While millions of Americans gathered for Christmas festivities, the Department of Homeland Security executed a series of coordinated immigration sweeps across major metropolitan areas, leaving immigrant communities in a state of high alert. Reports of federal stings have emerged from San Diego to Chicago, marking an aggressive conclusion to the Trump administration’s 2025 enforcement calendar. From construction sites in Ohio to residential neighborhoods in Illinois, the holiday season has been defined by a significant uptick in detentions and a controversial new push for “self-deportation.”
In Columbus, Ohio, the recently launched “Operation Buckeye” has targeted dozens of individuals, including arrests at active construction sites just days before the holiday. Family members of those detained report being unable to contact their loved ones, often only confirming their whereabouts through online booking photos. Similar operations have been reported in Charlotte, North Carolina, and San Diego, where advocates note that agents are increasingly making arrests during routine immigration appointments and outside downtown office buildings. Despite the administration’s stated focus on “the worst of the worst,” data suggests that a majority of those currently in detention have no criminal record beyond immigration violations.
The enforcement surge coincides with a high-profile holiday campaign by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who announced a tripled “exit bonus” for those who choose to leave the country voluntarily. Under the temporary program, undocumented immigrants who register through the “CBP Home” app and depart by December 31 are eligible for a $3,000 stipend and free airfare. Noem framed the incentive as a “gift” from the U.S. taxpayer, while simultaneously warning that those who decline the offer will be found and permanently barred from returning. However, the program has faced scrutiny following reports that some who self-deported earlier this year have yet to receive their promised payments.
The administration’s tactics have drawn sharp criticism, particularly following a White House social media post featuring an animated “Santa’s Naughty List” of deportable individuals. In cities like Chicago, where agents have been spotted near schools and Hispanic neighborhoods, local officials have condemned the timing of the raids as intentionally disruptive to the holiday. As the year draws to a close, ICE detention numbers have hit an all-time high of over 68,000 people, signaling that the administration has no plans to slow its mass deportation agenda as it heads into the new year.
