While some criticisms arise from Democrats who assert that the Trump administration is politically targeting Democratic cities for enforcement actions, the truth appears more nuanced. Former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Sandweg, who served under President Barack Obama, provided valuable insight during a recent interview with Fox News Digital. He emphasized the crucial factors that guide ICE’s decisions on where to direct their operations.
Sandweg noted that the presence of sanctuary policies—local laws designed to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities—plays a significant role in determining which cities become the focus of ICE actions. However, he clarified that this is not merely a political calculation. “The biggest driver would be immigrant population, how significant a population is there in that particular community,” Sandweg explained. Following that, he mentioned, “is there something like a sanctuary policy that would increase the number of at-large targets,” meaning individuals ICE seeks to apprehend who aren’t currently incarcerated.
In 2025, the Trump administration mobilized ICE agents to major cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, all of which are characterized by significant immigrant populations and have established sanctuary policies. Sandweg anticipates that such crackdowns may only be “just beginning.” He stated, “You want to go where the criminals are… and so, you’re going to be looking at data about where is it that we can find the biggest bang for our buck,” explaining that higher density urban areas are statistically more likely to harbor criminal populations.
The breakdown of sanctuary cities’ impact on ICE operations reveals a deeper layer of complexity. Sandweg emphasized that not all sanctuary policies are created equal. ICE has developed methods to effectively target individuals in prisons and jails, claiming that there isn’t anyone booked in these institutions without ICE having visibility. “While we’re paying a lot of attention to these kinds of very public standoffs between protesters and DHS agents in Minneapolis and other places, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes the public doesn’t understand,” he said. This includes operations that involve identifying and apprehending individuals from various levels of incarceration.
Additionally, Sandweg highlighted the operational challenges posed by sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to comply with ICE detainer requests. These detainers are requests to local law enforcement to hold individuals until ICE can take custody. “There are jurisdictions… that have very restrictive sanctuary policies, where you’re sitting there scratching your head saying, these are bad guys, why won’t they give us custody of this person in jail?” Sandweg remarked. This refusal ultimately leads to more targets being left at large, prompting ICE to consider surging resources and personnel to those areas.
The operational dynamics within ICE, as described by Sandweg, illustrate how local policies significantly influence federal enforcement strategies. While accusations of political targeting persist, the agency’s decisions are rooted in data-driven assessments rather than solely partisan motives. By focusing on areas with considerable immigrant populations and restrictive cooperation with federal authorities, ICE aims to optimize its resources in addressing illegal immigration and public safety concerns.
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