ICE arrests of people without criminal records hit record high, new data shows

The immigration and customs agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arrested over 800 individuals without criminal records daily in July, setting a record high. This surge in arrests exceeds the White House's target of 2,000 per day. July marked the first month of President Trump's second term where people with only civil immigration violations constituted over half of those arrested. Average daily arrests reached an all-time high of more than 1,580 in July.

ICE ramped up enforcement efforts in the summer following a drop due to public backlash against a Minneapolis operation, a funding standoff, and a change in DHS leadership. However, these increased arrest totals are accompanied by spikes in community arrests of people without criminal records. The administration claims their enforcement is focused on "the worst of the worst" and often highlights arrests of immigrants with violent criminal convictions.

Yet, only about 6% of those booked into ICE detention under the current administration and 4% taken into custody in July had such convictions.

ICE enforces laws based on an individual's illegal presence in the U.S., regardless of their alleged crimes elsewhere. Data from the Deportation Data Project, obtained by CBS News, shows that many individuals counted as "non-criminals" are actually involved in terrorism, human rights abuses, or gang activity. The data does not include information on immigrants' alleged crimes in other countries.

White House border czar Tom Homan and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin have advocated for increased local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, arguing that sanctuary policies force ICE to distribute resources across more cities to find and arrest their targets. However, June and July data suggests that ICE agents are not focusing solely on sanctuary jurisdictions. Cities and states with more stringent collaboration saw a 27% increase in street arrests during those months, compared to a 50% increase elsewhere.

Florida, a state with mandatory ICE cooperation, saw almost four times as many street arrests in June and July compared to the previous six months, with Jacksonville experiencing the highest increase. Miami also saw a significant rise in arrests, from 115 to 715 per month. Texas, a state without sanctuary policies, recorded triple the arrests in El Paso and Austin during the same period.

Despite the overall increase in street arrests in cities with sanctuary policies, some saw similar surges. For example, San Ysidro, California, near the U.S.-Mexico border, saw an increase of over six times in arrests during June and July. Denver, Colorado, and Newark, New Jersey, also experienced a doubling of arrests.

The increase in arrests has been driven by traffic stops, airport arrests, and check-ins at immigration facilities. The killing of two immigrants by federal agents in traffic stops in Maine and Texas has reignited public outcry. Nearly half of all arrests for June and July, approximately 45,300, occurred in communities, with another 12,700 coming from 287(g) agreements, which empower local law enforcement to make immigration-related arrests.

ICE has 287(g) agreements with over 1,850 city, county, and state agencies, a number that has grown each month as the department seeks to expand the program.