HOUSTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 1,000 people suspected of being in the United States illegally were arrested on Sunday alone across the country, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on X on Sunday night.
The ICE's targeted raids were reported from Chicago and Denver to major cities in Texas including Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth on Sunday.
In North Texas, 84 people were arrested and taken to the ICE's field office in Dallas for processing, an ICE spokesperson told a local media outlet on Sunday.
"There are consequences for entering the country illegally," said Tom Homan, the border czar appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump, warning of "collateral arrests" during raids.
Trump's administration carried out nationwide ICE raids during his first week back in office. By Thursday, roughly 1,300 people had been arrested across the country, Homan said.
Also on Sunday, in Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth, hundreds of people gathered, waving flags and holding signs to protest Trump's immigration policies.
News of the protest spread across social media over the weekend, with posts inviting people to "show up and speak up for those who can't."
Following his inauguration on Monday, Trump signed orders to label cartels as terrorist groups, declare a border emergency, and end birthright citizenship. The White House announced on Tuesday that it would allow federal immigration agencies, including the ICE, to make arrests at schools, churches and hospitals. ■