ICE arrests hit recent high, led by non-criminal immigrants
Image: Blake Fagan
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has intensified this summer, with ICE arrests of immigrants living in the US illegally surging to new heights as the agency increasingly targets people without criminal records.
By the numbers: ICE made ~49,000 arrests in July, up from ~43,000 in June and the biggest monthly total since Trump returned to office for a second term.
- Over half of those arrested were accused of civil immigration violations but had no criminal charges or convictions, the first time that group has made up a majority of monthly arrests during Trump’s second term.
- Those with convictions for violent crimes made up ~4% of ICE arrests in July, and stand at ~6% of all ICE arrests under the current administration.
Driving the surge
Analysts point to several reasons behind the recent increase in federal immigration arrests:
- ICE has significantly expanded its workforce over the past year-and-a-half, growing from ~21,000 employees when President Trump returned to office, to ~29,000 in June.
- More arrests are happening outside typical areas of interaction, with ICE agents making arrests at traffic stops, airports, and immigration check-ins. Historically, many ICE arrests have come when individuals were already in law enforcement custody.
Local law enforcement is also playing a larger role through 287(g), a program that allows participating state and local officers to make federal immigration-related arrests. Some 12,700 of ICE’s arrests in June and July came through these programs (~14%).
What does the administration say?
DHS says the growing number of arrests of people without criminal records reflects the Trump admin’s broader enforcement policy: anyone living in the US illegally can be targeted by ICE, regardless of their criminal history.
Officials also dispute how the “no criminal record” category is interpreted, saying it can include gang members, terrorists, human-rights abusers, and people accused of crimes abroad that wouldn’t appear in US records.
On the other hand: Immigration attorneys and advocates say the wider scope of enforcement is affecting people who previously faced less risk of arrest, and are tax-paying residents often working in vital, labor-intensive sectors like agriculture, construction, and hospitality.
Recent cases have included people married to US citizens, asylum seekers who entered the country legally, and immigrants with temporary legal status that the Trump admin recently moved to revoke.
Looking ahead…The partnerships helping ICE expand its reach are set to keep growing, with 287(g) program agreements now covering 1,850+ city, county, and state agencies and counting.
📊 Flash poll: Speaking in general terms: Do you think all, some, or none of the immigrants living in the US illegally should be deported?
See a 360° view of what pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that the Trump admin’s mass deportation campaign has become more effective and expansive even as it has faded from public attention, with ICE shifting away from highly visible enforcement operations toward faster, more targeted arrests and record levels of detention. They also say the decline in public scrutiny of ICE is allowing increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement to become normalized.
- Others contend that the Trump admin’s immigration crackdown causes damage far beyond what is done to those directly detained or deported. They say the fear and uncertainty surrounding enforcement changes how immigrant communities interact with schools, workplaces, law enforcement, and other institutions, creating broader social and economic consequences that are largely overlooked in the immigration debate.
- “Keep Your Eye on ICE” –David Wallace-Wells, NY Times
- “There are unseen consequences of America’s immigration crackdown” –Camerino I. Salazar, San Antonio Express News
- “ICE must answer for deaths, violation of rule of law” –Houston Chronicle Editorial board & Portland Press Editorial Board
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that ICE arrests strengthen public safety and uphold the rule of law, arguing that immigration enforcement should not be judged solely by how many people arrested have criminal convictions, because the government also has a responsibility to enforce immigration laws and maintain control of the country’s borders.
- Others contend that ICE’s increased presence at airports undermines the administration’s effort to focus immigration enforcement on dangerous criminals, as agents cast a wider net that includes travelers who have overstayed visas or remain in legal limbo, creating confrontations with airlines that do little to improve public safety and further weaken public trust in the agency.
- “ICE arrests enforce the law — a good thing” –Denver Gazette Editorial Board
- “Airport ICE capades are a strange way to keep DHS out of the headlines” –WaPo Editorial Board
- “ICE body cams: Will we ever see the footage?” –Las Vegas Review-Journal Editorial Board
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