We hardly see any days when the American immigration system is not seen in the headlines, especially during the reign of President Donald Trump, and once again it has come back, and again not for a good reason. Numerous people have died in ICE custody, and as mentioned, this is happening during President Donald Trump‘s administration this yea,r as during the entire Biden presidency, and it’s only October.
According to chilling new figures shared by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), 20 migrants have died in ICE detention since Trump took office, the highest single-year toll in decades. By comparison, there were 24 deaths total during Biden’s four years in power.
The surge has sparked national outrage and fear, as reports of violent raids, tear gas, and helicopters flood cities like Chicago, where residents say ICE’s crackdown feels like “a war zone.” They further stated, “They’re Making It a War Zone.” In a fiery interview with CNN, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blasted the Trump administration’s tactics, saying ICE has “turned Chicago into a battlefield.”
“They are the ones that are making it a war zone,” Pritzker fumed. “They fire tear gas and smoke grenades, and they make it look like it’s a war zone.” His comments come as more than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested in the Chicago area over the past month, part of Trump’s newly revived “mass deportation” push that includes the deployment of National Guard troops.
But activists warn that ICE agents aren’t just targeting undocumented migrants; they’re sweeping up legal residents, U.S. citizens, and even children, turning neighborhoods upside down. “ICE acted like an invading army in our neighborhoods,” said Illinois State Rep. Lilian Jiménez, describing scenes of chaos. “Helicopters hovered above our homes, terrifying families and disturbing the peace of our community.”
Jiménez called the raids “shameful and lawless,” accusing ICE of trampling on people’s rights. “These shameful and lawless actions are not only a violation of constitutional rights but of our most basic liberty: the right to live free from persecution and fear.”
Bodies Piling Up as Detention Centers Overflow
While the White House insists that the death rate is lower because more migrants are being detained than ever before, critics say that’s just spin. With detention centers bursting at the seams, overcrowded conditions and grossly inadequate medical care are being blamed for the surge in deaths.
The Department of Homeland Security has since announced an emergency recruitment drive to hire more doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, and pharmacists for ICE facilities, a move many call too little, too late. “These aren’t just numbers, these are human lives,” said one Chicago activist. “Mothers, fathers, kids, people who came here hoping for safety, not a coffin.”
“Trump’s America Has Turned Into a War Film”
Community leaders say the images flooding social media look more like footage from a war documentary than immigration enforcement. Helicopters circle over neighborhoods. Agents in riot gear pour out of armored trucks. Tear gas canisters rain down on residential streets. “It’s like living in a war film, except it’s our homes,” said one Chicago resident, who witnessed an ICE raid from her balcony.
The chaos has reignited anger over Trump’s campaign promises to “take back control” of the border, critics say it’s coming at the cost of human dignity and innocent lives. With 20 deaths already confirmed and more raids underway, activists fear the toll could soon surpass any previous administration. “We’re supposed to be the land of the free,” said another resident, “but it’s starting to feel like a police state.”
A Country on Edge
Trump’s deportation machine has no signs to decrease its roar, and concerning that, the human toll is taking a hike subsequently. Families are separated, communities are traumatized, and faith in America’s values is being shaken to the core. What was meant to be “strong border enforcement” has morphed, critics say, into a full-blown humanitarian crisis, one that’s painting a chilling portrait of life under Trump’s second term. And as one furious Chicago protester put it, holding up a sign outside City Hall: “If this is America’s idea of security, we’re all in danger.”
