U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the initiative, dubbed **Operation Buckeye**, will focus on the Columbus metropolitan area and several surrounding counties. The operation is part of a broader national strategy to locate and arrest noncitizens who have final orders of removal or who pose public safety risks, according to ICE.
“Ohio communities deserve to be safe, and our officers are committed to identifying individuals who knowingly disregard the laws of this country,” said Erica Rogers, director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the Detroit Field Office, which oversees Ohio. “Operation Buckeye ensures that those who have exhausted their legal options are held accountable.”
ICE did not specify how many individuals have been taken into custody so far but confirmed that teams are deploying additional field officers and technological resources in coordination with local law enforcement. Operations began early Saturday and are expected to continue into the coming week.
Immigrant rights organizations criticized the surge, warning that such actions could heighten fear among local immigrant communities. “This kind of enforcement strategy often sweeps up people whose only infraction is a civil immigration violation,” said Maria Castillo, director of the Ohio Immigrant Justice Coalition. “Families will be living in fear during the holidays.”
ICE officials said the operation targets only individuals with criminal records or formal deportation orders issued by immigration courts.
The agency urged anyone approached by officers to remain calm and noted that individuals taken into custody have the right to legal representation.
Operation Buckeye marks the largest ICE deployment in Ohio since 2019, when a similar enforcement effort resulted in dozens of arrests statewide.