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ICE arrests hit record high
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
ICE arrested 49,571 people in July, a record high for Trump's second term.
The surge shows the administration's mass deportation agenda continues despite a tactical shift.
Background
The data, provided by ICE to UC Berkeley's Deportation Data Project and analyzed by AP, shows a 15% jump from June and a 70% increase from February. The increase follows a change in tactics by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who shifted from high-profile operations to quieter arrests. Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 arrests, and for the first time, more than half of those arrested had only civil immigration violations.
How it unfolded
- Feb 2026ICE made 29,241 arrests, following an enforcement surge in Minnesota.
- Jun 2026ICE made 43,021 arrests, a 15% increase from the previous month.
- Jul 2026ICE made 49,571 arrests, the highest monthly total of Trump's second term, with over 1,580 arrests per day on average.
- Aug 25, 2026The data was released and reported by AP, CBS News, and NPR, highlighting the record high.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- A DHS spokesperson said, 'What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the U.S.— full stop.'
- Analysts
- Graeme Blair, co-director of the Deportation Data Project, said the uptick is due to Mullin's change in tactics, expanding arrests at airports, check-ins, and courthouses.