SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — President Donald Trump's second term began exactly one year ago today, and immigration enforcement has dominated his first year back in office. The administration's aggressive approach has impacted San Diego, with raids, deportations, and policy changes affecting thousands of residents throughout 2025.
By the end of January, troops were deployed and stationed along the southern border as the administration vowed to deport what they called "the worst of the worst."
By March, deportations were ramping up as Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act, alleging Venezuelan gang members were invading the country. The act allowed for the rapid deportation of hundreds of men to El Salvador, including Kilmar Obrego Garcia and Andry Romero. Both men say they had no gang ties.
In late March, Homeland Security Investigations conducted a raid in unincorporated El Cajon. I was there as ICE investigated San Diego Powder and Protective Coatings for employing people not legally authorized to work in the country. The investigation was well underway before Trump took office.
The following month, in April, the Department of Homeland Security started revoking visas of international students at UC San Diego, affecting 35 students on campus.
By May, ABC 10News covered another HSI worksite investigation in South Park that led to major community pushback, with crowds confronting agents as they worked.
Immigration courthouse arrests also started the same month, during people's check-ins with ICE downtown.
The administration stuck to its campaign promises in June by federalizing the National Guard and sending in troops to help border agents with their enforcement. ABC 10News covered days of escalating, at times violent, protests.
At the same time, raids on California farms prompted pushback from the agriculture industry. I traveled to Ventura County, where farmers worried crops would rot if workers were detained.
Immigration arrests continued throughout the summer, and by the start of the school year, arrests were happening near school campuses in the county. ICE insisted the arrests never took place on campus while speaking out about a 1,000% increase in assaults on officers in the field.
With concerns growing about people being detained in the basement of the federal building, Congress members attempted oversight at the ICE processing facility in October. I covered their repeated attempts and was there when they were eventually let in on the third try. ICE called their oversight visits a publicity stunt.
In November, ICE started detaining spouses and parents during their green card interviews, something attorneys say they had never seen before.
In December, the border czar himself visited San Diego to celebrate the administration's accomplishments. ABC 10News was there as they touted a 93% drop in migrant encounters in the San Diego sector while promising more enforcement in the administration's second year.
"As we bring 10,000 more agents on, you ain't, you haven't seen anything yet, wait til next year," he said.
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