ICE is holding 59,000 immigrants—its highest number ever—as Trump intensifies deportation efforts. Nearly half have no criminal record, internal data reveal.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is detaining a record 59,000 immigrants across the country, surpassing its previous high and far exceeding the 41,500-bed limit set by Congress, according to internal government data obtained by CBS News. Nearly 47% of those held have no criminal record, and fewer than 30% have prior convictions.
The figures point to an aggressive expansion of President Trump’s immigration crackdown. “If ICE is holding 59,000 immigrants… it would be the highest number on record that I’m aware of,” said Austin Kocher, a Syracuse University professor.
ICE’s arrest rate has doubled, averaging 1,200 per day in June, driven largely by operations in the U.S. interior. The current detainee count is a 50% jump from the Biden era, when ICE held 39,000.
Critics warn that ICE’s rapid expansion could overwhelm its detention infrastructure and due process protections. “The administration has so far treated these requirements as optional,” Kocher added.