Boston’s crime wave surges as ICE fights for enforcement



Since taking office earlier this year, President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to combat crime linked to illegal immigration. He has relied on border czar Tom Homan and ICE officers to carry out deportations.

So far, authorities have deported more than a thousand people to their home countries. Homan and his team remain committed to targeting major cities with large numbers of illegal immigrants.

Knock off the insults and get on board with finding proper solutions. Show us where 'trust' and 'accountability' are supposed to come from.

One of those cities is Boston, where local officials have refused to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement as they coddle illegal aliens and criminals at the expense of legal citizens.

During a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday, Homan addressed Councilwoman Sharon Durkan directly. “You said you doubled down on not helping ICE officers,” he said. “I’m coming to Boston, and I’m bringing hell with me.”

“I looked at the numbers this morning,” Homan said. “I stopped counting at nine. Nine child rapists that were in jail in Massachusetts, but rather than honoring an ICE detainer, you released them back into the street.”

Sad but true. But Durkan appears more focused on protecting migrants than supporting the officers working to keep her city safe. Meanwhile, Boston has yet to pass a new police budget.

But it gets worse.

Durkan responded to Homan’s remarks by mocking his early career as a police officer in New York State in the 1980s. “Laughable that someone who spent their career policing a town smaller than a Fenway Park crowd thinks they can lecture Boston on public safety,” she said at the time.

She then praised Boston’s police leadership. “Commissioner Michael Cox serves with distinction and earns trust with integrity,” she added. “Tom Homan should know, we don’t scare easy.”

Rather than working with Homan to arrest and remove illegal immigrants contributing to the city’s crime, Durkan chose to mock his background in law enforcement, making fun of his experience because he worked in a “small” community.

It's just insulting. Homan’s career path is irrelevant. What matters is that he did the job and did it well. Durkan’s remarks don’t just insult him — they undermine the hard work and dedication of officers in communities of all sizes.

More importantly, this isn’t about “scaring” anyone. Durkan has created opposition because she believes Boston has strong leadership. But rising crime rates and the decline of certain neighborhoods due to illegal immigration reveal where that leadership is failing. If she wants to talk about what’s truly “scary,” she should look at what Cox has done in recent months. He isn’t helping.

Durkan has since walked back her comments, but here’s how she responded: “Yes, I understand that Tom Homan spent his career as a federal agent within Border Patrol and ICE, but that’s a world away from the realities of policing a major city. His background is in immigration enforcement, not community policing — where trust and accountability are key.”

Where is this “trust and accountability,” then? Boston has become notorious for releasing heinous illegal immigrant criminals onto its streets. We’re talking about rapists and violent gang members. Officers are overwhelmed by the increase in crime throughout the city, and citizens are leaving in droves because of the lack of support for them.

I don’t see trust there. And I sure as hell don’t see accountability.

Durkan should leave social media and work with Homan on a solution to the problem, rather than causing new ones. Her city has been suffering for a very long time, and she’s put too much of her own trust in the wrong places.

Knock off the insults and get on board with finding proper solutions. Show us — and for that matter, show Boston’s police officers — where “trust” and “accountability” are supposed to come from.

And don’t insult small-town officers. They’re the hardest working of the bunch, and I know a great many of them. Awesome people. Those are the ones I keep fighting for.

Trump’s Border Success Proves Republicans Never Had To Negotiate Our Sovereignty

One year ago, a handful of so-called Republicans, led by Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, backed a border bill that would have sold out American sovereignty. But as it would turn out, Lankford and his accomplices never needed to compromise our borders to secure them — as evidenced by the plummeting illegal crossings seen during President […]

Border agent accused of being cartel member who smuggled illegal aliens into the US



A United States Customs and Border Protection agent stands accused of being a Mexican drug cartel member who exploited his position to smuggle illegal aliens into the country.

CBP officer Manuel Perez Jr., 32, was terminated from the agency when he was arrested on federal human- and drug-smuggling charges on February 8, according to the El Paso Times.

'By all measures, he lives in Mexico.'

Perez, a U.S. citizen born in California, was stationed at the Paso del Norte International Bridge in El Paso, Texas.

If found guilty, he could face up to a decade in prison.

A special agent with the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility testified that Perez was a member of a drug cartel.

