President Donald Trump has pledged to intensify the immigration crackdown in several major Democratic-led cities as a response to the ‘No Kings’ protests against his administration. This move comes amidst concerns that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is reportedly $1 billion over budget and could run out of funds in the next few months.

According to Axios, ICE is facing a significant budget shortfall, prompting Trump to allocate billions of dollars to the agency over the next five years. In case the bill fails to pass Congress, Trump indicated that he would redirect additional government funds to support ICE.

In a recent post on his Truth Social network, Trump hinted at an expanded immigration enforcement effort in cities that he claimed were the Democratic strongholds. Despite lacking evidence, he alleged that these cities were using illegal immigrants to bolster their voter base, a claim that has been debunked as non-citizens are not eligible to vote in US elections.

Trump's directive to ICE officers was clear, urging them to execute what he described as the ‘largest Mass Deportation Program in History’. He emphasized the need to detain and deport illegal aliens in major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where a substantial number of undocumented immigrants reside.

Los Angeles has been a focal point of protests against ICE raids, with Trump deploying national guard troops and marines to the city. The recent ‘No Kings’ demonstration in LA drew an estimated 200,000 participants, making it one of the largest protests in the country.

Trump's immigration policy has been marked by inconsistencies, with his administration recently halting workplace immigration enforcement actions unless tied to criminal investigations. However, his latest statement signals a shift in approach, targeting Democratic-run cities with large immigrant populations.

By using the term ‘remigration’ to describe the deportation agenda, Trump has drawn criticism for his rhetoric. His call for preventing the admission of individuals who disrupt the domestic peace of the US has raised concerns among critics.

Following a military parade in Washington DC on his 79th birthday, Trump faced backlash for potentially politicizing the military. Critics viewed the parade as a self-congratulatory event rather than a celebration of the US army's anniversary.

Trump's decision to order ICE and other agencies to escalate immigration operations aligns with his immigration adviser Stephen Miller's call for a minimum of 3,000 daily arrests. This move has been seen as an attempt to politicize law enforcement and provoke a contentious response.