A U.S. military plane carrying a group of Indian migrants landed in India early Wednesday morning as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, a U.S. Transportation Command official confirmed to Fox News Digital.

The outlet also reported that India is the farthest destination a military aircraft has ever flown to for deportations under Trump’s administration. 

According to the official, the C-17 aircraft flew from Miramar, near San Diego, yesterday and landed in Amritsar, in northern India, around 3:30 ET. The plane carried between 104 and 205 nationals and marked the first time Washington authorized a military aircraft for deportations to India, according to Reuters. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, have been largely discussing immigration issues since Trump took office. The White House confirmed that Trump has invited Modi to come visit next week.

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According to the Pew Research center, there are about 725,000 Indians who have been illegally residing in the U.S. since 2022, marking India as the third top source of illegal U.S. immigration after Mexico and El Salvador.   

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Indian nationals often arrive in the U.S. through H-1B visas, a foreign worker visa that allows American employers to hire foreign workers. This legal pathway of entry has been hotly contested by some Trump supporters.

The president, however, dismissed immigration concerns after having a "productive call" last month that focused on "expanding and deepening cooperation." 

"We have a very good relationship with India," Trump told reporters on Air Force One after his call with Modi. 

The president continued to express confidence that India will "do what is right."

Fox News' Kyra Colah and Reuters contributed to this report.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin torched the Trump administration for allowing television personality Dr. Phil McGraw to tag along as border czar Tom Homan and a team of agents carried out deportation operations in Chicago last weekend. 

From the Senate floor on Tuesday, Durbin scrutinized President Donald Trump's campaign messaging that mass deportations would initially target illegal immigrants who pose national security risks – sex offenders, murderers and drug dealers, to name a few. 

"If this mass deportation is truly focused on dangerous individuals — murderers, rapists, drug dealers and [the] mentally ill — Dr. Phil has as much business being on these raids as he does performing surgery," Durbin said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. 

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"Why is he there? In fact, he could complicate the situation. We are talking about a legal process and the possibility of criminal prosecution following. And to have this television character come along for the ride is dangerous and makes no sense."

McGraw filmed a number of ICE arrests during the operations as part of his show on Merit TV, even interviewing a convicted sex offender and internet predator from Thailand living in the U.S. illegally until he was nabbed.

The subject frequently evaded his questions, recognizing him after seeing him on television.

Durbin said he was "disappointed" to see ICE agents arresting immigrants and asking them questions even after they had requested to speak with an attorney.

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He also expressed disdain for Trump's "sweeping executive actions" that could allegedly "leave those arrested by ICE, including those with lawful status and U.S. citizenship, with little opportunity to even state their case and show that they belong in this country."

He continued, "Let’s be clear, 90% of undocumented immigrants have no criminal convictions — 90% who make up more than 40% of home health care aides and children’s assistance day care — an outsized percentage of these and the agricultural workforce are undocumented. Immigrants are a key part of America’s success story."

He added that, while he doesn't want to see "a single dangerous person" remain in the U.S. or be allowed to "seek permanent residence," others have abided by laws and should remain a part of America's future.

ICE officials, under the Trump administration's watch, have nabbed swathes of illegal immigrants in major cities across the nation, including Chicago. Deportation efforts also began in New York City earlier this week, with agents reportedly nabbing alleged Tren de Aragua ringleader Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco in the Bronx.

Fox News' Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.

Dr. Phil embedded with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) team in Chicago as they carried out deportation operations under the new Trump administration.

Phil McGraw, known as "Dr. Phil," joined border czar Tom Homan and a team of agents on Sunday as they took various illegal immigrants into custody. This comes after Homan declared that Chicago would be "ground zero" for immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump's mass deportation plans.

As part of his show on Merit TV, Dr. Phil filmed a variety of arrests—at one point interviewing a convicted sex offender and internet predator from Thailand who was residing illegally in The Windy City.

"You've been charged with sex crimes with children?" Dr. Phil asked.

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"Not really," the man replied.

"Not really!?" Dr. Phil exclaimed.

The man claimed that he had never been deported and that his mother was a U.S. citizen. He also recognized Dr. Phil from his television appearances, often avoiding the famous psychologist's questions.

Homan told Dr. Phil that the man was an example of failed sanctuary city policies.

"We got an illegal alien, convicted of sex crimes involving children. He's walking the streets of Chicago," Homan said. "Again, the downfall, the problems with the sanctuary city—people like this walking the streets, rather than local law enforcement working with federal agents. This is what we're dealing with."

Trump has criticized sanctuary cities, including Chicago, for resisting federal immigration policies. "We're trying to get rid of them (sanctuary cities). We're trying to end them. And a lot of the people in those communities don't want them," Trump told Fox's Sean Hannity last Wednesday.

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Dr. Phil revealed on the show that he had to be briefed on extensive security protocols as part of the "high-risk mission."

