White House Press Secretary Warns Illegal Immigrants: “You are Not Welcome”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently made a strong statement regarding the Trump administration’s stance on illegal immigration. During a press briefing at the White House, Leavitt emphasized that foreign nationals attempting to enter the United States illegally will face serious consequences under President Donald Trump’s leadership.

Firm Message from the White House

Leavitt’s remarks were clear: “So to foreign nationals who are thinking about trying to illegally enter the United States, think again,” she stated, addressing reporters. “Under this president, you will be detained and you will be deported.” Her comments reflect the administration’s ongoing efforts to enhance national security by removing individuals deemed as violent criminals from American communities.

Leavitt highlighted recent operations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), detailing arrests made in January. Among those apprehended were a citizen from Honduras convicted of rape and another from the Dominican Republic with a second-degree murder conviction. She underscored the administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of American citizens by targeting such offenders.

Encouraging Law Enforcement Collaboration

In her comments, Leavitt expressed gratitude towards local and state law enforcement agencies for their collaboration in these deportation efforts. “These are the heinous individuals that this administration is removing from American communities every single day,” she noted. “To the brave state and local law enforcement officers, [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] and ICE agents who are helping in the facilitation of this deportation operation, President Trump has your back, and he is grateful for your hard work.”

A Commitment to Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration

President Trump has consistently vowed to tackle illegal immigration throughout his political campaign and presidency. Shortly after taking office, he declared a national emergency at the southern border and implemented policies aimed at expediting the expulsion of migrants without allowing opportunities for asylum.

The seriousness of this initiative is further verified by recent reports highlighting a significant decrease in migrant encounters at the southern border—a drop of over 60%—as the administration’s new immigration policies come into play.

Federal Funding Freeze and Political Backlash

In a related matter, Leavitt defended the Trump administration’s controversial decision to freeze federal grants and loans, a move that has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers. She reassured the public that individuals receiving direct federal assistance would not be affected by the funding pause. “I have now been asked and answered this question four times,” Leavitt responded. “To individuals at home who receive direct assistance from the federal government: You will not be impacted by this federal freeze.”

Programs such as Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, and welfare benefits, which support individuals directly, will continue despite the freeze, according to Leavitt. However, she did suggest that she would “check back” regarding the status of Medicaid.

Criticism from Democrats

Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have criticized the funding freeze as an overreach of presidential power. In a statement, Schumer argued that the decision is a blatant attempt to circumvent Congress and withhold funding that supports essential community programs. “More lawlessness and chaos in America as Donald Trump’s Administration blatantly disobeys the law by holding up virtually all vital funds that support programs in every community across the country,” he stated.

Schumer expressed concerns about the temporary nature of the freeze. “They say this is only temporary, but no one should believe that,” he added. “Donald Trump must direct his Administration to reverse course immediately, and the taxpayers’ money should be distributed to the people.”

Changes to Press Access

In addition to addressing immigration and funding matters, Leavitt also announced major changes to White House press access. She revealed that the Trump administration would restore press passes to 440 journalists, which she claimed had been “wrongly revoked” by the previous administration.

“In keeping with this revolutionary media approach that President Trump deployed during the campaign, the Trump White House will speak to all media outlets and personalities, not just the legacy media who are seated in this room,” Leavitt asserted.

Conclusion

As the Trump administration continues to grapple with issues surrounding immigration and funding, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s remarks signal a commitment to tough immigration enforcement and a defense of the administration’s policies. Whether these policies will resonate with the American public and withstand political scrutiny remains to be seen.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Kristine Parks contributed to this report.