[1][2] The roots of Operation Cross Check lie in the broader strategy of ICE's enforcement priorities, which evolved significantly during the late 2000s.

[3] By 2011, the Obama administration had intensified efforts to deport illegal immigrants with serious criminal records, focusing on those who posed a potential threat to national security and public safety.

[4] The operation built on the Secure Communities program, which facilitated data sharing between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities to identify criminal aliens.

[14] Critics also note that the operation has sown fear in immigrant communities especially ones with families,[15][16] leading to lower reporting of crimes by undocumented individuals.

[17][18] ICE continues to defend the operation, emphasizing that the majority of those arrested have significant criminal records and are not merely being targeted for minor immigration violations.