Trump ramps up deportation post-inauguration

Once President-elect Donald Trump officially takes office, one of his first actions will be to "oversee the largest deportation operation in American history," according to a report by The New York Times.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to launch "Operation Safeguard," which involves deploying at least 150 agents to conduct raids and arrest immigrants in "sanctuary cities" like Chicago. These cities are known for refusing to hand over undocumented detainees to federal immigration authorities.

The operation would begin on Tuesday, merely a day after Trump is inaugurated. It is expected to target those who already have final deportation orders alongside those who have criminal records.

A report from The Washington Post revealed that there are approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. 

In response to Trump’s threats, many legal aid groups, churches, and civil society organizations had pledged to extend assistance and defend those that are vulnerable. 

“Anyone who is facing deportation or detention should have someone standing by their side,” said Liz Kenney, Associate Director of Vera Institute for Justice’s Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) Network.

TikTok shuts down for 14 hours then comes back, crediting President Trump

Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” which mandates TikTok to either sell the application to an American company or face a ban on January 19th.

Since the ban was scheduled to take effect a day before Trump’s inauguration, it still fell within the ambit of the Biden administration. However, the White House chose to suspend the enforcement of the law and instead leave the decision of the platform's future to the new President. TikTok responded by stating that the Biden administration had not provided a concrete response and would, in fact, shut down — an action that the White House labeled a “stunt.”

The platform went dark on Saturday evening for millions of Americans and panick quickly made the rounds online.

The chaos did not last long though — on Sunday morning, TikTok released a statement saying they would be restoring service in the United States. Shortly after, the app reopened for Americans with a message crediting Donald Trump for its return, a day before his return to office: “Thank you for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S!”

The More You Know

• SEVENTEEN’s Vernon surprised fans during their Right Here World Tour stop in the Philippines with a new hairstyle: a buzzcut! 

• Global superstar Jackie Chan makes his highly-anticipated return to the action scene with his latest movie, “The Shadow's Edge (捕风追影).” This police thriller is set in Macau and features a star-studded cast, including Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Zhang Zifeng, Ci Sha, and SEVENTEEN’s Jun. The 70-year-old actor is set to captivate audiences once again when the movie premieres in late 2025. The official poster was just unveiled here.

• Lord Huron will release a new single titled “Who Laughs Last?” featuring Kristen Stewart. It will be available on January 24. 

• Several singers are scheduled to perform at Trump's inauguration events. The Victory Rally features performances from Kid Rock, The Village People, and Billy Ray Cyrus. At the Swearing-In Ceremony, Carrie Underwood, Christopher Macchio, and Lee Greenwood will take the stage. The Commander-in-Chief Ball will host Rascal Flatts, while Gavin DeGraw is set to perform at the Starlight Ball.

• Benny Blanco teased fans of his fiancé, Selena Gomez, in a TikTok video. He replied to a fan who commented that he should make new songs for her with a short clip of the singer, chuckling in front of a microphone inside his home studio.

— Bea Bertuldo

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