ICE Detention of Young Children Increased Under Trump Administration

A report by MS NOW and The Marshall Project indicates that the number of infants and toddlers in ICE custody has increased significantly since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025. The analysis, based on records from the Deportation Data Project, found that an average of 25 children aged 3 and under were held in custody daily, totaling at least 500 children since the beginning of Trump's second term. This figure is reported to be ten times higher than the average of fewer than three young children detained daily during the previous year under President Joe Biden. The report also highlighted that at least 175 children were held beyond the 20-day limit established by a 1997 court settlement. According to pediatrics professor Marsha Griffin, the detention period is particularly harmful for young children. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that ICE does not target children and aims to place them with designated safe individuals if their parents are removed. The report also noted ongoing protests regarding conditions in ICE facilities, including a hunger strike at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey. Additionally, a leaked memo revealed changes in reporting practices for deaths of detainees within 30 days of release.