Trump sends strong message to migrants as first mass deportation flights take off

The first deportation flights have already begun under President Donald Trump and raids have rounded-up migrants accused of 'heinous' crimes ranging from pedophilia to terrorism.

The White House shared images of illegal immigrants lining up and being loaded on military planes for departure on Friday, with the president's widespread crackdown speeding up.

‘President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences,’ Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on social media.

One of the flights departed Biggs Army Airfield at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas for Guatemala, according to Fox News.

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan revealed Thursday that the administration had already arrested 1,300 people and that over 1,000 of them were criminals.  

'Like I said from day one, no one is off the table, if you're in the United States illegally you've got a problem,' he said in an interview with NewsNation host Chris Cuomo. 

Homan said on Fox News Thursday that the United States Air Force would supply four planes to assist ICE in removing up to 5,000 illegal aliens.

‘We made this happen in a matter of three days. They’re a welcome force multiplier for us and its going to help us a great deal especially on removal flights,’ he said. 

Some more left-leaning mayors have pushed back against Trump's deportation orders, emphasizing their status as 'sanctuary cities' for illegal immigrants.

But Homan has urged them to cooperate with law enforcement officials, warning that the federal government would be forced to rely on broad immigration sweeps to pick up criminals. 

'I hope the sanctuary cities come around,' he said. 'I really hope .... once they see that we really are concentrated on the criminals that they'll come to us and sit at the table and work with us.'

On Thursday alone, a Trump source told DailyMail.com that 538 illegal immigrant criminals had been arrested by the Trump administration. 

Those arrested included a suspected terrorist, four members of the Tren de Aragua gang, and several illegals convicted of sex crimes against minors.

The Tren de Aragua gang is a violent gang from Venezuela that has made inroads into the United States in recent years, partially due to former President Joe Biden's more lenient border policies.  

Leavitt also appeared on Fox News to celebrate Trump’s actions to secure the borders of the United States.

‘He is sending a very clear message to the rest of the world, if you are even thinking for a single second about illegally entering our country and breaking the laws of the United States of America you will face consequences for doing so!’ she said.