The White House kicked off its 100-day celebration by spotlighting its crackdown on illegal immigration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Tom Homan joined press secretary Karoline Leavitt for a Monday morning briefing. They highlighted a sharp drop in border crossings and new executive orders targeting deportations.
"We are in the process of carrying out the largest deportation campaign in American history," Leavitt said. "After four years of being vilified by the Biden-Harris administration, our heroic ICE officers can finally do their jobs," she added.
Homan slammed the Biden administration, saying they had "unsecured the border on purpose." He reminded reporters that he started in Border Patrol back in 1984. "I've worked for six presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan," he said. "We've gotta know who's coming, what's coming, where it's coming and why it's coming in, right?"
He argued that even Presidents Obama and Clinton addressed border security. Biden, he claimed, was the first president to deliberately weaken it. "First president in the history of this nation who came into office and unsecured the border on purpose," Homan said.
Homan praised the dramatic fall in illegal immigration under Trump. "When 96% less people are coming [across the border], how many women aren't being sexually assaulted by the cartels?" he asked. He also pointed to fewer deaths, sex trafficking cases, terrorist entries, and fentanyl smuggling.
Leavitt said Operation Tidal Wave is now the largest deportation operation in American history. She called it just the start. "It's a sign of things to come," she said.
The administration had previously said they deported 100,000 illegal immigrants by early April. Officials didn’t give an updated total during Monday’s briefing. But emphasized that the effort is ongoing and growing.
Monday's press conference was the first of several planned for the week. Leavitt said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would appear for a similar briefing on Tuesday. The administration plans to keep highlighting its early achievements.
Recent deportations included moving migrants to an El Salvador mega prison. Using the Alien Enemies Act, Trump officials deported 17 alleged Venezuelan gang members from Guantánamo Bay to El Salvador on Sunday night under Title 8.