The head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has mounted a forceful defence of the agency’s expanding deportation campaign, arguing that intensified enforcement operations are essential to restoring border integrity and upholding federal law as criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups grows.

Speaking amid mounting congressional scrutiny, ICE leadership said the recent surge in arrests and removals reflects directives to prioritise individuals with final removal orders and those deemed to pose public safety or national security risks.

The agency reported a marked increase in interior enforcement activity in recent months, describing the effort as part of a broader strategy to deter unlawful entry and reinforce immigration court decisions.

The director rejected assertions that the campaign is indiscriminate, stating that officers are operating within established legal frameworks and judicial oversight.

He emphasised that ICE agents are executing lawful warrants and that the agency remains accountable to both the Department of Homeland Security and Congress.

Critics in Congress have called for hearings into detention conditions, the scale of workplace operations and the treatment of families, arguing that expanded enforcement risks ensnaring long-settled migrants with deep community ties.

Some lawmakers have sought additional transparency regarding arrest criteria and data reporting.

In response, ICE officials have highlighted data showing a substantial proportion of those removed had prior criminal convictions or outstanding deportation orders.

They argue that failing to carry out removals ordered by immigration courts would undermine the credibility of the legal system.

The director maintained that enforcement activity is designed not as a political statement but as an execution of statutory obligations, adding that the agency will continue to coordinate with federal, state and local partners.

The debate unfolds against a backdrop of heightened national attention on immigration policy, with border security, asylum processing and interior enforcement shaping legislative and electoral agendas.

As oversight intensifies, ICE leadership has signalled that operations will continue at pace, describing them as necessary to ensure that immigration laws passed by Congress are consistently applied.