegal immigrants. He also wants to know the number of Chinese nationals released into the U.S. with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, the names of organizations that have received DHS grants for caring for migrants and the number of worksite enforcement investigations conducted by ICE.

The letter is the latest sign that immigration, which was a political hot topic in 2024, will likely remain a top item for Congress as well as the administration in 2025. President-elect Trump has already appointed former ICE Director Thomas Homan as his border czar, and has nominated South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be Mayorkas’ successor at DHS. Republicans are expected to push for additional legislation to aid in that operation. That push could take the form of HR 2, the Republican border bill that passed in the House in 2023, but has not been taken up by the Senate.

Iowa is suing the Biden administration over its alleged refusal to provide access to the citizenship status information of more than 2,000 registered voters whose status was questioned ahead of the 2024 election.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Secretary of State Paul Pate filed the lawsuit on Tuesday, which claims U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) "would not hand over" its "list of noncitizens illegally registered to vote in Iowa."

Federal authorities' "failure meant that the State had to rely on the best — imperfect — data it had available to ensure that no Iowan’s vote was canceled by an illegal, noncitizen vote," Pate and Bird said in a joint statement.

Along with USCIS, the lawsuit names the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as defendants.

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DHS told Fox News Digital in a statement that the department does not comment on pending litigation, though "USCIS has engaged with Iowa and will continue to correspond with them directly through official channels."

The complaint details how state election officials checked voter rolls against a list of people who identified themselves as noncitizens with the state's Department of Transportation. The vast majority of the 2,176 names had subsequently registered to vote or voted, meaning that some of those people could have become naturalized citizens in the lapsed time.

Pate told county elections officials during the state’s early voting to challenge the ballots cast by any of the individuals named on the list and have them cast a provisional ballot instead.

Pro-voting groups sued Pate over the move, though days later a judge ruled against them and allowed those named on Pate’s list to cast provisional ballots.

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At least 500 of the identified individuals proved their citizenship status and had their votes counted, the Des Moines Register reported, citing preliminary information collected from 97 of the state's 99 counties.

Another 74 ballots were rejected, according to the Register, mostly because those people did not return to prove their citizenship status.

Most of the people on Pate's list did not vote in the 2024 election, according to the Register's data from county auditors.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.