The mass arrests of undocumented immigrants by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have already exceeded 149,000 in just seven months.
At the same time, these raids generate reports of chaos and abuse following an order from the Trump administration that compelled agents to pursue any migrant, even outside the traditional criteria of public safety.
The official figure, confirmed by ICE to the newspaper Washington Examiner, includes nearly 50,000 arrests in just the last eight weeks, representing a drastic acceleration of operations since May, when the White House reprimanded ICE for not acting with enough firmness.
According to David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, a public policy research organization, the increase is not coincidental: “These arrests are creating chaos on the streets and explain Trump's declining approval in immigration matters.”
Bier stated that the change in approach was driven by Stephen Miller, -deputy director of the White House Policy Office and considered the architect of the current Republican administration's hardline immigration policy- who reportedly ordered a shift away from prioritizing cases with criminal records and to begin arresting individuals who are simply going to work or attending legal appointments.
The data shows a jump of 68,714 arrests between January and April, followed by significant increases in May (25,645), June (34,962), and over 19,000 in mid-July. This represents an average of over 700 daily arrests, twice the rate during the Biden administration, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
ICE itself confirmed on X that "the arrests and deportations of illegal criminal immigrants will continue," without specifying differentiating criteria between criminals and undocumented workers.
Meanwhile, conservative sectors defend the operation as a fulfillment of campaign promises.
"The president is doing what he said he would do," stated Andrew Arthur from the Center for Immigration Studies, who supports Trump's goal of deporting one million people in his first year. Although arrest is not synonymous with deportation, the numbers reveal the scale of an unprecedented operation in the last decade.
In contrast, under the presidency of Joe Biden (2021-2025), about 500,000 arrests were made in four years. The administration of Barack Obama (2009-2017), which was widely criticized at the time for its deportation policies, reached 1.2 million arrests during its first term, the newspaper recalled.
The difference, according to analysts, is not only numerical but also tactical: now any undocumented migrant is targeted, regardless of their profile or background, in a policy that prioritizes numbers over criteria.
Trump’s "war against undocumented immigrants" is advancing at full speed, with no brakes and no filters.
Situation of the Cubans
The elimination of humanitarian parole, the cancellation of CBP One, and the end of the "catch and release" policy at the border have placed thousands of Cubans in a migration limbo, amid the drastic tightening of immigration policy by the Trump administration since January.
According to official figures, more than 42,000 Cubans are under final deportation orders in the U.S., many on supervised release or in detention centers in Louisiana and New Mexico.
A total of 118 Cubans were deported this Thursday, July 31, from the United States and arrived in Havana on a chartered flight that landed at José Martí International Airport, as part of the seventh deportation flight of the year from U.S. territory, Cuban authorities confirmed.
From the group, 96 were men and 22 were women. Three of them were transferred directly to criminal investigation bodies for being linked to alleged crimes committed before leaving the island. The repatriation is part of the bilateral migration agreements between Havana and Washington.
According to the news portal CaféFuerte, by journalist Wilfredo Cancio Isla, the Trump administration has surpassed the figure of 583 Cuban immigrants returned by air. However, it warned that the total number of deportations is not exact, as the number of people returned and the composition of the group remain unknown from a flight reported by Cuban authorities on January 23.
The ICE has not confirmed the details of that first flight, which would have taken place just three days after Trump's inauguration for his second term. However, official reports from MININT have repeatedly mentioned that operation from January, which was not reported at the time, he specified.
According to the publication, if you add the first four years of Trump in the White House (2017-2021) plus the seven months since his second presidential inauguration, the Republican administration has accumulated a statistic of over 4,000 Cubans deported.
During his previous term, Trump set a historical record for the deportation of Cubans with 3,385, a figure that exceeds those recorded by previous U.S. presidents: Joe Biden (978), Barack Obama (341), and George W. Bush (416).
Frequently Asked Questions about Immigration Arrests by ICE in the U.S.
How many people have been arrested by ICE in 2025?
ICE has arrested nearly 150,000 people since January 2025, which reflects a significant increase in immigration arrests under the administration of Donald Trump.
Why has the number of immigrant arrests in the U.S. increased?
The increase in arrests is due to a shift in the immigration policy of the Trump administration, which now prioritizes arresting any undocumented migrant, regardless of their profile or background, instead of focusing only on those with criminal records.
How does Trump's immigration policy affect Cubans in the U.S.?
The elimination of humanitarian parole and the end of the "capture and release" policy have left over 42,000 Cubans under deportation orders in the U.S. A total of 118 Cubans were deported to Cuba on July 31, 2025, as part of the bilateral agreements between Havana and Washington.
What is the impact of current immigration policies on detention centers in the U.S.?
Detention centers are operating beyond their capacity, reaching 120% occupancy. The government seeks to expand detention infrastructure and has resorted to releasing some immigrants under monitoring programs due to overcrowding.
What measures is the Trump administration taking to increase deportations?
The Trump administration has increased resources for ICE, hiring more agents and seeking to expand detention centers. It has also approved legislation to facilitate expedited deportations and is considering reactivating policies such as expedited removal, which allows deportation without a full court hearing.
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