WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 28: Posters depicting detained illegal immigrants are visible along the north lawn outside the West Wing of the White House on April 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Wednesday of this week will mark the first 100 days of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Washington D.C. – The Trump administration on Monday escalated its crackdown on illegal immigration with a series of aggressive moves, including the display of nearly 100 mugshots of undocumented immigrants along the White House driveway, a flurry of executive orders, and the announcement of a sweeping deportation campaign.
The mugshots, placed along the media area known as “Pebble Beach,” featured the faces of men labeled as “illegal alien,” with alleged crimes such as “murder,” “child molestation,” and “distribution of fentanyl.” While no names were disclosed, officials said the posters represent “some of the worst illegal immigrants and criminals” arrested under the Trump administration.
“Illegal immigration is not a victimless crime,” said Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, during a White House briefing. “Every child rapist and drug dealer we remove makes America safer.”
The display accompanied a series of executive orders signed by President Trump. One directive mandates the Department of Justice and Homeland Security to identify jurisdictions that obstruct immigration enforcement, putting sanctuary cities at risk of losing federal funding and facing legal action. “Get your affairs in order,” Homan warned undocumented migrants. “Leave on your own or be removed.”
The administration’s messaging comes as Trump approaches his 100th day in office and touts plunging illegal border crossings and a rise in deportations. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, illegal crossings in March dropped 95% compared to the same month under President Biden—from over 137,000 to just 7,200. Homan said 139,000 migrants have been deported since Trump took office.
Still, controversy surrounds the crackdown. According to ICE data, nearly half of the 48,000 individuals in ICE detention as of mid-April had no criminal record.
In Florida, ICE launched “Operation Tidal Wave,” arresting 780 undocumented migrants in just four days. The operation, a joint effort between state and federal agencies, marks a new level of cooperation and enforcement under Trump. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the effort, calling the state “a national leader in immigration enforcement.”
Meanwhile, the administration is targeting sanctuary cities like Rochester, N.Y., where federal authorities say local officials violated the Constitution by obstructing immigration enforcement.
Trump also signed additional executive orders supporting law enforcement and military involvement in immigration efforts and enforcing English-language requirements for commercial drivers.
“The Trump administration is in the beginning stages of the largest deportation campaign in American history,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
