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February 12, 2025

ERO sets single-day record with 2,135 sanctuary city arrests

Congressional Research Service
Justia Law
American Civil Liberties Union
Brennan Center for Justice
U.s. Department of Homeland Security
+8

2,135 detained in coordinated 48-hour operation

Operation Safe Nation officially launched on Feb. 12, 2025, as announced by DHS (https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/02/12/dhs-launches-operation-safe-nation).

The operation mobilized ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Border Patrol, and Treasury agents in a coordinated interior enforcement action (Department of Justice Task Force Memo: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/operation-safe-nation-multi-agency-coordination).

Initial raids targeted 31 college campuses across eight states that had declared sanctuary policies (Higher Education Immigration Coalition Report: https://www.higheredimmigration.org/campus-raids-february-2025).

🛂Immigration🛡️National Security🏙️Local Issues

Test Your Knowledge

10
Q1

How many college campuses were initially targeted in Operation Safe Nation?

Q2

Operation Safe Nation only targets undocumented immigrants with criminal records.

Q3

When did DHS officially launch Operation Safe Nation?

Q4

Name the DHS Secretary who announced Operation Safe Nation.

Q5

What role do U.S. Marshals play in Operation Safe Nation?

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People, bills, and sources

Kristi Noem (Secretary of Homeland Security)

announced Operation Safe Nation as her signature interior enforcement initiative on Feb. 12, 2025.

What you can do

1

Campus police departments should download and review the Department of Justice Task Force Memo (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/operation-safe-nation-multi-agency-coordination) to verify credentials of ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Border Patrol, and Treasury agents before granting access to campus facilities.

2

University administrators should consult the Higher Education Immigration Coalition Report (https://www.higheredimmigration.org/campus-raids-february-2025) to map targeted institutions and reassess campus sanctuary policies in light of federal raids.

3

City finance officers should access the OMB Sanctuary Cities Funding Analysis (https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2025/02/12/sanctuary-jurisdiction-funding-review/) to quantify potential cuts to education, healthcare, infrastructure, and emergency-services funding and adjust municipal budgets accordingly.