“Multiple witnesses said he belonged to La Linea cartel in Mexico,” the special agent stated.

The agent explained that intercepted phone calls from smugglers promised a “100% guaranteed” border crossing, claiming that they had “the officer in their pocket.”

Perez’s lawyer, Ruben Ortiz, claimed that the alleged co-conspirators could be lying about his client’s involvement. He accused them of “pointing fingers, perhaps to gain favor from the government in their own cases.”

“The cooperating witnesses are telling them (federal investigators) whatever they want to hear for now,” Ortiz stated.

The agent testified that Perez admitted to federal investigators that he received $2,500 for each illegal alien he allowed to pass through his inspection lane at the southern border. Investigators revealed that Perez permitted a gray Nissan Pathfinder carrying illegal aliens to cross the border multiple times. The exact number of illegal immigrants, including children, that Perez allegedly allowed into the U.S. remains unclear.

Federal investigators estimated that Perez could have been paid up to $400,000 since December 2023 for his involvement in the illegal smuggling operation. He is also accused of participating in a cocaine distribution scheme from November 2019 through February 5, 2025.

Perez has no prior history of criminal activity or substance abuse.

The investigation into Perez uncovered that the CBP officer allegedly spent approximately 80% of his time in Mexico despite claiming he resided in El Paso.

“By all measures, he lives in Mexico,” prosecutors argued.

The special agent testified that Perez was always armed and had an armed security detail with him while he was in Mexico.

Ortiz stated that his client spent significant time in Mexico because he had a girlfriend living there.

One witness claimed that Perez had expressed a preference to be detained in Mexico if arrested so that he could continue his illegal activities from inside the jail.

Mexican agents reportedly searched Perez’s rental property in Juárez and discovered $18,000 in cash.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres rejected Ortiz’s request to release Perez on bond with GPS monitoring. The judge determined there was "no question" Perez posed a flight risk, citing the extensive time he spent in Mexico. Consequently, Perez will remain in jail without bond.

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Dem Rep Compares Immigration Enforcement Bill To Fugitive Slave Act

'Echoes one of the darkest chapters in our nation's history'

‘Serious Consequences’: House Votes To Slap Migrants Who Flee Border Patrol On Vehicle With Jail Time, Deportation

'The audacity'

Kristi Noem takes charge, rights Biden’s and Mayorkas’ wrongs at DHS



Donald Trump’s second presidential administration has stormed into Washington like a Category 5 hurricane, dismantling the bureaucratic rot left by Joe Biden and previous presidents at an astonishing pace.

Among the high-profile disruptors in Trump’s Cabinet, few have made a more dramatic impact than Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The damage inflicted on America’s borders and law enforcement agencies during the Biden years is severe, and fixing it will not be easy.

Since taking office on January 25, Noem has been everywhere. She has joined Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on arrest operations in New York, inspected DHS security measures in New Orleans ahead of the Super Bowl, and accompanied Border Patrol agents in Texas — both by helicopter and on horseback.

Kristi Noem’s border visits are more than just photo ops — they mark a long-overdue corrective to the disastrous tenure of her predecessor, Alejandro Mayorkas.

Under Mayorkas’ “leadership,” more than 10 million illegal aliens entered the United States. When the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that DHS could not mass parole illegal aliens into the country, he expanded the practice anyway. Since fiscal year 2021, authorities have caught 362 individuals on the terrorist watchlist illegally crossing the Southwest border. That figure is just one piece of the overwhelming evidence showing how Mayorkas and Biden enabled an unprecedented border crisis.

The consequences of Mayorkas’ mismanagement have been severe, but his gaslighting only deepened the public’s frustration. Throughout the Biden administration, Americans watched him testify before Congress and speak to friendly corporate media outlets, repeatedly insisting that the southern border was secure — despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Instead of enforcing immigration laws, Mayorkas actively encouraged illegal crossings. His DHS even introduced the CBP One phone app, which Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and others described as a “concierge service for illegal immigrants.”

Mayorkas’ tenure also devastated the agencies under his command. With Border Patrol effectively transformed from a law enforcement agency into a welcoming committee for illegal aliens, more than 4,000 agents left the department since October 2020. Retirement rates more than doubled compared to the previous two administrations. Morale plummeted not just within the Border Patrol but also at ICE and other agencies under DHS.

