The incoming Trump administration is eyeing immigration arrests of illegal immigrants across the country as soon as day one, as top officials say they are ready to "take the handcuffs off" Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration is planning a large-scale raid in Chicago on Tuesday, targeting those with criminal backgrounds in particular.
Incoming border czar Tom Homan was asked by Fox News’ Jesse Watters about the media reports of a "big raid" on Tuesday in Chicago, but Homan said ICE will be working across the country.
"There’s going to be a big raid across the country. Chicago is just one of many places. We’ve got 24 field offices across the country. On Tuesday, ICE is finally going to go out and do their job. We’re going to take the handcuffs off ICE and let them go arrest criminal aliens, that’s what’s going to happen," he said.
"What we’re telling ICE, you’re going to enforce the immigration law without apology. You’re going to concentrate on the worst first, public safety threats first, but no one is off the table. If they’re in the country illegally, they got a problem," he said.
The administration has promised a mass deportation operation, as well as increased border security. Officials have said they intend to target those with criminal histories and convictions, but have also stressed that they will potentially arrest anyone in the U.S. illegally. There are currently more than 7 million individuals on ICE's non-detained docket.
"The administration has been clear that we're going to start arresting people on day one, and Chicago's probably not going to be the only place that arrests are going to be made," a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
The administration is expected to see significant pushback from "sanctuary" cities that refuse to allow state and local law enforcement to honor ICE detainers – requests that ICE be notified when illegal immigrants in custody are being released.
Some Democratic officials in Chicago, as well as Massachusetts and Arizona have said they will not co-operate with the administration.
But New York City Mayor Eric Adams has met with Homan about how they can work together on removing illegal immigrants who have been convicted of violent crimes.
DHS nominee Kristi Noem testified to Congress on Friday, and threw her support behind the mass deportation operation and increasing border security. She also said the administration will immediately end the use of the CBP One app, which currently allows migrants to be paroled into the U.S.
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Pete Hegseth has picked up another key vote for confirmation as President-elect Trump's secretary of defense.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., on Friday said he will vote to confirm Hegseth, an Army combat veteran whose nomination was under question because of his remarks questioning women's roles in the military, sexual misconduct allegations, as well as allegations that he drank alcohol while working previous jobs.
"The President’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth, has impressive academic qualifications, conducted himself very well in the Senate Armed Services hearing, and has a commendable record of service in uniform. He assured me he will surround himself with a strong support team," Cassidy said in a statement."I will vote for his confirmation."
Hegseth has seen a wave of support from Republicans, including Sen. Joni Ernst, of Iowa, who previously expressed concerns about his nomination.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said Hegseth passed his confirmation hearing with "flying colors."
"They tried to rattle him. They brought out all these anonymous allegations. He had an answer for every one of them," Tuberville said at the time.
During his proceedings, protesters were hauled out in zip ties after interrupting the hearing.
Democratic lawmakers also grilled Hegseth about his stance on women in combat roles, prompting him to push back that his argument related to women serving in the military focuses on military standards not eroding.
"I would point out I've never disparaged women serving in the military," he told Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. "I respect every single female service member that has put on the uniform, past and present. My critiques, senator, recently and in the past, and from personal experience, have been instances where I've seen standards lowered."
TikTok said it could go dark on Sunday, the day the ban is set to take effect.
Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images
TikTok may go dark Sunday unless Biden ensures the ban won't be enforced.
The Supreme Court upheld a law requiring TikTok's US operations to be sold by Jan. 19 or face a ban.
Biden's administration doesn't plan to enforce the ban before Trump takes office.
TikTok said Friday it would be forced to go dark on Sunday, the day the platform ban is set to take effect, unless the Biden administration takes further action to ensure it will not be enforced.
"The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability to over 170 million Americans," TikTok said in a statement posted on X.
"Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19," the statement continued.
The statement came after the Supreme Court earlier on Friday upheld the law banning TikTok.
A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
The law, which was passed by Congress and signed by Biden last spring, required TikTok to be banned unless ByteDance, its China-based parent company, sells the app's US operations by January 19.
The law specifically bans US app stores, like Apple's and Google's, from carrying or updating the app. Companies that violate the law could face fines of up to $5,000 per user who accesses TikTok.
The Biden administration said this week it does not plan to enforce the ban since it is set to take effect one day before President Joe Biden leaves office and President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
"President Biden's position on TikTok has been clear for months, including since Congress sent a bill in overwhelming, bipartisan fashion to the President's desk: TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership or other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The Justice Department issued a statement on Friday supporting the Supreme Court's decision, adding: "The next phase of this effort — implementing and ensuring compliance with the law after it goes into effect on January 19 — will be a process that plays out over time."
Trump has said he does not support banning TikTok and will work on finding a solution. In a video on Friday, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew thanked Trump for his commitment to saving the app.
On Truth Social, Trump said he had spoken with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the phone and said the call was a "very good one" and that they discussed "balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects."
It's unclear what TikTok will look like on users' phones come Sunday if the app goes "dark" and whether the video platform's fate in the US will be permanent.
Some workarounds could bring the app back to life, including brokering a deal to sell it to a US buyer.
Figures from Kevin O'Leary of Shark Tank to YouTuber MrBeast have expressed interest in buying the app.
BI's Peter Kafka reported that Bytedance hasn't publicly shown interest in selling TikTok or indicated any progress in a deal with a non-Chinese buyer so far.
There's also the possibility that the Trump administration could issue an executive order reversing the ban under the argument that the move is related to foreign affairs and national security interests.
A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment.
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