"This truly is a targeted ICE mission because they're not sweeping neighborhoods like people are trying to imply," he said. "I know that because I've been involved heading into this. They've identified 270 high-value targets, and what I mean by that is that these are known criminals and terrorists."

ICE arrested over 460 individuals in the first days of an immigration sweep, targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Offenses included sexual assault, domestic violence, and weapons crimes.

During a conversation at a Chicago-based ICE command center, Dr. Phil asked if agents were going into schools to arrest children who were in the U.S. illegally.

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"Is anything like that happening?" he asked.

"No, sir," Homan said.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has committed to shielding the city's migrant population from federal immigration crackdowns, vowing to uphold the city's sanctuary city policies.

"I find it unconscionable that this administration would attempt to create not just division but fear within our public schools," Johnson said, referring to potential federal raids. He directed city departments to "stand firm and uphold the local ordinance" in compliance with the Illinois Trust Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Fox News' Madison Colombo contributed to this report.

They need more planes.

The Trump administration began its promised deportations of illegal immigrants this week, but senior Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said Friday that more aircraft are needed to speed up the process. 

Miller told reporters that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had been hampered in its ability to deport illegal migrants because of a lack of aircraft and the administration is trying to secure enough planes from half a dozen sources, per Bloomberg.

ICE raids took place as early as Tuesday and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released photos of people boarding C-17s on Friday morning, announcing that "deportation flights had begun,". One of the photos was taken at Biggs Army Airfield at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, U.S. and it was one of two flights that had departed for Guatemala on Thursday at 5 p.m. local time.

MEXICO DENIES ACCESS TO LAND FOR US DEPORTATION FLIGHT AFTER MISCOMMUNICATION, STATE DEPT. OFFICIAL SAYS

Customs and Border Protection sources told Fox News the plane in the image had 80 people. A third flight, bound for Mexico, never took off after Mexico declined to consent to the landing, a State Department official told Fox News.

But on Friday Miller suggested the administration was looking to scale up the operations and was looking into sourcing aircraft including from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to do so.

"You have obviously DHS air assets, you have DOD air assets, you have State Department air assets, you have commercial air assets, you have charter air assets, so every asset that can be used to conduct a lawful deportation," Miller said, per Bloomberg. 

"Border czar" Tom Homan told ABC News on Friday that the administration will use military aircraft every day to help carry out the operation.

Around 2,000 illegal immigrants were deported to Mexico on Thursday, both on the ground and in the air. In addition, Mexico detained roughly 5,000 migrants within its borders, Fox News reported.

When asked about the need for more aircraft, Leavitt said that the Trump administration is using both military and non-military aircrafts to accomplish this mission.

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"In one week, the Trump Administration has already facilitated a record number of illegal migrant deportation flights, and the Administration is using both military and non-military aircraft to accomplish this mission," Leavitt said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Joe Biden allowed tens of millions of illegal criminals into the country, and in order to detain and deport as many as possible, Congress must past a reconciliation bill that includes funding for border enforcement, detention centers, and deportation efforts."

The administration has taken a number of actions to secure the border, including deploying the military, restarting wall construction and ending Biden-era parole programs. 

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a slew of memos since President Donald Trump's inauguration, ordering reviews of parole and expanding the ability of officials to quickly deport illegal immigrants from the U.S. who have recently arrived. Those memos have been signed by Acting Secretary Benjamine Huffman. 

Meanwhile, Miller also said that the administration would use various tools to remove those granted humanitarian parole to enter the country when they otherwise wouldn’t have permission. 

"There’s digital footprints, there’s financial footprints, there’s routine law enforcement intelligence," he said. "There’s a wide array of tools we have to identify and remove those individuals."

According to Bloomberg, former President Joe Biden declined to use military aircraft. His administration often used commercial aircraft to deport migrants. 

Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Louis Casiano contributed to this report. 

Chicago residents are voicing frustration with Mayor Brandon Johnson’s commitment to shielding the city’s undocumented migrant population from federal immigration crackdowns, citing concerns about community safety and strained resources.

This comes as border czar Tom Homan declared that Chicago would be "ground zero" for immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans. 

Mayor Johnson has doubled down on his opposition, vowing to uphold Chicago’s sanctuary city policies.

"I find it unconscionable that this administration would attempt to create not just division but fear within our public schools," Johnson said, referring to potential federal raids. He directed city departments to "stand firm and uphold the local ordinance" in compliance with the Illinois Trust Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration enforcement efforts.

However, many residents feel the city’s priorities are misplaced. P Rae Easley, a Chicagoan and host of "Black Excellence Hour," voiced her concerns during a recent appearance on "Fox & Friends First," Thursday. 

"We understand that we are in the middle of an invasion," Easley said. "Every single person who came across that border came with an invoice on their back for the Chicago taxpayer."

The financial burden has been a flashpoint for residents. Last December, the city faced backlash over spending more than half a billion dollars to shelter migrants through its New Arrivals Mission. That program became a heated topic at community meetings after Johnson revealed a billion-dollar budget shortfall.

