(ARIZONA) — A group of 29 Democratic senators led by Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) sent a formal letter on January 6, 2026, to the White House, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleging the administration has abandoned criminal investigations, including child exploitation and drug trafficking, in order to prioritize mass deportations.
Core allegation from Democrats
Democrats centered their complaint on Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a branch of ICE that has traditionally pursued complex transnational crimes such as cyber-attacks, human trafficking and child exploitation. They argue HSI’s core mission is being redirected toward immigration arrests and removals.
Key points raised by the senators:
- An internal ICE document from August 2025 reportedly suggests over 28,000 personnel from various federal law enforcement agencies have been diverted to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to assist with raids and arrests.
- A New York Times investigation (November 2025) cited in the debate found:
- Narcotics arrests fell by 11%
- New narcotics investigations dropped by 15%
- Number of weapons seized declined by 73%
- As of January 2026, ICE custody reached an all-time high of more than 68,400 individuals.
- Reports described entire HSI units being reassigned to immigration duty, including a five-person child exploitation unit in Los Angeles, which Democrats say has stalled complex cases and delayed rescue operations for children.
The senators alleged the administration’s deportation-first approach has “cannibalized” investigations that can take months or years to build, including child exploitation cases that often involve digital evidence, multiple jurisdictions and victims in immediate danger.
Administration response and justification
The administration has defended the shift as consistent with its “Make America Safe Again” mandate, arguing immigration enforcement and transnational crime are intertwined.
A White House spokesperson, Abigail Jackson, criticized the senators’ letter as misleading and politically motivated. She said in an email:
“The characterization of HSI’s [Homeland Security Investigations] enforcement posture is selective, incomplete, and badly out of step with the actual data. [Senator Gallego is] pander[ing] to a radical left base ahead of his doomed-to-fail presidential run.”
A DHS spokesperson, responding on January 2, 2026, to criticism of the agency’s deportation-focused media campaigns, said:
“DHS will continue using every tool at its disposal to keep the American people informed as our agents work to Make America Safe Again.”
Statements from ICE/DHS leadership
- Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin rejected reports of resource diversion, arguing the agency’s work against child exploitation continued but is linked to immigration enforcement:
- “Law enforcement has continued to rescue children from sex offenders and traffickers. child exploitation, human trafficking, terrorism, financial scams and smuggling all have a nexus to illegal immigration.”
- McLaughlin further asserted on August 14, 2025:
- “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is arresting pedophiles, abusers, and sexual predators. 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens who have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.”
The administration and its allies also emphasize that cartels and gangs exploit migration routes and the asylum system, arguing that aligning investigative resources with removals and detention is a way to dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
Staffing, hiring, and operational changes
- ICE announced on January 3, 2026 a “120% manpower increase” after a recruitment campaign that brought in 12,000 new officers and agents in less than a year to support its expanded mission.
- Democrats counter that the scale of immigration operations is pulling resources away from investigations into drug trafficking and other cross-border criminal networks.
- Administration officials maintain that intensified enforcement against migrants and removals is part of broader efforts to disrupt criminal networks exploiting the immigration system.
USCIS policy change and wider consequences
On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued a policy memorandum — PM-602-0194, titled “Hold and Review of USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from Additional High-Risk Countries” — directing personnel to:
- “Place a hold on all pending benefit applications for aliens listed in Presidential Proclamation 10998, pending a comprehensive review, regardless of entry date.”
Practical consequences and concerns:
- The memo and the enforcement posture it represents have practical consequences beyond arrests and detention, including:
- Delays for people seeking immigration benefits through standard USCIS channels.
- Indefinite holds affecting individuals from 39 “high-risk” countries, with reports indicating thousands now face prolonged delays.
- Legal and procedural complications for immigrants and their attorneys, since benefit adjudication delays can intersect with removal priorities, detention decisions, and the ability to pursue or maintain relief.
Operations publicized by ICE
The administration has continued to highlight operations framed as protecting children and targeting predators. ICE has publicized efforts such as “Operation Angel’s Honor”; details are posted at the ICE newsroom:
Political and legal implications
- Democrats argue staffing decisions and arrest metrics show that priorities in practice shift resources away from complex investigations to mass deportations.
- They also claim immigrants with no criminal records now make up the largest group in ICE detention, contending this diverts attention from pursuing the “worst of the worst.”
- The administration intends to contest the senators’ framing and defend its use of ICE components, including HSI, in support of deportation operations.
Repeating the White House spokesperson’s line: “The characterization of HSI’s [Homeland Security Investigations] enforcement posture is selective, incomplete, and badly out of step with the actual data. [Senator Gallego is] pander[ing] to a radical left base ahead of his doomed-to-fail presidential run.”
Democratic senators have challenged the administration’s pivot toward mass deportations, alleging that specialized units investigating child exploitation and drug trafficking have been diverted to immigration enforcement. While data shows a decline in narcotics arrests and weapons seizures, the White House maintains that immigration enforcement is a necessary tool to combat transnational crime, asserting that most ICE arrests involve individuals with criminal backgrounds or pending charges.
