ICE arrested a record number of people without criminal records in summer enforcement surge, new data shows

Key Points:

• In July, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a record average of over 800 people daily without criminal records, marking the first time in President Trump's second term that more than half of those arrested had only civil immigration violations.
• ICE's total average daily arrests in July exceeded 1,580, the highest for the current administration, amid a push from the White House to reach a target of 2,000 arrests per day.
• Despite administration claims of targeting "the worst of the worst," only about 4-6% of those arrested had violent criminal convictions, with many non-criminal arrestees lacking U.S. criminal records but potentially having serious offenses abroad.
• Arrest increases occurred nationwide, including in states without sanctuary policies like Florida and Texas, where community arrests surged significantly, indicating ICE is not solely focusing on sanctuary jurisdictions.
• The rise in arrests has been driven by less publicized tactics such as traffic stops and airport detentions, leading to community concerns and incidents including the deaths of two immigrants during traffic stops in Maine and Texas.