Tens of Thousands Arrested and Deported During U.S. Shutdown as ICE Detention Hits Record High

Newly released federal data shows that U.S. immigration authorities carried out large-scale enforcement operations during the recent federal government shutdown, arresting and detaining tens of thousands of people nationwide and deporting tens of thousands more. The data cover the period from 1 October through 15 November and reveal that the total number of people in immigration custody topped 65,000 — the highest level in the modern era of U.S. immigration detention.

According to the figures, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested and placed roughly 54,000 people into ICE custody during the shutdown, and about 56,000 removals (deportations) were recorded during the same period. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also made additional arrests; ICE’s arrest total does not capture all individuals who have been held in ICE facilities.

Significantly, the data indicate that more than 21,000 of those arrested and detained had no criminal record. Immigrants with no criminal convictions remain the largest single group in U.S. immigration detention — underscoring that undocumented status is a civil violation rather than a criminal offense.

ICE’s breakdown also shows that more than 16,000 people arrested had prior criminal convictions and nearly 15,300 faced pending criminal charges at the time of detention. Experts say the surge in arrests of people without criminal histories represents a sharp shift in enforcement priorities: one researcher compared the increase from just 950 detainees with no criminal history earlier in the year to nearly 22,000 in the most recent data.

Adam Sawyer, director of research at Relevant Research, said the more-than-65,000 detainee population is the highest since the modern era of immigration detention began in the 1980s.

Austin Kocher, an assistant research professor who tracks ICE statistics, said the new numbers call into question claims that enforcement focused primarily on the "worst of the worst."

Earlier reports and internal communications indicate that senior Department of Homeland Security officials urged a dramatic increase in arrests; one reported directive reportedly set a target of roughly 3,000 arrests per day. Leaked internal emails also show guidance instructing officers to detain "collaterals" — people who happen to be present during an operation — even when arrest warrants were not specifically obtained for them.

The enforcement surge has been accompanied by expanded funding and coordination: federal agencies and some local law enforcement were ordered to assist in interior arrests, and many border agents were redeployed from border work to support interior operations. Large-scale operations occurred in major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina. Reports also indicate that some people with lawful status, and in a few cases U.S. citizens, were mistakenly detained amid the ramped-up operations.

The data and the tactics it reflects have prompted renewed calls for oversight and clearer guidance on priorities and civil rights protections, as advocates and some officials question whether enforcement has prioritized public safety or broader immigration apprehension goals.