DHS Plans Multi-State Sanctuary Enforcement Operation Starting January 13, Agents Say

The Operation

The Department of Homeland Security is preparing a coordinated immigration enforcement operation targeting criminal aliens in four sanctuary jurisdictions, set to begin before dawn on January 13, according to two Border Patrol agents familiar with the planning. The agents said Immigration and Customs Enforcement will deploy approximately 400 officers to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and New York in an operation officials are calling "Operation Secure Corridor."

The operation will focus on aliens with final orders of removal, particularly those with criminal convictions for violent offenses, drug trafficking, and sexual assault, the agents said. A DHS official familiar with the operation said the agency has identified roughly 1,200 targets across the four cities, with about 340 targets in Chicago, 290 in Denver, 310 in Los Angeles, and 260 in New York. The official said the targets include individuals with homicide convictions, aggravated assault convictions, and multiple DUI convictions.

Officers will stage at a Holiday Inn near O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and at similar secure locations in the other cities, the agents said. The operation is scheduled to begin at 4:00 a.m. local time on January 13 and continue through January 17. The DHS official said the operation was approved at a January 7 meeting at ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., attended by senior officials from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and the DHS policy office.

The agents said each arrest team will include eight to twelve officers, one ICE attorney, one supervisory deportation officer, and one medical technician. The teams will use unmarked vehicles and will coordinate through a secure radio channel. The DHS official said the agency has obtained administrative warrants for all 1,200 targets and has arranged detention space at facilities in Texas, Louisiana, and Arizona.

Sanctuary Jurisdiction Response

Local officials in the targeted cities have not been notified in advance, according to a Texas law enforcement source who has been briefed on the operation. The source said ICE officials decided against providing advance notice to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and New York police departments because of those jurisdictions' sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

The Border Patrol agents said the decision to exclude local police was made at the highest levels of DHS after sanctuary jurisdictions in 2025 refused to honor multiple ICE detainers. The agents said the operation will rely on federal databases, including the National Crime Information Center and the Enforcement Integrated Database, to locate targets.

The source said ICE agents expect to encounter resistance from local officials and have prepared legal filings to challenge any interference. The agents said each arrest team will include at least one ICE attorney and one supervisory deportation officer to handle legal challenges at the scene. The teams will also include medical personnel and translators.

A DHS official said the operation is part of a broader effort to increase interior enforcement following policy changes enacted in late 2025. The official said ICE arrests nationwide increased by 34 percent in December 2025 compared to December 2024, with the agency making approximately 11,400 arrests last month. The official said the agency is on track to make 150,000 arrests in fiscal year 2026, which would represent the highest total since 2014.

The Texas law enforcement source said state and local agencies in Texas have been asked to provide backup support if needed, though the operation is focused on the four named cities. The source said Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and Texas Rangers could be made available to secure staging areas and transport detainees if ICE requests assistance.

What Happens Next

The operation is expected to draw legal challenges from immigrant advocacy groups and local governments. Two congressional aides briefed on the plan said House Republicans plan to introduce legislation on January 14 to block federal law enforcement grants to sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with ICE. The aides said the bill, titled the "Cooperation with Federal Immigration Enforcement Act," would withhold approximately $1.2 billion in annual Justice Department grants.

The DHS official said the agency plans to hold a press conference on January 13 evening at ICE headquarters to announce the results of the first day of arrests. The official said the secretary is expected to attend, though the official cautioned that the schedule could change. ICE will also release daily arrest totals through its public affairs office.

Advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Immigration Forum are expected to file lawsuits challenging the operation by January 14. The groups are likely to argue that the operation violates due process rights and that ICE is targeting individuals with old removal orders who have established lives in the United States.

Major national outlets, including the Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, and the BBC, have not reported the planned operation. Those outlets are expected to confirm the operation after ICE begins arrests on January 13. The Alamo Post is publishing this account based on interviews with two Border Patrol agents, a DHS official familiar with the operation, and a Texas law enforcement source.