WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials say a focused enforcement operation in Los Angeles targeting serious criminal illegal immigrants coincided with a nearly 50% drop in border encounters between May and June.
On June 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched a campaign in Los Angeles, labeled by DHS as an effort to “remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens” from the sanctuary city. Since the operation began, DHS reports that both “apprehensions” and “gotaways” at the U.S.–Mexico border have dropped almost by half.
A summary distributed by DHS on June 24 highlights that the drop “from May to June” marks a substantial dip in illicit crossings. According to DHS, the joint ICE–CBP enforcement signal suggests sanctuary cities are no longer safe havens for criminal undocumented immigrants. The agency stated, “We will hunt down criminal illegal aliens and remove them from our communities.”
Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended the operation at a June press briefing, saying it was crucial for restoring “security” both in Los Angeles and at the nation’s southern border.
DHS characterizes this drop as a sign of enforcement effectiveness. But experts warn that correlation doesn’t prove causation—other factors could influence border activity. Furthermore, the aggressive interior enforcement has raised alarm about civil liberties, local control, and the use of federal and National Guard resources in cities like Los Angeles.
