Immigration arrests have significantly increased nationwide, more than doubling in 38 states since President Trump assumed office, as per newly released data analyzed by The New York Times.
Enforcement activities have escalated even more in recent weeks, following a directive from Trump’s chief immigration adviser, Stephen Miller, who urged agents to enhance their efforts to boost arrests.
The majority of recent immigration arrests have occurred in states with substantial immigrant populations, such as Florida and Texas, both of which had already experienced heightened enforcement levels under President Biden, according to the Times report.
Since January 20, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended over 20,000 individuals in Texas alone, despite a noticeable drop in border crossings. ICE’s Miami field office, which oversees Florida and Puerto Rico, has documented more than 11,000 arrests during the same timeframe, it noted.
In contrast, states like New Jersey and New York, which also have large immigrant populations, have seen only slight increases in enforcement compared to the previous administration. Some of the most significant surges in arrests have been reported in Southern and Western states that closely align with Trump’s immigration policies, the Times pointed out.
The newly released data offers the most comprehensive view to date of the extent and speed of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Acquired through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, the records concentrate on arrests conducted by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division.
The data indicates that ICE acted quickly in January to start executing Trump’s directive to deport millions of unauthorized immigrants. Since the beginning of his second term, the agency has more than doubled its daily arrest rate, now averaging 666 arrests per day—up from fewer than 300 per day in 2024, according to the report.
As the immigration crackdown initiated by the Trump administration escalates, it has ignited protests across the nation, including heated confrontations earlier this month in Los Angeles involving demonstrators, local law enforcement, and federal agents.
In spite of the significant increase in arrests, the rate may still not meet the expectations established by Miller, who is the architect of a considerable portion of the administration’s immigration policy. During a meeting on May 21 with leaders from ICE field offices, Miller allegedly set a target of 3,000 arrests daily. Since that time, the number of arrests has surged notably, with ICE averaging over 1,100 arrests per day during the initial 10 days of June—the latest period for which data is available, as further noted by the Times.
To achieve these objectives, ICE has implemented more assertive strategies, which include detaining individuals during standard check-ins and at immigration court hearings. A significant number of those apprehended in court are now being subjected to expedited removal—a rapid deportation process that circumvents conventional legal proceedings and removes the opportunity to present a defense in court.
At the conclusion of 2024, only approximately 5 percent of those arrested faced expedited removal. By June, that percentage had risen to 15 percent, following the administration’s reduction of protections for numerous newly arrived migrants, as highlighted by the Times.
“The rate of arrests has risen in every state compared to 2024. In 21 states and the District of Columbia, the rate has more than tripled,” the report stated.
“Idaho, where data indicates that ICE conducted 77 arrests last year, has experienced the most significant change. Since January 20, ICE has executed over 300 arrests there, averaging more than two per day,” it stated. “Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia have witnessed the most rapid increase in ICE enforcement relative to their immigrant population sizes. In total, ICE has apprehended over 4,000 individuals in these states combined, compared to approximately 2,500 during the same period in 2024.”
Republicans have consistently contended that Democrats exploit mass illegal immigration for two main reasons: to inflate the populations of blue states to maintain congressional representation, and to ultimately advocate for amnesty to enable these individuals to vote. Trump’s commitment to mass deportation poses a threat to both of these goals.