United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 49,571 individuals in July 2026, marking the highest monthly total since President Donald Trump began his second term. This figure represents an increase of approximately 15 percent compared to June's count and is about 70 percent higher than the total recorded in February, according to data provided by ICE to the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles, and analyzed by The Associated Press.
In January 2025, the month before Trump's return to office, arrests were slightly above 8,000, primarily consisting of immigrants transferred from local jails and prisons to ICE for removal. Following the easing of restrictions on targeting by ICE officials, monthly arrests began to rise, surpassing 40,000 by December 2025.
Arrests declined in February 2026 after two fatal shootings in Minnesota prompted protests and reactions from Democratic lawmakers. However, after remaining stable for several months, the numbers increased again in June and July.
In July, nearly 20,000 arrests occurred in Texas and Florida, states that have entered into 287(g) agreements with ICE, allowing local law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement. This surge in arrests follows a hiring initiative by ICE, which added approximately 12,000 officers and agents in the previous year.