The New York Times reports that ICE will begin raids this Sunday.Getty Images

ICE is reportedly targeting illegal immigrants who have already been issued deportation orders. However, they have stated "collateral" arrests will take place with people in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE) raids are reportedly set to begin this Sunday across the US in an effort to make good on President Trump's plans to deport thousands of illegal immigrants.

There are an estimated 25,000 Irish including many long- term families who will be in dread this weekend many fear separation for their legal American citizen kids.

Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform chairman Ciaran Staunton advised Irish undocumented to keep a low profile at the weekend. "It is not advisable to attend gatherings or events that ICE could be targeting," he said.

Read More: Trump pledges to deport “millions” of undocumented from America - including Irish?

On Thursday, The New York Times cited two current and one former homeland security officials as saying that ICE raids targeting about 2,000 people are expected to begin “in at least 10 major cities” this Sunday, July 14.

While the ICE raids are expected to target individuals who have already been issued deportation orders, sources told the New York Times that there may be “collateral” deportations: “In those deportations, the authorities might detain immigrants who happened to be on the scene, even though they were not targets of the raids.”

An ICE spokesperson told Fox News: "As always, ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of unlawfully present aliens who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security. ... However, all of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and – if found removable by final order – removal from the United States.”

Officials told The New York Times that the administration's goal is to use the raids as a show of force to deter families from approaching the southwestern border of the US.

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The New York Times report comes only a day after Ken Cuccinelli, acting US Citizenship and Immigration Services director, said: "We're not going to say when operational elements are going to roll out.”

"They're absolutely going to happen. There's approximately a million people in this country with removal orders. And of course that isn't what ICE will go after in this, but that's the pool of people who have been all the way through the due process chain."

In June, President Trump revealed plans of a similar raid but walked those plans back at the last moment after some pushback from both ICE and politicians.

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"Know Your Rights"

Politico reports that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said behind closed doors on Thursday that she urging people to spread the ‘Know Your Right’s campaign as the raids loom. Speaker Pelosi also reportedly plans to appeal to religious leaders to oppose the raids.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted:

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris tweeted:

Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, also tweeted: