Trump billed the operation targeting families as a major show of force as the number of Central
American families crossing the southern border has skyrocketed.
Of those arrested, 18 were members of families and 17 were collateral apprehensions of people in the country illegally who were encountered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
While the effort was demonized by
Democrats as a full-force drive to deport families and trumpeted by
Republicans as a necessary show of force to prove there are consequences for people coming here illegally, career ICE officers described it as a routine operation, one expected to net an average of about 10% to 20% of targets.