ICE Arrests 10,000 in Five Days as Trump Administration Ramps Up Immigration Crackdown

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested nearly 10,000 people over a five-day period at the end of June, underscoring a sharp escalation in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign aimed at increasing deportations across the country.

According to information obtained by The Associated Press from a source familiar with unpublished agency data, the arrests took place between Friday and Tuesday , averaging roughly 2,000 arrests per day . While officials have not disclosed where the operations were conducted, the figures point to a significant increase in enforcement activity despite a shift away from high-profile immigration raids in major cities.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the operations are part of the administration's commitment to removing people living in the United States illegally, particularly those accused or convicted of serious crimes. In a statement, DHS said law enforcement agencies would continue to identify, arrest and deport individuals who violate immigration laws.

The latest surge also coincides with a rise in the number of people held in ICE detention facilities , which reportedly increased to around 39,000 in June , compared with about 30,000 in recent months.

Although ICE does not routinely publish arrest statistics , data compiled by UC Berkeley's Deportation Data Project and analysed by the Associated Press suggest the current pace represents one of the agency's most aggressive enforcement periods in recent years. Previous records showed average daily arrests of approximately 1,283 in December , 1,212 in January , and 1,057 in February .

The increase comes after the administration adjusted its enforcement strategy following criticism of highly publicised immigration operations earlier this year. Those large-scale raids drew protests and public scrutiny, prompting officials to adopt a lower-profile approach while maintaining efforts to meet the administration's deportation objectives.

The latest figures indicate that although immigration operations have become less visible, enforcement activity has accelerated considerably as the administration continues to prioritise expanded arrests and deportations under its broader immigration agenda.