Top ICE Officials Reassigned Amid Increased Pressure for Deportations

Two senior officials at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Russell Hott and Peter Berg, have been reassigned amid increasing pressure from the Trump administration to ramp up arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants. This shift comes as the administration grapples with the pace of enforcement, which initially surged to as many as 1,200 arrests per day in late January but has since declined due to overcrowded detention facilities and the reassignment of additional enforcement teams. Acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello faces scrutiny to boost operational results, with calls for a 'culture of accountability' in the agency. Former ICE Director Tom Homan expressed dissatisfaction with the current arrest numbers, emphasizing the need to focus on criminal aliens, while the administration continues to highlight enforcement actions through social media. Local communities, particularly immigrant workers, are expressing concern about the intensified enforcement climate, fearing deportation amidst ongoing changes in immigration policy. ICE's operational challenges are compounded by a lack of clear data on arrests in recent weeks, further complicating the agency's efforts to align with White House demands.