Against this backdrop, Noem’s ride with the Del Rio horse patrol unit in Texas carried particular significance. In 2021, five members of the unit saw their reputations destroyed when the government’s highest officials and the media falsely accused them of wrongdoing over a misinterpreted photograph.

During a chaotic scene involving Haitian migrants, mounted agents were photographed with their horses’ reins flying through the air. Anti-border activists assumed the worst, immediately accusing the agents of whipping migrants.

Mayorkas, who initially defended the agents, quickly reversed course, declaring himself “horrified” by the images and vowing swift punishment. Biden, ignoring due process and the presumption of innocence, proclaimed, “It’s outrageous. I promise you those people will pay.”

The accusation against the Del Rio horse patrol had one major flaw: The photographer who captured the image stated that no whipping had occurred. Furthermore, Border Patrol does not issue whips to mounted agents.

Rather than admit their mistake, Mayorkas and Biden allowed the accused agents to endure months of public scorn, their reputations unjustly tarnished. A nearly 10-month inquiry confirmed that the agents had not whipped migrants, yet they still faced internal disciplinary action.

In a quiet acknowledgment of the injustice, DHS last year discreetly awarded a service medal to one of the mounted agents — a meager attempt at redemption but far from the public apology the patrol deserved. It remains one of the most shameful episodes in the department’s history.

During her Texas visit, Noem rode horseback with some of the falsely accused agents, signaling a commitment to repairing the relationship between DHS leadership and frontline personnel.

“The last leadership team at DHS, and Mayorkas, he rode over them,” Noem told Fox News’ Lawrence Jones. “I think it’s important today that they know I ride with them.”

The damage inflicted on America’s borders and law enforcement agencies during the Biden years is severe, and fixing it will not be easy. But Noem’s energy, leadership, and management style suggest she is up to the task.

Mexican cartels greenlight explosive drone assaults against Border Patrol agents



Mexican drug cartels have instructed members to attack Border Patrol agents by deploying drones equipped with explosives, according to an agency memo.

An "Officer Safety Alert" obtained by the New York Post and NewsNation stated that the El Paso Sector Intelligence and Operations Center received information on February 1 indicating that "Mexican cartel leaders have authorized the deployment of drones equipped with explosives to be used against U.S. Border Patrol agents and U.S. military personal currently working along the border with Mexico."

'We don't want the bad guy to know we're coming.'

"It is recommended that all U.S. Border Patrol agents and DoD [Department of Defense] personnel working along the border report any sighting of drones to their respective leadership staff and the EPT-IOC," the memo added.

Border Patrol officers were advised "to remain cognizant of their surroundings at all times" and "carry proper equipment," including first-aid kits and body armor. The memo also told agents that their rifles "should be readily available."

The directive from the cartels comes during President Donald Trump's nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration and mass deportation efforts.

NewsNation reported Sunday that threats against Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have escalated on social media.

Memos circulated by Customs and Border Protection cited two posts that encouraged assassination attempts against ICE agents. Another social media post instructed illegal aliens in the U.S. to "spit and urinate" in ICE agents' food and defecate in their vehicles, NewsNation reported.

Last month, a Texas Department of Public Safety memo obtained by the Post revealed that a group of 20 Tren de Aragua gang members armed with blades, tire irons, and broken liquor bottles attempted to break into the U.S. at an El Paso border crossing.

A source reported that TDA intended to "cause harm" to the Texas National Guard troops stationed near the border.

The San Diego Sector Intelligence Unit received an alert in early December that a Mexican cartel had issued a hit against Border Patrol agents stationed at the Imperial Beach and Chula Vista Border Patrol Stations.

"Information received indicated top cartel leaders ordered the shooting towards agents in response and retaliation for an incident that occurred," an internal memo read.

Border czar Tom Homan told NewsNation last week, "We've got many target cities, but I'm not going to share them with you because we got to keep our officers safe."

"Matter of fact, Chicago, that operation was leaked, so we had to reschedule that one. But we need an element of surprise because of officer safety issues. We don't want the bad guy to know we're coming," he added.

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Report: ‘Zizian’ Trans Cult Connected To Multiple Killings, Including Death Of Border Patrol Agent

Multiple deaths, including the Vermont shooting of a Border Patrol agent, have been linked to members of a transgender cult dubbed 'Zizians.'

