Mass Deportation Begins: ICE Rolling Out Ankle Monitors for 4.5 Million Migrants

The United States is preparing to place ankle monitors on as many as 4.5 million migrants as part of an intensified tracking and deportation initiative led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to reports, the individuals targeted for monitoring are migrants who entered the country illegally and are currently required to check in regularly with ICE. The goal of the program is to ensure they comply with immigration laws and attend scheduled court hearings.

A government source told the New York Post, “There’s a new sheriff in town, and we’re not doing things the way they were done over the past four years. The agency wants accountability.” The source emphasized that removing an ankle monitor will now be treated as a criminal offense, a significant shift from the Biden-era policy that often left such violations unpunished.

Thousands of ankle monitors are currently being distributed nationwide as part of ICE's Intensive Supervision Appearance Program. As of last month, more than 183,000 migrants were being tracked using either ankle monitors, wrist-worn devices, or mobile phone apps.

The updated program also includes stricter check-in requirements, obligating migrants to report more frequently to ICE offices. Officials believe that freeing up agents from routine supervision tasks will allow more resources to be devoted to large-scale deportation raids.

On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the hiring of 20,000 new ICE agents. This would mark the largest expansion in the agency’s history, more than tripling the number of current deportation officers, which stands at around 6,000.

Trump has also signaled his intent to involve local law enforcement more directly in the deportation process.

Despite these plans, ICE has warned Congress that it is facing a severe budget shortfall. Nevertheless, the administration is reportedly aiming for at least one million deportations in 2025. Over 100,000 migrants have already been deported this year, and officials note that many others have left the country voluntarily before being detained.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in American history, claiming that up to 20 million people are living illegally in the United States.

Since returning to office in January, the Trump administration has taken several aggressive steps to address illegal immigration. These include moves to end birthright citizenship, targeted raids against high-priority individuals, and international agreements to house deported migrants in foreign facilities.

Notably, members of the violent gangs MS-13 and Tren de Aragua have been deported to El Salvador, where they are being held in the high-security CECOT prison.