ICE Arrests Hit Record 50,000 in July

July ICE arrests reached a record high, with over half having no criminal records.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded 49,571 arrests in July, setting the highest monthly total in President Trump's second term, according to NPR. CBS News reports the surge averages over 1,580 arrests per day, with more than 800 of those arrested daily having no criminal records—a new high. The White House is pushing ICE toward a target of 2,000 arrests per day.

According to CBS News, July marked the first month of Trump's second term in which people with only civil immigration violations—rather than pending criminal charges or convictions—made up more than half of those arrested. Those with convictions for violent crimes accounted for roughly 4% of those taken into custody in July, per the same data. A DHS spokesperson told CBS News that many individuals counted as 'non-criminals' may have serious records abroad but lack a U.S. rap sheet.

NPR reports that the increase reflects expanded arrest methods under DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, including arrests at airports, ICE check-ins, and immigration courthouses. CBS News notes that agents have increasingly relied on traffic stops and check-in arrests rather than highly publicized city raids. More than half of July's arrests came from Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia, according to NPR. CBS News found that non-sanctuary areas like Florida saw arrest increases of nearly 400%, while sanctuary jurisdictions saw a 27% increase.

The data, obtained by the Deportation Data Project at UC Berkeley and UCLA, underscores a significant escalation in immigration enforcement fueled by billions in congressional funding and thousands of new ICE hires, NPR reports. CBS News notes that ICE now has 287(g) agreements with over 1,850 agencies, a number growing monthly. The killing of two immigrants by federal agents during traffic stops in Maine and Texas has reignited public outcry as enforcement intensifies nationwide.