Immigration arrests have surged dramatically across the United States under President Trump’s second term, with data reviewed by The New York Times showing more than double the number of arrests in 38 states. This rise follows an intensified directive from Trump’s senior immigration adviser, Stephen Miller, pushing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to ramp up enforcement efforts nationwide.
States with large immigrant populations, such as Texas and Florida, have seen the highest arrest numbers, with over 20,000 arrests in Texas and 11,000 in Florida and Puerto Rico since January 20. Though enforcement was already high under President Biden, the pace under Trump has significantly increased. Meanwhile, Northeastern states like New York and New Jersey have experienced more modest changes.
The data, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project, gives a comprehensive look at ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division. Arrests have jumped to an average of 666 per day—more than twice the 2024 daily average. In early June, that number spiked even further to over 1,100 daily arrests.
ICE has adopted more aggressive tactics, including detaining individuals at court hearings and routine check-ins. The use of expedited removal has tripled—from 5% to 15%—eliminating many migrants’ chance to appear in court. This shift follows a rollback of protections for recently arrived migrants.
The increase has been especially sharp in Southern and Western states aligned with Trump’s immigration policies. Some conservatives argue mass deportation could reshape political power by reducing immigrant populations in blue states and blocking future pathways to amnesty and voting rights.