"I got a great way what we can do with this budget," one resident said during a public meeting. "Let’s start with cutting off illegals getting free everything, free housing, free schooling, free food."

The pushback comes as federal authorities ramp up enforcement. During Trump’s presidency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested over 460 individuals in the first days of an immigration sweep, targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Offenses included sexual assault, domestic violence, and weapons crimes.

Easley supports these actions, saying they’re necessary for community safety.

"Nobody else gets to be shielded from federal crimes, and neither do they," she said. "We need everybody to go back where they belong so that we can reallocate our tax funds to the citizens of the city."

In response to Johnson’s sanctuary city stance, the Trump administration has instructed federal prosecutors to investigate state and local officials who obstruct deportation efforts. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, in a memo obtained by Fox News, cited cartels and transnational criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua as one of the "most serious threats facing the American people."

Despite the criticism, Johnson remains steadfast, insisting that protecting migrants aligns with the city’s values. "Chicago stands strong: regardless of the circumstances, our commitment to protecting and supporting this city remains unwavering," Johnson wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

But residents like Easley say the city’s priorities are out of balance.

"We need the federal government here," she argued. "I don’t think that it’s fair that we’re paying federal income taxes, and we are not allowed to get federal help because our mayor has a political goal that doesn’t align with the people."

President Trump has criticized sanctuary cities, including Chicago, for resisting federal immigration policies. "We're trying to get rid of them (sanctuary cities). We're trying to end them. And a lot of the people in those communities don't want them," Trump told Fox’s Sean Hannity on Wednesday. 

Lawmakers are also moving to support Trump’s immigration agenda. This week, the House approved the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants accused of theft or violent crimes. The bill is named after a Georgia nursing student who was murdered by a Venezuelan man in the country illegally.

For Easley and others in Chicago, the path forward is clear. "We care more about the children of Chicago than we do the children of the invaders," she said.

Mexico is developing an app that will allow migrants in the U.S. facing deportation to alert their family members and local U.S. consulates if they are about to be detained by authorities, a senior official said Friday. He added that his government plans to ensure that each Mexican citizen is given due process in the U.S. before being potentially ejected from the country. 

The app, called "Alert Button," is being designed in anticipation of the mass deportations of illegal migrants expected to occur after President-elect Trump is sworn into office on Jan. 20. A cornerstone of Trump’s second term in office is to secure the border and carry out the largest mass deportation program the U.S. has ever seen.

Many Mexican nationals who are in the U.S. illegally will likely be targeted by the new Trump administration. The Mexican government estimates there are 11.5 million migrants with some form of legal residency in the United States and 4.8 million without legal residency or proper documents. 

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The new app, which is expected to be available in January, will allow users to press a tab to send an alert notification to previously chosen relatives and the nearest Mexican consulate, of which there are 53 in the U.S.

"In case you find yourself in a situation where detention is imminent, you push the alert button and that sends a signal to the nearest consulate," Mexico’s secretary of foreign affairs Juan Ramón de la Fuente said.

He said it has already been rolled out for small-scale testing and "appears to be working very well." 

De la Fuente described it as a sort of panic button, adding that his office has beefed up its consular staff by hiring "329 legal representatives" to ensure that Mexicans facing deportation will be given due process and are properly informed of their rights before potential removal. 

U.S. authorities are obliged to notify home-country consulates when a foreign citizen is detained and Mexico says its consular staff will offer legal aid to help migrants in the legal process related to deportation. 

The government says it has also set up a call center staffed 24 hours a day to answer migrants’ questions and help educate them on their rights ahead of "possible arrests or other intimidating actions."

De la Fuente said in a statement that the Mexican government will defend the human rights of its citizens in the U.S. in strict compliance with international law.

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"We want to tell our fellow countrymen that they are not alone and they will not be alone," he said, reiterating that there is a consular network that is up to the task.

The foreign minister said that in order to deport someone from the U.S. a court order or removal ruling is needed and that his consular team will be "very vigilant in ensuring that due process is followed."

Trump has already clashed with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum over immigration and proposed a 25% tariff on imported goods from Mexico over the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs. Sheinbaum said that such a move could lead to a trade war between the countries and insisted her government has already been clamping down on migrants crossing into the U.S.

The U.S. recorded an unprecedented number of illegal migrants flowing across its borders under the Biden-Harris administration. The number of illegal immigrants on ICE's non-detained docket exploded to nearly 7.7 million, more than double what it was when Trump left office. It was at 3.2 million at the end of FY 2020.

The annual ICE report released in October shows that ICE deported 271,484 illegal immigrants to 192 different countries in fiscal year 2024. Of those, 32.7% had criminal histories and 237 were known or suspected terrorists.

It’s a significant increase from more than 142,000 deported in FY 23, and around 72,000 in FY 2022. In FY 2020, the last year of the Trump administration and which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, there were around 185,000 deportations and in FY 2019 there were 267,000 deportations. 

Fox News’ Adam Shaw and the Associated Press contributed to this report.