Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has recorded a record-breaking 800+ individuals without criminal records in July, marking the highest number of such arrests in the agency’s history. This surge, driven by a White House push for 2,000 per day, stems from a confluence of factors, including a drop following public backlash to the Department of Homeland Security’s operations, a funding standoff, and a shift in DHS leadership. The agency’s data reveals a significant increase in arrests, particularly within communities, despite the administration’s assertion that these efforts are focused on the “worst of the worst.”
Data from ICE, obtained by the Deportation Data Project, a collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA, indicates that ICE agents make approximately 6% of all individuals booked into ICE detention under the current administration. The data also highlights that approximately 4% of those taken into custody in July were individuals without criminal records, representing a substantial increase compared to previous months.
This surge is attributable to several key trends. As reported in a DHS statement, ICE enforces the law as written, and the agency emphasizes that individuals without criminal records are considered targets due to their immigration status, regardless of whether they have a criminal history. A DHS spokesperson stated that ICE agents are targeting individuals with violent criminal convictions, which makes up about 6% of those booked into ICE detention. The data shows that a significant portion of these arrests occur in communities, with June and July representing a 27% increase in street arrests compared to the previous six months, and a 50% increase in arrests across the board.
Specifically, the data shows that the increase in arrests in Florida, where state law mandates local law enforcement collaboration with ICE, is the highest in the country. In Texas, arrests tripled in El Paso and Austin, and in San Ysidro, California, arrests doubled in Denver and Newark. The increased activity, while not primarily focused on city-specific crackdowns, has been observed in a wider range of settings, including traffic stops, airport arrests, and check-in events.
The agency’s 287(g) agreements with over 1,850 local law enforcement agencies represent a significant expansion of its reach. The program has grown by nearly four times in June and July compared to the previous six months, with the highest increases observed in Jacksonville, Miami, and El Paso. The data suggests that ICE agents are prioritizing arrests in communities, rather than solely focusing on areas with sanctuary policies.
ICE has confirmed that the increased number of arrests is not solely due to a decline in public pressure. The agency’s actions, including the focus on “the worst of the worst” and the targeting of individuals with violent criminal convictions, have been met with criticism from immigration advocates, who argue that these policies disproportionately impact communities of color and perpetuate systemic inequalities. The killing of two immigrants in Maine and Texas during attempted traffic stops ignited a renewed focus on immigration enforcement and highlighted concerns about ICE’s approach to policing.
At least 45,300 arrests were made in June and July, nearly half of all arrests for those two months, in communities rather than in jails or prisons. Approximately 12,700 more came from what are known as 287(g) agreements, in which local law enforcement officials are empowered to make immigration-related arrests. The data shows a significant increase in arrests in cities with sanctuary policies, including Jacksonville, Miami, and Newark. ICE has stated that the uptick in arrests is without highly publicized city-focused crackdowns, with agents instead turning to traffic stops, airport arrests, and immigration check-ins. The agency is working to expand the 287(g) program, allotting $1.15 billion toward it through September 2027. The agency’s continued focus on community-based arrests underscores its strategy of targeting individuals with immigration status, regardless of their criminal history.
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Source: CBS News