Vermont Border Patrol agent's fatal shooting tied to radical trans murder cult



The fatal shooting of a Vermont Border Patrol agent on Inauguration Day has been tied to a radical leftist cult whose members claim to identify as transgender.

Border Patrol agent David "Chris" Maland, 44, was tragically shot and killed while performing a traffic stop on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont, on January 20.

'The victim was a witness to a crime who the defendant intentionally killed for the purpose of preventing his testimony in a criminal proceeding.'

Teresa "Milo" Youngblut, a 21-year-old Washington state resident and the driver of the vehicle, is accused of fatally shooting Maland. She currently faces two charges of assault with a deadly weapon and an additional charge of resisting or impeding federal law enforcement.

Felix "Ophelia" Bauckholt, a German national, was a passenger in Youngblut's vehicle and was shot and killed during the altercation.

The Post Millennial's Andy Ngo reported that both Youngblut and Bauckholt identified as transgender.

According to authorities, the guns in Youngblut and Bauckholt's possession are owned by a person of interest in other murders.

Court filings read, "Her [Youngblut] associations with other individuals suspected of violent acts also warrants caution."

"The individual who purchased the firearms the defendant and Bauckholt possessed on January 20, 2025, is a person of interest in a dual-homicide investigation in Delaware County, Pennsylvania," it added.

The court filing appears to be referring to Michelle Jacqueline Zajko, a bioinformatics researcher who claims to identify as transgender nonbinary.

Zajko's parents, Rita and Richard Zajko, were killed in early 2023. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unsolved.

Michelle Jacqueline Zajko has been linked to a radical group known as the "Zizians," a transgender vegan militant cult.

Ngo reported that the militant group's members are all highly educated and "hold fringe, esoteric ideological beliefs about transhumanism and animal rights."

The leader of the group, Jack LaSota, who also goes by "Ziz" and Andrea Phelps, is a male who identifies as a female. LaSota is accused of influencing his followers to commit murders.

LaSota has a warrant out for his arrest in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. However, Zizians claim that he is deceased.

Ngo reported that LaSota's followers appear to have created a fake obituary, claiming he died in 2022 for the purpose of evading law enforcement. However, a source stated that LaSota had been living with Bauckholt and other cult members in an Airbnb in North Carolina since 2023.

In November, Youngblut applied for a marriage application with Maximilian Bentley Snyder, 22.

Last week, Snyder was arrested in California for the murder of Curtis Lind, 82.

In November 2022, three Zizian cult members who were accused of squatting on Lind's California property allegedly attempted to murder the owner.

Despite being repeatedly stabbed and impaled by a sword, Lind survived the attack. Lind, who lost an eye in the assault, shot two of his alleged attackers, killing Amir "Emma" Borhanian.

The other two alleged assailants, Suri Dao and Alexander "Somni" Leatham, are scheduled for trial in April for the attempted murder of Lind. Court filings revealed that the suspects had tried to escape custody, and both were described as "extremely dangerous."

On January 17, Lind was stabbed to death by an assailant wearing a mask and black beanie. Snyder, who has been taken into custody, was accused of lying in wait to murder Lind to prevent him from testifying against the other Zizian cult members.

According to court filings, "The victim was a witness to a crime who the defendant intentionally killed for the purpose of preventing his testimony in a criminal proceeding."

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Blaze News original: American hiker shot by 'suspected cartel terrorists' highlights chaos under sanctuary laws



A group of "suspected cartel terrorists" shot an American hiker last week in California near one of the most heavily trafficked border crossings in the nation.

According to Customs and Border Protection, the agency was notified by the Imperial County Sheriff's Office about the ruthless attack around 11:00 a.m. on January 22.

'Yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border.'

CBP encountered the group approximately 1,000 feet north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector officials posted a video on social media, showing agents carrying the injured hiker to a helicopter. The victim, who sustained two gunshot wounds to his leg, was airlifted to a nearby hospital to receive treatment.

— (@)

Border Patrol referred to the incident as an "attack on [a] U.S. citizen by suspected cartel terrorists."

"A group of U.S. citizens hiking in the Jacumba Wilderness in California was brutally attacked and strafed with gunfire by suspect cartel members in El Centro Sector's area of responsibility," Border Patrol's post read. "One victim was shot twice and robbed."

"These cartels think they can bring their war to American soil," the statement continued. "Let this serve as a WARNING: The El Centro Sector will not stand idly by. The safety of our citizens is NOT negotiable; cartel terrorists have no place in our country preying on the innocent. Enough is enough."

The post noted that the Border Patrol's Mobile Response Team, Tactical Unit, and Search, Trauma, and Rescue "were dispatched to the area to rescue the hikers, evacuate them, and neutralize any threats."

'How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?'

"The American people will not retreat from this kind of terror," the Border Patrol's post concluded.

A Canadian citizen who was hiking with the group was shot at and robbed during the attack, according to a CBP press release. The individual was not wounded.

"He was here legally, visiting and out for a hike with his friends," a post from the El Centro Sector read. "He was shot at (uninjured) and later robbed after bravely staying at his wounded friend's side."

The assailants took the men's cell phones and backpacks.

El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino said, "The wounded hiker is an 'I told you so moment' highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure the Border Patrol has been championing for years now."

"Suspected cartel terrorists, however, are fixing to learn this type of conduct will be an end game type of activity here in the Premier Sector. All threats, anywhere, or at any time throughout this sector will be addressed vigorously," Bovino added.

According to NewsNation's Ali Bradley, the group of approximately 10 was reportedly walking at the Valley of the Moon, a hiking area in Jacumba Hot Springs. The trailhead is located in San Diego County, and the path extends into Imperial County.

"The hikers said the bandits were armed and were talking to them, but the hikers couldn't understand Spanish so the bandits started shooting into the air and then fired shots at the group, hitting the man in the leg," Bradley wrote in a post on X.

The suspects reportedly escaped Border Patrol agents, fleeing back to Mexico.

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond told Blaze News that the violent attack was "yet another alarming example of the chaos at our southern border."

"When cartels and border bandits feel emboldened to cross into our country, attack innocent civilians, and retreat back into Mexico without consequence, it's clear that we do not have operational control of our border," Desmond stated. "American citizens should not have to fear for their lives while hiking in their own country."

"Our Border Patrol agents do an incredible job with the resources they have, but it's not enough," he continued. "The cartels are exploiting our open border and operating with near impunity. Until the border is fully secured, we need the National Guard and military stationed there to stop these violent criminals from preying on innocent people."

"How many more Americans have to be shot, trafficked, or killed before action is taken?" Desmond questioned.

Cory Gautereaux, a San Diego resident and the founder of the Goat Initiative, an organization dedicated to combatting human trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border, told Blaze News that the hiking area where the incident occurred is "extremely remote."

"It used to be a very popular off-road, hiking, climbing area but not much in the last two to three years," he noted.

Gautereaux stated that he is "extremely happy to see 'the boys go to work.'"

"Meaning, we have had these specialized Border Patrol teams neutered by the last admin. It took a matter of days to show how fast they can react and what they are capable of once you let them loose," he said of the Border Patrol's emergency response teams.

Imperial County informed Blaze News that the "case is currently under the jurisdiction of the FBI," directing any questions to the federal agency.

'Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?'

When asked whether the incident is currently under investigation, FBI San Diego stated, "Based on longstanding DOJ policy, we cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation."

The agency also did not address whether the suspects were confirmed cartel terrorists.

California suburbs push back against liberal sanctuary policies

Officials in El Cajon, a city within San Diego County, moved to reject the state's and the county's sanctuary policies.

On January 28, Mayor Bill Wells introduced a resolution "to support federal deportation efforts for criminals, ensuring that those who break our laws and threaten our families are held accountable," according to an email statement sent to Blaze News.

The city council's agenda stated that the resolution aimed to provide clarity regarding the inconsistencies between state and federal immigration laws. It further declared El Cajon's "intent to ensure the public safety of all residents" and "intent to comply with federal immigration law to the legal extent permissible under SB 54 and other applicable laws to remove violent criminals from our community."

California's Senate Bill 54, signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in 2017, prohibits local officials from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

On Tuesday, El Cajon residents packed the city council meeting to voice their opinions on the mayor's resolution. The heated debate lasted five hours with more than 80 residents requesting to speak on the matter.

Gautereaux addressed the city council, asking, "Are we trying to protect criminals or residents?"

