New data shows record number of arrests and deportations of immigrants in the US

The Trump administration deported a record number of immigrants in July, according to government data released on Monday. The administration apprehended an average of 1,500 people and removed 1,100 people daily from the country. This surge in arrests and deportations occurred despite the administration moving away from the high-profile, militarized raids that characterized its immigration enforcement last year.

Melissa Shepard, director of legal services at ImmDef, an immigrant services group based in Southern California, noted that while the way people are being detained is more subtle, arrests continue to take place. In July, 49,571 people were arrested, marking the highest number since October 2022 and a 15% increase from the previous record set in June.

A record 33,900 people were removed from the US in July, the most since the second Trump administration began. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the border patrol, has been working to meet the White House's goal of conducting 2,000 arrests every day. Boosted by a $70 billion funding increase, DHS has been ramping up its operations to achieve this target.

The majority of arrestees in July had no criminal history, a record number, according to the Guardian's analysis. Immigrants are being arrested in various settings, such as mandated appointments at ICE offices, traffic stops, outside their homes, and increasingly at US airports. Advocacy groups and attorneys advise clients with valid immigration statuses to avoid flying due to the increased enforcement.

The administration has also focused on enforcement in Springfield, Ohio, where a large group of Haitians with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) had settled. TPS for Salvadorians is set to expire in September, leaving 170,000 people without protection.