A climate of apprehension is spreading across American communities as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations intensify under the current administration. Legal experts nationwide report mounting concerns regarding the aggressive methodologies employed by federal agents and the broad immunity they possess.
Minneapolis has emerged as the focal point of these tensions, yet similar immigration raids have proliferated in major metropolitan areas including New York City, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Edward J. Cuccia, a New York-based immigration attorney, testified to a dramatic surge in ICE-related cases, stating, ‘The past year has been completely upended by ICE activities. The situation has created immense stress and difficulty for countless individuals.’
Statistical evidence underscores this escalation. Federal data reveals approximately 73,000 immigrants currently in ICE detention—a striking 82% increase from the 40,000 detained during the same period last year. In New York specifically, municipal data indicates undocumented immigrants constitute 16% of the city’s population, with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders representing 13% of this demographic.
In response to these developments, New York Attorney General Letitia James established the ‘Legal Observation Project’ on February 3rd to monitor federal immigration operations. The initiative encourages citizens to document and report potential legal violations by federal agents.
Mike Fox, legal fellow at the Cato Institute, challenges common misconceptions about immigration enforcement. ‘The notion that enforcement only affects “bad people” is fundamentally flawed,’ Fox argues. ‘Most undocumented individuals are economic migrants seeking better opportunities. Moreover, numerous U.S. citizens have become inadvertently entangled in these operations.’
Illustrating this concern, an October 2025 raid in Chicago targeting Venezuelan gang members resulted in only two actual gang members among 37 arrests. The operation employed military-grade tactics including chemical flash bangs and a Black Hawk helicopter, with half a dozen U.S. citizens detained for hours before release.
Fox attributes much of the public opposition to the inappropriate deployment of border security personnel for urban policing functions. ‘Border Patrol is designed for border security, not urban crowd control or traffic stops. ICE’s mandate should focus on targeted operations against violent offenders, not broad enforcement actions,’ he emphasized.
The growing disconnect between intended enforcement objectives and actual operational outcomes continues to generate widespread concern among legal experts and communities across the United States.