"Two weeks ago, I had a very informative, private dinner with Tom Homan. I will tell that he's coming. He's coming here to El Cajon," he said. "He knows how everyone's going to vote today. Let's make sure we do it right so when he comes to town, we can work with him and get the violent people out of this city."

Residents against the resolution argued that such a policy was inherently racist and discriminatory. Several residents, particularly those of color, claimed that with the Trump administration promising mass deportations, they felt forced to carry around documents proving their American citizenship.

One woman stated she told her father "to carry around his birth certificate because of potential deportation due to misguided profiling."

"I had to tell my mother to carry her naturalization papers," she added. "Why do I have to carry around my own birth certificate? I was born here."

"We're already scared to call the cops. Now, we're definitely not going to," she added.

The city's decision to consider the resolution followed a December determination by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to adopt a measure that effectively doubled down on the county's sanctuary status. The only dissenting vote was made by Supervisor Desmond, who opposed the county's "super" sanctuary status.

'The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's efforts.'

Regarding his proposed resolution, Wells said, "For too long, California's Sanctuary State policies have protected illegal criminals at the expense of law-abiding citizens. These policies prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal authorities, allowing dangerous individuals to remain in our community and country. That must change."

"After meeting with border czar Tom Homan, it is clear that we must take action at the local level. I am proposing that our city will work with — not against — federal immigration enforcement to ensure that criminals who pose a risk to our residents are removed," he added.

On Tuesday evening, the El Cajon City Council voted 3-2 to reject Wells' resolution.

City council member Steve Goble, the swing vote, argued that he did not want El Cajon to become the center of political controversy like Huntington Beach.

Approximately 100 miles north in Orange County, city council members in Huntington Beach unanimously voted earlier this month to declare the Los Angeles suburb a "non-sanctuary city."

Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns stated that the resolution was "in the best interest of our community."

"The intent of this resolution is to deliberately sidestep the governor's [Gavin Newsom] efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city's cooperation with the federal government, the Trump administration, and border czar Tom Homan's work," the city's resolution read.

Further, Burns filed a lawsuit against California's SB 54, claiming that it "not only limits the ability of city officials ... to engage in fullest of effective law enforcement practices, but it directs city officials ... to violate U.S. federal immigration laws."

Trump admin moves to stop invasion

On Inauguration Day, just days before the attack on the group of hikers, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating cartels "as foreign terrorist organizations."

The executive action read, "The cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs."

"The cartels functionally control, through a campaign of assassination, terror, rape, and brute force nearly all illegal traffic across the southern border of the United States," it continued. "In certain portions of Mexico, they function as quasi-governmental entities, controlling nearly all aspects of society. The cartels' activities threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western hemisphere. Their activities, proximity to, and incursions into the physical territory of the United States pose an unacceptable national security risk to the United States."

Also, as part of his day-one actions, the president declared the overwhelming number of illegal entries a national emergency in keeping with his promise to move swiftly to close down the southern border.

"Cartels control vast territories just south of our southern border, effectively controlling who can and cannot travel to the United States from Mexico," the order stated.

Just three days into his presidency, Trump signed another executive order to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Border Patrol agents with cracking down on illegal crossings.

The administration stated that the directive would deploy 1,000 Army personnel and 500 Marines to the southern border of California and Texas. The soldiers will be tasked with erecting border barriers to deter illegal entries.

There are already 2,500 soldiers stationed at the border.

An internal government memo obtained by CBS News revealed that the administration is weighing sending up to 10,000 active-duty military members.

Military personnel are not tasked with direct immigration enforcement; instead, they provide CBP with other assistance, which can include detection and monitoring, logistics, administrative, and mechanical support.

The document obtained by CBS News further stated that the Trump administration's Department of Defense "may" convert its bases into "holding facilities."

Trump has reportedly already successfully reduced the number of border crossings. On Sunday, bored encounters reached less than 600 people, with no sector experiencing more than 200, Fox News reported. For comparison, under former President Joe Biden, daily encounter peaks reached 11,000. Even in the final days of Biden's presidency, there were 1,200 to 1,400 daily.

Border czar Tom Homan has expressed a need for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to drastically increase the number of detention beds. ICE currently has 34,000 beds, but Homan hopes to secure at least 100,000.

The internal government memo stated that ICE has requested 14 new detention facilities with 1,000 beds each and four additional holding centers with 10,000 beds each.

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