Written by Jonathan Aftalion, Esq. — Founding Attorney, Aftalion Law Group
(UCLA BA, Wisconsin JD, Witwatersrand LLM, dual CA + NY licensure, Super Lawyers Rising Stars)
In this blog, we'll explore:
Key Point:
Since taking office, the Trump administration has implemented the most aggressive immigration enforcement strategy in recent U.S. history. At Aftalion Law Group, we are representing a growing number of individuals and families affected by these enforcement actions across California and the United States. The Trump deportation plan is not limited to individuals with criminal records or recent border crossers. It targets a broad population of immigrants, including those who have lived in the United States for decades, those with pending applications, and in some cases, individuals with lawful status. Understanding exactly what has changed, who is most at risk, and what legal protections still exist is critical for any immigrant or family navigating the current environment.
What Did Trump Change About Immigration Policy?
The Trump administration introduced a sweeping set of executive orders and policy directives beginning in January 2025 that collectively reshaped how immigration enforcement operates in the United States. According to the American Immigration Council, these changes represent the most significant restructuring of immigration enforcement priorities in a generation.
Key policy changes under the Trump deportation plan include:
Elimination of enforcement priorities. Prior administrations, including under Biden, focused deportation resources on individuals with serious criminal convictions. The Trump administration eliminated those priority categories, making virtually any undocumented individual a target for removal regardless of ties to the community, length of residence, or family situation.
End of sensitive location protections. ICE previously refrained from conducting arrests at schools, churches, hospitals, and other sensitive locations. That policy has been ended. Arrests now occur in locations that were previously considered off-limits, creating fear in immigrant communities across the country.
Expansion of expedited removal. The administration expanded expedited removal, a process that USCIS defines as allowing ICE to deport individuals without a hearing before an immigration judge, to apply to immigrants anywhere in the United States who cannot prove they have been in the country for more than two years.
Increased ICE worksite enforcement. ICE worksite enforcement operations have increased dramatically, targeting employers and employees at job sites. Workers without documentation have been arrested at construction sites, restaurants, farms, and warehouses. Employers have also faced scrutiny for hiring practices.
Reinstatement of the Remain in Mexico policy. Asylum seekers at the southern border have been required to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed, limiting access to the U.S. immigration court system.
The immigration lawyers at Aftalion Law have been actively working to stop ICE deportations for clients across California and the United States.
How Many Deportations Does Trump Have Right Now?
Since January 2025, the Trump administration has reported deportation numbers at a pace that surpasses prior administrations in the same time period. Official figures from the Department of Homeland Security indicate that ICE has conducted hundreds of thousands of arrests and removals in the first year of the administration, with stated goals of reaching one million deportations annually.
Ice raids in California alone have resulted in thousands of arrests, with operations concentrated in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the Central Valley, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The administration has also used military assets, including deportation planes, to facilitate large-scale removals to countries in Latin America, Asia, and elsewhere.
The numbers, however, do not capture the full picture. Many individuals caught in enforcement operations are longtime residents, workers with deep community ties, and people with pending immigration applications. ICE’s use of advanced surveillance technology through the ImmigrationOS program has significantly expanded the agency’s ability to locate and track individuals for removal.
Are People With Green Cards Going to Be Deported?
This is one of the most urgent questions in the current immigration environment. The answer is: green card holders are not immune from deportation under the Trump deportation plan.
Lawful permanent residents can be placed in removal proceedings and deported under U.S. immigration law in several situations:
Criminal convictions. Certain criminal offenses, including aggravated felonies, crimes involving moral turpitude, and drug-related offenses, can render a green card holder deportable. Under the current administration, enforcement of these grounds has intensified, and the definition of qualifying offenses has been interpreted broadly.
Fraud or misrepresentation. If USCIS or ICE determines that a green card was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, the holder can be placed in removal proceedings regardless of how long they have held the status.
Abandonment of residence. Green card holders who spend extended periods outside the United States or who do not maintain their primary residence in the country can be found to have abandoned their permanent residence.
Terrorism-related grounds. The administration has sought to use terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds in expanded ways, including against individuals with connections, however indirect, to organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
For green card holders who have received a notice to appear or who are concerned about their status under the Trump deportation plan, the removal defense page outlines the legal options available. Aftalion Law Group represents lawful permanent residents in removal proceedings throughout California and nationwide. The post on whether Trump will deport legal immigrants provides additional context on the specific risks facing lawful permanent residents.
ICE Raids in California: What Is Happening
California has been a primary target of ICE enforcement operations under the Trump deportation plan. ICE raids in California have taken place at workplaces, in residential neighborhoods, and near schools and churches despite prior protections against arrests at sensitive locations.
