ICE Detention Centers at Capacity as Trump Administration Ramps Up Arrests
U.S. immigration detention centers are at full capacity, holding around 47,600 detainees, according to officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Trump administration is working with federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and U.S. Marshals, to expand bed space and has requested more funding from Congress.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons stated, “We expect these ICE arrests and removal numbers will only go up as we unleash an agency that has had its hands tied behind its back for the past four years.”
ICE has ramped up arrests since Trump took office in January, with 32,809 individuals detained as of March 10th. Of those arrests, 14,111 were convicted criminals, 9,980 had pending charges, and 8,718 were arrested solely for immigration violations. Some detainees have since been released under ICE’s Alternatives to Detention program due to medical or humanitarian concerns.
Meanwhile, White House border czar Tom Homan has criticized sanctuary cities for refusing to cooperate with ICE, warning, “Sanctuary cities are going to get exactly what they don't want, more agents in the community and more collateral arrests.”
Despite the increase in arrests, deportations under Trump have so far lagged behind those during Biden’s presidency. February’s deportation numbers were lower than the same month last year, according to NBC News. However, the administration expects removals to accelerate as it continues to push for mass deportations and expanded detention capacity.
