Some Democrats claim that the Trump administration has been politically targeting Democratic cities. However, John Sandweg, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), offered insights on the decision-making process for selecting enforcement locations.
During a conversation with Fox News Digital, Sandweg, who led ICE under President Obama from 2013 to 2014, explained that sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants significantly influence which cities are targeted, although he clarified that the reasons aren’t solely political.
He said, “The main factor is the immigrant population in the community. Then there’s the presence of a sanctuary policy that might increase the number of individuals ICE wants to detain—those who aren’t currently incarcerated.” This, he noted, is a traditional method that ICE uses when picking locations for large enforcement actions.
Back in 2025, ICE agents were sent to major cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago—places known for their substantial immigrant populations and sanctuary policies. Sandweg hinted that these operations might just be beginning.
“You want to target where the criminals are,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of data in identifying effective locations. “Big cities tend to have higher population density, making it more likely to encounter crime groups.”
When discussing sanctuary cities, Sandweg pointed out that not all sanctuary policies are the same. He shared, “ICE is adept at identifying individuals in the jail system. No one in U.S. jails is unknown to ICE.” He noted that while public confrontations between immigrant rights activists and Homeland Security officials are visible—especially in places like Minneapolis—much of the activity occurs behind the scenes. This includes apprehensions in various types of jails across the country.
He mentioned that some sanctuary jurisdictions are cooperative with ICE, especially when it comes to serious criminal offenses, while others are not, which can lead to operational challenges and prompt more ICE presence in those areas.
Sandweg emphasized that jurisdictions with stringent sanctuary policies complicate matters. “You can’t help but ask, ‘Why won’t they hand over these individuals?’” He indicated that areas like these could become hotspots for ICE activity due to the potential targets they harbor.