The state’s sanctuary policies, including California’s SB 54, limit the degree to which local law enforcement can cooperate with ICE detainer requests. However, federal agents have responded by conducting independent operations without local cooperation, and in some cases have pressured local jurisdictions through threats to cut federal funding.
Individuals who receive a notice to appear in immigration court must take that document seriously. Ignoring a notice to appear can result in an order of removal being entered in absentia, meaning without the individual present, which significantly limits future legal options.
How to Avoid Deportation: Legal Options That Still Exist
Despite the scale of enforcement under the Trump deportation plan, legal tools remain available to challenge removal and protect individuals from deportation.
Cancellation of removal. For both lawful permanent residents and certain long-term undocumented residents, cancellation of removal may be available if specific eligibility requirements are met, including years of continuous presence and demonstrated hardship to U.S. citizen or permanent resident family members.
Asylum and withholding of removal. Individuals who fear persecution in their home country based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group may apply for asylum or withholding of removal as a defense against deportation, even in removal proceedings.
Waivers. Certain grounds of deportability can be waived in immigration court. The waivers practice page outlines what types of relief may be available depending on the specific deportation ground.
Appeals. If a deportation order has been issued, the decision can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals and, in some cases, to the federal circuit courts. Understanding what it means when your appeal or motion was dismissed in a deportation case is an important first step before deciding on next actions.
How to avoid deportation with a felony. For individuals with criminal records, a criminal immigration attorney can assess whether the conviction qualifies as a deportable offense under current law, whether post-conviction relief is available, and what defenses can be raised in immigration court. The intersection of criminal and immigration law is complex, and the criminal defense team at Aftalion Law handles both sides of these cases.
What to Do If ICE Contacts You
If ICE comes to your home, your workplace, or you are stopped in public, the following steps apply:
- Do not open the door unless ICE presents a judicial warrant signed by a judge
- Do not answer questions about your immigration status or birthplace
- Do not sign any documents without speaking to an attorney first
- State clearly that you wish to speak with a lawyer before answering any questions
- Contact an immigration attorney as soon as you are able
The removal defense attorneys at Aftalion Law are available to assist individuals who have been detained, received a notice to appear, or are concerned about enforcement activity in their area.
Facing Deportation Risk? Aftalion Law Group Can Help Now
The Trump deportation plan has changed the rules for millions of immigrants across the United States. Whether you have a pending immigration case, a prior criminal conviction, or simply want to understand your rights under the current enforcement environment, Aftalion Law Group is ready to help. Our removal defense attorneys in Los Angeles represent clients facing deportation across the country.
Contact Aftalion Law today to schedule your free consultation with a removal defense and deportation defense lawyer who understands what is at stake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Having a pending application does not automatically protect you from deportation. While certain pending applications may support a request for a stay of removal, they do not prevent ICE from initiating removal proceedings. Under the Trump deportation plan, individuals with pending applications have been placed in proceedings and in some cases detained. If you have a pending application and are concerned about enforcement, Aftalion Law Group can assess your risk and protective options.
Expedited removal allows immigration officers to deport certain individuals without a hearing before an immigration judge. The Trump administration expanded it to apply nationwide to individuals who cannot prove they have been continuously present in the United States for more than two years. If you are stopped by ICE and cannot establish two years of continuous presence, you may be subject to expedited removal. Aftalion Law Group helps clients document their presence and assert applicable defenses.
Yes. Length of residence does not by itself prevent deportation. Long-term residents without lawful status remain subject to removal under current policy. However, individuals with significant time in the country may qualify for cancellation of removal or other forms of relief based on continuous presence and hardship to qualifying family members. An attorney at Aftalion Law Group can evaluate whether you qualify for these defenses.
The terms are largely used interchangeably today. Before 1996, deportation and exclusion were separate legal processes. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 combined them into a single process now called removal. In everyday usage, deportation and removal both refer to the legal process of requiring a non-citizen to leave the United States. Aftalion Law Group defends clients at every stage of removal proceedings.
It depends on the specific offense and your immigration status. Some misdemeanors and DUI convictions can be grounds for deportation if they qualify as crimes involving moral turpitude or aggravated felonies under immigration law, even when they are minor under criminal law. Under the current enforcement environment, even minor convictions are receiving heightened scrutiny. A criminal immigration attorney at Aftalion Law Group can assess whether your specific conviction creates deportation risk.
A deportation order is serious but does not always end your options. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to file a motion to reopen or reconsider, appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals, or seek a stay of removal. Time is critical because these options have strict deadlines. Contact Aftalion Law Group immediately if you have received a deportation order to determine what relief may still be available.
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